This work was written and submitted by: Joseph M. Willmouth, Pastor of Eastview Baptist Church, Kentucky.

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A Practical Guide For Conducting A Church Visitation Program

January 2004

What Visitation Will Do For Your Church

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Vitalizes the work of the Sunday School and Church. Increases the enrollment of the Church, the Sunday School and other Ministries. Secures home cooperation. Inspires regular attendance to all services. Ties the home closer to the Sunday School and Church. Affords a soul winning opportunity.

Typifies the loving interest of Christ. Insures growth in grace. Opens the doors of homes. Nurtures friendliness, goodwill, & increases fellowship. Visitation Is Every Christian's Job
James 1:27 This is pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father, to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world (NASB). Matthew 28:19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen (NJKV). Acts 15:36 And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do (KJV). Every church member is a candidate to be a part of a church visitation ministry, in fact, they are vital to its success. The top 4 reasons given for why people come to church. (2) 1. Invitation from friend or relative. 2. Advertisement. 3. Organized Visitation. 4. Pastoral Contact (except where there has been contact like a wedding or funeral). When the pastor visits, he is looked upon as a paid salesman, but when members of a church visit a home, they are looked upon as satisfied customers. Visiting, witnessing, lay people who know how to win souls bring power to a church, so it is important to have them trained and involved. (3)

It is also very important to have key members of the church involved because they will motivate and encourage others to get involved. The key members, as a minimum, are the pastor (this includes elders if your church has them), the deacons, the Sunday School director and teachers. If your church is going to have a successful and fruitful visitation program then these individuals must set the example if they expect others to be involved. The 4 reasons why people say they don't go to church. (4) 1. The church is not relevant to what is going on in their lives. 2. Never have been invited. 3. Mistaken notion about the church is only after their money. 4. They believe that the church is insincere. A church that does not reach out to its community will only continue to fuel these attitudes to the lost. If a church is sincerely following the Lord they will have a desire to show individuals that Christ is relevant to what is going on in their lives, they will invite people to come to church, and the end result will be that these people will come to realize that the church cares more about them than they do their money. A active church visitation program will accomplish all of these things.

12 Types Of Visitation
1. Soul Winning Visitation. The purpose of this type of visitation is to lead the lost to Christ. 2. Survey Visitation. The purpose of this type of visitation is to find prospects and gathering information about your local community so as to better minister to the needs of your community. 3. Sunday School Visitation. The purpose of this type of visitation is to contact absentees (those who are already enrolled) and encourage them to participate in Sunday School, and to meet new prospects. 4. Bus Visitation. The purpose of this type of visitation is to reach the lost by going out into the community and bringing them to church. Usually this ministry is focused more towards children, became many adults will not go to church but will allow their children to go if they have a ride. As a result, this will often give you the opportunity to witness to their parents.

5. Follow-up Visitation. The purpose of this type of visitation is to encourage and strengthen individuals so they will follow through on their decisions. For example, if they have made a profession of faith, you would encourage them to follow through with baptism and discipleship. If someone has rededicated their lives to Christ, then you would want to encourage them to seek discipleship, or involvement in the church through service. 6. Shut-in Visitation. The purpose of this type of visitation is to reach out and minister to those who cannot come to church because of their health. This ministry provides fellowship and seeks to minister to their needs. 7. Hospital Visitation. The purpose of this type of visitation is to reach out to minister to church members, visitors, and contacts who are in the hospital. Often, it is during a crisis in a person's life when the lost person is more open to the gospel. This provides us with an opportunity to witness. Also, it demonstrates the church's love, concern and compassion towards those who are in great need. 8. Sick Visitation. The purpose of this type of visitation is to reach out to those who are sick and have missed church. We can do this by taking food to them, helping around the house, and/or simply holding their hand and praying with them. 9. Welcoming Visitation. The purpose of this type of visitation is to reach out to new families who have recently moved into your area. This is an opportunity to establish a relationship with them, and to share information about your church - let's not forget the importance of inviting them to come to church either. An effective way to open doors in this ministry is to take a "welcome basket" which can contain information about your church and a small gift (like a coffee cup, or a church recipe book, ink pens, etc. - give something that a person would be likely to keep and make sure that it has the name of the church and phone number on it. This will be a constant reminder to them every time they use the gift). 10. Promotional Visitation. The purpose of this type of visitation is to promote church events that are designed to draw new people into the church (or even to draw wayward members back into the church). Some examples of this would be VBS, Music Programs, Fall Festivals, etc. 11. Prospect Visitation. The purpose of this type of visitation is to visit someone who has been referred to your church by someone. 12. Wayward Members Visitation. The purpose of this type of visitation is to encourage inactive members to return to church. While this ministry is important, I have also found it is the most difficult because you are normally dealing with people who are basically backslidden. I have visited hundreds of these types of people over the years, and they are usually very polite and will often admit that they need to get back into church, but very seldom do they respond by coming back to church. Be careful not to encourage them in their excuses, but get them refocused upon what the bible teaches about Christian envolvement in church (like Hebrews 10:24-25).

There are 3 common elements that are found in any type of visitation; 1) to reach the lost for Christ; 2) to ministry to the physical, and spiritual needs of an individual; and 3) to promote church growth, which is the life blood of the local church (this is the end result of the first two reasons).

Be Organized
1 Corinthians 14:40 But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way (NIV). "The ministry of visitation, if not planned, usually never happens." (5) Barry Campbell

Put Someone In Charge.

In order to have an effective and active visitation ministry, your church needs to have one person who oversees the whole ministry. This can be the pastor, associate pastor, an elder, a deacon, or anyone else who is capable of organizing, overseeing, promoting, and actively keeping the visitation ministry moving forward. If you fail to appoint someone like this, then the ministry will struggle and probably fail due to lack of attention. There's nothing wrong with having others help this individual, but there needs to be one central person who can be held accountable for this ministry. Once your church appoints someone to oversee this ministry, then they also need to support them with their prayers, and funding for supplies and materials.

Set Up A Visitation Ministry Tracking System.

