Street ministry

[matt2552]

Ok I have a couple of questions to my fellow young adults(I still wish I was a kid).
Anyways the youth ministry I am involved with goes out on Saturday nights to the movies and we talk to people about Jesus and basically our goal is to get them saved but realistically we try to get them to go to our youth service. My questions are does anyone else do this consistantly and if you do what is your succes rate? My street team has gone out for the last six weeks and our success rate is horrible. Only one person has shown up and most people are not even open to the idea of religion. I was just wondering if there was anyone else going out to the streets to try and saved the lost. Because we all know that it is God working through the youth that is going to save this nation. Well hopefully someone replys.

 

[Living4Him03]

I haven't done street youth ministry/evangelizing, but I have worked in sharing the gospel to random people on the streets on mission trips. It can be very tough and discouraging, but keep trying! God doesn't ask that you bring mass numbers to your youth group, He asks that you preach the gospel to all nations. some will respond and some will not. I found few people who would respond on those trips, but for the ones that did it was so awesome to see. Pray about what God would have you do in your ministry and for HIm to provide ways you can reach these people. Have you thought about offering food or something? Maybe having a block party type thing in your neighborhood or in the church parking lot? I know here on campus (i'm in college) when they serve food it draws a big crowd and they usually end up getting several people to attend their organization meetings (BSM, other Christian student organizations). Think of how YOU would best be reached if you were not a Christian. What would be most effective? Hope this helps! God bless your ministry! Keep it up!

 

[mamaneenie]

Yes, I have done street ministry, not as a regular thing, but as part of mission trips with YWAM. Anyway, we ministered in Kings Cross, Sydney, where the gay mardigras and things like that are held. Also, it is the toughest area in Sydney. There are drugs and stuff like that there too.


Anyway, it is very hard, not everyone will respond. God only asks that you "GO", I don't remember him saying that you were going to be successful all the time. He just says to "GO, preach the gospel" you can't do it sitting at home, or sitting in the the youth meeting week after week without any non-christian coming in.

I pray that you will find encouragement soon, and just keep persisting. Even if you are out there all night, and you only speak to one person who actually responds, I think that is worth it, after all you never know, maybe they will be the next Billy Graham or something.

 

[ummidrinkcherrycoke]

Most random people on the streets dont want to go some Church function. If they did they would show up to church on sunday. The best way to reach people on the streets is through random acts of kindness. I wouldnt even tell them that God sent you because that scares people away. Just continue to do nice things for people and they'll want to know what makes you such a nice person.

 

[stubbornkelly]

Kids at my old church used to do this. They'd go up to random people and ask them, "If you died tonight, do you know for certain that you'd go to heaven?" Sometimes they'd target an outdoor cafe and just plop down at someone's table. For some reason, they couldn't figure out why people reacted badly (seriously - they would come into church the next day and try to puzzle it out).

I agree with asking yourself how you would want to be approached, and don't go the easy way of "I wouldn't care how I was approached, because the love of Christ is more important!" That's only true in hindsight - if you're not a believer, that wouldn't be part of your vocabulary or thought process.

Personally, I've never responded to someone soliciting, no matter what they're trying to "sell." Further, I'm hardly going to make decisions about the state of my soul with a stranger. Last time someone came up to me and asked me "the question," I asked it right back. The guy got pretty upset. I figure it was a fair question - I've always been taught that you should know with whom you're praying.

I think most people are the same way. They want to go to the movies, the last thing on their minds is church and religion, and a lot of people are going to think you rude (no matter what you do - I mean, telemarketers are nice enough on the phone, but we still think it's rude of them to call).

But if you're led to do it, go for it. But do think about how you'd want to be approached if you were them, and tailor your approach accordingly.

 

[mamaneenie]

Most random people on the streets dont want to go some Church function. If they did they would show up to church on sunday. The best way to reach people on the streets is through random acts of kindness. I wouldnt even tell them that God sent you because that scares people away. Just continue to do nice things for people and they'll want to know what makes you such a nice person.

I agree, part of the ministry we were doing, was helping run a soup kitchen. Because of the area we were in, there were a lot of homeless people and prostitutes who appreciated food. And also they were much more receptive to what we had to say.

 

[Blessed-one]

in King's Cross, mamaneenie?!

i don't do street mission regularly, but i've tried it once in Campsie. You see a lot of mormons strolling around too..

sucess rate? from what i heard, it isn't that discouraging, even if it was someone who didn't say he/she will go to church immediately but actually sat down and listened to you, it's better than nothing.

but.. street ministry, though it's kind of scary i think, is part of the necessary ministries.. keep it going matt!

 

[mamaneenie]

in King's Cross, mamaneenie?!

i don't do street mission regularly, but i've tried it once in Campsie. You see a lot of mormons strolling around too..

sucess rate? from what i heard, it isn't that discouraging, even if it was someone who didn't say he/she will go to church immediately but actually sat down and listened to you, it's better than nothing.

but.. street ministry, though it's kind of scary i think, is part of the necessary ministries.. keep it going matt!

Yes, I was pregnant too. It was pretty scary and I had to trust God for my safety. My husband was with me, we did it with YWAM. We also went to Mount Druitt. There are a lot of Mormons in that area too. We even got approached by mormons who tried to convert us.

 

[PennylessZ28]

Makes for some interesting reading. I've been involved with the car scence in my area for several years. I'm pretty well known. But for the past 8 months since I wrecked my last car I haven't been scence. In that time I've found God and such. And I feel he wants me to return to my automotive enthusiaist community to spread his word.

And I am trying to figure out how I'll talk to everyone and live by example in front of them to show them how much of a better person I am. Plus I think the car shows will be a great way to talk to people.

 

[Living4Him03]

awesome pennyless! im sure God will bless your ministry to fellow auto enthusiasts! ...corvettes are the greatest (wish I had one...hehe)

 

[plum]

In high school (so... three years ago-ish) the Christian club we had on campus decided (or, most of them decided) to preach the Good News (GREAT News!) outside of the school on milk crates as school was being let out after 6th period on Thursdays- every thursday. Now, this got a lot of press, a lot of attention, and mostly, a lot of strife. I don't respond to preachers on street corners or in high school parking lots and I'm a Christian. Needless to say, I wasn't surprised when my atheist friend stood up on his own milk crate next to the preaching teenager and started reading aloud from Dr. Seuss books.
Yeah. Not sure how I feel towards that type of Gospel-spreading, but that's because it wouldn't work on me. It may really hit the souls of others though, and that's why I support almost any way of sharing the Gospel message. It's THAT important!

But anyway, I find that living by the Word of God and loving by the Word of God (radical love for one's neighbor, etc) will make an enormous impact. I worked in a secular workplace for two months (I was an intern on a major motion picture set) and every day my religion/spirituality was brought up at least once, and not by me. I spose it helped that I didn't cuss, didn't drink, wore shirts with Christian messages... but that is just how I am. I pray that the conversations that were started glorified God...
In essence, what I am saying is that God gave me the gift of relational evangelism (simply being a friend, just loving on people). This has been blessed by God; even if I haven't brought someone to Christ directly, I know that He has used me as a vessel for his work in those people.

We ALL have gifts! We all have relational styles. We all need to use them No matter if they don't involve talking to anyone face to face about Christ, or if they involve instruments and amplifiers...