Church of Christ
Section two:
This page will record our evangelism group classes and resources, concerning "Friendship evangelism." Also known as "lifestyle," "invite" and "cold approach." Also, we'll cover coffee shop evangelism (doing public studies).
One does not eat an elephant in one bite. Nor a Thanksgiving meal. Take your time, read a small section/watch a video a day or every other day, even once weekly. Go at your own pace. Try to focus on one bite at a time and digest the content.
As you slowly go through this content, try to apply what you read and watch.
You'll find that you will have grown as you eat what is before you one bite at a time.
Online training and group recording
The last page detailed how to set up an event evangelism work. What can be done at the gym can be done anywhere where vendors are allowed. Such as malls, flea markets, fairgrounds, outdoor city/town festivals, college campuses, etc. We also outlined key principles for starting a group on a strong Biblical foundation.
This new page will detail interpersonal outreach methods a person can do in one's day-to-day life. Ranging from Friendship evangelism to doing studies (at public locations) while taking breaks from errands, school, and work. We will also cover tech formats for outreach.
We will have evangelism videos to motivate, teach, and encourage. There will be "how to" group documents, to help educate. The group will share recorded data for review, reflection, and study.
Beginning with (lifestyle) Friendship evangelism:
Step by Step process
We will go over how to do friendship evangelism. To our evangelism group and to others interested in (doing/becoming comfortable/getting ready to do) friendship evangelism.
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The first step is to first watch the evangelism workshop teaching videos from JP Flores. The University Church, (in Tampa Bay FL) has doubled in size in 2 years, (in large part), it's due to the friendship evangelism JP taught and promoted, (leading to a church evangelism culture.) The elders at this church have a vision and helped create a strong/loving/thriving evangelistic culture.
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The second step is to watch our live, in-group training classes on friendship evangelism. We will be sharing tips, ideas, and Bible-based lessons from Jesus and the Apostles. The classes will also give exercises for people to do that will slowly (as they do each exercise) acclimate a person to approaching others in doing friendship evangelism. JP Flores and Joseph Sullivan will be heading up these classes. If you watch these videos and do these exercises you will acclimate to doing friendship evangelism.
The first step:
Training videos
Seeing Opportinites
Understand the "Why"
Seeking the Lost:
Jesus and the Thirsty
Taking the First Step
- Demystifying Evangelism
The second step:
In group live evangelism
training classes
First Friendship evangelism class video
Video One: Watch the training class video on friendship
evangelism. Recorded 2.21.24
Class taught by JP Flores.
Location JP's home.
Note: JP taught when he had to leave early the next morning for a Gospel Meeting. He did a fantastic job. Our group was blessed to learn from the advice in this class.
Regrettably, my cell failed to record the audio during the whole class. Someone wanted to call in and listen. Turns out you can't record and do that and still get video audio. I won't make that mistake again. Totally my fault. I ended up getting the tail end of the evangelism class. I made a second video trying to fill in the details from what was shared. I encourage you to watch it. To play the Video, click here.
NOTE: TO GET THE RESULTS FROM THE FRIENDSHIP EVANGELIM TRAINING CLASSES, DO THE EXERCISES. HAVE A PEN AND PAPER. WRITE DOWN THE EXERCISES AND PRACTICE DOING THEM.
Friendship evangelism (also known as, cold approach, lifestyle or invite evangelism).
Instructors JP Flores's and Joseph Sullivan's training videos on Friendship evangelism
I encourage our evangelism group and others who are interested, to watch our live recorded classes, from our instructors. They will share various topics. But one of the main themes will be on Friendship (lifestyle) evangelism. When you watch (and do the exercises) you will grow and develop in friendship evangelism.
You will learn ways of doing interpersonal work with others that you come into contact with. And mature in this versatile, effective, Bible-based method.
JP Flores is one of the best evangelists I (Joseph Sullivan) have come across. The attitude this soul winner has reflects that of Christ. Having that spirit goes hand in hand with sharing Jesus. JP is exceptional in friendship evangelism. The church has doubled in size in 2 years. He's mentored people in this method and through having a supportive eldership has successfully created a loving evangelistic culture within the Univerity Church of Christ congregation. Joseph Sullivan has been doing event evangelism and friendship evangelism work. He's written books on these subjects and loves to teach others these methods.