There are many ways to set up a visitation ministry. Some use color-coded index cards, bulletin boards, computers, etc. A basic program should have a organized system to track and file visitation results. For the average small church, really all you need is a couple of small index card boxes and some index cards. The cards should record some basic information, like First and Last names, Children's names, local address, phone number, and any special requests of those who need to be visited. On the back of the card, have the visitation team write the date, time and summarize the results of the visit (this is for future reference). One of your index boxes should be labeled "visited" and the other "prospects" (or something like this). This way you can keep track of the people who have not been visited, and you will quickly be able to tell if you need to do a follow-up visit to someone you have already visited (try to save these for the nights when you don't have any new prospects or you have more visitation teams than you do prospects). You could also have another index box with just the names of inactive

church members. It is good to do follow-up on your wayward members, and to encourage them to become active again in serving the Lord. Some churches also use a sign-in sheet to have a quick reference for keeping up with what the ministry is doing (this gives a quick overview for giving updates and reports to the church). A visitation team consists of a minimum of 2 people, and no more than a maximum of 3 people - you don't want to overwhelm those whom you are visiting. Give your visitation teams assignment cards to take with them. Only give out 2 or 3 cards per team. Three visits in one night is a full plate, and usually you'll only have enough time for 2 good visits (unless someone is gone or they are busy). The amount of assignment cards will largely depend upon how many visitation teams you have, and how many visits that need to be made. Make sure they bring the cards back to the church and record on the back of it a summary of the visit before the card is filed (this information should include such things as time, date, who visited and who was home, and visit results). You could simplify this process by having a "drop box" at the church for the cards to dropped in to, or make sure you designate a place for the cards to be left before the teams leave.

Have A Definite Time To Go.

Most churches will conduct their visitation ministry either on Monday, Tuesday or Thursday nights. The main reason for going at night is simply because you will tend to find people at home in the evenings, and these nights seem to have less activities going on where the family is gone. If you go during the day, then you will typically either miss everyone or only catch one spouse at home. The exceptions to this would be hospital and shut-in visits, or when someone is working shift work. Whether you call the family first, or you go and just show up at their house is really up to you. Sometimes it is better to call ahead to set up an appointment, but there are also times if you do call ahead then they will never make themselves available too. So use some common sense when it comes to calling, and it will largely depend upon the people on how you would want to handle it. Noel Wright, in his booklet, The Day Of Visitation (6), gives three advantages and disadvantages of conducting your visit on Monday, Tuesday, or Thursday: Monday: The advantage of Monday night is that the Sunday service is still fresh in their minds. The disadvantage is the time distance between Monday and the next Sunday, so the impact of the visit will tend to fade. Tuesday: The advantage is that you allows for your church to pray and plan for a good visit. Again, the biggest disadvantage is the time distance until the next Sunday. Thursday: The advantage is that this day is the closest to the next Sunday, so your visit will be fresher on the minds of those you visited and may encourage them to visit your church again the next Sunday. The disadvantage may be the time distance between their

first visit and when you contact them. Truthfully, the best night for you to visit will probably come down to the night that you can get the best attendance and support from your congregation. The important issue here, is to set a night and time so that everyone knows, week-in and week-out, when the church has it visitation ministry. When you are consistent, it makes it easier for people to remember when they need to show up. If you tend to change that night, then it will only confuse people, and will make participation drop off. Avoid having visitation on a night that conflicts with other ministries in the church. Likewise, don't schedule other church events that will conflict with your visitation night, if it done enough of the time it will eventually kill a ministry entirely. Once you set the visitation night and time, then it needs to be actively promoted to the church. Post the information in the weekly church bulletin. Have people who participate in the visitation ministry give testimonies about their experiences. Years ago, I was in a church that went out on a Saturday to knock on doors to simply invite people to our church. Our pastor had us get up that Sunday morning to give a short testimony about our experiences. While we didn't have a massive response to our efforts, our experience was very uplifting and encouraging to those who participated, and to the rest of the church. I have personally found over the years that I have felt like the people that I had visited where more of a blessing to me than I was to them, and this is probably the case with most people who participate in visitation. I have had only had a couple of negative experiences in all the years that I have done visitation, and none of these were life threatening or physically harmful (usually you'll just get a very negative verbal response to your effort, and these are really far and few between).

Provide Your Team Members With The Tools That Are Needed.
Provide visitation assignments. Prepare prospect cards or forms for the visitation teams prior to them showing up to church. It is best to arrange their assignments geographically, that is, give them homes that are as close together as possible to prevent them from wasting most of their time just driving from one home to another. This will allow them more time for visiting. (7) Provide various Tracts that may be needed. It is best if the church buys and supplies the tracts because this way you can ensure that they are doctrinally correct and appropriate for the purpose of the visit. There are a variety of tracts that can be used, for example there are tracts that are designed to encourage believers; there are tracts that are designed to give hope and encouragement to people who are grieving for the loss of a loved one; there are tracts that are designed to lead people to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. So it would be a good idea to have a good variety of tracts to match the

purpose of the visit. Ray Comfort, of Living Waters Ministries, gives this advise when handing out tracts: When giving out tracts don't ask, "Would you like one of these?" They will probably just say "No", or "What is it?" Instead ask, "Did you get one of these?" You stir their curiosity and make them ask, "One of what?" That's when you hand it to them. It also makes them feel as though they are missing out on something. (8) Provide door hangers. These can be purchased at any Christian book store. If you have someone who has a computer and is graphically gifted you can print your own door hangers. Make sure that you hanger contains the name and address of your church, and a place to record the date and time of the visit, the names of those who visited, and a place to write a short note on it too. It is important that you leave evidence of your visit if no one is home. You may have missed the family, but they will know that your church cared enough to make the effort to see them. If you are stuck without a door hanger, then use a church business card and write on the back of if, then stick it in the door before you leave. Here are some suggestions for those who print up their own door hangers. We put the following information on our door hangers: You Have Been Visited By (Name of Church, Address, Phone Number, and website address). This is followed by a box to write in which has this preprinted opening sentence, "I'm Sorry That I Missed You!" Under the box, we have printed the following information, "Please come and be with us again" followed by our hours of our weekly services. We also put a brief "Plan of Salvation" message on the back of the door hanger (in a small enough print that still can be read, and will fit in the space that is available); Something to think about. . . Everything you hold dear to you is going to be torn from your hands by death. Whether we like it or not, we are all part of the ultimate statistic: Ten out of ten die. No doubt you have wondered why death separates us from our loved ones. This happens because we have broken an eternal Law; "for the wages of sin is death. . ." (Rom.6:23a). Let's look at the Law (10 Commandments) and see if we have broken any of them in any way: 1) You shall have no other gods before Me (have we loved God above all else?). 2)You shall not make yourself a graven image (make a god to suit ourselves, with our hands or our mind). 3) You shall not take God's name in vain. 4) Remember the Sabbath Day, to keep it holy. 5) Honor your father and mother. 6) You shall not murder (hatred is considered as murder). 7) You shall not commit adultery (lust is adultery of the heart; includes sex before marriage). 8) You shall not steal (the value is irrelevant). 9) You shall not lie (including answering these questions). 10) You shall not covet. The Bible says that God will punish all murderers, rapists, thieves, liars, adulterers, etc. (Heb.9:22; Rev.21:8). He will even judge our words and thoughts (Mat.13:36-37; 1Chr.28:9). On Judgment Day, will you be found to be guilty or innocent of breaking His Law (Rev.20:11-15)?

