# Door to Door Envangelism?



## matthew11v25 (Dec 27, 2007)

Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses are known for their door to door evangelism. It has always seemed to me as an smart approach, and it seems to be the primary approach that these cults take (the way that their numbers grow...dont get me wrong not saying its about numbers).

What are your thoughts on door to door evangelism? 

Perhaps talking with your pastor to get guidance and then taking a brother and going from house to house to those that will listen?


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## Semper Fidelis (Dec 27, 2007)

I went door-to-door with my Pastor a few times when at an OPC in CA. Some people are actually surprised when a real Christian is knocking at their door. Where we lived in CA there were a lot of JW's and Mormons that came around.

I even had a Roman Catholic come to my door one day trying to spread their news. I left him pretty puzzled when I started challenging him on Chalcedon and trans-substantiation and invited him to return (he didn't).


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## Herald (Dec 27, 2007)

Matthew, door-to-door is an effective approach so long as you have realistic expectations. I view door-to-door as a means to invite the individual(s) to church rather than to seek a decision on the spot.


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## Pergamum (Dec 27, 2007)

I am as evangelistic as they come. I want to say that before I begin.


Okay, here goes:



I applaud the motivation that leads many people to go door to door.

And when a church is committed to door to door evangelism, usually that means that they are committed to training the laymen on how to witness usually. 

(This is good...especially because many Reformed churches do not mobilize the laymen because they elevate the elders and leadership (good) but they speak of the duties of laymen primarily as listening and obedience in the context of church.)


In the past many good men went door to door. I recall reading about Robert Murray M'Cheyne and how he actually mapped his entire neighborhood with every single house and wrote down how many tmes he visited and prayed with the people and wrote - to the best of his ability - their spiritual state. 

Now THAT'S dedication.


But this was in another time and when communities were closer. 

In closer communities this approach - as one approach among many - may work, but I do not see it as being real fruitful in most North American suburban contexts. Maybe small small towns....maybe... 

You just become a huge bother to people and the JWs have raised the suspicion level way high. 

No one in America likes sales calls and they hate sales visits even worse. We just become a cheap hawker of merchandise if we engage in the same techniques. Many of the techniques taught by experienced door to door guys is the same as salesl techniques, such as the foot in the door technique.


I have done door to door. It was always to invite people to church and to gather prayer requests and pray for people. 

To enter someone's home and try to push them into a decision is the utmost in rudeness and makes a bad reputation for all evangelism efforts (self-rightous pushy folks trying to twist your arm and lay on the guilt and not even respecting your own boundaries). 



I know that I have always been annoyed by folks knocking on my door. To the best of my ability I have tried to ascertain if they were "the good guys" or not and if they were the good guys I offered to pray for them (and usually still quickly sent them on their way...I don't want to be bothered at times). 

One group from a church I knew was really Arminian I invited in and asked them how they were saved and then showed them the Calvinistic verses that spoke of perseverance, unconditional election, etc. They really did not know their stuff. Jesus was knocking but apparently couldn't break down that door if He wanted to... They left visibly angry at me and called me an apostate. I was merely combatting that God is sufficient to save and God has not, in fact, cast one vote for me, the devil was never invited to the election and I was not around either.... THey were not even Arminain, but Pelagian and so I hit them hard. 

For JWs I have invited them in to dispute, but after once I read over 3 John again and decided to heed 3 John's commands not even to greet a person spreading lies. So, I told them that they could discuss at the door but no hospitality would be shown to a teacher of hellish doctrines. Sorry if that sounds harsh.

Because door to door is not received well by most Americans, I believe efforts should be diverted to other means. For instance, Christian radio programs keep lists of callers calling for prayer and when they call they could be asked if they would be open for followup. A booth at a fair or carnival where people can approach and enquire about spiritual things if largely ineffectual too, but at last does not invade privacy or harden people towards any evangelistic witness at all. 

My dad still threatens to shoot the JWS that come to his door (he lives out in the boonies) because he has a sign out front that says "No soliciting" He says, "Either you cannot read, but I see you carrying a book, so I have to conclude your a thief, because youre not friend or family..."

We can even solicit God and can make our witness unwelcome is we invade people's privacy.



