• Offering Christ Today: Church -- For Members Only or Whosoever Will? Part 2
  We are, by some estimates, in the fifth or sixth decade of the postmodern or post-Christian era. What was considered effective evangelism in the modern era differs drastically from effective approaches to evangelism in the postmodern era.

• Offering Christ Today: Church -- For Members Only or Whosoever Will?
  Ritual response: While teaching an undergraduate communication course, I learned this two-word phrase. In communication, ritual responses are automatic utterances said in reply to some question such as, "How are you doing?" "Fine." I wonder if local ...

• Offering Christ Today: God Talk in an Oil Shop
  If our approach to evangelism were "loving people to Jesus Christ," what new growth might the United Methodist Church experience?

• Offering Christ Today: Giving Witness
  What does it mean to be a "witness"? How can we be witnesses?

• Offering Christ Today: Faith Sharing -- Easy as 1-2-3
  Introduce this process to people in your church and discover how easy it is to share your faith stories.

• Offering Christ Today: Internet Evangelism Day -- April 27
  Internet Evangelism Day is one example of the creative types of evangelism highlighted by the Lausanne Committee on World Evangelism.

• Offering Christ Today: Review of The New Faces of Christianity: Believing the Bible in the Global South
  In The New Faces of Christianity, Jenkins continues his examination of Christianity's explosive growth in the global South and the implications of this growth on the future of Christianity.

• Offering Christ Today: Review of Deepening Your Effectiveness
  Authors Dan Glover and Claudia Lavy grab the attention of readers immediately when they ask, "What does a fully committed follower of Jesus Christ look like as a result of being discipled in my church?" This provocative question is the central focus of Deepening Your Effectiveness.

• Offering Christ Today: Review of Transforming Evangelism: The Wesleyan Way of Sharing Faith
  In this concise book, authors Henry H. Knight, III and F. Douglas Powe Jr. provide readers two important things: (1) a well-articulated summary of the core beliefs and practices of Wesleyan evangelism and (2) examples of the contemporary application of those beliefs and practices.

• Offering Christ Today: Review of Your Church Can Thrive
  Refocus. That summarizes the key message of Your Church Can Thrive: Making the Connections That Build Healthy Congregations by Harold Percy.

• Offering Christ Today Audio: Interview with Jack Ewing, Executive Director, The Foundation for Evangelism (part 2)
  In part two of this interview, Jack highlights the Foundation for Evangelism's commitment to develop highly effective leaders of evangelism.

• Offering Christ Today Audio: Interview with Jack Ewing, Executive Director, The Foundation for Evangelism
  Dr. John "Jack" L. Ewing Jr. is the Executive Director of The Foundation for Evangelism, an affiliate of GBOD.

• Offering Christ Today Audio: Interview with Royal Speidel, Distinguished Evangelist in Residence (Part 2)
  In part two of this interview, Royal highlights his workshop "Loving Others to God" and his role as a coach with "Natural Church Development." Royal is a retired United Methodist pastor who provides workshops, coaching, and consultation in the area of evangelism ministries.

• Offering Christ Today Audio: Interview with Royal Speidel, Distinguished Evangelist in Residence (Part 1)
  Royal Speidel is the Distinguished Evangelist in Residence for GBOD. He serves as an extension of the office of the GBOD Director of Evangelism Ministries.

• Offering Christ Today: Review of Secret to an Open Door—Igniting a Passion for the Lost
  People commonly experience frustration when they attempt to practice personal evangelism. Following this, people often analyze the reasons for their failure to share their faith with others or to lead a person to Christ. David A. Morel, author of Secret ...

• Offering Christ Today Audio: Interview with Doug Anderson, Executive Director, Bishop Rueben Job Center for Leadership Development
  At the recent School of Congregational Development, I interviewed Dr. Doug Anderson, Executive Director of the Bishop Rueben Job Center for Leadership Development. Dr. Anderson has led a variety of practical church seminars and consultations for more than twenty years.

• Offering Christ Today: Sermon Preparation Begins with Spiritual Formation
  When is a sermon or a preacher good? Can anyone preach an effective message?

• Offering Christ Today: Invitational Preaching
  Never underestimate the power of an invitation. Those who write about evangelism agree that many more people would visit churches if they were just invited.

• Offering Christ Today: During Lent, Less Provides More
  This year, make Lent special. Why not choose to make a difference in at least one family's life this Lenten season through financial and other assistance? It is easy to do — with an emphasis fasting and almsgiving.

• Offering Christ Today: Preaching to the Choir?
  Have you ever been carried away by overwhelmingly strong convictions about a pressing need in the church or a faith issue, only to realize that most if not all present already shared your beliefs before they heard your rousing preachments on the subject? ...