God, however, made a way where His justice and His goodness could meet. We broke the Law, but He became a man to pay the fine. Almighty God demonstrated how much He loves you when Jesus suffered for you on the cross; "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Rom 5:8 NIV). If you want to trust in your own goodness, then you are saying His agonizing death on the cross was in vain. The Bible says, "For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God" (Eph.2:8-9). You cannot earn a gift. When Jesus said to "believe" on Him, He was saying we should have faith in Him, in the same way you would trust a parachute to save you when you jump from a plane. You don't merely believe in the parachute -- you put it on! Please don't "jump" without Jesus. If you die in your sins there is no second chance. God will give you justice, and you will end up in Hell forever. Any troubles you have at present, are dwarfed by the trouble you are in with your Creator. His wrath abides upon you (John 3:36). Confess your sins to God right now, put your trust in Jesus as Savior, and you will pass from death to life (John 5:24; Rom.10:9-10). Then read the Bible daily and obey what you read. Have faith in God, He will never let you down. Provide printed church information. When visiting people who may be considering whether to join your church, it is very helpful to have information available for them about your church. Have pamphlets printed up that give a brief overview, that highlight your church and its ministries. It is highly recommended that any printed material that you hand out is of good quality, if it isn't done properly then it will give a negative impression about your church to those who are visiting. It is also a good idea to have copies of your church Constitution and Bylaws to give out if asked for. This also means that those who are doing the visiting must be familiar with these documents if the potential members have any questions. When talking with people about your church, always be truthful, but positive (every church has it problems, but you will never get anyone to come back if you make it sound like there is massive division and strife, so stay on subject and don't get sidetracked on minor issues. If you church is having major problems, then they need to repent of their sin and put God's house in order before they ever go out and invite other people to come and join them). Provide Maps, or copies of sections of maps, of the area to be visited. This will greatly aid those who are driving around looking for the address. If your visitation teams have a general idea of where someone lives before they leave the church, then it makes it a lot easier for them to find the house. It is a good idea to have a "master map" of the area posted on a wall in the church. This way the team can look at it before they leave, to help them find the location. It is also recommended that you encourage your visitation

teams to carry flash lights with them when they go out (especially during the winter months when it gets dark earlier). Home addresses can be pretty hard to see in the dark, especially if they are not in an easily viewed area where there are no street lights. Provide or encourage team members to get a pocket bible. Don't carry a large bible because it might scare off a nonbeliever. It is also a good idea to carry a second pocket bible (or New Testament) so you can have a lost person to read along with you. If they accept Christ, then you can give them the copy of the Testament. (9) It is also a good idea to write in the back of your personal pocket bible, useful information such as, common objections with Scripture references which answers the objection (sort of like a quick reference listing - some pocket testament will have preprinted references like this). Provide nursery workers, if needed. If your visitation ministry is large enough, and you have individuals participating who have children, then it would be good for the church to arrange for nursery workers.

Train Your Team Members To Know How To Visit.

One of the reasons why America has one of the best militaries in the world, is that they spend a lot of time training their personnel on how to use their equipment and how to respond to various situations that they may come into contact with. Likewise, as the Lord's army, we too need to make sure that we take the time to train our people before they are sent out if we want to be successful in accomplishing our mission. Ephesians 6:10-18, Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming missiles of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints (NASB). 1 Peter 3:15 But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect (NIV). Do some basic training before you send a new person out. This training should include such things as; how the visitation program is ran, personal behavior, preparing and

giving their personal testimony, and a basic understanding of how to witness to lost person: TRAINING IN HOW THE VISITATION PROGRAM IS RUN: They need to understand how your church runs its visitation program, simply because it not only helps to train future leaders, but it also helps to maintain continuity and to reduce misunderstanding and potential problems that could get the ministry off track. TRAINING IN PERSONAL BEHAVIOR: Barry Campbell, in his book, Toolbox for [busy] Pastors (10), gives this advise about how we should behave when we make a visit: - Don't be pushy - Leave the door open for future visits. Ask the person if they would allow you to come inside for a brief time of discussion about your church. Allow the prospect to make that decision. - Don't embarrass the prospect - Generally, if the prospect is embarrassed by your conversation, you have not handled it properly. - Understand the principle of harvest - Harvest will not come unless sowing and cultivation come first. The harvest may come several weeks after the initial visit. - Be clean and neat - Dress casually. Let your dress communicate that the visit is important but not formal. - Go "two by two" - Follow the example of Jesus in Luke 10:1. Certain circumstances of the visit are more easily handled when two are present. - Be courteous - If the prospect has company or is in the middle of dinner, the visitation team should graciously agree to come at another time. - Don't be surprised by non-Christian behavior - Remember, a change of heart will result in a change of behavior. Don't expect the change of behavior to occur first. - Avoid verbal overkill - don't use language the prospect won't understand. - Be Complimentary - Find something about the person, the home, or the children that you can honestly compliment. - We live in a selfish world, and people like to hear people talk good about them. The best thing to brag on is children. Be able to compliment little children. Compliment the home. If there is a new piece of furniture in the house, a beautiful carpet, a nice sofa or a dresser, brag on it. Be on the lookout for things to compliment. But MAKE SURE that your compliments are genuine, if not you will come across like you are only trying to patronize the family. (11) - Know names and family information - Never carry the prospect assignment card to the door. Become familiar with it before you approach the home. - Be spiritually perceptive to all you see or hear in the home. For example, you may see

