[climbs onto soapbox]
Ok, just a pet peeve here, but no doubt it will come up in Connect09 - is it just me or is ‘walk up evangelism’ generally one of the least Christian things you can do?
It’s usually done out of (imo) a misguided sense of “love” for the “lost” which, for some reason, necessitates approaching strangers and trying to convert them in less than 60 seconds.
Now I know we have some good evangelists out there, but I’m not sure how many people they can convert on first contact in under 60 seconds to a few minutes tops.
That’s the pragmatic side. What about the poor person accosted in the street who’s just going about their business who is then told why they can get to heaven if they believe these six boxes?
There’s “connecting” and then there’s “harassing”.
The other reason it’s done is “training”, but isn’t this incredibly selfish and msiguided? Why is harassing people in public somehow justified so you can improve your ‘skills’? And skills for what - you’re certainly not making (catch phrase of the moment) relationships out there.
If anything, the only skills you’re developing is the ability to walk up to random strangers and pitch them something, which apart from credit card marketing and charity donations, I’d suggest has little real world value. We are what we practice, after all.
If anything, it’s because we *don’t* know the people we can get away with being a nuisance - imagine if you did it to one of your mates, they’d be totally peeved!
So, in closing, when it comes to ‘walk up evangelism’ aka ‘accosting people on the street to convert them in <60 seconds with six boxes’, just say no ;)
An interesting point but I’m afraid I have to take the contrary here.
Experience studies from Ecom (an organisation in the Sydney CBD which does weekly talks through CBF) have shown that walk-up has a high rate of follow-up conversations and successful introductions into groups. And they’ve done quite a bit of walk-up; ~12 people do this in the CBD every week last time I heard - not me lol.
They say that
- 2/3 of total respondents continue a meaningful conversation after they’ve been allegedly ambushed
- Almost 1/3 of tr voluntarily leave their details ... more than any other traditional method
- Successful intros into groups are more popular this way than any other traditional method as well, though I don’t recall the percentage they gave.
These would appear to counter any contention that people are, as a whole, being threatened in the same ilk as credit / charity / greenie etc walk-ups.
While I’m not suited to doing something like this (don’t think I have the courage/skills), kudos to everyone who has the courage to do walk-up.
If anything, it’s because we *don’t* know the people we can get away with being a nuisance - imagine if you did it to one of your mates, they’d be totally peeved!
Isn’t this why Connect09 is so challenging?
That it’s not about harrassing people you *don’t* know
That it’s about
(1) being more open to people as people, to rebuild a sense of community and connectedness, and having the integrity to be a godly example (help!), and being deliberate and proactive about this (double-help!)
(2) somewhere in the process being upfront about who you are, ie: a Christian, and why? (triple-help!)
Luke, have you read the article on this in The Briefing? Was it Ben Pamphlet or someone?
I thought he explained a way of doing this that would seem to meet many of your concerns.
Also, if you are completely up front and do as he suggests and tell the person from the beginning why you are approaching and ask their permission, I don’t see why it would be too confronting for either the person bowling up or the one bowled up to.
If someone doesn’t want to talk, unless they are the shyest person in the universe, they’ll tell you.
Luke, have you read the article on this in The Briefing? Was it Ben Pamphlet or someone?
I thought he explained a way of doing this that would seem to meet many of your concerns.
It’s called “Cold Turkish evangelism” in the February 2009 ( Issue 365 ) edition in which Ben Pfahlert “dispels the feelings of dread that congregate around the phrase ‘walk-up evangelism’.”
[ Hi David, I might use that name ‘Ben Pamphlet’ in a script I’m writing ;) ]
Hey Luke…I’m with you here….we can pariah’s together.
Disagreeing with the party line on ambush evangelism and door knocking (what’s the difference in reality…just location) is generally frowned upon, so we’ll not be popular I’m guessing.
I’m getting the strong impression that these types of strategies are being pushed as a huge part of C09…I just hope that other approaches (like serving and building relationships with Neighbours and workmates) aren’t seen to be second rate as compared to the “mass market” approaches.
My church seems to be taking the ‘look around you / make the effort / notice people / go out of your way / have a plan / build some relationships / pray for your neighbours - then share the gospel - but don’t wait too long. I’m kind of surprised by this talk about walk up evangelism. Have I completely misunderstood the whole thing, (I wonder)?
David, I think you’ll find door-knocking is being promoted, and this is really just one form of “Walk up evangelism”, in this case walking up to a stranger in their house, rather than in the street.
