Introduction to Fluid Missional Training
Missional Training Simply stated, Rendezvous Church is an emerging community that draws, maximizes and inspires faith, hope and love in Jesus Christ. Our vision is ‚Together building a great city for all peoples, by drawing Toronto near to God through faith in Jesus Christ, boldly professing our hope in Him and spurring on one another toward love and action.‛ Our goals are to draw people near to God in faith, to maximize their hope in Jesus Christ in community and to inspire one another to actively love their city, nation and world. To draw, maximize and inspire faith, hope and love. Our vision is based on a passage of scripture in Hebrews 10:22-25 which states, ‚Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.‛ This verse emphasizes that because of God’s grace, Christ followers can have a passionate faith relationship with God resulting in confidently sharing Christ’s hope with the world in relevant ways through our intentional acts of love and compassion and gathering together to celebrate Jesus as their life. Do you see it? Drawing people to God; maximizing hope in Jesus Christ; inspiring love into action. The most common meaning for Toronto given in current references is a First Nations word derived from the Huron toronton meaning "place of meetings.‛ We chose Rendezvous as the name of our church because it has the same meaning, ‚to meet or come together.‛ We chose Hebrews 10:22-25 as our emphasis passage because it commands us to meet God, meet people and meet together. It’s our desire to help people meet God, to regularly meet with others and inspire others to meet God. We are grateful you have decided to serve alongside Rendezvous Church to reach this amazing city for Christ. Although you are serving in a North American city, you will be transported to another culture when you are here. In fact, while you minister here, you will be transported to multiple cultures because Toronto truly is a multicultural city. Over half of Toronto’s residences are born outside of Canada making it the most diverse city on earth. Toronto is not ‘just like your city-only bigger’. Many different types of people live here and their traditions influence the overall culture of tolerance. The fact is so many people live and work in Toronto that it dictates that simple things like getting around, ordering food, buying necessities and just finding a tiny bit of peace and quiet are major issues in their daily lives. It’s one thing to visit the city for 5 to 10 days. It’s a whole other thing to make a life here.
To reach people for Christ we have to touch people in ways that are relevant to them. Some things that ‘work’ in suburban America, or rural Canada, Mexico, China, or even LA - won’t necessarily work here. There are even some evangelism strategies that will close the door here before you even open your mouth. There are even some actions that, although well meaning, could hurt our ministry instead of growing it. There are a lot of things to consider when preparing a team to reach the people of Toronto. We pray heavily over every endeavor. All we ask is that you please defer to our insight and instructions while here working with our church. We welcome your experiences, suggestions and questions, and pray our combined efforts will not only bless the recipients on the streets, but also grow each of us in our walk as a servant of the living God. For these reasons and more, we created Fluid Missional Training. Our goal is to help better equip you for the types of urban ministry we do here and prepare you for what to expect before you even arrive in Canada. This material is not exhaustive, but it is an excellent starting point. Thanks for your sacrifices of time, giftedness and money to minister alongside us in this amazing city where the world rendezvous. Living by the Life of Another, Scott Rourk Church Planting Pastor Rendezvous Church Toronto http://crosswalkblog.wordpress.com
Introduction Part 1: FLUID Part 2: Canadian and Toronto Culture Part 3: Physical Preparedness Part 4: Spiritual Mapping & Prayer Journeys Part 5: Relational Evangelism Part 6: Servant Evangelism
In order to reach this city for Christ, we have to do things differently than the way things have always been done. There is a word we have learned to embrace and it goes beyond being ‘flexible’. Flexibility only goes so far before it breaks. Stretching too far hurts.
We have broken down the word ‘FLUID’ below. Please look this page over before you come to Toronto and be in prayer that God would open your heart to a different way of doing things while you are here.
FLOWING easily. Serving in Toronto is a lot like riding the subway standing up. If you stand there rigid, you will bobble and sway and maybe even fall over. It’s best to have a fluid stance (sort of like surfing) so your body can make small adjustments to keep you upright without bouncing off of people. Be easy going and flowing in your attitude. Go with the flow. Be able to make those small adjustments throughout the day to be more effective.
Missional Training
The word we like is ‘FLUID’. To us, the word ‘FLUID’ means for us to always be moving forward and finding any way we can to go over, around, under, or through any obstacles that might be in our way. Just like water, we never change who we are, or what we are made of. We just change our shape to find an opening.
