Servant Evangelism Projects
Servant evangelism projects are designed to "show God's love in practical ways with no strings attached." Steve Sjögren calls them a "conspiracy of kindness" (see Conspiracy of Kindness published by Vine Books, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1993). Essentially, servant evangelism is accomplished by any activity:
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Done in the name of Jesus |
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Providing a beneficial service to people |
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For which no financial consideration is expected or accepted (not even donations) |
Servant evangelism softens the hearts of persons who are not yet Christians—people who often think the church exists only for itself or that it only wants people's time and money. By doing a "low-risk" activity that shows "high grace," those resistant to the faith may (now or in the future) become more open to the saving message of Jesus Christ.
These are activities in which almost anyone can participate regardless of age (children and youth love to participate) or spiritual maturity. They may be done individually or in small groups. If done in groups, it is helpful not to overwhelm a location with too many participants.
Though participants don't necessarily need to know how to share the message of salvation, it is helpful if one or more in the group is comfortable doing so. It is also extremely helpful to have printed cards (business-card size is very practical) that identifies your church and which includes the location and meeting times on one side, with a simple statement on the back that indicates you are doing this project "to show God's love in a practical way."
Sjögren's book, Conspiracy of Kindness, includes the biblical philosophy behind this approach, along with over 150 different servant evangelism ideas and many helpful insights on how to organize an ongoing ministry. Practical Strategies for Servant Evangelism from New Life Ministries includes over 50 more ideas.
For more information, see www.servantevangelism.com . Also see Summer Ideas for Servant Evangelism.