MINISTER TO THE NEEDS OF PEOPLE
INTRODUCTION
The main purpose of a Visitation T.E.A.M. is to tell people about Jesus.
Regardless of the response of the prospect, a visitation T.E.A.M. should seek to enroll the prospect in Sunday School.
Once a person has made a commitment to Jesus Christ, a Visitation T.E.A.M. should seek to assimilate the person into meaningful church membership.
There are two basic types of visits:
- Evangelistic prospect visits.
- Sunday School ministry visits.
Ministry visits are primarily made to people who are already enrolled in Sunday School and/or have been assimilated into church membership.
To minister is to serve.
Mark 10:43, “...but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister.”
I Corinthians 3:5, “Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed.”
I. TYPES OF MINISTRY VISITS
- The occasional absentee.
- A visit to this person may keep them from becoming a chronic absentee.
- If a person does the same thing for 21 consecutive days it becomes a habit.
- If someone has not been to Sunday School for 3 weeks it could become a habit.
- Everyone likes to know they were missed.
- The chronic absentee.
- This would be a person who is enrolled in Sunday School but rarely or never attends.
- Share a Sunday School testimony.
- Be prepared to hear negative comments.
- The special need visit.
- There may have been a tragic event (sickness, surgery, death of a loved one, family crisis, etc.).
- There may have been a joyous event (birth of a baby, graduation to attend, baptism of a family member, etc.).
- Let them know your class has been or will be praying for them.
- Identify what action needs to be taken to more effectively minister to the family.
II. TIPS FOR MINISTRY VISITS
- Always be pleasant and positive.
- Always be loving and kind.
- Never agree with negative statements.
- Give them the appropriate Sunday School material.
- Thank them for being honest.
- Look for an opportunity to tell them about Jesus.
- Never assume the person is a Christian.
- Share your findings with your Sunday School class (if you promised to pray for them, pray for them).
- Share your findings with a pastor if needed.
- Conclude the visit by encouraging them to come to Sunday School.
- Pray before you leave.
CONCLUSION
Growing classes minister to people’s needs.
|