Second Friendship evangelism class video
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Remember to do the exercises within these books. Study the videos and do the activities we share within our evangelism group. :)
These efforts will help acclimate you to doing friendship evangelism more easily. Follow along and study these videos and do the exercises and you will begin to grow in friendship evangelism and develop in interacting with people.
I encourage you to have a pen and paper and record thoughts from these videos.
Also, write down our exercises and assignments, and mark them in your schedule to do daily or weekly, according to the task given.
Video two: Watch the training class video on friendship evangelism.
Recorded 2.27.24
Class taught by Joseph Sullivan
Location St. Joseph North cafeteria.
The books can be accessed at our "Classes" evangelism training page here. Benjamin Lee has a great video interview of his work, from Dan Barker's "Leading Others to Christ." We mention this soul winner in the class video, I encourage you to watch the video interview. You can watch it here. You can find more content from evangelists, just google "Leading Others to Christ."
Besides doing the exercises in this video I also encourage you to do at least one evangelism event a month. Doing events will help you acclimate and transition to doing friendship evangelism faster. If your giving invites/talking to people about spiritual things, when doing door knocking, campus work, flea market outreach, etc. it will help with your comfort level doing friendship evangelism. And vis versa. The more you do event evangelism the more comfortable yo will become in doing event evangelism AND friendship evangelism. They both serve as bridges to one another.
After we had our class, Gustav went up to a nurse and gave an invite to a church event his congregation is having for the upcoming Sunday. He did a great job and the lady, Maria, accepted the material and seemed interested.
If you've not done so, I encourage you to read the book "Save a Church from Dying." The stats are alarming and the decline within Amseric is real. This book shows why the kingdom is declining in America and shows ways on how to stop this decline. All the class books can be accessed at Spiritbuilding.
Note: When I say stats, please keep in mind I am giving max ceiling numbers. If I say you reach 10 people to get a result for such and such, that is the maximum number for a result to take place. It could be number 1 or number 4, etc. I tend to give max stats but I need to also mention, that they are ceiling numbers. So when you watch my videos, please keep that in mind, when I am outlining evangelism statistics for doing outreach work.
Our evangelism website for inviting people to sign up for a Bible study is at www.biblestudygrouptampabay.com
You can also find us online when you search "bible study Tampa Florida."
REMEMBER TO DO THE EXERCISES IN THE VIDEO TRAINING CLASSES. THEY WON'T WORK UNLESS YOU APPLY THEM. :)
Third Friendship evangelism class video
Video three: Watch the training class video on friendship evangelism.
Recorded 3.5.24
Class taught by Joseph Sullivan
Location Chick-fil-A.
Evangelism quotes to think on
Fourth Friendship evangelism class video
Video four: An audio recording made into a video:
Bible study on evangelism from the gospel of Luke.
Training class video on friendship evangelism.
Recorded 4.9.24
Class taught by JP Flores
Location Panera Bread
We had some great interactions with folks. Someone sat in on our study. There was another Bible study going on from a college group that attends USF across the street. The lesson came from the gospel of Luke and was taught by JP Flores and details the struggles and focus of evangelism. After the Bible study, we asked questions about doing friendship evangelism.
On the last Saturday of March, (30th 2024), we meet up at the Sullivan home to celebrate and relax after doing a great deal of outreach during this month. It was a time of food and conversation. It was a time of prayerful reflection, supplication, and praise to God. We also sang songs of thanksgiving to our Father for His grace and support in the work we did. I made a songbook for our group We also shared our experiences with the events we did that month and our feedback on how our group can improve.
The group shared great ideas. Susan Stoa has been in sales and said when we text contacts who signed up, instead of giving a general invite asking what times work best for the contact, to instead mention specific days 2 that are open. People Susan says, like order and structure. They are more likely to follow through when you give them concrete choices instead of a general invite.
Derek Carley shared that a good group should have a logo and a brand. This helps create identity and recognition, which builds trust. He also mentioned the importance of QR codes. When people are signing up for Bible studies, we can't always read their names, numbers, etc. With a QR code, (for tech people and interested parties) they can sign up for a Bible study using their cell phones. The QR code can take them to our sign up page. The QR code can also be used as a stamp or sticker (can use Canva.com for making stickers) to put on books, DVDs, bookmarks, etc. Our team members can carry the code on their cell phones to get signatures, etc. Derek's idea is excellent. I may make a sticker, or stamp to put this logo/QR code on the content we pass out as well. The logo can be used on our cell phones wallpaper for when interacting with people and getting people to sign up.
