Read for This Week’s Study:
2 Cor. 13:5-6; Heb. 10:24-25; Deut. 10:12-13; Matt. 23:15; Rev. 14:6-7.
Memory Text:
“To one who listens, valid criticism is like a gold earring or other gold jewelry” (Proverbs 25:12, NLT).
Key Thought:
It is a mistake to become involved in God’s great task of evangelism without effective evaluation.
Too often we are satisfied with minimal results through evangelism when we could have had greater impact and significantly better success if we had evaluated previous witnessing and evangelistic endeavors and allowed our findings to influence future direction and strategy.
Sometimes large sums of money are spent on witnessing and evangelism ministries that give minimal results. This has led to suggested changes in budget allocations and, or, procedures. If done with a non-critical spirit these questions can be a part of valid evaluation. We must quickly add, however, that we really don’t know the full results of any specific program because we can focus only upon the tangible results (such as the numbers of people being baptized) and are unaware as to what extent gospel seeds have been sown. Nevertheless, there is still the need to evaluate in a way that involves making judgments but abstains from being judgmental.
This week we will consider evaluation as a biblical principle and explore its value as an ongoing procedure in local church life today.
Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, June 23.
Since new people drop by on Sabbath for church all year, why can’t there be an ongoing evangelistic meeting every Friday or Saturday night? A once a week evangelistic meeting that will also strengthen old and new members? Evangelize and teach at the same time?
Sunday night services at my church are called evangelistic meeting. What about your church? The only problem is only a handful of members attend and you hardly see a non member at the meetings.
The comments are very good.