With most new activities, getting started can be the hardest part. This video, part of a series on outreach preparations and methods, aims to help you take baby steps to get going.
Dr. Cynthia has been doing outreach for decades and has experience reaching out to all kinds of people. Here she shares the secrets that have helped her, and that she believes will help you too.
TAKE IT EASY! is recommend for your first outreaches. Don’t expect too much of yourself. If you don’t feel like going up to strangers, consider sitting a coffee shop or on a bench in an attitude of prayer. Be prepared and alert. God may send you someone! If not, at least you know that you were available in that place and time if you were needed.
You don’t feel like going on outreach? Well, Dr. C never feels like it either, so you are in good company. But as an example of how surprisingly easy it can be, we see a young man coming up to her and receiving gospel materials.
OUTREACH PRAYER: Dan Beaudoin tells us from street outreach how foundational prayer is to outreach. Then Dr. C gives us a list of prayer requests for intercession before, during and after the outreach:
Materials
Event Preparations Workers – to volunteer, be protected and inspired Against
Obstacles
Transportation
Health
Open Hearts
Spirit Filling Follow-up
Pray – but she says, don’t use prayer as an excuse not to go!
WHO SHOULD GO? In America, on a public walking street we find people from all over the world. Christians don’t need to go across the ocean or learn another culture and language to reach them. It might be just down the street or across town!
Outreach isn’t just for missionaries. Jesus told us to GO and share. We don’t need a special calling. As famous Bible smuggler Brother Andrew said, “You don’t feel called? Put your ear to the Bible and listen!”
WHY OUTREACH? Outreach is the way that we meet most of the people we share with and help – Muslims, Sikhs, Buddhists and others. Our model in relationships is OFF:
OUTREACH FOLLOW-UP FRIENDSHIP
We all wish that people would come to us, but that almost never happens. Like Jesus, we need to seek and save the lost.
WHERE to OUTREACH? We look for and go to anywhere there is an opportunity to meet people, especially those from regions foreign to the gospel. For example: Walking Streets Festivals Immigrant Communities Places of Worship Ethnic Markets International Students When we meet interested people on outreach, those are the ones that we follow-up with.
MAKING TIME for OUTREACH: Unless outreach is a high priority in your life, it won’t get done. We are all so very busy. But we can look at our lives to see if there is anything that we can cut down on. For example, social obligations and gift-giving might need to be reduced. That brings kickback from friends and family, but it might be worth it. We suggest aiming for:
HIGH PRIORITY
EFFICIENCY
FLEXIBILITY
INTENTIONALITY
SOME SIMPLIFICATION
LIVING BELOW MEANS
RETIRING EARLY or WORK LESS
But realize that life is NOT simple. Seek wisdom in managing it all with more faith and less stress.
Go Ahead, MAKE THEIR DAY!
Psalm 34:8 says, “Taste and see that the Lord is good!”
Before people come to God, they need to know that he is good. That is why “Give thanks to the Lord for he is good,” is the most common phrase in the Bible.
Now in the West, most people think bad things about God. We need to do damage control! So, our everyday tract affirms that God is good and loves each person as his special creation. “You Are Loved,” is now available for free download off of our website in several languages, with more coming.
Jesus attracted crowds with miracles and free lunches. As we try to follow him, we usually include a coffee card or candy with a tract. This gives us confidence that we are sharing something good, which makes it easier and more convincing. We take these small packets wherever we go, and when God opens a door, we share his goodness. Seriously, the common response we hear is,
“You made my day!”
Dr. C AEM 2025