LOW RESISTANCE to change. Like everything in this life, ministry is ever changing. We do our best to plan our strategy to help things run smoothly, but change is going to happen. Change is inevitable. The best way to help us serve Toronto is to be acceptable to the changes we may spring on you. And boy will we spring it on you! When we see what God is doing at a particular time and through a particular team we tend to adjust our plans and join God in what he is doing. We have come to expect God to show up when we start concentrating our efforts and attention in a specific area of the city. God’s timing is not our timing and His ways are not our ways. So be ready, not ridged. There is no telling what God’s going to do in and through your lives.
UNDERSTANDING in all situations. Even if you really don’t understand what’s going on, be understanding anyway. So much of daily life in urban settings is out of our control. Transportation can come to a halt, the weather can turn suddenly, resources we are depending on can disappear, etc. We just ask you please understand we are doing the best we can on this mission field. Our goal is to make evangelism effective and relevant. God’s goal is to also glorify Himself through drawing us close to Him. When things may seem to go haywire, go to Him and pray. We all need to understand He is in control. We are not just making excuses here either. We don’t like it when things don’t work out the way we hoped any more than you do. But with over 15 years of urban ministry experience, I’ve learned to surrender my expectations over to God and let Him accomplish so much more than I could think or even imagine. When it comes to Christ, even our best is rubbish to Him, but we still humbly put our best foot forward in expectation He will take our best and turn it into something extraordinary. Sometimes that means changing our situations into something He can use. Remember, you will come in contact with people in various stages of their lives. Especially when working in the homeless shelters and on the streets. Don’t take it personally if people aren’t automatically warm and friendly. Understand it takes a lot of little positive Christian touches to start a relationship. You are part of the big picture of Christianity and maybe one of 100 touches necessary to create a receptive heart.
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IT’S NOT ABOUT YOU. No matter how many ‘mission trips’ you may or may not have been on in the past, even previous trips to Toronto, remember your expectations may not be what God has planned for this experience with us. If you feel frustrated, disappointed, or otherwise grumpy about how ‘things are not going as you had expected’, exchange the word ‘you’ for ‘God’ and see if the new perspective makes more sense. Is this experience going how God expects? While we want you to love Toronto, its people and the Rendezvous Church family, and enjoy your time with us, we strive to make this journey all God intends for it to be. If this isn’t how ‘you’ve always done it’, hey, celebrate you are learning something new!
DO WHATEVER IT TAKES to serve. Life in any big city is difficult. Needs are basic. Touching lives in relevant ways means doing things that aren’t always glamorous. You will be asked to do some things that are probably going to be outside your comfort zone while you are here. Serving in Toronto is not for sissies! One of the most interesting experiences to watch is trash pickup on the streets. Most people turn up their noses and dread being asked to do this task. What could be more disgusting than picking up street trash? It is also very humbling. It is also an amazing witness to people of Toronto. They are so amazed they will actually ask you why you are doing it. Then, they can’t believe you would come to Toronto, spending your money and vacation time to be here and go around showing Christ’s love by picking up their trash! Most teams do this for the first time leave with faces pale from the dread. They come back excited they actually got to talk to people on the street. They realize this act of trash picking-up made a difference. More than a few people have been blessed by the experience. You will be stretched outside your comfort zone in a lot of areas. God stretches us here at Rendezvous Church, too. His directions are not always the easy ones. But we will do whatever it takes to serve Him because He is worth it.
Canadian AND TORONTO CULTURE
In a word, I’d describe Toronto as unresolved. It is far from being a complete city, at least in its own mind. What would you expect from a city with over half of its population born outside its borders. The ethnic diversity of Toronto is unlike any other place in the world; it is almost indescribable. It is our belief that if you reach Toronto for Jesus Christ, you will have reached the world. There is at least some representation of every major culture in the world found in Toronto. When you get here, be prepared to encounter every type of person you can imagine. Torontonians are crowded together and in a hurry to get wherever they are going. Torontonians are law-abiding citizens except when it comes to driving on the 401. It is a fast-paced life in a city where everyone is going in a different direction. It is also a spiritual place. With such diversity comes a variety of religions to go along with each unique culture. Using relational evangelism, we are able to share that even though there are many different kinds of people here, there is only one way to true peace, happiness, and reconciliation with God – Jesus Christ. Torontonians are just normal people like you and they are a people that God loves and has created for His glory. We are here to let them know about that and to help them begin their own personal relationship with Him. Torontonians are nice, but not as nice as they are civil. That’s what it takes to survive in a city, civility. Unlike Americans who hold to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, Canadians hold loosely to peace, security and good government. If you want to prove this to be true all you have to do is cross the street against the light and see the looks you’ll receive. Toronto is a hub for many different industries and higher education institutions. Entertainment, media and the arts, fashion, business, finance, national and international politics are all shaped here, in Canada’s largest city.
