WAYNE JAMEL
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A Different Kind of Evangelistic Series

11/3/2020

10 Comments

 
Last month I finished an evangelistic series where teams of two visited contacts in the community. 
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This series was completely different than others I did in the past...
Normally when I do an evangelistic series, I usually preach. But this evangelistic series was not like that. Rather than everyone gathering in one place and listening to someone deliver a message, everyone scattered in teams of two to different homes visiting people and sharing a short message with them. Front porch ministry!
 
At their front porch or at the door of their apartment we:
  • asked how they were doing;
  • asked the question of the day;
  • then we prayed for whatever was on their heart.
 
Then each evening all the teams got together in front of a high school to share their experience from the day and to pray together.
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This was some real Acts type of thing happening. I had a blast. I really enjoyed partnering up with people and doing this. Most people never did this before, so this was all new territory, but they got to try it out.
 
In college I had the privilege to do field school, which is where you go out into the community and learn how to do evangelism. Last year I had the chance to take seminary students and have them practice doing evangelism in the community with me. One day one of the students and I were talking about how great that experience was to do consistent ministry like this. He had to get out of his comfort zone and he saw how God worked in such a mighty way. He told me,
“Every church member should have this experience.  Not just pastors. Imagine if every member did a practicum where they learned hands-on ministry?”
 
A lot of churches go door to door on an isolated Sabbath every once in a while. A lot of churches don’t ever do ministry outside of their church building. We did it every day for two weeks. And there were so many awesome stories.
 
Every single day God gave opportunities.
  • One time I grabbed a Frisbee, walked outside, and a kid said “Frisbee!!!” I ended up playing Frisbee with his uncle and his family. A game of Frisbee turned into a prayer session. The uncle was so impressed he filmed the prayer with his phone and posted it on Instagram telling people about our church.
 
  • In one instance, me and one of the guys from my church saw a pullup bar and decided to do some calisthenics (fancy pullups). Someone from the community saw and it became an entire conversation. That person told us “We need more of this. We need to see people and have that human interaction.” Then he proceeded to invite himself to my church. I didn’t invite him. He asked. That Sabbath he showed up and was excited to come again and get involved.
 
These are just two of many experiences where God opened up opportunities to be a witness. Every single day was another cool story.
 
I truly believe that when you pray for it and seek it, opportunities arise.
 
When Jesus walked this earth, he took a group of people and had these daily experiences with them. No wonder by the end of 3 years these guys were transformed and proceeded to turn the world upside down. Too bad nowadays we are content with simply a one-day-meet-up at a church service. And now not even that. Now, some just watch online. Christianity is so much more than what churches are doing right now. For the apostles, it was a daily adventure.
 
Imagine if church was like that. Imagine if after getting baptized, rather than just sitting on the pew or at a computer, we actually got active. Imagine rather than just running a nice church program or conducting a Zoom meeting we started connecting with people. I’m not saying that what our churches are doing online and the in person meetings don’t connect with people or don’t serve a purpose. I’m just saying when the disciples were with Jesus, you don’t read about all this programing and formality. You read about an adventure of ministry.
 
So…
  • Imagine if people went out in teams of two like Jesus’ 70 disciples.
  • Imagine if people went out solo-vigilante-style like Philip, the deacon.
  • Imagine if people started treating the supermarket as a mission trip like Paul.
  • Imagine preaching in a place that has different religious beliefs than you like Peter did.
  • Imagine having group meetings in homes like the apostles.
  • Imagine preaching outside like Jesus.
  • Imagine being part of a crew that had three years of daily hands-on-training, like the 12 disciples.
  • Imagine being part of a team, where everyone had to be active and a hundred percent committed.
  • Imagine?!
To imagine that, you would have to imagine something very different than what church is today.
 
In 2021 I am assembling a team to attempt to be an Acts Model church. I don’t know what the results will be, but I want to try. I want to step out in faith and see what happens. With God’s leading and power something epic can occur.
 
If you are interested in being part of this movement send me a message.
If you don’t live in NY, but you want to pray for us and follow the story, subscribe to this Ministry blog and I will notify you whenever I update my blog and you will be able to keep up  with stuff that is happening with this endeavor. 

Below I transferred over comments of testimonials that were made last month regarding this series.
10 Comments
Michella Calix
11/3/2020 12:17:11 pm

I recently was part of an amazing series with friends and church members called, "Love Knows No Distance". Feeling the way I feel now with each encounter I have met with my partner, Jenise, in the last 2 weeks reminded me of when I too was a visitor at Yonkers SDA church. I unfortunately did not get the same friendly welcome, but I think that's what made me be the person I am today in making sure each encounter feels love and valued. We aren't just making interests come and be church members one day, but making interests children of God for the rest of their lives. I feel everyone should be treated the way we are treated under God's Love whether we are a mile away or 2 inches from them - Distance is what God knows nothing about.

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Wayne Jamel
11/3/2020 12:17:53 pm

I am sorry to hear that not everyone was friendly. I know some were but it should have been everyone. However I am glad that you still joined us and became an agent for good change to reach others.