That being said, it is a legitimate method and fits better in some times and cultures. It does not fit in the USA right now. A man's home is his castle.



The BEST way to evangelize is through your existing web of friends. The Barna Group interviews Christians and the responses of how people are saved reveals that 9 out of 10 people are not saved on Sunday during a sermon but during the week through casual and prolonged conversations with friends and family. 70 were "led to the Lord" by a close friend or relative. 

Overseas the stats are the same. A study in Java revealed that official church witness claimed only a few in the reporting. But 70% of Javanese mslm background believers were "led to the Lord" by gentle and prolonged witness by family and friends.

This seems also to be Biblical, since the NT echoes much of this. Plus, the church is, after all, for believers and the Seeker sensitive (sinner sensitive) church - when it uses church to evangelize rather than build up believers turns church into largely a bankrupt effort.

"Cold" witnessing is largely ineffectual. And most of the "results" are due to social pressure or people's inability to say no to anything, even a pushy evangelist hawking his wares.

I urge that people invest their time in "Spiritual Projects" nurturing your family members and friends closely loving them and deliberately showing them grace. You are the best hope that they have of hearing - actually hearing and listening to what you say - about Christ.


But...if you livein a small community or a context that fits...go for it!


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## Raj (Dec 27, 2007)

It is a good approach and we have got some contacts out of it. Some people were really good to listen but there are times, when some did not welcome us and got very angery on us for spreading the teachings of Christ.

We usually accompany with our youth and members to do this.


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## toddpedlar (Dec 27, 2007)

I'm sure some are able to make ultimately productive contacts through going door-to-door, but I think ultimately it's a way of giving offense that is unnecessary (and if offense occurs it is probably NOT limited to an offense because of the gospel - but offense because of the intrusion of a stranger onto one's doorstep, which is different) 

I can see going door-to-door if you've planted a new church in an area and want to let people know of your presence (though still, the door-to-door salesman model offends I think), but I don't think this is a good primary vehicle for evangelism. We all have more than enough hours in the day in which we are in contact with others in work and social situations. Is that not sufficient mission field? I know a number of people who have gone door-to-door, thinking they've "done their duty" but rarely raise a word or two to their friends and acquaintances about Christ. There's something wrong with that. Instead of door-to-door efforts, I honestly think we need to be equipping our membership to speak freely and openly about their lives in Christ to others - not to do so in "salesman" way (as in "My life is so much better since I became a Christian.") but in an honest and forthright way, speaking about belief and trust as it naturally comes up - as it should, daily, even hourly, with those with whom we live.

Anyway, my tuppence - probably more than enough blabbed.


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## Casey (Dec 27, 2007)

You might be interested in this, as it discusses various forms of evangelism:

Biblical Evangelism Today: A Symposium (Philadelphia: The Committee on Christian Education of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, 1954)


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## Stephen (Dec 27, 2007)

The Protestant Reformed Church in its July 2005 issue of The Standard Bearer had several articles entitled, Equipping Our People For Personal Evangelism. I have never seen anything like it and I would recommend highly. The approach they use is practicing Christian hospitalitly, developing strong covenant families, and fervent prayer. What a novel concept. So many who claim to be Reformed practice "decisional" evangelism, which is nothing more than repackaged Finnyism. I must confess that the hospitality of some Christians in North America is deplorable and many would not know what a covenant family was. Our pagan neighbors practice hospitality better than some members in the visible church. Door to door canvasing is great, but only if you are genuinely interested in people's souls and not after a "decision." Christianity Explored is a more Biblical approach then some of the things that are used today, so I would certainly recommend it to your churches.


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## BJClark (Dec 27, 2007)

When my oldest daughter was about 5 years old, she wanted everyone in the neighborhood to have a bible..I went out and bought a couple boxes of bible's for about $15 each at the local Bible book store for her..she put the bible's in her wagon and proceeded around the neighborhood giving away bibles. 

Only one man commented about it...with a rather gruff voice to her, and asked why she was doing this..she looked at him and said "I want to know everyone in my neighborhood has an opportunity to at least read about God." He said, "Your not going to invite me to your church?" She said "No, I just want you to have God's word." He gave a really puzzled look and we moved on to the next house. When we were walking past there on our way back home he was sitting on his porch reading it, and yelled out to her..."thank you." She smiled and said "your welcome" and continued home.