Here are some other interesting facts about Toronto: 6 to 1 believe in God. 2% Muslim; 1% Jewish; ½% Hindu, Sikh or Buddhist; 2% are Agnostics. Of those who believe in God 77% say God is an impersonal spiritual force while 17% view God as a person. 1 in 5 attends a place of worship on a weekly basis. 13% attend once a month. 81% Say you don’t have to go to church to be a good Christian. 70% believe private beliefs are more important than what is taught in church. 13% of people distrust ministers while 87% trust ministers. (yeah, this surprised me too) 61% say the Bible is full of myths. 43% of people say work is their number one stressor while 39% state the number one stressor is finances. Below is one of the best pictures of Toronto I’ve seen so far. Be sure not to just read the article, but also go online and read the responses to this article. This way you can being to see the very real tensions that exist here and is a more accurate depiction of the city and those who call it home. http://www.moreintelligentlife.com/content/tim-rostron/being-there-toronto From INTELLIGENT LIFE Magazine, Autumn 2009 Every morning I use the subway to take my four-year-old son, Frank, to school. We’re travelling during the rush hour, so there are often as many as a couple of dozen other people on the platform and on the train there’s not always a spare seat. This being Toronto, though, someone always gives up theirs for my boy. Frank, a Torontonian himself, likes to chat with the other Torontonians. He’s been known more than once to ask a black stranger whether he’s the father of one of his school friends. Racist outbursts are unusual in this most mixed of cities, where 49% of the populace were born in one of a wide range of other countries. But so is any sort of unpleasant behaviour, and none of the three men challenged by my son so far has done anything but laugh. We alight at Spadina subway station and walk to the school. The strangers who are using the same sidewalk smile at us and some even say good morning. That kind of behaviour—civil, decent—and the trees in this street, and the 1960s and 1970s houses, and the Victorian schoolhouse in view, give me a feeling I often have in this city: that I’ve travelled back to the Britain of my childhood, or rather an idea of a lost Britain collaged together from bits of old Ealing comedies and films with Kenneth More in them. It’s the lack of menace here, of imminent violence, of binge drinking. It’s the sunshine. It’s summer here as I write, a brief season book-ended by biblical rainstorms and followed by a long and increasingly brutal winter. I arrived from London ten years ago and I’ve never lost my appreciation for how emphatic the weather is here. The summers are for the most part hot and sunny, and the winters are reliably white
and cold. But the novelty of icy sidewalks, deep and ever-dirtier snow banks and life-threateningly low temperatures definitely wears off by February, which is also the harshest month. Torontonians develop meteorological amnesia in order fully to enjoy what there is of summer. If Frank and I were walking to school in February— well, we wouldn’t be walking, we’d be in one of Toronto’s bargain-fare cabs—but if we were walking to school in November, strangers would be shouting to us: “Can you believe how cold it is?” or “Can you believe it’s snowing?” By February, of course, the coin has dropped, and these people have remembered that they live in Canada. At school a couple of other besuited dads are hanging around the playground, but mostly the parents are dressed in casual attire like their children’s. My superb English tailoring (Marks & Spencer) and accent are admired as usual. An English accent wins you the warmest of this warm-welcoming people’s welcomes. It also raises your IQ by a good ten points. There are several examples of Roots-brand sportswear in the school yard— sweatshirts, sweatpants, t-shirts—bearing maple-leaf motifs and/or an explicit “CANADA”. One mother is in her vintage Barack Obama 08 t-shirt. Conspicuous Americana would not have done for this crowd until recently. Torontonians— liberal, left-leaning, never happier than when voting to have their taxes raised in order to improve schools and health care and standardise municipal recycling bins— were down on Bush’s America. America has been a problem for a long time. It’s a country that’s very near—Ontario borders New York state—and superficially similar. Canadians sound very like Americans, look like them, watch American television and live in towns and cities full of American chain stores and fast-food outlets. Toronto plays New York and Chicago in American movies starring Canadians playing Americans. (How do you break the ice with a successful Canadian actor? “So, how do you like living in America?”) Canadians are far more aware of this cultural takeover than the average Briton is of the one going on at home. It’s a big talking point here. Tiny differences between American and Canadian English—there’s an Oxford Canadian Dictionary—are treasured (colour, not color; centre not center, but tire for tyre: Canadians lost that one). At the same time, there’s an active, covert preference for things American. My Torontonian wife is dismayed when the movie we’ve rented turns out to be Canadian: “Did you see the money he snatched from that till? It had the Queen on it.” Moderate enthusiasm from the New York Times tends to mean far more to the authors whose books I edit here than a rave in the Globe and Mail. “Canadian identity” is often discussed. It’s time to go edit a book. I duck back into the subway and head downtown, requiring a change on the world’s least confusing underground system, comprising a ushaped line dissected by a straight one. (You fill in the gaps with street cars—trams