other family members who were not listed on the visitation card. If this does happen, then make sure you make a note of this information and later write it on the visitation card before you turn it in. The family could have other members who are away at college or the military. (12) - Decide who will lead - one person on the visitation team should lead the conversation. - Sometimes people will respond to one of the team members better than they would another. If you are not the one doing the talking, then be quiet until your partner is finished. The one doing the talking should do all the talking. The person who is not doing the talking, should keep the way clear for the other person. For example if another family member distracts the person that you are talking too, so the team member who isn't talking can keep them busy so they don't distract the conversation between the other two parties. (13) - Go to the front door - Don't assume the prospect will expect guest at the back door. - The exception to this would be if you have been told prior to the visit by the family which door to go to. - Also it is suggested that you don't park in their driveway if there is an alternative. Many times a visit that is going well will be interrupted by the need for a car to be moved. (14) - Pray for the person you are visiting - Before leaving the parking lot at the church, pause and pray for the visitation encounter. - Ask God to help and give power, and to open the doors and hearts of those that you are about to visit. Keep it brief, so you don't take up your visitation time in prayer and never go visiting. (15) - Prepare introductory remarks - without sounding as if the remarks are canned, state you name, your partner's name, and the church you represent. - Show genuine interest in the prospect - you cannot convey genuine interest without listening to the prospect. - Be a Good Listener. People like to talk about themselves, so spend some time listening to them talk. Talk to them about their interests, family, where they are from. If you let them talk, then when it is your time to talk, people will listen to what you have to say.
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- Have a conversation plan to keep you on track - Use the acrostic FORM. "F" stands for questions about family. "O" represents conversation about occupation or work. "R" is for the prospect's involvement in religion or church. "M" stands for your message or the reason for you visit. - By doing something like this, you will be maintaining the focus and purpose of the visit, and will not tend to wander aimlessly. This will also help you to naturally present the gospel, if needed, so that it won't sound fake or forced - thus it will be received much easier too. TRAINING IN PERSONAL TESTIMONIES: Be prepared to give your personal testimony about how you came to know Christ, in case the opportunity presents itself to

you. It is hard to argue with someone's personal experience, and that is why personal testimonies are so effective. The Apostle Paul gives us his personal testimony in the book of Galatians and in the book of Acts. If we examine his testimony, it provides us with a biblical example to follow when it comes to sharing our own personal testimony with others. Good testimonies will not only be a witness to the lost of the power of the gospel, but they will also be an encouragement to other believers who hear them. This is actually what Paul's testimony did and still is doing today. Paul's testimony is divided up into these three parts. . . Tell of your life before Christ (Gal.1:13-14; Acts 26:4-11). The Apostle Paul describes his former standing and activities before he became a Christian. Take the time to summarize what your life was like before you came to know Christ. Remember, everyone has a different background and each one is just as important as the next one - because those who are listening come from different backgrounds too, and will only to able to "connect" or "relate" to those individuals that they have something in common with. Often we think that only those who come out of a background of drugs, alcohol, sex, violence, etc., have the only good testimonies, but not everyone can relate to these types of backgrounds. God can use a testimony of someone who grew up in a Christian home as much as He can use the most extreme situation - so don't let this stop you from giving your testimony. If you do come from some extreme background, don't try to share every little piece of information, this could become a distraction and can even be offensive to some people (especially if there are children in the audience). Let me give you an example of this: I once heard a woman give her testimony about her life before Christ and how she was sleeping around with numerous men. Instead of saying it in general way, like I just described it, she began to talk about all kinds of details, almost to the point of the number of men, names, where they met, etc. The result was that her testimony tended to put everyone in shock more than it helped anyone to relate to her testimony. Don't try to gave every little detail, but only those details that will give people a general overview of what your life was before Christ. Remember, you are doing this so that people will be able to see a contrast between what your old life was like before Christ, and your new life as a Christian, and how Christ has made a difference. Tell how you came to trust Christ as your Savior (Gal.1:15-16a; Acts 26:12-18). The Apostle Paul simply recounted how God saved him.

Tell about: How God spoke to your heart. Who God used and how they witnessed to you. Where you were at when you were saved. How you responded to that call. Tell of your life after you put your trust in Christ (Gal.1:16b-24; Acts 26:19-23). The Apostle Paul shared about how the Lord prepared him to preach the gospel, and about his ministry to other believers and their churches. Explain how your life has been changed since you accepted Christ. How has this change impacted your personal life. Examples: new strength to overcome problems, how your life now has a focus and a purpose, a new outlook on life or about other people, etc. . . How has your changed life impacted others. Examples: helping others who may be going through the same type of problems that you went through, ministries that you are actively involved in now, etc. . . Additional Advise On Personal Testimonies: A good testimony should be no longer than 15 minutes and no shorter than 5 minutes. Let the place where you are sharing your testimony dictate your length. Read Paul's testimony out loud and time it to see long he took. If you are talking one-on-one then you can take longer to give your testimony, but if you are speaking before a church (or some other group) where other people will also be speaking, then you need to make sure that you keep your testimony short. Look again at Paul's testimony, see how it is tightly put together - he didn't ramble on about things that had no bearing on his testimony. It is good to set down and write out your testimony, and then rework it over and over again so that what you are sharing is very clear and focused. Try to get it down to 5 minutes, this will prepare you to give it everywhere - it is always easier to add to it than it is to shorten it. Avoid rambling, this will only become a distraction to those who are listening, and will cause your testimony to lose its effectiveness - people will mentally tune you out. Practice giving your testimony so that you will be prepared to give it when the opportunity presents itself. TRAINING IN WITNESSING: Provide your visitation team members with witnessing training. Overcoming Our Fears of Witnessing: Most Christians fail to witness because of fear.

In the witnessing course, Share Jesus Without Fear, they give us five keys to having a heart that overcomes the fear of witnessing. (17) Passion (having a heart of the lost). Prayer (prayer make the difference in witnessing). Partnership (having our own special relationship with Christ). Power (God provides the power we need to be effective). Preparation (being prepared to respond to witnessing opportunities). The fear of witnessing isn't so scary when we understand what our part is in the whole process. God didn't call us to save anyone, He called us to participate with Him in the witnessing process. God does the saving! The Holy Spirit's ministry in the salvation process is to convict and draw people to God. John 16:8-11, And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged (NKJV). First, the Holy Spirit clarifies the issue of sin in an individual's life (i.e., Convicts). Second, the Holy Spirit clarifies the issue of God's righteousness verses man's unrighteousness. Third, the Holy Spirit clarifies the issue of God's judgment upon the unrighteous. So it is God's job to do the convicting and saving of lost people - not ours. What is our part? Our part is to unleash God's Power, that is, to share the gospel message with the lost. We are working in partnership with the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 3:6-7, I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase (NKJV). So every time that we share the gospel we are either planting the seeds of salvation or we are helping the seeds to grow and blossom into salvation by watering them with the springs of living water of the gospel. We are successful, not when "we" lead someone to Christ, but rather when we share the gospel - that is all God has asked us to do, because we are not capable of saving anyone - only God can save someone. Methods for Witnessing: There are a variety of effective witnessing methods that can be used to share Christ; R.C.C.R. Method (18) John 4:7-26 gives us the Lord's example of how to share our faith. When Jesus spoke to the woman at the well, He did it when she was alone. We will often find that people are more open and honest when they are alone. So, if possible, pick a person who is sitting by himself. This method is good because it uses the 10 Commandments to convict and

expose the sin of the lost person without us telling them that they are a sinner. Most lost people today don't believe that they are "that bad" of a person:

Relate: Jesus began in the natural realm (v.7).

