Focus on Reproduction, Mentor's Guide, MG12

/ 9 1

F O C U S O N R E P R O D U C T I O N

Amazing Grace

(Based on a true story) A young girl, the daughter of one of the most notorious drug king-pins in the community, enjoyed a wonderful week at the local Vacation Bible School in the neighborhood. On the last day, the Parent’s Invitation Day, the young girl was able to persuade her drug-slinging father to attend. Using methods of strong crying, tears, and the kind of intimidation that only a young beautiful daughter can provide, she coerced her father to come, who amazingly, as a result of the simple presentation of the Gospel at the VBS program, accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior. As a result of his conversion, a major number of his associates and lieutenants also repented and came to the Lord. What does this case study reveal to us about the nature of oikos evangelism, especially in terms of penetrating fields and networks which are impossible to breach as strangers ?

How Do We Change?

2

An urban church which recently learned about the principle of oikos evangelism was both excited and at a loss. While the pastoral and key lay leadership both understood and were persuaded by the teaching of oikos , all the methods they had used before were traditional “stranger” approaches–door to door visitation, street evangelism, block parties, and things like tract distribution and concerts in the park. You have been called in as a consultant in helping them conceive of evangelism in new, oikos -oriented ways. What would your strategy be to help them make the transformation to a more relational approach to urban outreach?

Let Us Join Them!

After a workshop on the power of oikos evangelism, a group of young people, all dressed in modern “hip-hop” baggy style, asked for a moment of the pastor’s time. They were thrilled at the teaching on oikos evangelism, and desired to “take it to another level.” “If it is true that we are open to those who are a part of our relational web,” they said, “we would like permission to intentionally penetrate one of the local hip-hop music groups in the city. They know us, who we are, and we would like to form the kinds of relationships that would make presenting Christ to them more personal and natural. Some of us are thinking about forming a hip-hop music group, and becoming a kind of ‘insider’ group for evangelizing young hip-hop kids. What do you think?” What should the pastor say to these passionate young disciples about their intriguing, maybe even crazy idea?