Transcript EM Chapter 8 - Seminar Style Evangelism

OUTREACH
is for
EVERYONE
General Conference
Women’s Ministries
EVANGELISM MANUAL
Training Program
OUTREACH IS FOR EVERYONE
Chapter 8
Seminar Style
Evangelism
General Conference
Women’s Ministries Department
• “Every church should be a training school for
Christian workers. Its members should be
taught how to give Bible readings, how to
conduct and teach Sabbath school classes, how
best to help the poor and to care for the sick,
how to work for the unconverted. There should
be schools of health, cooking schools, and
classes in various lines of Christian help work.
• There should not only be teaching, but actual
work under experienced instructors. Let the
teachers lead the way in working among the
people and others, uniting with them, will
learn from their example. One example is
worth more than many precepts.” Ministry of
Healing, pp. 148, 149.
• Seminar style evangelism is more formal than
one-on-one Bible studies or small study
groups, but not as formal as a full scale
evangelistic meeting. The seminar style
invites more dialogue and participation than
is common in an evangelistic meeting.
How Do You Prepare
for a Seminar?
• Much of the preparation for seminar
evangelism will be the same as for a
large evangelistic meeting. One
difference is that the presenter will be
a lecturer or teacher rather than an
evangelist or preacher.
• It is important for women to work together in
evangelism. We can encourage each other
and share ideas. We can pray together for
guests and also for each other, keeping our
team accountable to God. When women work
together for a good purpose, through God’s
guidance they can accomplish more than
they imagined.
• Seminar evangelism is enhanced when
dedicated women from the church come with
the primary purpose of making friends with
those attending. It is even better if they bring
their own friends, family, and neighbors each
night.
Keys to Success
• There are four keys vital to the success of
any evangelistic endeavor, but especially
important when conducting seminars.
• 1. Prayer partners praying for the
success of every meeting, even during
the meeting.
• 2. Bible focus. People need to hear you
say over and over that you interpret
the Bible (for example, Daniel) “by
what the Bible says;” that you let the
Bible explain itself.
• 3. Make very clear to your seminar
audience that your purpose is to uplift
Jesus Christ. Talk of Jesus;
• 4. Explain that we study last-day
events, not just to understand the last
days, but also to be prepared for the
last days.
The Evangelistic
Team at Work
• It is not wise to try to do an evangelistic
seminar by yourself. Others need the
experience and the blessing. Not everyone’s
spiritual gifts are the same. Various talents
and personalities are needed in a successful
program.
Pointers for Team Members
• Help team members understand that whether
they are asked to help with registration, with
setting up the seminar, or with special music,
those jobs are secondary. Their first priority is
to build relationships with visitors.
• As you get to know the visitors, sit with
them in the seminar, learn their names
and call them when they miss a
night—not to scold them for not
coming, but to show an interest in
them, to show that you really care.
• When you are talking with visitors,
don’t share future subjects.
• Sympathize with guests when they
struggle with truths new to them.
• Above all, you are there to be a
friend.
• When visitors first come on Sabbath,
invite them home to dinner if
possible. Let them see how you keep
a joyful Sabbath.
Guidelines for
Seminar Leaders
• The following guidelines for leading an
evangelistic seminar were written by someone
who joined the church through a Revelation
seminar, and subsequently lead Revelation
seminars.
• Use the overhead projector and screen
each evening, or similar visual aids, such
as a computer, video projector, large TV,
blackboard, or chart.
• Make clear to your attendees the first
night that the seminar materials are free.
• Make certain the hall will be opened for
you at least one hour before your
meeting begins the first night.
• If you have a small seminar group, or if
you are meeting in a home, sit around a
table or in a circle in the living room.
Before people arrive for the meeting,
have your tables arranged and seats in
place.
• On subsequent nights, place on the table
only the next night’s lesson.
• Call the assigned helpers from your
church to make certain you have
enough help for your expected crowd.
For opening night, you should plan on
two helpers for every 10 to 15 visitors
expected.
• Have one helper make out name tags as
the people come in.
• After the meeting each evening, collect
quiz sheets and offering envelopes left
at the tables.
• Keep accurate and up-to-date records.
• After a few nights, you can begin a book
table, with another helper to run it.
• The first few nights, encourage people to
bring friends.
• Remember that the people are to do the
lessons ahead of time so you can just go
over them during the session.
• If you plan to follow up with an evangelistic
series and not finish the lessons in class, be
sure to make clear on opening night and
regularly thereafter that this is a prelude
to a more detailed presentation to come
later.
• Visitation is the key to success. As
friendships develop and people have an
opportunity to share, you will be able to
more fully share the gospel. (For a more
detailed description of visitation, see Chapter
12. “Visitation and Getting Decisions.”)