When I was looking for a new church home after our pastor left, the new pastor had offended many people which brought on a huge split in the church body, he had the nerve to tell many of the elderly in our church they couldn't be christian's because they didn't even know how to read." One of the men told him "I may not be able to READ, but I can certainly have others read it to me, and I've heard many a paastor teach it to me." the pastor asked him..and "How do you know what they said was correct, when you can't even read it on your own to know for sure." But many churches in the area heard about the church split and what was happening..and went out door to door inviting people to their churches...they didn't know WHO went to that church and who didn't..so they just went out and invited everyone...to come and fellowship with them and their church body...and I actually visited a few of them that came and invited me to come and worship with them..I didn't join any of them...but I did take the time to at least visit them..

I invite people to church all the time, I strike up conversations about Christ in the grocery store line (you know where they have all those tabloid magazines) I pick them up read some of the most absurd head lines and make comments..most people will comment back..and a conversation about Christ and what the Bible says typically begins...and I ask where they go to church, some go, some don't..and I extend an invitation to visit our church body sometime..

Our church has an outreach program, that when someone comes to visit our church and fills out the visitors card..someone takes cookies to them later that afternoon..making contact with them, letting them know we are glad they came to visit..then someone else calls and makes an appointment to go visit them sometime during the week...but they don't typically, at least to my knowledge do cold calls (much like sales) going into neighborhoods inviting people in...unless they have a church plant, then a few from our church will go to that area and invite people to come visit...

I personally don't get offended with people coming to my door inviting me to their church, never have...because I know for the most part, they care about peoples souls and they don't know who God is calling to Himself and who He isn't, so they invite everyone they can....and they may be the one God has chosen to use to invite them in...granted some may not look at it that way, and do it as a works based thing...but I know I am that way, I invite others because God prompts my heart to speak up..not with everyone, but He does with many people..and if I don't say something then...I may never get the opportunity to do so again..and I realize even when I speak up..it may be to their salvation or to their damnation...just as God hardened Pharoahs heart, He could be using what I say to harden their hearts..and that is a fearful thing to think about...

Consider all the Pastors standing up proclaiming the Gospel each week from from their Pulpit..and the members of their congregation who are NOT Christians, whose hearts are being hardened against God every week they do not believe it to really be true..they heard but didn't believe..that is a fearful thing..to understand the words they speak on behalf of God will be used to condemn a person for eternity...and those Pastors who get behind a pulpit each week who are not called by God to be there, who are wolves in sheeps clothing and do not really believe God to be GOD..and how their own speech will be used against them..again that is a fearful thing...


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## Pilgrim's Progeny (Dec 27, 2007)

Stephen said:


> The Protestant Reformed Church in its July 2005 issue of The Standard Bearer had several articles entitled, Equipping Our People For Personal Evangelism. I have never seen anything like it and I would recommend highly. The approach they use is practicing Christian hospitalitly, developing strong covenant families, and fervent prayer. What a novel concept. So many who claim to be Reformed practice "decisional" evangelism, which is nothing more than repackaged Finnyism. I must confess that the hospitality of some Christians in North America is deplorable and many would not know what a covenant family was. Our pagan neighbors practice hospitality better than some members in the visible church. Door to door canvasing is great, but only if you are genuinely interested in people's souls and not after a "decision." Christianity Explored is a more Biblical approach then some of the things that are used today, so I would certainly recommend it to your churches.



Here is the article and a link to it for those who do not want to search for it or will not. I have not read it's entirety yet, but so far it seems to be well worth the read.: 
The Standard Bearer



> Volume 81, Issue 18
> Go Ye Into All the World
> 
> Equipping Our People for Personal Evangelism (3)
> ...


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## matthew11v25 (Dec 27, 2007)

thank you all for your input thus far. I agree that evangelism in general should stay away from the "make a decision"/ close the sale call mentality.


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## Herald (Dec 27, 2007)

matthew11v25 said:


> thank you all for your input thus far. I agree that evangelism in general should stay away from the "make a decision"/ close the sale call mentality.



Matthew, I'm a salesman by trade. I don't peddle the gospel, but if you have extra money in your pocket I have this length of white hair for sale that I found on the floor of a barber shop in Wisconsin.