This woman was unregenerate, and the bible tells us "the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God" (1 Corinthians 2:14). He therefore spoke of something she could relate to - water. Most of us can strike up a conversation with a stranger in the natural realm. It may be a friendly "How are you doing?" or a warm "Good morning!" If the person responds with a sense of warmth, we may then ask, "Do you live around here?" and from there develop a conversation.

Create: Jesus swung the conversation to the spiritual realm (v.10).

He simply mentioned the things of God. We may say something like, "Did you go to church on Sunday?" or "Did you see that Christian TV program last week?" If the person responds positively, the next question should be, "Do you have a Christian background?" This will probe their background. They may answer, "I went to church when I was a child, but I drifted away from it." Another simple way to swing to the spiritual is to offer the person a gospel tract and ask, "Did you get one of these?" When he takes it, simply say, "It's a gospel tract. Do you come from a Christian background?"

Convict: Jesus brought conviction using the Law of God (vv.16-18).

Jesus gently spoke to the woman's conscience by alluding to the fact that she had transgressed the Seventh of the Ten Commandments. He used the Law to bring "the knowledge of sin" (see Romans 3:19,20). We can do the same by asking, "Do you think that you have kept the Ten Commandments?" Most people think they have, so quickly follow with, "Have you ever told a lie?" This is confrontational, but if it's asked in a spirit of love and gentleness, there won't be any offense. Remember that the "work of the Law [is] written in their hearts" and that the conscience will bear "witness" (Romans 2:15). Jesus confronted the rich young ruler in Luke 18:18-21 with five of the Ten Commandments and there was no offense. Have confidence that the conscience will do its work and affirm the truth of each commandment. Don't be afraid to gently ask, "Have you ever stolen something, even if it's small?" Learn how to open up the spirituality of the Law and show how God considers lust to be the same as adultery (Matthew 5:27,28) and hatred the same as murder (1 John 3:15). Make sure you get an admission of guilt. Ask the person, "If God judges you by the Ten Commandments on Judgment Day, do you think you will be innocent or guilty?" If he says he will be innocent, ask, "Why is that?" If he admits his guilt, ask, "Do you think

you will go to heaven or hell?" From there the conversation may go one of three ways: He may confidently say, "I don't believe in hell." Gently respond, "That doesn't matter. You still have to face God on Judgment Day whether you believe in it or not. If I step onto the freeway when a massive truck is heading for me and I say, 'I don't believe in trucks,' my lack of belief isn't going to change reality." Then tenderly tell him he has already admitted to you that he has lied, stolen, and committed adultery in his heart, and that God gave him a conscience so that he would know right from wrong. His conscience and the conviction of the Holy Spirit will do the rest. That's why it is essential to draw out an admission of guilt before you mention Judgment Day or the existence of hell. He may say that he's guilty, but that he will go to heaven. This is usually because he thinks that God is "good," and that He will, therefore, overlook sin in his case. Point out that if a judge in a criminal case has a guilty murderer standing before him, the judge, if he is a good man, can't just let him go. He must ensure that the guilty man is punished. If God is good, He must (by His nature) punish murderers, rapists, thieves, liars, adulterers, fornicators, and those who have lived in rebellion to the inner light that God has given to every man. He may admit that he is guilty and therefore going to hell. Ask him if that concerns him.

Reveal: Jesus revealed Himself to her (v.26).

Once the Law has humbled the person, he is ready for grace. Remember, the Bible says that God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). The Gospel is for the humble. Jesus gives us a summation of who the gospel is for: the poor, the brokenhearted, the captives, the blind, the bruised (oppressed). Jesus is not referring to those who lack financial resources when He speaks of the poor. The word means "meek, humble, lowly" and refers to the "poor in spirit" (Matthew 5:3) - the blessed ones to whom the kingdom of God belongs. The poor are those who know that they are destitute of righteousness. The brokenhearted refers not to unhappy people who have been jilted by a sweetheart, but to those who, like Peter and Isaiah, are contrite and sorrowing for their sin. Matthew Henry wrote of Jesus, "For He was sent to heal the brokenhearted, to give peace to those that were troubled and humbled for sins, and to bring them to rest who were weary and heavy-laden, under the burden of guilt and corruption." The captives are those "taken captive by [the devil] at his will" (2 Timothy 2:26). The blind are those whom "the god of this world has blinded . . . [to] the light of the glorious gospel of Christ" (2 Corinthians 4:4). The oppressed are those who are "oppressed of the devil" (Acts 10:38). The gospel of grace is for the humble, not the proud. God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). The Scriptures tell us, "Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord" (Proverbs 16:5). He sets on high those who are lowly, and those who mourn are lifted to safety (Job

5:11). God looks on the man who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at His Word (Isaiah 66:2). Only the sick need a physician, and only those who are convinced of the disease of sin will appreciate and appropriate the cure of the gospel. Learn how to present the work of the cross - that God sent His Son to suffer and die in our place. Tell the sinner of the love of God in Christ; that Jesus rose from the dead and defeated death. Take him back to civil law and say, "It's as simple as this: We broke God's Law, and Jesus paid our fine. If you will repent and trust in the Savior, God will forgive your sins and dismiss your case." Ask him if he understands what you have told him. If he is willing to confess and forsake his sins, and trust the Savior with his eternal salvation, have him pray and ask God to forgive him. Then pray for him. Get him a bible. Instruct him to read it daily and obey what he reads, and encourage him to get into a bible-believing, Christ-preaching church. ABC's OF EVANGELISM Method (19) In a very complicated, "religious" world... God has made salvation simple. Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10:13). The advantage of this method is it is as easy to use as "A.B.C."

Admit you are a sinner in need of the Savior, Jesus Christ: Your sin separates you
from having fellowship with God (Romans 3:23; Isaiah 53:6; James 2:10; Romans 3:10-12; John 3:3; Acts 4:12). A relationship with Jesus Christ begins with your admission that you need God. You must admit you need God to do three things: You need God to forgive you of your sins, those attitudes or actions that don't meet God's standards. "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess ours sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (I John 1:8,9) You need God to give you eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23). You need God to show you His purpose for your life. Jesus speaks to us in John 10: 10 in the New Testament, "The thief (Satan) does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I (Jesus) have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly." and in the Old Testament, the prophet Jeremiah writes to us in chapter 29: verse 11: 'For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.

