GETTING HOME BIBLE STUDIES
Ron Wilhoit
METHOD NO. 1
On a Sunday night (or other service of your choice), ask everyone in the congregation to stand. Then say, “How many of you would be kind enough to open your home for Search for Truth Bible lessons? This means that you will open your home, be the host or hostess, provide a friendly atmosphere, and prepare refreshments each week-cake, cookies, cold drinks. We are not asking you to teach–only to open your home for neighbors, friends, or relatives to join with you one evening a week for a beautiful series of lessons about the Bible. Those who are willing to cooperate may remain standing. The others may be seated.”
Assign someone to list the names of those standing. This should provide a number of homes for teaching. Then ask, “How many of you who are seated would be willing to pray and fast for the teachers who will be going into the homes that have been opened?”
The response will be amazing! When this type appeal was made at one church, within six weeks, twenty-six people had received the Holy Ghost from Search for Truth Home Bible Studies. Try it! It will work!!
METHOD NO. 2
Personal challenges will also work! This is an excellent way not only to gain new homes for Bible lessons, but also to double your adult attendance!
Build enthusiasm by announcing that something that has never happened before will happen this coming mid-week service night. Post catchy drawings about this special service and advertise it well in advance so a good crowd will be present.
This is how the challenges work. Explain that you want everyone to challenge someone else in the church to bring more people to Sunday School for the next three weeks than they can bring. For example, if Bro. Smith decides to challenge Bro. Jones, he will say, “Bro. Jones, I believe I can bring more people to Sunday School than you can. If I do, I want you to wash and wax my car-free of charge!”
Then Bro. Jones challenges Bro. Smith by saying, “Well, I think I can bring more than you can. And if I do, I’d like for you to treat me and my family to a steak dinner!” Get the point? Two people challenge each other for some service to be performed free of charge. Other things you might mention are: mowing the lawn, raking leaves, cutting firewood, painting a room, baking a cake, making a dress, fixing a lady’s hair, babysitting-you name it! Challenge someone for something you want free. (Be sure it is a reasonable request).
One more important tip! Before this special night, don’t forget to talk with about six women and men privately to explain what will be happening. As soon as you ask for volunteers, they will one at a time stand to their feet and very – enthusiastically challenge another person. This will get things moving quickly and others will freely join in.
Ask someone to list the challengers and the service they the service they want free of charge. You might publish this list in a church bulletin, post it in the church lobby, or mention it occasionally from the pulpit. Your church can easily double during these three weeks– especially the adult class!
Then comes the best part! Each of the three Sunday mornings, give a mini-lesson or an over-view of Lesson 1 from the Search for Truth chart. This say, “We would like to continue these thrilling lessons in your home.” Give several reasons why every home should become involved in this nationwide program to better acquaint people with their Bibles.
Instruct your ushers to distribute Visitor Welcome Cards to adult visitors and refer them to the back of the card. They may check the square at the bottom of the card and return to the usher if they wish to know more about these powerful lessons that will unlock the mysteries of the Bible and the future.
You will be pleasantly surprised at the number of people who will respond positively to your invitation for Bible lessons.
METHOD NO. 3
Endtime is an excellent tool for enlisting homes for Bible studies. Endtime is a bi-monthly magazine style publication about current events in the light of Bible prophecy.
Recently some young people from a local church, distributed several hundred similar publications in about two hours. When adult workers followed up with a personal visit, forty home owners were interested in the free lessons!
The more information about Endtime, please write to: Rev. Irvin Baxter Jr. Endtime, P.O. Box 2066, Richmond, IN 47375.
(The above material was published by Search for Truth.)
Christian Information Network