Presumably knocking on the door and handing someone a pamphlet [a Ben Pamphlet?] would be more effective than furtively putting it in the letterbox and running for your life!
We did some door-knocking here in the Bathurst sticks for our annual Triple S mission and it was much easier than you might have expected. It was quite pleasant, though we targetted families of children who came ot our mission, who as far as we knew weren’t already linked up to a church.
When I was at theological college 30 years ago, it was amazing how many people fell ill during Evangelism Week [which involved door-knocking]. And not just the people whose houses we went to.
In 1988, there was a bicentennial project called ‘Good News 88’ - which involved doorknocking and giving people a bible (if they wanted it). Or was it just a NT? Anyway, they were produced pretty shoddily to get the volume. Essential Jesus seems much better. But I digress. After the event, I thought it was a waste of time and resources. An important part of a gift is the relationship between the giver and the recipient. Hence the importance of connecting and engaging (not just accosting).
But if walk up evangelism is good for some, that’s great.
Luke, the kind of walk up you seem familiar with certainly is pretty sucky.
But I think that’s because the kind of walk up you’re familiar with isn’t how it should be.
Neither walk up nor door knocking should be limited to 60 seconds or even a few minutes, shouldn’t be about conversion, “accosting”, “harassing” or “pitching”. It shouldn’t be a nuisance and if you walk up-ed a friend they shouldn’t be peeved at you.
I’m getting the strong impression that these types of strategies are being pushed as a huge part of C09…I just hope that other approaches (like serving and building relationships with Neighbours and workmates) aren’t seen to be second rate as compared to the “mass market” approaches.
Hi Christine…welcome for your first post :~)
Can you make any comment re: my impression and subsequent question (quoted above)?
The aim is certainly to build relationships. It is very much about building trust with people & communities.
There are some wonderful initiatives going on! A church up north approached their local school to ask them if they could host a working bee and tidy up their garden - brilliant! There is now a positive relationship between the school and the church.
I’m personally a fan of door knocking, because I have seen the fruit. I’ve seen a woman in distress tell my buddy that she was praying someone might come by and talk with her about God. We left her house 2 hours later.
Harassment is not the answer. Being polite is a must. Leaving a good impression what-ever the response may be is really important.
I wouldn’t have come to Christ if it wasn’t for a Christian girl who despite all the bad reactions and rejection that day came up to me with her Two Ways to Live presentation.
No I didn’t recieve Christ in 60 seconds. What I did do was accept an invitation to do 3 basic Bible Studies on Jesus. I became a Christian through the Bible Studies and hearing John Chapman in that time. The Girl who had evangelised me spent a lot of time following up and getting me to Campus Bible Study talks as well as getting me through the 3 studies that should have taken only 6 weeks but took about 3 months to complete because I kept cancelling.
I too have participated in evangelising on Campus and boy I know how hard it is.
If it’s not your thing that’s OK not everyone is gifted to walk up to complete strangers and just ask them out of the blue about Jesus.
I am so grateful for those who took the time to do ‘cold contact’ evangelism. Not only I but many of my Christian friends I met at Uni came to the Lord through this kind of evangelism.
What do you reckon about ‘street’ speakers? You know, the ones that get on public pedestals and do a Jonah on other people?
I like the ones that preach a more balanced or positive message of salvation.
One that my friend came upon on mardi gras nite though (was at a friend’s dinner) was preaching fire and brimstone! For some reason, I don’t see that one working amongst the mardi gras revellers!
What do you reckon about ‘street’ speakers? You know, the ones that get on public pedestals and do a Jonah on other people?
Most ( if not all ) have seemed cringeworthy to me. They mean well - but come across as judgemental types - who yell AT people - rather than talking with them. I don’t see Jesus adopting their method in the gospels. And why do they always seem to be carrying a BIG black King James Bible ? ( Anyway, I am only talking about the ones that I have seen. )
Like Milica, I became a Christian because a complete stranger (a woman) asked me my opinion about God and invited to get to know the God of the bible. After 3 very basic bible studies, I said a prayer of repentance and faith. YAY!
I wasn’t harassed or coerced or made to feel guilty at any time. I never felt like a project during any of our meetings. Our initial conversation was just that, a conversation with some good questions, which kept it focused. Because our first encounter was so positive, I gladly accepted the offer to do some studies. She showed genuine interest in me and answered my questions. If she didn’t know the answer at the time she said so and would get back to me the following week with an answer.
The woman who brought me to Christ had no idea just how interested I was in finding out about God…I had almost given up hope. But she trusted in the sovereignty of God and I remain truly grateful.
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