Updated: 424.24.
Plastic sign holders are good for a QR code, where people can sign up online or click on using their phones to learn more.
Here is our QR code.
Daniel Lookadoo had a great idea. When you invite people to sign up for a Bible study, or do a study (if its possible), or if you share spiritual content, and people say, "I am saved" or "I go to church" or "I have a Bible study group," etc. simply try to ask them more questions, concerning what they say, and generate more conversation, about what they shared.
If people are not interested in sitting down and having a Bible study, or in singing up for a Bible study, then bring the Bible study to them. Talk to them about spiritual things, about salvation, heaven, etc. If you know the scriptures and have a Bible with you, then share what you know with them.
You can also say (warmly, with interest and enthusiasm) when they say, the above, "Great, that means you must like talking about spiritual things. let me hear more about it."
Three Daily evangelism practices to do for friendship evangelism.
Click here to download the document.
Fifth Friendship evangelism class video
Video fifth: An audio recording made into a video:
Bible study on setting up an invite mindset and synchronizing one's behavior in doing invites. Role-playing and morning routines are detailed. But see our documents for more study and application.
Training class video on friendship evangelism.
Recorded 4.18.24
Class taught by Joseph Sullivan
Location Panera Bread
We met up at Panera Bread to discuss Bible evangelism themes: I asked Derek a question on how he invited someone at the coffee shop to church...that is when the recording started.
We are also doing an event once a month, where we meet up at USF College. We will split into groups of two and practice doing whatever a group member is comfortable with doing. It can be just waving, saying hello, it can be asking questions to students to talk with them. Questions on food, on where places are at, etc. Or for those who are more comfortable, they can start a conversation with a question, and end the conversation with an invite. I like warming up by first greeting people, then secondly by asking folks questions, then when ready I also start giving invites.
The books (I've mentioned in an earlier post) that we cover in classes, and the exercises within the shared documents (Three daily evangelism practices and role-playing exercises will help with personal development in this area.
Also doing event evangelism, (door knocking, street evangelism, etc. helps make the transition more easier into friendship evangelism).
Amping the mind for meeting people:
A good way to prepare the mind and attitude for evangelism and interacting with others comes with perspective shifts and mental focus on seeing people in a certain way. See my short video to learn more. I encourage you to do what is in the video. You will grow greatly in how you interact with others when you do this exercise. Evangelism is about love.
Here are positive examples of this method.
Motivational videos of "friendship evangelists"
who are growing their local church.
Max Dawson video click here.
Benjamin Lee video click here.
Coffee shop evangelism
Experiences and ideas
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Doing public studies (also known as coffee shop evangelism) is an advertisement. People see the Word being read and the curious may inquire. Our group has been doing coffee shop evangelism at Panera Bread, for about a month. I've also been doing these studies by myself. Chick-fil-A, Starbucks, basically anywhere where you can sit down and be around a lot of people is a great place for doing studies. My mentor Royce Bell used to have a small sign on the table inviting people to join him and his group for studies. He'd also invite folks. This was one of his methods of doing evangelism.
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I've noticed and our other group leader, JP Flores says he's noticed the same, that when people see a person studying the Word, some of them will walk over, or stand nearby, or sit close out of curiosity. I've waitresses, stand nearby, and hover, an elderly man sat near me, and when doing a class, a man sat on the booth behind us and watched and listened.
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I've also seen those who see this and seem more lost and dispirited. The study of the Word, makes them feel certain things they know they have in their life. Those who seem sad, discouraged, and lost seem to gravitate and sit nearby.
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You can go up to these people and ask if they are ok and try to get a conversation going... And if the conversation moves along you can give an invite to study with you then or later.