Believe that Jesus died to pay the penalty for your sins: The penalty for your sin is

death. God loves you so much, He provided a way for you to escape that penalty (Acts 16:31; Luke 5:32, 13:3; Hebrews 11:6; Romans 2:4, 10:17; John 3:16, 20:21). "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16) Jesus can and will save anyone from an eternity without God, and from eternal punishment in Hell. He died and rose again for your justification, to put your relationship with God in right standing. Don't misunderstand the message of salvation. God is not standing ready to send you to Hell, rather it is your rejection of His Son Jesus whereby you choose yourself to enter Hell's fires. God has made a way of escape, you must choose to accept it. "He (Jesus) was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification." (Romans 4:25) Belief in the death and resurrection of Jesus for your sins is essential for salvation, but it is not enough. "You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe God and tremble." (James 2:19)

Confess Jesus as Lord and Savior of your life (Romans 10:9-10; Acts 19:18; 1 John
1:9, 4:15): Confessing Jesus as Lord means to commit total control of your life to Christ. You give him the ownership of your life. He becomes your new boss. Romans 10: 9-10 tells us "that if you confess with your mouth Jesus {as} Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. ROMANS ROAD Method This method of witnessing is effective because you are presenting the gospel without leaving the book of Romans. You simply "draw" a road map in your bible to tell yourself where to go. All you need to do is to remember where to start at - Romans 3:10 (you could even write this part down in the front cover of your bible). Right beside Romans 3:10 write the next verse to tell your where to go, then continue to do the same with the rest of the verses. Underline or highlight each verse so that it is easy to see. Here's the Roman's Road method: Romans 3:10 (it tells us that no one has a right relationship with God); Romans 3:23 (everyone has sinned against God, this is why our relationship is broken with God); Romans 5:12 (Christ died for sinners); Romans 6:23 (the penalty of sin); Romans 5:8 (again the penalty of sin is death, but we can have eternal life through Christ); and Romans 10:9-13 (this tells a person how to be saved). SHARE JESUS WITHOUT FEAR Method (20) This method is similar to the Romans Road Method, in that you are making a road map in your bible so you know where to go, except with this method you are using other Scriptures outside of the book of Romans. The Scriptures used with this method are

Romans 3:23 (everyone has sinned against God, this is why our relationship is broken with God); Romans 6:23 (the penalty of sin); John 3:3 (speaks of the need to accept Christ); John 14:6 (this points out that there is only one way to be saved - also see Acts 4:12); Romans 10:9-10 (this tells a person how to be saved); 2 Corinthians 5:15 (this speaks of the new life in Christ - also see 2 Cor.5:17); Revelation 3:20 (they use this verse to ask the person if they are willing to let Christ come into their hearts by accepting Him as their Savior. Please note, while this verse may sound good for this purpose, but the context is actually speaking to backslidden Christians, so you might want to consider finding a more appropriate passage: other good verses to substitute for this one are, 2 Cor.6:2; Matt.24:44; James 4:13-14). Using this method, read the verse out loud or have the person you are witnessing to read the verse out loud. Then ask them "What does this say to you" after each verse. This reinforces what they have just read, and gives you the opportunity to clarify or correct any misunderstanding. They suggest that when you are finished taking the person through the passages, that there are 5 Questions that you should ask that will lead a person to a point of decision: Are you a sinner? Do you want forgiveness for you sins? Do you believe Jesus died on the cross for you and rose again? Are you willing to surrender your life to Christ? Are you ready to invite Jesus into your life and into your heart? With this 5th question, there are two important things you must do after you have asked it: Be silent, so the person has time to say whatever they want to say. Pray silently as you listen, this will keep you from interrupting the silence. There are only two possible answers that you will be given at this point: If YES, then guide them in prayer with something like this; "Heavenly Father, I have sinned against You. I want forgiveness for all my sins. I believe that Jesus died on the cross for me and rose again. Father, I give You my life to do with as You wish. I want Jesus Christ to come into my life and into my heart. This I ask in Jesus' name. Amen." Notice this prayer responds to the 5 closing questions. If NO, then ask them WHY? Let their answer reveal what is going on deep inside the person. The question "Why?" provides an opportunity to deal with the issue. THE FOUR SPIRITUAL LAWS Method (21)

The Four Spiritual Laws presents a clear explanation of the gospel of Jesus Christ using the Tract from Campus Crusade. This is an effective evangelistic tools that uses a four point outline: God LOVES you, and offers a wonderful PLAN for your life (John 3:16; John 10:10). Man is SINFUL and SEPARATED from God. Therefore, he cannot know and experience God's love and plan for his life (Romans 3:23, 6:23). Jesus Christ is God's ONLY provision for man's sin. Through Him you can know and experience God's love and plan for your life (Romans 5:8; 1 Corinthians 15:3-6). We must individually RECEIVE Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord; then we can know and experience God's love and plan for our lives (John 1:12, 3:1-8). THE GOGO Method (22)

God's Love (John 3:16). Our Sin (Romans 3:23; 6:23). God's Provision (1 Peter 3:18). Our Response (John 1:12; Revelation 3:20).
Important Questions To Ask When Witnessing Opening Questions: When we begin to talk to people about their spiritual condition, there are a couple of questions that we can ask them that will help us to discern whether they are saved or not. (23) Here are a couple of examples; "Have you come to a place in your spiritual life where you know for certain that if you were to die today you would go to heaven, or is that something you would say you're still working on?" "Suppose that you were to die today and stand before God and He were to say to you, 'Why should I let you into my heaven?' What would you say?" If a person can't honestly say that they would go to heaven, or they don't know why they should go to heaven (i.e., based on Christ's finished work on the cross alone), or their answer is unclear, then you need to take the time to share the gospel with them. Closing Questions: After you have shared the gospel with someone it is important that ask them a question that will get a commitment from them. (24) Here are some examples; "Does this make sense to you?"