on electric rails.) The subway station at my downtown destination is connected, as a lot of them are, to the vast subterranean shopping mall that lies beneath the city. If I didn’t have a pressing deadline on “100 Greatest Hockey Arguments” I could walk for miles and miles and miles in any direction down here, Gap after Gap after Gap, popping up into department stores through their basements, nipping into the department store next door by way of a connecting walkway on the 14th floor, and burrowing down again to explore the Chapters Indigo books emporia, the Shoppers Drug Marts, the vast food halls. The underground city really comes into its own when the city above is too cold and slippery for human perambulation. On this sunny day I emerge on to King Street at Yonge, once the longest street in the world and another reason why this city is so easy to navigate. Yonge’s a handy thoroughfare and point of reference, dividing the city into east and west, and providing a major artery from the far north to the downtown shore of our most awe-inspiring sight, Lake Ontario, half a mile from my office as the seagull flies. It’s summer hours at work, it’s Friday, and that means an early cut at one o’clock. Hardly worth coming in, except to sample the home-made muffins brought in by one of my colleagues and the chocolate brownies by another. Soon I’m back on the streets. The architecture in this part of town is in some cases unusually old, nearly as old as the country itself: the turn-of-last-century St Lawrence Market, the wacky flatiron Gooderham Building of 1892. Looming in the background are some of our more interesting skyscrapers. It would be wrong to suggest, though, that Toronto is on the whole a beautiful city. Architecturally, it is a city for people who can’t stand Venice. I find it an encouraging and hopeful place. It doesn’t intimidate or remind you of your insignificance with all its grandeur and immortality. You can look it straight in the eye, as an equal. There are large parts of Toronto that you can look forward to outliving. Honest Ed’s discount store, for example, is surely the ugliest building in North America. Much of Toronto looks as though it was put up in a tremendous hurry and on a tight budget in the 1970s. There’s a good reason for that. Until 1976, Canada’s number-one city was Montreal. But then the scary separatist Parti Québécois came to power in Quebec, creating an exodus of businesses and Anglophones. They headed for dreary, second-fiddle “Toronto the good” (until the 1980s, it was illegal to walk with a drink in hand in an Ontario bar, or buy one at all on a Sunday). Up went the skyscrapers, out went the anti-social licensing rules, in came overcompensation. When I first came here ten years ago there was more than one occasion in a public house—they can look deceptively like British ones—when I would look at the clock and think, ah, 10.30, one more and then home. Then last orders would be called, at ten to two the next morning.
Buying alcohol in a shop requires planning—the Liquor Control Board of Ontario has the lucrative monopoly on off-licences—but otherwise Toronto is catching up very well as a city that never sleeps. There are clubs here, there are bars that fit only a dozen very thin, young people, there is probably a whole other underground I don’t know about. Our nanny is picking up Frank. She came here from the Philippines on the Canadian government’s Live-In Caregiver Program, a fast first step to residency and citizenship. The Canadian embassy in Manila does little else but process the daily queues of nannies seeking economic refuge. All over Toronto, Filipino women are helping to raise Canadian children, and are organising for their own children—being looked after by grandparents in the old country—and for their husbands to become Canadians too. Knowing that the future is Filipino helps middle-class Canadian parents overcome their guilt. Tonight we’re having a few other parents over for dinner, including a male married couple—nothing unusual about that here. Toronto supports numerous first-rate restaurants, but the dinner party thrives here too (thanks to our hospitable nature and spacious, more-bang-for-buck properties). If there’s a new person at the table I’m likely to be asked a question that betrays the average Torontonian’s slight uncertainty about their civic pride: “You came here from London? Why?” Don’t get me started, I say. I love it here.