• Offering Christ Today: Converted to What?
  Actions speak louder than words. What do your actions, thoughts, and words reveal about the conversion that has taken place in your life?

• Offering Christ Today: Review of Unbinding the Gospel: Real Life Evangelism
  If you are looking for ways to jump-start evangelism in your local church, read Unbinding the Gospel: Real Life Evangelism by Martha Grace Reese.

• Offering Christ Today: This "New Church Thing"
  "Does the community know your church exists?"

• Offering Christ Today: A Church with an Open Door
  At a time when there are so many people who are wounded and hurting or who have lost their way in life, it seems — at least to me — that one of the major tasks of the church is to open our doors and "invite them in."

• Offering Christ Today: When Sharing Is a Blessing
  Yes, it is more blessed to give than to receive, because in giving you are surprised by the love that God shares through people around you.

• Offering Christ Today: Reinventing Ourselves for the Sake of the Kingdom
  What is the vision Christ has for the church? What vision does your congregation have for itself?

• Offering Christ Today: Interest in Spirituality is an Evangelistic Opportunity
  Advent and Christmas are wonderful times to reach out to people who are seeking. Many people who are searching would be willing to come to a Christmas Eve service, if invited.

• Offering Christ Today: Give the Gift of Faith
  This time of year, malls are filled with shoppers looking for just the right present. Why not give people something wonderful by sharing your faith in Jesus Christ?

• Offering Christ Today: Evangelism in Focus
  For years, church growth experts have said that the best indicator of church size is average worship attendance. Average worship attendance is the "real church." It refers to the people who actually show up at church on a regular basis. Consequently, it ...

• Offering Christ Today: Review of Here I Am (Now, What on Earth Should I Be Doing?)
  A person professes faith in Jesus Christ, gets baptized, and joins a church. After the excitement of this experience settles down, the new Christian asks, "So, what am I supposed to do now?"

• Offering Christ Today: What Are You Doing?
  Why Precedes What. Why are we doing what we are doing? Why are we doing it the way we are doing it?

• Offering Christ Today: “Pastor, Are You Going to 'Save' Our Church?” (Part 2)
  Part 2 will focus on what clergy need to know and what skills are required.

• Offering Christ Today: "Pastor, Are You Going to 'Save' Our Church?" (Part 1)
  In a nutshell, the job of the pastor is to help the congregation imagine what kind of community this body of Christians might look like in its particular setting.

• Offering Christ Today:: Evangelism & Mid-Term Exams
  Young people don't have to face college stress alone. Your congregation can walk with them.

• Offering Christ Today: Review of Beyond the Roll Book: Sunday School and Evangelism
  I highly recommend this book to pastors, Christian education directors, and Sunday school leaders. This resource will help churches develop highly effective Sunday schools.

• Offering Christ Today: Back to Basics — Evangelistic Sunday School
  How many of us know why Sunday schools began in the first place? The original intent of Sunday school was evangelism.

• Offering Christ Today: Review of Recapturing the Wesleys' Vision: An Introduction to the Faith of John and Charles Wesley
  This book is filled with practical, commonsense teaching for the sincere disciple of Christ. It also contains a persistent urging to embrace apparently divergent viewpoints.

• Offering Christ Today: Review of Evangelism in the Early Church
  Fundamentally, this is a book about the unwavering efficacy of the gospel in the first two hundred years of the Christian movement.

• Offering Christ Today: Review of How Great a Flame!
  James Logan's How Great a Flame is aptly titled. With a provocative pen, Logan highlights the events and actions that kindled the fires of the Wesleyan revival that burned in England and the United States.

• Offering Christ Today: Multicultural Evangelism (Part 6 in a 6-Part Series)
Common Ground for Common Ministry
  Multicultural ministry requires multi-effort. Cultural differences rub against the preconceived notions of other people's estimations of what is "normal," "acceptable," or even "Methodist."

• Offering Christ Today: Multicultural Evangelism (Part 5 in a 6-Part Series)
The Story of an Inclusive Church
  Are there church leaders in your area with whom you might explore dialogue about having a pulpit exchange?

• Offering Christ Today: Multicultural Evangelism (Part 4 in a 6-Part Series)
Go — Beyond the Familiar
  Jesus' timeless message remains. Don't get stuck in the nostalgic past. Seek empowerment for ministry from the Holy Spirit. Go — beyond the familiar.

• Offering Christ Today: Multicultural Evangelism (Part 3 in a 6-Part Series)
What Do You Mean When You Say "Church"?
  We may all pronounce "church" the same way, but do we all share a common definition of the word?

