How to get an outreach idea

by Steve Sjogren

As you read about servant evangelism projects do you ever scratch your head and wonder, “How did they think of that?” Every day our database of projects at www.servantevangelism.com is growing with reports of projects being experimented with from around the world. Some of them work well for a particular people group or a certain city, but all of them are worth mulling over to learn from. Here is a short list of the steps I generally go through along the way to get a new project.

Listen for God’s inspiration

Maybe it seems obvious, but ask the Holy Spirit to show you the key to reaching out effectively. Jesus promises, “Ask and you shall receive.”

Some 300 projects have now been documented – some of them amazingly clever! I hear of them and find myself smiling and saying, “Now only the inspiration of the Spirit could have brought that one about.” I am convinced that the best s.e. projects are yet to be discovered – or should I say “inspired.”

Listen for God to show you your people – ‘ethnos’ – people group

When Jesus told us in the Great Commission text of Matthew 28 to “go out to all peoples” he was talking literally “all people groups.” More likely, he was meaning, “go to your people.” Questions: Who are your people? I’m not talking about the geography of your city or county or country – that’s thinking too linear. Jesus meant the people he has made you for. Even within the “people” of the so-called “Gen X” crowd there are many sub-groups. If you will listen for the definition of God from him to you about your people you will no doubt hear him loudly and consistently show you “your people.” For example, though I have never had a drinking problem, I feel a strong affinity to the Alcoholics Anonymous folks. AA folks are “my people!” I’ve had a number of AA friends over the years and have come to see these people as very real and authentic. On a regular basis I do outreach to the meeting center that is located near our church’s location on the north side of Cincinnati.

Listen for God to show you your area

I have found that God gives ministry favor, based somewhat, on geography. As a church planter I have found that to be especially true.

I’ve watched talented planters work hard in one part of town with little fruit to show for their efforts, only to move to the other side of town and their work take off like gangbusters. There are some spots in your town that are just not “happening.” Don’t waste your time going back continually to those areas. Life is too short to dilly dally. There are too many truly open-hearted people out there who are literally looking for the love of God is Christ that you are carrying about to mark time with little to no fruit to show. You will know your area because you will get consistently good responses, you will find joy in the ministry and those you serve will be grateful for your gift of service.

Putter around your turf

Take the time to look around. We are so often so busy we don’t put our periscope up long enough to notice life. We especially don’t notice people – their faces, their peculiar pains, their struggles. Each of those represents an s.e. ministry opportunity. If you are putter-challenged try going to a shopping area, buy yourself a large cup of hot beverage and walk about the place doing some people face watching. Take notice of what they are going through.

Notice lines of people — where they are having to inconveniently wait in line

Wherever you see people cuing up, people are in distress. They are frustrated and on the verge of anger. This is a great opportunity to get to work to relieve their stress somewhat. Some of our best projects have come out of us waiting in lines ourselves.

Practice! Practice! Practice!

Last point – don’t be afraid to try a few things with no guarantee of success. Winston Churchill said, “Success is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm!” On a similar note, Paul Gaugin, impressionist artist said, “There are two kinds of artists: revolutionaries and plagiarists.” There is a bit of both in me. It’s going to take practice to get proficient at serving and reaching out dynamically.