Aim
Summary
(a) The ‘Big Hearted Tour’
(b) Local Big Hearted Evangelism Projects
The Outline: Q&A to clarify what the Big Hearted Tour is and how it might run
When will the 4-day blocks happen? Can we choose?
Does it have to be 4 days, can it be longer or shorter? Week or weekend?
Will the 4-day block be part of the regional assembly, or a separate meeting?
Is the big-hearted tour part of the 4-day meeting or at a different time?
Who is invited to the Big Hearted Tour? How many people? Limits?
What happens during the 4 days?
What teaching/training will there be for each project? Is follow up required?
Different Saints on the Street projects for different communities?
How do we decide which projects to run?
When do we have to decide what we are doing on the 4-days?
Who will run the 4 days? Will congregation members be involved?
What resources will be required…. room booking? Catering?
Will you run the whole 4 days from the same place or travel around the region?
Will Chris be at every project that we run?
Can our pastors be involved in the teaching?
Can our worship band play at the meetings?
Some congregation are not comfortable with this, how can we include them?
How can we include our elderly congregation?
We have a large youth population. How can provide for them long term?
A possible Sunday morning focus for the associations: Saints on the street. (St St)
1) Equipping the Saints to do Evangelism
St St brings Christians face to face with those who are not Christians.
The vision is that the whole Church takes part in reaching out to people on a Sunday morning and early afternoon two or three times a year.
Through being in public Church members will have opportunities to talk to those who wouldn’t consider going to Church about what Church is all about and why they are followers of Christ.
As people are drawn to the music or presentations of the gospel members of the Church are encouraged to have conversations about their faith with people and offer literature too.
2) Demonstrating the Gospel in ways people may understand
St St projects may include a free Funday in a park or a presentation of the Gospel on the street in a shopping centre or giveaways that prompt questions.
In Peterborough at the launch the team invited hundreds of people to walk the red carpet with the simple message that God thinks they are ‘Very Important People,’ so much so that he gave Jesus for them. Copies of Marks Gospel were available for those who wanted more information and 40 people took a copy to find out more about the Christian faith.Many conversations where had about Jesus. One young man who was drawn to the fun of walking the red carpet stayed for nearly an hour to find out what it meant to be a Christian.
- Praise in the park event.
- Free pastry and prayer to shop workers and shoppers.
- Visiting a nursing home and presenting a show.
- Town centre fun day, using clowning, balloons and face painting.
What other kind of things could we do during the presidential visit and beyond?
Olympic and Paralympics events
- Organise sporting events where Chris could be the guest speaker.
- Quiz nights.
- Football tournament.
- Mini Olympics.
- Olympic street party.
- Street evangelism with sporting themes.
Seasonal Events
- Organise events where groups of Churches work together and Chris joins in.
- Hot cross bun giveaway.
- Get in the picture (see http://www.getinthepicture.org.uk)
- Christmas carol singing around pubs.
- Firework display and bar-b-q.
Youth Events
- What about aiming the presidential visit for young people in Baptist Churches to invite their mates to?
- Book a youth bus and put it at a skater park.
- Organise a band and entertainment or utilise the Saturday evening and aim it at people who are not part of the Church family.
- Performing arts workshops.
Power Evangelism
- Have some training and then head out to put into action some power evangelism!
- Healing on the streets.
- Prophetic evangelism/ treasure hunting.
- Dream interpretation or spiritual reading in café’s
Funday on a Sunday
- Use the Sunday of the Presidential visit for a massive regional free funday!
- As well as bouncy castles galore this could also be an event that includes testimony and story telling.
Church Based
- Men’s breakfasts.
- Messy Church.
- Art and craft night.
- Alpha supper.
- Children’s and family praise.
- Theatre.
- Banquet feast- invite people who are homeless and people part of the street culture to have a feast at your Church.
- Christians Against poverty (C.A.P) events.
Community Acts of Kindness Experience (C.A.K.E)
- Events where we can show what we believe through our actions.
- Litter clear up.
- Painting community centres.
- Park clean.
Schools
- Involve some of your local Schools on the Presidential visit.
- Chris could take lessons on various themes.
- Take assemblies.
- Have a ‘presidential’ visit and use the resources from Damaris president for a day. www.damaris.org/p4d/
Prayer
- 24/7 Prayer. Set up boiler rooms over the weekend in town and city centres where Chris could visit and join people in prayer.
- Prayer night. Ask Chris to guide a prayer night for the region.
- Prayer walking. Set out a route around the region for Christians to come and pray for their cities, towns and villages.
A suggested possible programme:
Day | Type of Activities could include: |
Friday | Training afternoon for Church leaders or…Visit schoolsMen’s curry nightFamily quiz nightPrayer night for the regionVisit chaplains and community groups in the area |
Saturday | The ‘Big heated tour’ |
Saturday eve | Celebration/ event |
Sunday | Funday on a SundaySaints on the street projects where Chris could visit as many as possible.Seasonal events such as ‘get in the picture.’Olympics fun eventsPrayer on the streets |
Monday | Supernatural Evangelism workshopsPrayer walking cities and townsArt exhibitions/ craft night |
Having looked at the date this was posted, apologies for being a bit slow on the response, but this looks BRILLIANT, and a take on the Presidential visit, that fits with your passion Chris. This is great!