The average Torontonian walks two to three kilometers a day. (even when they use the bus and subway). Most Torontonians (85%) walk all the way to reach their destination and 31% use just walking as their main mode of transportation. Walking, all the way, is the main mode of choice when going to work, school, shopping or leisure/ entertainment activities for 31% of Torontonians. Even among the 41% of Torontonians who take public transit, almost all walk to their transit stop, which is an average 5 minute walk. When you are here you will walk A LOT. It is important you physically prepare for coming here, as well as understand the mindset of the people who commute every day. The quickest way to get on an urban dweller’s nerves and make you ineffectual for ministry is to get in their way. You will be reminded of sidewalk, subway/bus, elevator and building etiquette repeatedly. You can start thinking about and practicing these things in your daily life ‘back home’. Here are some important things to remember: Sidewalk, Bus, Subway & Building Etiquette: Think of Sidewalks as interstates or highways. They are the major arteries of travel in the city. Walk on the sidewalks as you would drive on a highway. 1. Don’t take up the whole sidewalk. Always leave room for people to pass you (in either direction). It only takes three people, walking side by side, to take up the entire sidewalk. In busy areas think Noah’s ark and keep it 2 by 2! 2. If you must stop for any reason, either stand up next to a building, or stand next to the street. Always leave plenty of room for people to pass. If anyone has to walk around you or say ‚pardon me‛, that means you are in the way. (You wouldn’t just stop in the middle of a road, well, we hope not!) 3. If you are walking as one big group, do so either single file, or in pairs. It’s better to travel in smaller groups and meet up at your destination. 4. Don’t clog intersections. When waiting at a crosswalk to walk in one direction (ex: east to west), always leave room for the people who are crossing in the other direction (ex: north to south). Think of Subways as elevators. They are places where people are crammed together until the doors open again. (the same rules apply for buses)
1. Stand to the sides of subway doors. 2. When the doors open, let people off first and then get on. 3. Walk in as far as you can go. People are likely to be cramming in behind you. (The doors WILL close regardless of who is waiting to get on.) 4. Be aware of how loudly you speak. The only people making noise on a subway are tourists, kids, and people asking for money. This is a quiet time for Torontonians before they have to re-enter the busy and noisy city. Our building is another place to exercise common sense and etiquette. Unlike large churches that have a whole building to themselves, we share our building with many other tenants including 5 other churches. Most of the time this will not be an issue, but please keep in mind the following courtesies. 1. Do not block the sidewalk outside the building. 2. Do not congregate in the Lobby (once you see it, you’ll understand why). 3. Move quietly through the hallways. Other people are working behind those closed doors. 4. Keep the volume down in the common areas and conduct yourselves respectively. Noise carries. 5. Enjoy being here and be friendly to the people in our building. (Being kind still goes along way, even when you’re a little loud!) Here are some practical things you can do to prepare yourself before you come: Invest in some comfortable shoes or insoles, especially for those with back or knee problems. Sandals are not very practical because you have no idea what’s in the puddles you may step in. In the winter months snow boots are a must because you’ll be schlepping around in gray snow and slush. Do plenty of walking in those shoes before you get here. Toronto is NOT the place to ‘break in’ new shoes. A blister on day one is awful by the end of the mission, especially since you can’t get out of walking in the city! Walk as much as you can before you get here. Take the stairs instead of the elevator whenever possible. If where you are going is within a mile of where you are, try walking instead of driving. Park far out in the mall or Wal-Mart parking lots and walk to the store. (it’s good for you anyway!) Go on a few prayer walks. In fact, go on a lot of prayer walks! Wear the backpack or bag you plan on carrying while here. Get used to the weight and this will also help you decide if you really need everything you were planning on carrying around up here. Be more conscious of staying hydrated. Time out on the streets goes by fast and it’s easy to forget to drink when you are between places. Remember, if you think YOU’RE tired from a day sharing Jesus; just think of how tired HE was when He walked EVERYWHERE to reach the people!
