Northwest Baptists have opportunity his year to learn an approach to evangelism that involves less talking and more listening, according to Randy Adams, executive director of the Northwest Baptist Convention.
In March, a series of one-day “story witnessing” workshops have been slated for eight locations across the convention. These will be followed up by a three-day workshop in September to help leaders learn how to train others in the method.
Margaret Slusher of Lead Plus, a coaching and training organization, will lead the workshops. Prior to leading the organization, she served with Leadership Network and was the director of equipping for the North American Mission Board.
Joe Flegal, the NWBC’s director of church health and evangelism, suggested the story witnessing approach helps people learn to share their faith “in a more natural way” and “helps you connect people’s stories to God’s story.”
The story witnessing approach follows “MY316,” another evangelism approach introduced by NWBC leaders.
“In MY316 evangelism training, we teach you how to tell your salvation story, and how to use John 3:16 to share the gospel,” said Adams. “In story witnessing you learn how to listen, ask good questions, and then tell a Bible story that relates to what the person said. It is a powerful way to share the gospel.”
With the MY316 approach, the focus is on sharing a mix of John 3:16, a Bible verse assumed to be commonly known by many people in North America, and a personal testimony. “That takes the focus away from the person you are sharing with and puts it on you,” noted Adams. “With story witnessing, it helps you learn to listen to people’s stories in a way that helps you share how their experience connects with God’s story in the Scriptures.”
The topics in the one-day workshops, according to Flegal, include: how to build relationships with people, how to discover people’s real stories how to read body language, how to increase receptivity, how to connect people to God’s story.
Each of the workshops begin at 9 a.m. and conclude at 4 p.m. The dates and locations are: March 8, Dishman Baptist Church, Spokane, WA; March 9, Richland Baptist Church, Richland, WA; March 10, First Baptist Church of Lakewood, Lakewood, WA; March 11, CrossPointe Church, Bothell, WA; March 12, Calvary Baptist Church, Burlington, WA; March 14, Northwest Baptist Center, Vancouver, WA; March 15, Trinity Church, Central Point, OR; March 16, Fairfield Baptist Church, Eugene, OR.
Cost for the workshop is $10 per person, which covers lunch and materials.
Participants can register at www.storywitnessingworkshop.com
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