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Michella Calix
11/3/2020 12:18:35 pm

No apologies at all! I'm glad it happened. I get the chance to be part of that change for future visitors coming through that church doors now. This was the motivation I needed to be where I am today. My testimony is made to show others that with any setbacks you face, be the difference and make sure that no one feels the way you felt when you came in to a church family. I think we made that happen this year and I hope the year after this one.

Jenise
11/3/2020 12:19:53 pm

Today was the last night of our “Love Knows No Distance” program. What a blessing these last two weeks have been! I met so many people and got to spend quality time with them, talking about their interests, sharing my testimony and hearing ways that God has worked in their lives. It was such a joy to reach out to people who have been afraid to come out of their homes because of this pandemic. The truth is God’s love really knows no distance and can’t be stopped by a pandemic. Fear is a tool the devil uses to scare people away but God is way more powerful than the devil and He has given us the beautiful gift of sharing His love with others. Reaching out to others, definitely showed people that we care but it had the added effect of strengthening my own faith and my relationships with fellow church members. The Holy Spirit took me out of my comfort zone and gave me the confidence to speak to people I might never have met. As a result, I was blessed with new friends. With Christ all things are possible!

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Wayne Jamel
11/3/2020 12:20:25 pm

You are right that God is more powerful than the devil. That was clear these last two weeks. Thanks for letting God use you.

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Collins
11/3/2020 12:20:52 pm

I took part in an effort to reach out, check up, and bring church to visitors or members we, as a church have not seen in some time. It was a great experience not only because people appreciated our efforts, but also what I learned throughout this series. Those whom we reached out to were very appreciative of us to come check on them, they were willing to talk and share their experience snd the pain on their hearts. They were vulnerable with us, and we prayed with them. One of them even bought us lunch!; At this amazing restaurant near the water. I also learned a bit about myself, but some wisdom was imparted to me from the visitors, so I’ve been blessed by them just as much as they thought we blessed them.

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Wayne Jamel
11/3/2020 12:21:26 pm

I like how you said bring church to the people. Church isnt the 4 walls. Its the people. Church is a gathering of people in His name. So when we gathered outside and visited someone, that is church right at their door. We are the church so everywhere we go we bring the travelling church with us.

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Selva Mason
11/3/2020 12:22:31 pm

I enjoyed a great week last week with the "Love Knows No Distance Series". I did not go on the daily visits. Each night my 5 year old nephew and I met up at Gordon High School with all those who went out to visit. It was nice to hear the wonderful experiences they had and the difference they felt they made in the lives of those who were visited. Pastor Wayne shared a brief message each night and we responded to one discussion question. What I remember the most is seeing all the people and families who walked by, and knew that the Word was right in their hearing. Even if they did not stop by for prayer or conversation; they saw us witnessing. It was soooo cool! Even on the colder days and the days when it drizzled, it was so comforting to publicly stand on the steps of the school entrance and listen to testimonies.

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Wayne Jamel
11/3/2020 12:22:54 pm

I am glad that you participated. Some of the people did stop to talk with us and to pray. Also you nephew was a wonderful addition each night.

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Coral Tulle Hahn link
11/8/2020 01:14:55 pm

https://youtu.be/BwdDhXKgvm8 this is a 7 minute clip from my brother in Jesus, Phillip Blair's channel. He was in NY this March. Proud and blessed to have such family in Christ. Keep encouraging others Wayne Jamel to stir up their gifts in Christ. Don't want to overwhelm or engage conversationally with too many comments as a newbie here you've allowed into your conversational space. A friend once told me there are 1 minute people, 5 minute people and then 1 hour kinda people. Don't apologize for your blog posts being long. You may just be of of them 1 hour kinda long people and God made you that way for good reason. It's a challenge for any writer how to be effectively thorough and concise at the same time. Just am blessed as a fellow encourager and know the battle against disheartening or discouragement that comes against such people who excel in that area. Thank you for being a motivational and inspirational person and hopefully my commenting on this can show there are others (tho fewer and farther between at this point, at least in the USA) ...letting you in on the crew of brothers and sister who also richly bless my life so you can be blessed in return as well...
and provoke folks to a good kinda jealousy or rememberance of who they used to be more so in Jesus...for the best and only King of kings they see within. Not just live a mediocre life but desire to know Jesus and share Him with others and to edify and pray faithfully for the brethren and sistren in this country and around the world, working hard in their own ways Jesus has called them. Having gone to social media world in San Diego CA back in 2016, it was advised to have just one or two platforms one uses. Learned a lot there. Since you've expressed a desire in your blog posts for people to engage on your website for conversation, I am gona follow that directive as a friend and sister and move commentary/dialogue here to honor that request and to keep our discussion on Daniel prophecy/end times/prepper stuff in its proper compartment on FB message. As an INFJ person ality type, I value time and want to respect others time as well. I have a little more of it right now as I buikd my life up again from ground zero and try to utilize it well in blessing others. I typically use my FB to post inspirational artwork others do or post a canvas of both on FB and Instagram of what I've been contemplating or studying in scripture. If it's a longer message on my wall that I write it's for my friends on FB. I also saw today a 20 minute clip from Rise on Fire ministries that seems appropriate to include: https://youtu.be/9opgEm6f3Ng

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