MOBILISING THE CHURCH

by Mark Detzler

It may or may not be true that behind every successful man is a strong woman, but it is certainly the case that behind every successful evangelistic campaign lies a mobilised local church. We are currently in the midst of preparing our fellowship for an evangelistic crusade from May to June, and I would like to share with you some of our priorities.

Many people, attracted by the Christian message in a lively evangelistic setting, experience the church as an emotionally arctic climate in which everything seems totally alien. Over the last year we have had a burden for changing our Sunday morning service to reflect God's character and the joy of his presence. It has been encouraging to hear visitors comment on the unique and stimulating atmosphere of the worship service.

Twelve months ago we began to encourage the formation of prayer groups, who meet for an hour a week. We have also encouraged individuals to set apart time for prayer and fasting, and we recently completed a half-night of prayer. Prayer has not been aimed at obtaining results, but rather on experiencing the presence of God and seeing his leading.

Leadership development has also become a high priority. Over the last few months, twenty people have been following a course aimed at preparing and equipping them to take responsibility and effectively lead others. We hope to run this course with another group from September.

The church has also been preparing itself to proclaim the Gospel message publicly, leading to the formation of a music group, sketchboard preachers and a drama group who will work together to present the gospel in an hour-long open-air programme. Some follow-up strategies can be heavy handed, while others leave people feeling forgotten. We are preparing people to befriend those who draw near, and to establish relationships that may bear fruit in time.