Prayer is so important to everyone’s relationship and daily walk with our Lord. It is vital for our ministry here at Rendezvous Church. We cover every decision and concern in prayer. We pray for our people and for those who will be saved. We pray a lot. We ask you to do the same.
Before you come:
Pray for Rendezvous Church and our ministry here Pray for discernment about whether God is leading you to serve alongside us in Toronto Pray for the ‘right’ time to come to Toronto and serve Pray for God’s choice of team members Pray for the finances to make the trip Pray for the unnamed people you will encounter while here (God already knows who they are) Pray for how God intends for you to use your unique gifts, talents & skills Pray for the Rendezvous staff to make all the necessary preparations for your work Pray for safe travel and health for the team Pray lives are touched through your obedience to His call Pray your life is touched through this experience with Rendezvous Church
PRAYER JOURNEYS
What are prayer journeys? It’s just what it sounds like, prayer while on a journey. A Prayer Journey is an intentional coordinate effort to pray for and share Jesus with every person in a chosen geographical area or cultural community. It includes prayer walking, biking, driving, inline skating, subway riding, trolley riding and every other possible form of transportation. We ask every group that comes to help us to go on a prayer walk in our ministry areas. This is usually done before you serve or on your way to and from serving. This way you can get to know the area and pray specifically for the needs in the community. As you walk through the area, you can both pray and walk at the same time (be sure to keep your eyes open!) or you can stop and pray in front of specific places. How you do it doesn’t matter. All that matters is you pray specifically.
Remember above most businesses, restaurants, stores, and even peepshows, are apartments where thousands of people actually live. For every square inch of a street you are praying over, you are actually covering thousands of lives. (kind of like prayer on steroids!) Pray over the whole building, not just at what is at street level. Note anything or anyone special you encounter while prayerwalking and let us know if you feel we need to follow up. We are always looking for ways to touch the community. Before you come to Toronto, we ask that you would go out with your group and prayerwalk through your own neighborhood. Prayerwalk around your local schools, churches, community hangouts, etc. I’ve even prayerwalked through the halls of my home church and stopped at each classroom door to pray for the people represented there. It doesn’t matter how far you go, just that you get used to doing it. You can also go on prayer walks by yourself. There’s no such thing as too much prayer before you get here!
SPIRITUAL MAPPING Spiritual Mapping is the discipline of diagnosing and responding to the spiritual dynamics at work in a given community. Mapping teams spend 3 to 5 hours in a focus area gathering relevant information through praying, surveying, observing and interviewing local residents, business owners and public servants. While these teams prayerwalk through an area, we ask them to identify and document four specific area dynamics: Ways to Pray (if you were to tell someone else how to pray for this area, what would you tell them?) Strongholds (anything that has a strong hold on peoples’ lives and would keep them from a relationship with God. Ex: greed, false religions, pornography, etc.) Points of Light (churches & organizations that preach the Gospel of Jesus clearly and truthfully, Christians you meet, etc.) Points of Service (places where Rendezvous can potentially serve our community in relevant ways i.e. soup kitchens, shelters, schools, community centers, etc.)
This information is vital to our understanding the spiritual climate of an area. We are currently mapping out the entire city of Toronto to identify spiritual commonalities and identify specific neighbourhoods where God is particularly working. It is our goal to plant 10 Rendezvous Churches in these neighbourhoods.