View attachment 81


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## Ivan (Dec 27, 2007)

BaptistInCrisis said:


> matthew11v25 said:
> 
> 
> > thank you all for your input thus far. I agree that evangelism in general should stay away from the "make a decision"/ close the sale call mentality.
> ...




Would that happen to be Janesville, Wisconsin?


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## Semper Fidelis (Dec 27, 2007)

matthew11v25 said:


> thank you all for your input thus far. I agree that evangelism in general should stay away from the "make a decision"/ close the sale call mentality.



Yeah, just to put everybody's concerns to rest that the only thing that an OPC Pastor and I were doing was getting folks to "make a decision", we didn't do that.

Rather, we would walk up to their door and tell them: "We don't drink alchohol because we don't want to stumble a weaker brother."

Several were _cut to the heart_ and said: "What must we do to be saved?!"


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## Pilgrim (Dec 27, 2007)

StaunchPresbyterian said:


> You might be interested in this, as it discusses various forms of evangelism:
> 
> Biblical Evangelism Today: A Symposium (Philadelphia: The Committee on Christian Education of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, 1954)



That report is an eye opener. Most unbelievable of all is that it recommends contacting the ACLU if you run into legal problems! The ACLU always had a secularist agenda, but I guess they may not have been quite as strident with it back then.


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## Pilgrim (Dec 27, 2007)

I wonder what kind of connection there was between American households getting TV's and the decline of tolerance for door to door calls, whether religious or commercial. 

Regardless, my thinking is that the Mormons and JW's wouldn't keep doing it if it didn't work. In many neighborhoods it is prohibited though. Also harder to do in rural areas.


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## calgal (Dec 27, 2007)

Pilgrim said:


> I wonder what kind of connection there was between American households getting TV's and the decline of tolerance for door to door calls, whether religious or commercial.
> 
> Regardless, my thinking is that the Mormons and JW's wouldn't keep doing it if it didn't work. In many neighborhoods it is prohibited though. Also harder to do in rural areas.



Actually the mormons and jw's do it to strengthen their hold on their own members, not to get actual converts.


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## Pilgrim (Dec 27, 2007)

SemperFideles said:


> matthew11v25 said:
> 
> 
> > thank you all for your input thus far. I agree that evangelism in general should stay away from the "make a decision"/ close the sale call mentality.
> ...



The idea of y'all going door to door pressing folks to make a decision is more believable than that!


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## Pilgrim (Dec 27, 2007)

calgal said:


> Pilgrim said:
> 
> 
> > I wonder what kind of connection there was between American households getting TV's and the decline of tolerance for door to door calls, whether religious or commercial.
> ...



It is for both reasons, but they will randomly knock on doors as well. I don't think I've ever had any mormons come by but the JW's have a few times.


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## Semper Fidelis (Dec 27, 2007)

I would agree, by the way, that America is practically one huge "burned over" region as the Northeast became in the 1800's. In other countries this is not the case so these cults still spread that way.

Also, you might want to keep in mind that in certain neighborhoods of the U.S. you would have more success going to homes - especially Mexican families who may never have heard it. Pairing this with a Church that actually reaches out to and disciples them is the key but that takes work and I've been a part of a Reformed Church that did and saw great success in the Gospel among the poor Mexicans that most white Americans don't have the time for.


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## Josiah (Dec 27, 2007)

StaunchPresbyterian said:


> You might be interested in this, as it discusses various forms of evangelism:
> 
> Biblical Evangelism Today: A Symposium (Philadelphia: The Committee on Christian Education of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, 1954)



This is great! thank you 

can you help me remember the names of a couple in the OPC in the 50's that went door to door? I believe I remember hearing of that from a great interview that Charles Dennison conducted with them.


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## Herald (Dec 27, 2007)

Ivan said:


> BaptistInCrisis said:
> 
> 
> > matthew11v25 said:
> ...



Ivan, how did you know?


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## Pilgrim (Dec 27, 2007)

People often don't even know their neighbors today. Neighbors coming over and welcoming you to the neighborhood is becoming rarer and rarer.


