David Evans
By David Evans
TBC Evangelism Specialist
I have had many conversations about Easter egg hunts and evangelism. Many churches that I have recently spoken with feel incomplete concerning their Easter egg hunt plans. They have a great turnout but it seems to just be another event.
The Easter egg hunt seems to be consumed with preparation leaving little to be offered afterwards. I understand that some church leaders struggle with having an Easter egg hunt or not. This article is not intended to defend one position or another. Instead, the purpose is to equip a church to do loving follow up despite the type of event utilized. If you have an event like this or another type of event the following idea/principle can apply.
Prayer Outreach. Prayer outreach builds relationships, intercedes on a person’s behalf, and glorifies God as His people care for their community.
How you do it. Use registration cards for your event. Briefly explain on the card that the church commits to spend the next three or so months praying for the registered person. After the event and registration cards have been collected, recruit individuals to pray for 10 persons for the entire three months.
Each month the praying member is to contact the registered person. They can begin the initial conversation by asking if the individual enjoyed the event and the aspects that they enjoyed the most. After hearing him or her out, the praying member then can remind the registered person of the commitment the church has made to pray for them for the next three months or so. The praying member then asks if there is something specific they/he/she could be praying. Most often the registered person gives out a general prayer concern and then shrugs it off. It is not until the second month (aka the second phone call) that the registered person is “blown away” by the commitment and the kindness. The praying member can then reassure the registered person that they did pray for the specific prayer concern (name the prayer concern from the first phone call) and ask if there is anything else to be prayed for.
A few rules: (1) The pastor is to pray over his members who are doing the outreach. He is not to do the actual calling and praying for the registered person.
(2) When you hear an encouraging word about a praying member, share that encouraging word with him or her.
(3) Use this same outreach method with any of your events or processes.