"Would you like to receive the gift of eternal life?" "If You Died Now, Do You Know That You Would Go to Heaven? (25)" "Would You Like to Know?" "If I Showed You How You Could Know, Would You Do What the Bible Says?" By asking questions like these, or similar questions, it will accomplish two things: First, it will make the person who has been witnessed to make a decision to accept or reject Christ (you have accomplished what you have been called to do, plant and water. They may need more time before the seed of the gospel begins to grow and before they respond, but you have made that process now possible); Second, it will give you an opportunity to clarify any other questions or misunderstanding that they might have. Common Objections The purpose of listing some possible objections isn't necessarily so you can memorize them, but so that you will not be caught off guard if it does happen. You will probably never be totally prepared to answer every objection, but don't let that discourage you. If you don't know the answer, then tell the person that and make a point of finding out the answer and getting back with them. Also, don't let their objections side track you - that is what most objections are designed to do. Most of the time, you can simply reply "before you can really understand what you are asking, you first need to understand what God has done for you (or who Christ is)," or some similar comment. The point is, you keep them focused upon the gospel message and not off on all the rabbit trails. Years ago I worked with an individual who would come back to my office to ask me some "religious" questions (this individual was very intelligent, but he also liked to get Christians all twisted up with questions that they could not answer). Every time he would ask me one of his questions, I would tell him that before he could really understand the answer to his question, he needed to understand who Jesus was and what He had did for him. By the time this individual left the job for a new one, he told me that I was the only Christian that he had ever met that gave him intelligent answers or challenged him. The truth was, I didn't really answer any of his questions, but I had simply pointed him back to the gospel. I don't know if he had ever accepted Christ, but I do know God used that time for planting and watering the gospel. In the book, Evangelism Explosion, they give the following suggestions for handling objections (26); Avoid Arguing: you may win the debate, but lose the person's respect. Show A Positive Attitude: let the person know that you are glad that they have enough freedom to express their feelings to you. let the person know that you are glad that they are listening and assimilating what you are presenting. Use Sincere Compliments: sincere compliments are effective in reducing tensions. Let them know that their opinions are intelligent or well thought out, even though you might disagree with them for your own reasons. Let them know that you enjoyed their willingness to discuss spiritual issues with you. These type of compliments can be

sincere and often will keep an argument from starting. Prayer: if you are visiting, and you have someone with you that is helping, then make sure they are praying for God's presence during the whole conversation. Remember only God can change a heart, we are not capable of doing that no matter how verbally gifted we might be. Here are some common objections that you might encounter when you are witnessing (27) ; "I've got plenty of time" Answer: "We all think we do. But nobody is promised tomorrow. People die unexpectedly every day. No one should put off such an eternally important matter" (James 4:13-17; Luke 12:19-20). "I'm a good person and I don't believe God would ever send me to hell." Answer: "Compared to other people, you may be a very good person. But, God is a holy God and His standard is perfection. Can you give Him that? Nobody can. Everybody has sinned and is in need of God's forgiveness. We are saved by grace through faith in Christ who died for us on the cross. Good works will never get anyone to heaven because we can never be good enough" (Rom.3:23; 6:23; Eph.2:8-10; Titus 3:5). NOTE: When someone uses this excuse, using the 10 Commandments will do an excellent job of stripping away their goodness (See the R.C.C.R Method of witnessing above). "There are too many hypocrites in the church." Answer: "You are absolutely right. But, God knows who they are and will deal with them in the day of judgment. When we stand before God, He will not be asking us about what someone else has done with Jesus. He will ask what have we personally done with Him" (Rom.14:12). "There are so many churches and I just don't know which is the right one." Answer: "A church doesn't save anyone. Jesus saves. It's important for you to find the right church, but that comes later. Right now, let's just focus on receiving Jesus Christ into your life" (Acts 4:12). "I'm afraid I won't be able to live it." Answer: "No, you won't live a perfect life. But Christ living in you will give you strength and help you to live for Him. When you do fail the Father's forgiveness is available. He wants to forgive and instantly restore fellowship with Him" (Phil.2:13; 1 John 1:9; Rev.3:20). "I don't understand enough." Answer: "Becoming a Christian is not based upon WHAT we know but WHO we

know. We don't become a Christian by receiving knowledge but by receiving Jesus. If you understand John 3:16, you know enough to become a Christian." "I have already been baptized." Answer: "Baptism doesn't save anyone. Jesus saves. Baptism pictures the death, burial and resurrection of Christ and through it we let others know we have trusted Christ for salvation. It is the ANNOUNCEMENT of our salvation, not the WAY of our salvation" (Acts 16:27-33). "I'm afraid." Answer: "You won't be afraid when you realize how much God loves you. He gave His Son to die on the cross so that you can be saved. If He loved you enough to do that, you don't have ANYTHING to be afraid of! He only wants the best for your life" (Rom.5:68). "When it's time, I'll feel right about it." Answer: "The bible doesn't say anything about 'feeling' a certain way when we decide to receive Christ. It's a matter of the WILL. If it is your choice to receive Christ into you life right now, you can" (Rev.22:17). "After the way I've lived my life, I don't deserve to be saved." Answer: "What you have just said is true for everyone of us. But, no matter what you have done, God still loves you and wants to forgive and save you. Christ died on the cross for the sin of the WORLD. That includes anything and everything you may have done. Everyone must be saved by God's GRACE" (Eph.2:8-10; 1 Tim. 1:12-16) Summary On Witnessing Regardless of which method you use (or even a combination of several) the main points of witnessing are always the same (28): God loves all of us, so we don't have to earn his love. I have sinned against God (by breaking His law or standards), and this sin must be punished by God because He is Just and Righteous (i.e., He always does what is right). Christ died to pay the price for my sin. I must accept Jesus as my Savior to receive God's forgiveness. When I do this, I become a God's child. Find a method that you feel comfortable with and use it. Acrostics (letters at the beginning of each line which form a word or a message) are useful because they give us mental word pictures that make it easier for us to remember, so use the one which is easiest for you to remember. One of the best ways to train others is for them to watch someone else. (29) So it is not only helpful to provide some "classroom" training, but it is even more important to get

them involved with some "on the job training." Send your new visitation team members out with experienced members until they gain the experience and confidence to lead a visitation team. Also send them out with different experienced visitation members, this will give broaden their experience.

Hospital Visitation
Howard R. Sugden & Warren W. Wiersbe, in their book, Confident Pastoral Leadership, give this advice when it comes to making hospital visits. (30) Get to know the hospital personnel and make yourself available to help them, but don't assume authority that you don't possess. If there is a chaplain in charge, by all means become his friend, even if you are of different faiths. [My notes here: This is important because there has been recent federal laws that have been passed which have had a direct impact upon your visit. Understand that most hospitals are thrilled to have pastors come in and visit, but they are also afraid of being sued and have to deal with federal laws dealing with the patient's privacy. If you visit someone and go and tell others about their situation, without their permission, you could be opening yourself, your church, and the hospital up to law suits. So gets the facts before you go]. Visit at hours convenient to the patients. Visiting them in the late morning, after their baths, is a good time to stop by: The patients are fresh and clean, they have not been worn out by other visitors, and there will be fewer interruptions. Arrange your visits according to the rules of the hospital. Don't make yourself a pest. Get the facts about the patient, so as not to embarrass yourself. Be cheerful but not a standup comedian. Leave your problems and symptoms outside the door and enter the room determined to be an encouragement. Don't become an amateur physician. It is wrong to diagnose the case or to compare a patient with others you have visited. Never act as a go-between when patients and physicians have differences. If a patient has fears or frustrations, be a counselor and help them find their peace in Christ. Be brief. Long visits can often do more harm than good. Each visit should help to lift the patient with hopefulness and joy. In most cases, read something brief from the Word and pray to the point. Don't turn the bed into a pulpit and preach to the whole ward. A quiet, personal prayer at the bedside is what the patient needs. Pay attention to the others in the room; greet them and be friendly. If it is a double room, or three-bed room, be sure to include the other patients in your prayer. If there are other visitors in the room, wait for a break in the conversation and ask, "Would you mind if I prayed for all of us?" Very few patients or visitors would be offended. Use Christian literature judiciously. Be sure to read carefully whatever you distribute; the wrong tract can do untold damage. Select Tracts that are appropriate to the purpose of the visit.