• Offering Christ Today: Multicultural Evangelism (Part 2 in a 6-Part Series)
Ask the Hard Questions First
  One stumbling block for churches that attempt cross-cultural evangelism is the historic challenge of Christ versus culture.

• Offering Christ Today: Multicultural Evangelism (Part 1 in a 6-Part Series)
Called to be a Bridge Person
  A bridge person is someone who spans two cultures and consciously seeks to facilitate an exchange between the two.

• Offering Christ Today: Is Evangelism Objective?
  Examine your worship experience. Is your worship an objective presentation of borrowed words (liturgy) delivered objectively by people devoid of a loving relationship with God and people? Or is your worship a subjective demonstration of relationship with God and one another?

• Offering Christ Today: Preoccupied with How or Why?
  Many churches are preoccupied with the "how" question; that is, "How can we get more people to come to our church?" The accompanying reasoning is, "If we can just get more people to come, then we will grow." What if someone responded to your invitation by ...

• Offering Christ Today:: Evangelism — A Matter of Coming and Going
Get Outta the Boat (Part 6 of a Six-Part Series)
  Peter answered him, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water." He said, "Come." So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus. (Matthew 14:28-29, NRSV)

• Offering Christ Today:: Evangelism — A Matter of Coming and Going
The Great "Go-Mission"(Part 5 of a Six-Part Series)
  

• Offering Christ Today: Evangelism — A Matter of Coming and Going
"Meeting in Macedonia: The Crossroad of the World"
(Part 4 of a Six-Part Series)
  In the midst of this bourgeoning globalization sits the church. What will your church do with this opportunity? Will your congregation move toward engaging the multinational population with a credible presentation of the gospel?

• Offering Christ Today: Evangelism — A Matter of Coming and Going
Who Does Evangelism? (Part 3 of a Six-Part Series)
  Part three considers the question, "Who does evangelism?"

• Offering Christ Today:: Evangelism — A Matter of Coming and Going
(Part 2 of a Six-Part Series)
  Part two examines the importance of the church's reputation in the community.

• Offering Christ Today: Evangelism — A Matter of Coming and Going
(Part 1 of a Six-Part Series)
  Churches of all sizes, locations, and ethnicities voice a common concern, "How can we get more people to COME to our church?"

• Offering Christ Today: The Evangel — What's That?
(Part 3 of a 3-part series)
  The key consideration in our Christian witness is the personal evidence that Christ is alive in us. People outside of Christianity want to know, "What difference has Christ made in our lives?"

• Offering Christ Today: The Evangel — What's That?
(Part 2 of a series)
  Be like the early disciples. Tell the story of Jesus Christ boldly, with the full confidence that it will change people's lives for the better.

• Offering Christ Today: The Evangel — What's That?
  Evangelism has become a problematic term for some in the twenty-first century. Just what is "the evangel"?

• Offering Christ Today: "We want to see Jesus. Can you help us?"
  When the new neighbor, the vacation visitor, or the kid on the bike comes to your church, are the members of your church prepared to help them see Jesus?

• Offering Christ Today: Feeling Good About Evangelism Again
  The word evangelism is really a wonderful word; and if you have the gift of evangelism, be proud of it. You are a good messenger, bringing a wonderful message.

• Offering Christ Today: Hospitality — The Front Door to Evangelism
  "Let mutual love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it" (Hebrews 13:1-2, NRSV).

• Offering Christ Today: New Resources Aid Evangelism & Discipleship
  Church members and leaders often struggle to explain to unchurched friends and acquaintances the importance of being a disciple of Jesus and growing in faith among a community of believers. That's where the new "Pathways to Christ" Series of tracts can help.

• Offering Christ Today: Offering Christ to the Community
  Ministry in the community with preference for the poor and the marginalized is a hallmark of the type of ministry supported and encouraged from the very beginning of the Methodist movement.

• Offering Christ Today: What Christian Legacy Will You Leave?
  The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. left us a Christian legacy of sacrifice. King's legacy is the inspiration to embrace an active Christian faith.

• Offering Christ Today: Shelter in the Storm
  Rayne United Memorial Methodist Church Pastor Callie Win Crawford is comforted by The Upper Room Daily Devotional Guide in the days following Hurricane Katrina.

• Offering Christ Today: An Evangelism New Year's Resolution
  Why not make a New Year's resolution that will have an impact on your personal life and on the life of your local congregation? Make the decision to embrace the good news of Jesus Christ and share it with others.