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## Josiah (Dec 27, 2007)

Pilgrim said:


> People often don't even know their neighbors today. Neighbors coming over and welcoming you to the neighborhood is becoming rarer and rarer.



Where I live in Wa. state this seems to be especially true. My mother once baked cookies for some new neighbors that moved in next door and had me take them to them. Upon getting to the doorstep, knocking, they answered and took the cookies with an awkward "thank you". I cant imagine how difficult it may be to evangelize to people in this door to door manner, but i like the idea of going door to door to invite and ask for prayer requests.


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## matthew11v25 (Dec 28, 2007)

SemperFideles said:


> I would agree, by the way, that America is practically one huge "burned over" region as the Northeast became in the 1800's. In other countries this is not the case so these cults still spread that way.
> 
> Also, you might want to keep in mind that in certain neighborhoods of the U.S. you would have more success going to homes - especially Mexican families who may never have heard it. Pairing this with a Church that actually reaches out to and disciples them is the key but that takes work and I've been a part of a Reformed Church that did and saw great success in the Gospel among the poor Mexicans that most white Americans don't have the time for.



I agree...there are definetly communities that are more receptive. When I have gone door to door to collect cans for canned food drives I always would get the most cans from more "poorer" parts of town and get few from the upscale areas...ironic. 

I also do agree that alot of mormons go door to door to strengthen converts. Yet I have met with and had mormon friends and know first hand that they do get a substantial amount of converts. They are persistant, friendly, and thoroughly committed...to unfortunetly heresy, but when I would meet with them they were meticulous about calling back at the exact time they promised, etc. 

I see it as a "numbers" game...if they eventually hit all 200,000 homes in the area (with 8 local churches in my area within 15mins, just mormon not even JW) they are going to get a substantial amount of people atleast to meet with. 

The reason for my original question deep down is the attack we are facing as Christ body with a exponential growth of Mormons and JWs (I always seem them everywhere and for some reason get sick to my stomach) and what steps are plausible for getting the true gospel out in a land saturated with false gospel. It seems that a large majority will always reject truth when it is presented and it sure is politically incorrect to stand for truth atleast in the USA, but if the division of mankind comes down to the seed of the woman and seed of the serpent I would not expect less.

thanks again everyone for the input I will reread the posts as I have been short of time and just skimming through.

blessings.


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## Pergamum (Dec 28, 2007)

The "secret" to getting the truth out to all of the U.S. is a mobilized laymen...i.e. the church being the church. 

...Every Christian loving their web of relations truly and as a high calling and having their influence spread just as it did in the First Century and Second Century when a small poor band of disciples become between 8-12% of the Roman Empire - multiplied millions of largely poor and uneducated folks who displayed the love of Christ.


After the first 2 centuries, Christianity become an institutionalized church and the church's missions was left to priests and monks, then poor volunteers who formed parachurch societies and then professionals and now Tuesday night door-knocking programs...... It is not any of these but the people in the pews that most effect the church and the spread of the faith.


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## Pergamum (Dec 28, 2007)

I.e. and the pastor should not be like the priest who holds secret knoweldge - not attainable by the masses, but should be like a coach that enables the team to know and do betterin the contest and move the ball. Sunday at church is the base of ops and the locker room and the refueling station so that God's soldiers (i.e. every Christian) can go out and be equipped to engage the world.


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## Stephen (Dec 29, 2007)

Pilgrim's Progeny said:


> Stephen said:
> 
> 
> > The Protestant Reformed Church in its July 2005 issue of The Standard Bearer had several articles entitled, Equipping Our People For Personal Evangelism. I have never seen anything like it and I would recommend highly. The approach they use is practicing Christian hospitalitly, developing strong covenant families, and fervent prayer. What a novel concept. So many who claim to be Reformed practice "decisional" evangelism, which is nothing more than repackaged Finnyism. I must confess that the hospitality of some Christians in North America is deplorable and many would not know what a covenant family was. Our pagan neighbors practice hospitality better than some members in the visible church. Door to door canvasing is great, but only if you are genuinely interested in people's souls and not after a "decision." Christianity Explored is a more Biblical approach then some of the things that are used today, so I would certainly recommend it to your churches.
> ...



Thanks, brother for making this available. There are several parts, so you would have to search other issues of the Standard Bearer.


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