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There is another Bible study group that meets on Tuesdays at Panera Bread. After our group Bible studies, I go over and begin talking (individually) with one of the teachers or one of the students to build connections. I am not giving an invite immediately. I'm focusing on building bonds. I am asking questions, and learning their names. I am building emotional bonds. I will talk with them about their church, their spiritual goals, and interests, their Bible study work, etc. You are investing in them and they are investing in you emotionally, (through words given, interactions shared, time spent, etc. ) Later I will give an invite. If you know you will see someone regularly, at a grocery store, or coffee shop, etc. you can build bonds with them over time then later...give an invite to church or a Bible study. Even when such invites are given and they don't follow up on an invite, you can still talk with them about spiritual/Biblical things. Down the road, they may be interested (and show that interest in conversation). Yet even in doing your discussions, you are planting seeds. One does not need to schedule a Bible study to have a Bible study. You can share the Bible with them as you talk to them. This practice can be done anywhere, colleges, flea markets, door knocking, doing friendship evangelism, etc.
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I've noticed that when I hold up my cell phone (in the air) and record our classes in such a public manner, that some are still interested, but others think more poorly of the studies. Recording things can be lumped in with stunts and trying to expose things, so I got a more discrete tablet to place on the table for future training class recordings.
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In my personal studies, I am going to do what Andy Cantrell does. This is one of Andy's main forms of evangelism. What he does is in the document here. Basically, you smile and wave, say hi to people, and if they say hi back you can invite them to study with you. I know that is rather simplistic and requires an outgoing, friendly nature. But with [practice anyone can do it.
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I've found that when I walk into a coffee shop early, (places like Panera Bread, Starbucks, etc.) before a group Bible study begins and I place my Bible in the middle of the store, preferably on a high table, that people at times gravitate to me and the Bible. They may be looking away but standing close or they may be looking at me and the Bible. These signs say that a person may be interested. A simple invite, like "We are going to have a Bible study soon, would you be interested?" can let such people know that they are welcome. Even if a person is standing near the Bible/table and is not interested, an invite may generate interest.
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The staff are great to interact with. The more you meet at a specific location, the more bonds you can build with the staff, which can lead to spiritual discussions and invites to church/Bible study, etc. The staff may listen in on the Bible studies or pay attention to what our study group is doing, this can build up interest and interactions later on.
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We've had people listen, and recently someone sit down and join us. We did not even invite him. We've had occasion to give invites and talk with people due to meeting up for these studies. This is a great way to connect with folks. Right now we are doing studies on Tuesday and Thursday nights.
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USF: Practice friendship evangelism
A. Wave, smile, greet, ask questions, give invite
This Friday (26th) at 6 PM, park on the top of the USF garage. It's next to the Marshal Student Center.
Address: 4103 USF Cedar Cir, Tampa, FL 33620 https://g.co/kgs/a8B8srF
I like to warm up wth first by waving at people, then by greeting people, and then by asking people questions, (be aware of the environment, what do you hear, see, smell, etc.) If you smell good food, ask about that. Like "What is that smell? Where is it coming from? etc. If you hear music, ask about that. Like "What is that music?" "Whose playing it?" If you see a person with a cute doggie, complement the owner/owner's pet. If you see a cool T-shirt, complement the design. Mention the T-shirt and ask about it.
Our class on Tuesday is going over social hacks in my book "Cold Approach" in the 3 section booklet I wrote "Making It Work: Three Proven Techniques for Evangelism"
But the best way to learn, grow, and find your nitch is by actively going out and practicing. JP Flores (one of our team leaders) is exceptional at doing this. Friendship evangelism/lifestyle evangelism gets easier the more one does it. JP has had 1,000's of Bible studies. The more we interact with people, the more contacts we can get and people we can reach.
We'll meet up there and break into groups of twos. The groups can walk around and visit the food court, library, etc.
Do what you're comfortable with doing. You can greet folks, talk to folks, or give invites. Or even just walk around. Start where you're at. The goal is growth,
B. Friendship week. Goal invite 1. Have once special event for friendship evangelism.
The goal is to TRY to invite ONE person to either church, Bible study, or a spiritual event this week.
If this is too hard, try to post either ONE church invite or an invite to our Bible group study on social media.
C. Encourage our team to read friendship training content at least once a week on our website training page. I want to encourage you to try to watch ONE video/read a brief article (connected to video) on friendship evangelism weekly.You can watch or just listen them while walking dog, watching TV, between commercials, driving in car, taking a break at work, waiting at a appointment. Etc.