• Offering Christ Today: Church. Closed for Christmas?
  Believe it or not, some churches are planning to be closed on Christmas Day and New Year's Day because both days fall on Sundays.

• Offering Christ Today: "The Chronicles of Narnia" — Evangelism for Children?
  The Chronicles of Narnia can and should serve as a wonderful conversation starter with children (and adults) about Christian spirituality. Don't miss the opportunity.

• Offering Christ Today: Say Thanks This Thanksgiving
  The approaching Thanksgiving and Advent/Christmas seasons provide a grand opportunity for meaningful ministry and a genuine outpouring of Christian love.

• Offering Christ Today: What is Worship Evangelism?
  The church described in Acts often erupted in soul-stirring worship that spilled into crowds of the curious. Worship was often the springboard for spontaneous evangelism. The first-century church did not believe that worship was for "members only."

• Offering Christ Today: Evangelistic Preaching Needs a "Crowd" of Witnesses
  The effectiveness of evangelistic preaching is derived from the community of faith that demonstrates a living gospel. The character of the community is more persuasive than the rhetorical skills of the preacher. The community of faith is the living demonstration of Christianity.

• Offering Christ Today: Did You Know That October 9 Is National P*rn Sund*y?
  For two years I worked in men's ministry. During those two years, the most profusely spread issue that no one wanted to talk about in church was pornography. It is the "dirty little secret" that no one wants to talk about.

• Offering Christ Today: God's Word — Is It In You?
  How much of God's Word is actually inside of us for counsel, moral bearing, and faith formation?

• Offering Christ Today: Compassion Must Confront Catastrophe
  Loving others in the midst of tragedy is the best "evangelism" that we can ever offer. People need to see the love of God in action now.

• Offering Christ Today: Can You Hear Me Now?
  Assess your preaching. Does it reach those who are primarily oral learners?

• Offering Christ Today: Let Everybody Sing — Music for Oral Learners (Part 2)
  In the African American worship setting, music is considered to be as important as the preaching moment. How important is music in your local church community?

• Offering Christ Today: Let Everybody Sing — Music for Oral Learners
  If you can't read well or see well, how can you sing well in worship? For a non-reading or sight-impaired person, singing in church can quickly deteriorate into an activity that only "others can do."

• Offering Christ Today: Conveying the Gospel — So Many Words, So Little Communication
  If the major means of conveying the gospel is designed with a literate culture in mind, whom are we missing? If we are not addressing the needs of oral learners in worship, what is the likelihood of meeting their more urgent needs?

• Offering Christ Today: Church Growth — Priority One, Be Fruitful
  What does it mean for a church to be fruitful?

• Offering Christ Today: Church Growth — Determining What Is Substantial Growth
  What is the benchmark that determines whether or not church growth is "substantial"?

• Offering Christ Today: Church Growth — Internal and External
  What constitutes healthy church growth? Should a church grow from internal or external sources?

• Offering Christ Today: Church Growth — Achieving Spiritual Fitness
  How can church leaders stem "unhealthy" growth and focus on spiritual fitness?

• Offering Christ Today: Church Growth — More Than a Numbers Game
  As US mainline denominations struggle with declining numbers, some church leaders are revisiting the importance of making church growth and development a front-line priority.

• Offering Christ Today: Evangelism — More Questions Than Answers
  For much of the "modern era," evangelism training often stressed knowing the right answers. Questions were considered unnecessary distractions. Questions were the enemy.

• Offering Christ Today: Are You Praying for F.R.A.N.?
  If we don't know our neighbors, where do we begin? The answer is simple and ambitious: PRAY!

• Offering Christ Today: Does the Great Commandment Face Extinction?
  The main thing is to leave our cocoon-like environments and begin to know our neighbors so that we can love our neighbors. If we do not exercise the extra effort required to get to know our neighbors, the Great Commandment could face extinction.

• Offering Christ Today: The Road to the Future Runs Through the Past
  Before rushing to create something new, why not examine the best practices of the past?

• Offering Christ Today: When In Rome…Preach Like Paul
  On Sunday, May 29, 2005, the Lectionary introduces the beginning of sixteen weeks of readings from Romans.

• Offering Christ Today: Redefining Evangelism
  So often when evangelism is taught, we quote the Great Commission as a mandate to make new converts. Unfortunately, our efforts often end once new members take their vows and take their seats among the inactives and nominally churched. Perhaps we need to take a closer look at the Great Commission.

• Offering Christ Today: Pentecost and Evangelism — A Natural Link
  Pentecost is a pivotal Sunday for evangelism. This is especially true for churches that order their worship and ministry according to the Christian Year. Pentecost is a celebration of the coming of the Holy Spirit.