• Evangelism
Christ did not mean for his message to be a secret kept to oneself. The good news is to be shared around the world, as He indicated in his Great Commission “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations …” (Matthew 28). |
In the early days of Methodism, evangelizing might bring to mind a preacher shouting out a message of fire and brimstone for all who did not turn to Christ. In the 20 th century, more people have grown skeptical of evangelists. Many people think that evangelism isn't necessary any more since everyone knows about Christ. That is a problem, because just because most people know about Christ doesn't mean they KNOW Him. Christians and the church must reach out to everyone with the Gospel.
Some people think that it's the pastor's job to evangelize. While the pastor may be the leader evangelism in the local church, the entire congregation should be in ministry. It is all our jobs to spread the good news of Jesus Christ. |
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The mission of The United Methodist church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ. To become a disciple, someone must first learn about Christ and His message. It is our job to speak that message … through word and deed … to the world around us. While salvation is about a personal relationship between a person and God, we should do all we can to foster that relationship in others.
The Igniting Ministry campaign, begun at the dawn of the 21 st century, seeks to inform society of The United Methodist Church. It is not intended to impart the entire Gospel. If someone notices an ad, it is our responsibility to invite them to church. If they show up in church it is our responsibility to welcome them and invite them to become a part of our church family. If someone has a faith question it is our responsibility to help them find an answer.
Evangelism can be a big event, such as a revival. Evangelism can be a program, such as greeters at the door. Evangelism can be a person who takes the time to tell someone that God loves them. |
• Communications
| Communicating news, information, etc. to the congregation and community is essential to the ministry of the church. Typical forms include person-to-person, print (newsletter, bulletin), display (bulletin boards, signs), telephone (prayer tree), and electronic (website, email). |
Communications Resources from CRT
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• Higher Education & Campus Ministries
Education has always been a priority in The United Methodist Church. One of the first acts after the birth of the Methodist Church in 1784 was the creation of Cokesbury College .
There are over one hundred United Methodist-related colleges, universities, and seminaries around the country. This includes ten major research universities, thirteen seminaries, eighty-two liberal arts colleges, eight two-year colleges, one professional school, and nine college preparatory schools.
To meet the needs of those attending colleges, Methodist recognized the need to provide a ministry. In 1913, the first Wesley Foundation was formed at the University of Illinois . Over seven hundred colleges now have United Methodist campus ministries – often called Wesley Foundations - to serve college-aged individuals. |
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The local church should promote the ministry and UM-colleges to their college-aged members. There are scholarships available for UM students.
They should help to integrate their college-aged members into campus ministries to help them grow spiritually even if they have to move away from the local church.
• Lay Speaking Ministries > visit the Lay Speaking Ministries section for more information
In the early days of Methodism, lay persons had to fill in for the pastor when he was not in town. Those position, often called exhorters, developed into lay speaking in the 20 th century. By the second half of the century, lay speakers were not just helping by speaking, but were involved in many areas of ministry. The name was changed in the 1990s to lay speaking ministries. After completing the basic course (to become a basic lay speaker), you may take additional courses (to become an certified lay speaker) on a variety of subjects.
More information can be found on our Lay Speaking Ministries pages. |
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• Class Leader
In the early days of Methodism, John Wesley saw the need for small groups. Methodist societies were made up smaller units called classes, each led by a class leader who provided lay pastoral leadership. Though the idea of classes and class leaders fell out of favor in the 1800s, it was reintroduced at the end of the 20 th century. It is a means by which we may grow in spiritual formation through accountability and support.
