Approaching The Home
There are many, many, many folks who go door-to-door evangelizing anyone who will open the door to them and allow them to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. These faithful soul-winners are better than the post office when it comes to delivering the message through bad weather and even bad health. You just can't keep a good soul-winner down.
Speaking of door-to-door evangelism, it might pay to have a few pointers under one's belt before you embark on your daily (or nightly) outreach trip. One important pointer is how to approach a home to share the Gospel and by 'home' it is assumed that any type of building can be someone's 'home'. In that case all of these pointers will apply.
APPEARANCE
We're speaking of your own appearance, not that of the home to wish to visit. You needn't show up at someone's front door in a three-piece suit or a high-end ladies suit but you should dress neatly. A nice pull-over or buttoned shirt for the gentlemen should be combined with neat trousers of some sort. Shorts and tank tops should never be worn when visiting someone's home! Very causal attire is quite adequate for environments such as beach side evangelism but not door-to-door evangelism. Ladies likewise can wear a nice pantsuit, or trousers/blouse combinations and of course a nice dress. As with the men, shorts and inappropriate tops should never be worn during door-to-door outreach trips. Two special considerations for the ladies is that skirts and dresses should never be too short nor should the top you wear be immodest. Remember who you are representing when you dress for your evangelism sessions.
Personal hygiene is a very important issue for soul-winners. Hair should be neatly groomed your nails should be neat and trimmed. Perfumes and after shave should be avoided if at all possible, if you must wear it then try to use the minimum amount necessary. On a more personal note one should be sure your deodorant that you use is not used to excess thus causing its own unpleasant odor.
THE YARD
The yard? Yes, the yard is the first thing you will come into contact with concerning the subject of your evangelism outing. The yard can be inviting or a warning to evangelists such as yourself so be on the alert before you enter the yard. There are several signs an outreach team or sole evangelist so look for:physical signs and signs of pets.
Physical Signs
Although outreach efforts such as is done during evangelism campaigns is not considered as soliciting there are some people who have posted "No Soliciting" signs that might not appreciate you knocking on their door or ringing their doorbell. In cases where you encounter these "No Soliciting" signs you should prayerfully consider whether or not you should approach the property.
Gates
Gates are meant to keep animals and people inside an area and gates also to keep animals and people out of these area. Be especially carefully of opening a gate if there is any signs of dogs such as worn areas around tress or bushes or possibly a water dish nearby. Of course a "Beware of Dog" sign should deter you from entering the fenced areas.
Pets
Pets, especially dogs, can be a real concern for those of who who conduct door-to-door evangelism. On one hand you have the possibility of being attacked by the dog and on the other hand you might annoy the pet owner by disturbing the pet ('annoy the pet, annoy the owner'). Some owners of aggressive dogs enjoy posting signs such as "I Can Make It To The Fence In 3 Seconds. Can You?". While these signs are a bit obnoxious and maybe even intimidating they are a fact that soul-winners need to contend with when approaching someone's home. Even large dogs can be upon you before you realize it so extreme caution should be taken when you feel an animal may be present. And lest you scoff at some of the smaller dogs just realize they bite also!
At The Door
Now that you are standing in front of the door you should check for any "do not disturb" sign as as their may be elderly people at rest, the occupants make work late shifts and sleep during the days, and then some people may not want to be disturbed for their own reasons.
Before you knock or ring the doorbell say a quick prayer for yourself that you will be a bold witness for Christ and for the person that answers a door. Knock gently if there isn't a door bell button available, if a doorbell button is available then press it one time, you don't to annoy someone who may be on the telephone. Once you knock or ring the bell then take a step back away from the door, standing too close to the door could be misconstrued as "aggressive". Stepping back also allows the occupant a good view of you through the peephole (or door scope) in the door or possibly from a nearby window. Once you are a step back away from the door you should put a smile on your face, a smile sometimes gets you into a door when words cannot.
Cautions
Once the door is opened you will have but a few seconds to make a first impression, use them wisely. Also once the door is open there are some cautions you should remember:
- Do not go inside if the occupant is of the opposite sex and you are alone!
- Beware of dogs that may lunge out of the doorway.
- Watch for any small children who may also try to "escape".
These issues on approaching someone's home are not all inclusive but are meant to be something for you to watch out for as you go out to obey The Great Commission.
Do You Write Articles On How To Evangelize?
We would like to invite folks to submit articles to our web site so that your valuable information on evangelism can find its way in to the hands of others. We can't pay for any of the articles on evangelism that you submit but you can be sure that no good work goes un-rewarded
Some title of evangelistic articles are presented below but this list is not all inclusive:
- How to conduct door-to-door evangelism.
- Dress properly for evangelism sessions.
- Evangelizing children, young people, and teens.
- Conducting overseas evangelism seminars.
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