Here are some biblical examples of ways you can pray. Keep this page with you for reference during your prayer journeys. Praying for Personal Needs
Pray Pray Pray Pray Pray Pray Pray 23)
in repentance and belief in Christ. (Mark1:15) in confession of sin. (1 John 1:9) for our daily bread. (Luke 11:3) that we can forgive everyone. (Luke 11:4) that we will not be led into temptation. (Luke 11:4) for God’s will and not our will to be done in our lives. (Luke 22:42) for the fruit of the Spirit to characterize all that we say and do. (Gal. 5:22-
Six Ways to Pray for Those Who Will Be Saved
Pray for receptive and repentant hearts. (Luke 8:5-12) Pray for their spiritual eyes and ears to be opened to the truth of Christ. 2 Cor. 4:3-4; Matthew 13:15) Pray for them to have God’s attitude toward sin. (John 16:8) Pray for the person to be released to believe. (2 Cor. 10:3-4; 2 Tim. 2:25-26) Pray for a transforming life. (Romans 12:1-2) Pray for God to send them into His harvest field. (Matthew 9:35-38)
Eight Ways to Pray for Followers of Jesus Christ Christ to send believes into His harvest fields. (Matthew 9:38) Christ to keep Christians in His name and character. (John 17:11) Christ followers to have Christ’s joy made full in themselves. (John 17:13) Christ to guard and protect Jesus followers from the evil one. (John 17:15) Christ to sanctify followers of Christ in truth of God. (John 17:17) Christ followers to be unified in one mission, purpose, and spirit even as the Father and Son are one. (John 17:21-22) Christ followers to be where Christ is and join His work. (John 17:24) Christ followers to be filled with spiritual wisdom; pleasing in all ways to Christ; strengthened spiritually, mentally, physically, and emotionally; and bearing fruit in every good work. (Colossians 1:10-11)
You can come to this city and stand on a street corner, just handing out religious tracts to people as they walk by and you will fit right into the stereotypical group of people just trying to push something onto people, or even just another nut-job. Most people don’t respond to ministry in this way. Even though Toronto is a ‘spiritual’ city, it’s not a Christian city. There are many religions, cults, cultures, beliefs and ideas in this world, and all of them can be found here. Many people consider Christianity just like the rest of those things. They may be open to hearing about it, but they won’t necessarily put much value to it. The way to get Torontonians to really ‘hear’ about Christianity is to first start a relationship with them. And then, out of that one-on-one connection, you can share your story. Don’t feel pressured to have a ‘memorized script for conversion’ while serving here. Speak about YOUR walk and what God has done in YOUR life. Be sensitive to the situation. Just be yourself. Your goal is to let this person know you care about them. Let God lead you in the conversation. Do be prepared to share the Gospel with them if the opportunity arises, and pray with them if they ask. Many Torontonians are open to talking to you if they are not in a hurry to get somewhere and if they feel like you are not trying to convert them on the spot. They will not always agree with what we have to tell them. We want to at least get them to a place where they will listen.
One tool we have been using is called Soularium. What is it? •50 original photographic images on 4x6 cards •Instructions •25 business cards for a companion Web site •A carrying case How to use it: Show the cards to someone and ask them to answer 1-3 quesLife Conversation tions by picking 3 cards that represent their beliefs or feelings. The thorough yet simple instructions list suggested questions Guide from NAMB and explain how to naturally transition to the gospel or another opportunity to meet. Why to use it: •Takes 5 minutes to learn or teach •Can be used with a stranger, in a bible study or with a friend •Helps you connect with people and emphasizes listening •Designed for a post-modern generation but effective with all ages
•Mysoularium.com, a companion Web site, gives another opportunity for participants to explore spiritual issues Where to get it: http://www.campuscrusade.com/WSN/soul.htm Check out this instructional video on YouTube to get an introduction to this method of relational evangelism. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gTauGIzQZg We hope while you are here, you will try to building relationships with people you meet. We realize you will not be here for very long, so you will not be able to build many deep and lasting relationships, but we at least want you to try to start meaningful conversations with people. It is our hope during the ‘down times’ while you are here and feel you have nothing scheduled to do, you will try to meet people in places like coffee shops, parks and even your hotel with the goal of engaging them in one of these conversations. Every encounter you have with someone, whether it’s a conversation or just a smile and a nod, is another instance of a positive touch of Christianity. If someone starts feeling that Christians are friendly people, they may be more receptive to the next person who starts a conversation with them about God. You are planting seeds. You are building foundations. You probably will not see the results of those seeds or see the building completed (this side of Heaven), but you are a vital part of someone’s journey to salvation by paving the road with positive and loving attitudes. Here are some practical things to remember as you share with people here: Be intentional about the relationships you build. It will take some boldness on your part. Be non-confrontational. If the Gospel offends, then that is between the person and the God Who created them. If you offend by your behavior or how you present the Gospel, then you are not sharing the Gospel with the gentleness and respect that the Bible commands. (1 Peter 3:15, 16) Remember you are sharing a Person, not a plan. We are just simply trying to introduce people to Jesus, not inviting them to join a religion. Be yourself and share your own story. Anyone who has been to the Cross can lead someone else there. You just have to tell them how you got there. Remember, your part may be opening the door in love, so the next Christ follower they meet may be trusted enough to lead them to the Cross. * Before you get here, get into groups with your team members and practice sharing your story. Then, try going to places in your own town and take turns trying to start conversations with complete strangers.
