One of the most effective practices for Sunday School evangelism can be found 2,000 years ago, in the example of Jesus Christ. A study of the life of Christ reveals that a distinctive of His ministry centered around meals. Jesus taught at meals, including His personal times with His disciples and the feeding of the 5,000. Jesus used banquets and meals as topics in His teaching. There are many examples that you recall in scripture about how Jesus ministered through meals.
Jesus most intimate times were around meals, whether the Last Supper or His encounter with Simon Peter on the shore of Galilee after His resurrection, when He asked three times, ‘Do you love me?’
Jesus was criticized for eating with sinners and the spiritual outcasts of society. He used these occasions to teach about the “Kingdom of God.”
He changed His world around meals.
Jesus’ example is powerful as we think about effective Sunday School evangelism. There is a practical way that an adult Sunday School class can practice this Jesus principle. Plan for some Sunday School fellowships during the month. Every person in the class who is willing will be assigned to one of these dinners with a person in charge of each one. A small class might only have one fellowship dinner. If you have a large class, divide the group up with eight-ten people assigned to each dinner. The goal of each dinner group is to invite at least one person or couple to the dinner who do not attend church. There is something about a meal that connects us to people and them to God. The leader of each group will determine with the others in cooperation with the teacher if the meal will be at a restaurant or home. The meal could be something as simple as a cookout. Whatever the plan be sure that the guests eat for free.
If there is multiple dinner groups in your class mix the groups up with different people or couples each month. These dinners also give opportunity to build community in the class as well as involve those who have not attended recently.
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Rick Ellison
serves in the Office of Leadership/Church Health for the Alabama Baptist Convention State Board of Missions
Excellent article that crystallizes thoughts I’ve had about evangelism. Jesus certainly is the master teacher, but also the master illustrator about “doing evangelism.” Helpful post. Thanks. I’m going to link to it for our ABF (SS) teachers.