This spring Jim Kilmer, Upper Columbia Conference (UCC) church-growth director, organized soul-winning rallies at four locations throughout the inland Northwest. The purpose of these area-wide gatherings was to provide church members with an opportunity to learn from each other how to effectively share the gospel.
At each rally, a guest speaker gave a keynote presentation on some aspect of witnessing. Dan Serns, North Pacific Union ministerial director, spoke at the Spokane rally. He talked about the importance of churches developing a continuous cycle of sowing and reaping. As a pastor, he found that churches that followed this plan were less likely to get distracted from their primary mission—introducing people to Jesus.
Local pastors at the Spokane rally also shared with the group a variety of methods for sharing the gospel. They included friendship evangelism, ministry to inactive members, recreational outreach and Bible studies.
The highlight of each rally was when people shared their experiences of how God used them to touch the lives of others. Over and over again, people told of the joy and happiness that they experienced as they reached out with the gospel. Those who attended the rallies agreed with Steps to Christ, p. 79, “But in His infinite love He (God) chose to make us co-workers with Himself, with Christ and the angels, that we might share the blessing, the joy, the spiritual uplifting, which results from this unselfish ministry.”
At the soul-winning rallies in Spokane, Dan Serns, North Pacific Union global mission, church planting, and ministerial director, shares ideas of how churches can effectively reach people with the gospel.
