Tips for Door to Door Ministry
One of the most effective methods of soul winning is door-to-door ministry. Paul the apostle to the Gentiles not only taught publicly but also visited people in their homes and shared the truth, as opportunity would present itself. He combined both public preaching and house-to-house work and great success attended his work.
“And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house.” Acts 20:20
Many love public preaching than door-to-door ministry because it requires humility, sacrifice and time to reach people personally. But not all can be preachers, neither have we all been called to the desk. Yet all of us have been called to reach others.
Personal Testimony
A few years ago while I was in campus, I dedicated one day a week in the evening to visit fellow students in the hostels where we resided. I would go with a friend of mine who shared my vision. We did not have any experience but wanted to share the truth God had given us. God blessed our efforts as students who seemed unreachable and outwardly hell-bent opened not only their doors but also their hearts to hear God’s word through us. I did not know back then that God was preparing me for fulltime ministry in giving Bible studies as a Bible Worker. While we did not lead anyone to baptism, yet the work we did was recorded in the book of God’s remembrance. Whether you are a student or a working class individual or professional, you can plan to start reaching out to those around you. The Lord will bless your effort.
TIPS FOR DOOR-TO-DOOR MINISTRY
Here are important tips that I have learnt over time from the Bible, Spirit of Prophecy and from the school of experience. Remember however practical the tips may be, they will be useless to those who are idlers in the market place. You must get out and start. Here is an amazing statement:
“In this work, as in every other, skill is gained in the work itself… It is in the water, not on the land, that men learn to swim.” Education, p. 268
- Consecrate yourself to God through confession and total surrender
Jesus said, “Without me ye can do nothing.” John 15:5. That is absolutely true especially for missionary work. There is nothing in us that we can transmit to the world. Notice David’s prayer and it’s connection with success in soul winning:
Psalm 51:10-13 Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners shall be converted to You. (NKJV)
Until our hearts are created anew and our souls are aglow with the joy of His salvation like that woman at the well, then we are not ready yet and our efforts will bring forth no conversion.
Before God can use you, here is what you must know:
“Come up to Me into the mount,” God bids us. To Moses, before he could be God’s instrument in delivering Israel, was appointed the forty years of communion with Him in the mountain solitudes. Before bearing God’s message to Pharaoh, he spoke with the angel in the burning bush. Before receiving God’s law as the representative of His people, he was called into the mount, and beheld His glory. Before executing justice on the idolaters, he was hidden in the cleft of the rock, and the Lord said, “I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee,” “merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in loving-kindness and truth; . . . and that will by no means clear the guilty.” Exodus 33:19; 34:6, 7, A.R.V. Before he laid down, with his life, his burden for Israel, God called him to the top of Pisgah and spread out before him the glory of the Promised Land. {MH 508.2}
“Before the disciples went forth on their mission, they were called up into the mount with Jesus. Before the power and glory of Pentecost, came the night of communion with the Saviour, the meeting on the mountain in Galilee, the parting scene upon Olivet, with the angel’s promise, and the days of prayer and communion in the upper chamber.” Ministry of Healing, p.508
- Begin to pray for souls
The burden for the lost is laid upon us while on the mount with God. Having obtained this burden for the lost, you need to pray for wisdom to accomplish the task and for opportunities to witness. “And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired [to have] you, that he may sift [you] as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.” Luke 22:31-32 (KJV)
As Jesus spent time praying for Peter’s conversion, so ought we to present those we see walking in the enemy’s tracks. We are to pray that God will bring them to conversion and that God will give us wisdom to warn them and help them.
“Begin to pray for souls…let your earnest, broken, humble petitions ascend to Him for wisdom that you may have success in saving not only your own soul, but the souls of others.” Messages to Young People, p. 206
“Personal effort for others should be preceded by much secret prayer; for it requires great wisdom to understand the science of saving souls. Before communicating with men, commune with Christ.” Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 149
The lost are all around us, in our families, work places, schools, social gatherings and even churches. We must spend time praying for wisdom on how to reach each of them uniquely.
- Get a partner for ministry
The wisest man tells us “Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up. Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; But how can one be warm alone? Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 (NKJV)
In door-to-door ministry, you will often meet many discouraging situations that will discourage even the most experienced soul winner. At such times, we need the help of a partner, someone who will pray with you and encourage you onwards. Jesus followed this principle when He sent His disciples on their mission.
Luke 10:1 “After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go.”(NKJV)
Why did He do it?
“Calling the twelve about Him, Jesus bade them go out two and two through the towns and villages. None were sent forth alone, but brother was associated with brother, friend with friend. Thus they could help and encourage each other, counseling and praying together, each one’s strength supplementing the other’s weakness. In the same manner He afterward sent forth the seventy. It was the Saviour’s purpose that the messengers of the gospel should be associated in this way. In our own time evangelistic work would be far more successful if this example were more closely followed.” Desire of Ages, p. 350
- Be wise and harmless
When they were sent out, two qualities stood out as necessary for success: Wisdom and Humility.
Matthew 10:16 “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.” (NKJV)
Because there was a lot of prejudice against Christ, wisdom was key in melting away this bigotry. They were to exercise tact in their teaching just like their Master. “Christ Himself did not suppress one word of truth, but He spoke it always in love. He exercised the greatest tact, and thoughtful, kind attention in His intercourse with the people. He was never rude, never needlessly spoke a severe word, never gave needless pain to a sensitive soul. He did not censure human weakness.” Desire of Ages, p. 353
By this statement Christ showed them the dangers that would lie on their pathway and at the same time the way to victory over dangers. They would be hated, rejected, falsely accused but they were to be harmless not to let self to rise into notice. Here is a promise if provoked during missionary work:
“Let them rest in the love of God, and the spirit will be kept calm, even under personal abuse. The Lord will clothe them with a divine panoply. His Holy Spirit will influence the mind and heart, so that their voices shall not catch the notes of the baying of the wolves.” Desire of Ages, p. 353
Part of the wisdom was in their dress while ministering.
“They were not to adopt the dress of the religious teachers, nor use any guise in apparel to distinguish them from the humble peasants. They were not to enter into the synagogues and call the people together for public service; their efforts were to be put forth in house-to-house labor.” Desire of Ages, p. 351
When we go out, depending on the prejudice of that community to our message, we should not wear any clothing that will easily identify us. Why not? Because it will always create prejudice between you and the people. Be as simple as possible in dress. Avoid Adventist wear such as Pathfinder’s Uniform, Branded Choir Uniforms, and any other church related stuff. Be simple to be able to mingle and reach even the most prejudiced.
Be wise how you introduce yourself, make sure you practice how you will introduce yourself and your mission because every time you knock on a door, people will open with 3 questions in mind:
Who are you?
Why are you here?
How long will you stay?
Wisdom dictates that we learn effectively how to respond to these questions without again raising unnecessary prejudice.
Remember: “Wisdom is better than strength.” Ecclesiastes 9:16. What that means is that you may have the strength of 50 verses to prove a point but if you do not have the “wisdom” to apply it to the heart of your prospect, then you cannot succeed. A wise man will do more with 5 bible texts than you can do with your 50 texts if you are not wise.
We shall discuss this in depth in our next section.
God bless you.