For the life of Christ to be reproduced in us, it must be through humble service to others, because that is what Christ told us and showed us. Humility is a lifestyle, not isolated incidents. It is an attitude toward God, ourselves and others that permeates our thoughts and deeds. The way humility is expressed takes on a cultural face. It is important to seek an understanding of the culture one will be serving in to ensure that the ‘service’ is appropriate for the recipient.
The Monkey Serves the Fish A typhoon had temporarily stranded a monkey on an island. In a secure, protected place on the shore, while waiting for the raging waters to recede, he spotted a fish swimming against the current. It seemed obvious to the monkey that the fish was struggling and in need of assistance. Being of kind heart, the monkey resolved to help the fish. A tree precariously dangled over the very spot where the fish seemed to be struggling. At considerable risk to himself, the monkey moved far out on a limb, reached down and snatched the fish from the threatening waters. Immediately scurrying back to the safety of his shelter, he carefully laid the fish on dry ground. For a few moments the fish showed excitement, but soon settled into a peaceful rest. Joy and satisfaction swelled inside the monkey. He had successfully helped another creature. In this story, the fish likely saw the arrogance of the monkey’s assumption that what was good for monkeys would also be good for fish. This arrogance, hidden from the monkey’s consciousness, far overshadowed his kindness in trying to help the fish. Thus good intentions are not enough.
To be as effective as possible in your service with Rendezvous Church, it’s important to learn and practice some important areas.
To Rendezvous Church, servant evangelism means sharing the love of Christ through serving our community. It is our primary means of outreach because it has been the most effective way we have to make contact with people. We do things like:
Picking up trash on the sidewalks
Cleaning up and weeding the area parks
Serving meals in various soup kitchens
Helping homeless people with job search and resume writing
Helping with clothing and other donations at homeless shelters
Free gift wrapping on the streets in December
Organizing and prepping materials and supplies for classes
Painting Schools, Community Centers and other not-for-profit organizations.
Maintenance of our space
Passing out water, coffee, granola bars, gum, etc on the streets when appropriate
Performing at places like the Senior Adult centers and Homeless Drop-in Centers, Women’s shelters, etc.
Teaching Wii games and organizing Wii tournaments at Senior Centers and Homeless Shelters
We do these things to serve our community and to make connections with Torontonians. When asked why we do this, we answer with certainty, ‘we are sharing the love of Jesus in a practical way’. This goes a long way with Canadians. Memorize this statement. You will say it a lot here because we serve our city a lot. The reason we do this is our actions earn us the right to share our faith, hope and love in Jesus Christ. We also so this because we are branding ourselves as a community of faith, hope and love who loves this city and wants to serve its people. When we do these things, we always hand cards to people that tell them who we are and where they can check us out on the internet. Sometimes we hand out invitations to special events. We never handout a single card to anyone without performing some kind of service for the community. We also never hand out spiritual tracks. The results are not always immediate. Sometimes it has taken months or even longer before someone who received a touch from us and contact us or come to a Worship Rendezvous. We’re okay with that. We know that the Holy Spirit is working and when the time is right in a person’s life, they will come to the church which served them with no strings attached. Many people come to know the Lord from just such an experience. The important thing is this community knows we are here to serve and it is out of our love for Jesus, and our love for them. Even if we don’t get an immediate response, you are helping us brand ourselves in the community as servants.
Special Talents: If your team is blessed with talents and skills and would like to share those with people in Toronto, please let us know when you fill out the Team Information Form. We would love to set up an opportunity for God to be glorified through those creative passions He has placed in you. We always have some kind of projects on the back burner waiting for the right people to come along! Before coming here, we recommend you go and do some kind of servant evangelism project. Go clean a park in your area. Give a free car wash that’s not a fundraiser. Just do something to serve your community. It will be good practice for when you are here.
HELPFUL RESOURCES FOR SERVANT EVANGELISM
Cross Cultural Servanthood by Duane Elmer Servant Evangelism by Alvin Reid/ David Wheeler
Late summer
FLATWOODS, WVA SEPTEMBER 2015 Downtown Richmond Working with SBCV churches
SUMMER/ FALL 2015