Some church members should be advised not to do hospital visitation at all. They may not like it, but it is better to upset a few saints than to lose your testimony before the whole hospital.

Visitation Follow-up
A follow up letter also makes the visit something special and appreciated. (31) In fact Dr. Tom Clegg, in his church growth seminar 7 Habits of a Visitor Friendly Church, (32) says that it is important make at least seven contacts with the family after your first visit, in the next 7 days. This can be done in several different ways, such as; a pastor's letter ; another informal visit by a church member or pastor (bring a small gift like coffee mugs with church name); a phone call by another person (2 or 3 phones calls that week would reinforce the message that your church cares about them - make sure these calls are short); send several welcome cards (from church members; a follow-up phone call by a church staff member or deacon should be made within the 1st or 2nd week and again 6 to 8 weeks later. (even if they haven't shown back up). Dr. Clegg also suggests that if the person doesn't return to your church that you ask them why (this is so you can evaluate your church to see what you are doing right or wrong).

Encouraging Your Visitation Ministry To Grow.

The best way to encourage others to get involved is to continue to promote the visitation ministry before the church. Visitation is better caught than taught. It spreads best by contagion, not compulsion, and don't scold those who are not involved. Start with a few choice men and/or women, and take them with you when you visit. Ask God to touch their hearts. Give opportunities for your people to testify of the blessing of visiting. Most of all be sure that the visitation ministry is worth inviting others to share in. (33)

ENDNOTES
1. How To Conduct A Visitation & Soul Winning Program, Liberty Home Bible Institute, Jim Soward, 1976, Tape Series Notes. 2. 7 Habits of a Visitor Friendly Church, Dr. Tom Clegg, Church Growth Seminar Notes. 3. Confident Pastoral Leadership, p.97, by Howard R. Sugden & Warren W. Wiersbe, Baker Book house, Grand Rapids MI, 1993, Second Edition. 4. 7 Habits of a Visitor Friendly Church, Dr. Tom Clegg, Church Growth Seminar

Notes. 5. Toolbox for [Busy] Pastors, pp.177-178, by Barry Campbell, Lifeway Church Resources, Convention Press, Nashville TN, 2002. 6. The Day Of Visitation, A Practical Guide To Establishing A Church Visitation Program, Noel M. Wright III, Wright Track Ministries, Cordova TN, 1993 7. Ibid. 8. The Way of the Master Academy, witnessing and evangelism course, lesson 36, Evangelist Ray Comfort, http://www.raycomfort.com 9. Let's God Soul Winning, pp.14-15, by Dr. Jack Hyles, Sword of the Lord Publisher, Murfreesboro TN, 1973. 10. Toolbox for [Busy] Pastors, pp.177-178, by Barry Campbell, Lifeway Church Resources, Convention Press, Nashville TN, 2002. 11. Let's God Soul Winning, pp.22-23, by Dr. Jack Hyles, Sword of the Lord Publisher, Murfreesboro TN, 1973. 12. The Day Of Visitation, A Practical Guide To Establishing A Church Visitation Program, Noel M. Wright III, Wright Track Ministries, Cordova TN, 1993 13. Let's God Soul Winning, pp.15-18, by Dr. Jack Hyles, Sword of the Lord Publisher, Murfreesboro TN, 1973. 14. The Day Of Visitation, A Practical Guide To Establishing A Church Visitation Program, Noel M. Wright III, Wright Track Ministries, Cordova TN, 1993 15. Let's God Soul Winning, pp.19-20, by Dr. Jack Hyles, Sword of the Lord Publisher, Murfreesboro TN, 1973. 16. Ibid., pp.23-24 17. Share Jesus Without Fear, by William Fay & Ralph Hodge, Lifeway Press, Nashville TN, 1997 18. The Way of the Master Academy, witnessing and evangelism course, Evangelist Ray Comfort, http://www.raycomfort.com 19. ABC's of Evangelism, by Stan Toler, Beacon Hill Press, Kansas City, KS, 2002.

20. Share Jesus Without Fear, by William Fay & Ralph Hodge, Lifeway Press, Nashville TN, 1997 21. Campus Crusade for Christ International, http://www.campuscrusade.com 22. Evangelism Made Easy, Personal Evangelism the First Baptist Church Way, Bartlesville OK 23. Evangelism Explosion, p.31, by D. James Kennedy, Tyndale House Publishing, Wheaton IL, 4th Ed. 24. Ibid., p.32 25. Let's God Soul Winning, p.33, by Dr. Jack Hyles, Sword of the Lord Publisher, Murfreesboro TN, 1973. 26. Evangelism Explosion, pp.145-149, by D. James Kennedy, Tyndale House Publishing, Wheaton IL, 4th Ed. 27. Evangelism Made Easy, Personal Evangelism the First Baptist Church Way, Bartlesville OK 28. Plans For Presenting Salvation To Children, http://www.biblestudyplanet.com/f6.htm 29. Let's God Soul Winning, p.9, by Dr. Jack Hyles, Sword of the Lord Publisher, Murfreesboro TN, 1973. 30. Confident Pastoral Leadership, pp.97-99, by Howard R. Sugden & Warren W. Wiersbe, Baker Book house, Grand Rapids MI, 1993, Second Edition. 31. A Pastor's Manual on Doing Church, pp.141-142, Mal Couch General Editor, 21st Century Press, Springfield MO, 2002. 32. 7 Habits of a Visitor Friendly Church, Dr. Tom Clegg, Church Growth Seminars 33. Confident Pastoral Leadership, pp.99-100, by Howard R. Sugden & Warren W. Wiersbe, Baker Book house, Grand Rapids MI, 1993, Second Edition.