Well it's been five months since I set some goals here. How's it been going?
1. I said I wanted to spend 15 hours on evangelism and 15 hours on study and preparation. I feared I'd spend too much time on admin and ministry meetings. I've done ok at this resolution. But consistency requires careful review every week. An unprepared week is a week of admin and ministry meetings.
2. I came up with a breakdown of how to spend the 15 hours on evangelism:
- Cold contact/community surveys - 5 hours
- Fliering/letterboxing/phonecalling - 2 hours
- Taking the time to chat to people in shops/on the street - 2 hours
- Investing in non-Christian friendships - 2 hours
- Following up church contacts/running evangelistic courses - 2 hours
- Cultural involvement - 2 hours
- Cold contact/community surveys - 5 hours
- Fliering/letterboxing/phonecalling - 2 hours
- Investing in non-Christian friendships - 3 hours
- Following up church contacts/running evangelistic courses - 3 hours
- Cultural involvement - 2 hours.
3. I wanted to be better at loving people and following up contacts. I'm still hopeless at this. Phonecalls. Appointments. Visiting almost-strangers. Yuck. Hate it.
With all of this stuff, you need to resolve to do it weekly, even daily. And if you don't act on it, your life gets full of stuff. Good stuff. Ooze of ministry meetings and stuff. You gotta keep sharp. And God gives us grace to serve him and brings blessing to other despite our weaknesses.
4 comments:
Thanks Mikey. It's great to hear how you're aproaching things and how you're working to improve.
Hi Mikey
Although I feel somewhat ridiculous giving my pastor advice I sort of feel I should.
I find that by focussing on relationships rather than content people are more receptive. Focus particularly on their problems, interests etc and work out what it is you can relate to. Then follow up that ie sore knee, hates Uni philosophy class etc.
Thanks for your humility in reporting this and please believe I mean to help you not criticise you.
God Bless
Amber
I've a couple of ideas that might help with 'loving people and following up contacts'. One is you could identify someone at Crossroads who *is* good at this and free them up to do it. (Babysit their kids so they can go and have coffee with a newcomer? Give them an allowance for coffee and phonecalls?)
The other is to do with the purpose for following up contacts. I guess it's to make those people feel welcome and valued and a part of things. So can you convey this in some other way? (Write them a note? Give them some chutney you made?)
@ Nick - thanks mate
@ Amber - I really value your advice on this stuff Amber, thanks.
@ Fiona - good thoughts. It's putting things in the right 'box'. I guess it's hard when in many relationships you are more client-pastor and the right behaviour is just professional dilligence... I find that hard.
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