by Terry Barone
ANAHEIM - Three California pastors attributed the consistent growth of their congregations to evangelism strategies, equipped church members and outreach activities, during the On Target Evangelism Conference Feb. 18-19 in Anaheim.
Steve Williams, pastor of NorthPointe Community Church in Fresno, said when the church began 20 years ago they profiled the person they wanted to reach - a male between the ages of 25 and 45 because he seemed to be the "hardest nut to crack."
"That doesn't mean we aren't interested in others," Williams said, "but our heartbeat must be for the hardest person to reach for Jesus."
As a "Purpose Driven Church," Williams said "evangelism has a special primacy and urgency" at NorthPointe. He added the congregation strives to be "a positive faith environment where non-church-goers are encouraged to become a fully developing follower of Jesus Christ."
Williams noted NorthPointe uses three effective principles in reaching people - be accessible to outsiders, use practical Bible teaching and be positively focused.
He believes the church "grows most naturally through 'webs' of people." Williams used the pyramid marketing example to note that church growth and evangelism are most effective when individuals reach others within their sphere of influence.
Peter Chung, pastor of Mandarin Baptist Church of Los Angeles in Alhambra, said his congregation has grown because of an intentional effort to train members in personal evangelism strategies and by sponsoring community and church events.
Chung praised Continuing Witness Training as the primary evangelism tool for his church members. More than 300 have been trained, and presented thousands in the community with an opportunity to receive Christ as Savior.
He noted personal invitations from members of the congregation "are most effective" because of the "church's reputation for worship, music programs, children's programs and fellowship of all ages."
Chung added the church sponsors community events which inform and draw people, such as a Chinese New Year fun fair, Hallelujah Night at Halloween, a traditional marriage rally and a free flu shot clinic each fall.
He noted 68 percent of "customer dissatisfaction" is because of an institution's "attitude of indifference." Chung said, "There is only a small difference between success and failure" and Mandarin Baptist seeks to do a "little bit more" to show its concern and compassion for the community.
Ron Thompson, pastor of Twin Cities Community Church in Grass Valley, said his congregation has grown because they "love God, love people, live the mission and link arms."
Thompson said his members strive to "experience the love of God and want to take the next step to experience Him and His grace so that they are overwhelmed by the love of God and share it with others."
He added his congregation loves people. "We don't look at people and label them," he said. Instead "we look at individuals as the most 'holy objects' we'll see today."
In living the mission, Twin Cities serves its community by sponsoring projects like Operation Christmas Child and a fall family festival.
"We constantly are praying for open doors in the hearts of people," Thompson said. "This is easy when you remember the brevity of life where everyone is just one breath away from an eternity in Heaven with Jesus or going to Hell."
