How to Get More Home Bible Studies Than You Can Teach
By: Dan E. Stratton
11 Reason For Not Getting Home Bible Studies
1. Procrastination
2. Lack of Training
3. Lack of Dedication
4. Lack of Desire
5. Lack of Faith
6. Lack of Persistence
7. Laziness
8. Fear of People
9. Fear of Criticism
10. Fearful of Your Own Ability
11. Fear of Failure
RELATIVES
This is probably the best source of getting your first studies. Almost everyone has relatives and few relatives will close their doors on you if the family has love and respect for each other as they should.
It’s very important to have the proper training before giving a Home Bible Study. The pastor of the local church should provide this before sending anyone out. What soldier would last in warfare without first being trained how to fight or what football player could last the duration of a game without conditioning himself prior to playing.
Your relatives are also good critics, which will help you refine your personality and approach. It’s real easy to display more knowledge of the subject than you really have. You are not a know-it-all your purpose is to lead that person to the knowledge of the Truth.
Make a list of all your relatives who live in driving distance. Now, place them in order of reception that you think you will receive. Good -Fair- Poor. Go down the list systematically and make a personal visit to each one.
Remember, your relatives are someone special – you love them – spend time securing the study. You will ask for the study just as you normally would with anybody. Show a couple pieces of literature describing the study. You can get this from U.P.C.I. – Home Missions Division or Search for Truth. Be sincere and get the appointment for the first lesson before you leave.
FRIENDS
*St. John 15:13: “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” V. 14: “Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you.”
*Benjamin Franklin once said, “Do good to your friends to hold them; to your enemies to gain them.”
*Webster states: N. – one who is personally well known by oneself and for whom one has warm regard or affection; …
You want to see your unsaved friends saved, don’t you? Sure you do. Get a pencil and paper right now and write down all your unsaved friends. Remember, a friend is different than an acquaintance or relative. How many friends can you come up with? Two – five – six or more. Jesus spoke of a friend as one who is willing to lay down his life for his friends. He also said if we wanted His (Jesus’) friendship, we must obey His commands. I want to save my friends and at the same time be a friend of God’s.
After having listed all your friends, go to the phone and call them. Your conversation may go something like this. “Hello, Joe, this is Dan. I’m in a community service project for our church and I’d like to come over and show you what it is and see what you think about it. It’ll only take a few minutes and I’m not selling anything. Okay?”
When you get there, you have your chart and Bible and immediately you emphasize again you want their opinion of what you are doing. Explain to them you have been made aware recently as never before the need for people to be happy and productive citizens and you decided that it’s about time to get more involved in your own community. You feel the Bible needs to be emphasized more in the home, so unity and harmony can prevail once again instead of strife and broken marriages and the like. As a community project, your church has just trained a group of Home Bible Study instructors who would make themselves available to teach the Bible to any home that would invite them. At this point, briefly go over a couple pages of the chart that you think would most
appeal to them.
Ask their opinion of what you are doing and then ask them if they would let you come one night a week, one hour per night for the course. Explain that this would be a tremendous help to you to gain experience in teaching this course since you are friends and they would gain valuable information about the Bible which would make them better men and women, as well. Don’t leave without setting the appointment for the first study.
COLD CANVASS
Matt. 7:7 states, “Ask and it shall be given you.”
Have you ever had anyone knock on your door or ring your bell and introduce you to a vacuum cleaner, encyclopedia, or whatever. Their motivation in coming to your house was simply the commission of a possible sale. When our motivations to pull a soul from the flames of hell outweigh our comforts of luxurious living, then will we become productive in the Kingdom of God. Too many times, our houses, jobs, and conveniences keep us from doing the Will of God. The Bible plainly states, “Ask and it shall be given you.” It stands to reason all things being equal, if you ask enough people, somewhere you are going to get a Home Bible Study,
Procrastination is your enemy!
Webster states procrastination: To put off taking actions until a future time — To defer or postpone.
Equip yourself with the proper tools, the Bible, a few pieces of literature explaining the Home Bible Study, a pleasant smile and persistence. Now, set your goal of how many people you will contact
before coming home. The law of averages is on your side. You don’t have to have any relatives or friends, know anyone or have any money if you want to get a Home Bible Study bad enough.
Check your results only after 100 conversations. You will have at least three to seven Home Bible Studies out of every 100 people you talk with.
Ask for the study and set a time for the first lesson.
BUS MINISTRY
Contrary to what many think about Bus Ministry, this outreach is one of the most rewarding ones when set up and worked systematically. Ninety percent of our adults are parents of former bus children. When people say Bus Ministry just doesn’t work, I don’t listen to them because these converts from the Bus Ministry now raise our money for “Sheaves For Christ,” work in our Ladies Auxiliary projects, and give to our Foreign Missions programs. They are the ones we depend on for “Christmas for Christ” and support our church in every way. Bus Ministry is a tremendous outreach you can use in conjunction with Home Bible Studies. Here’s how you can secure any number of Home Bible Studies.
1. Send a letter or packet of materials explaining the Home Bible Study home with the child after Sunday School. Mention the letter you will be contacting them in a few days.
2. After the family has had a chance to look at the brochures explaining the Home Bible Study, go by and ask them for the study. If turned down at this time, keep alert and ask them often for the study. Prayer will cause them to respond eventually.
RADIO
Radio reaches people everywhere. There are now more gospel stations than ever in the history of radio. This tells us that people are now more receptive to gospel related programs than ever before.
The two most familiar ways to get Home Bible Studies is through a church sponsored program or buy spot time. Either way, it is expensive. But what value can you place on a soul.
Here are three spots I have used successfully.
“The Bible has the answer to your problems. The sad fact is most people don’t know where to look or fail to realize that help is at their fingertips. We are now enrolling people in the free Home Bible Study Course, ‘Search for Truth’ (My Father’s House). In ten easy lessons, your problems could be forgotten. Call 299-7381 right now for more information. That number again is 299-7381.”
“666 – the Mark of the Beast – The Battle of Armageddon — What do these terms mean? People everywhere are expressing concern of what is about to happen. You don’t have to be left out. You can learn what these expressions mean, along with many other important ones by enrolling today in the Search for Truth (M. F. H.) Home Bible Study Course. Hurry – Call 299-7381 right now for more information. You are under no obligation and it could be one of the most important calls you’ll ever make. The number again is 299-7381.”
“Increase your knowledge of the Bible. You don’t have to be at a loss of words when the subject of tongues, Battle of Armageddon, water baptism and other important subjects arise. You can enroll in a free Home Bible Study Course with a trained instructor with no obligation. This is a community service of Calvary Apostolic Church. Call this number right now for more information – 299-7381. The number again is 299-7381.”
Don’t Forget!
Most stations have free public announcements and they are aired several times each week – in some instances, each day. Type a brief message similar to the ones above – usually a postcard will suffice – and mail to the radio stations in your area. It’s worth a try. You don’t ever know who the Lord may have listening for your message. Let me hear from you. Let’s share each other’s successes.
Don’t just narrow your audience to the gospel stations. The rock and country stations really have the hard core sinner audience (who, as you well know, are sometimes the most receptive to the message).
DIRECT MAIL
This method will bring in a continuous stream of prospects if used properly. The Home Missions Division has a Direct Mail Program, with seven letters you can use as examples. Order them today.
This is how it works. First, you need to secure a nonprofit permit from your local Post Office. This costs $40.00 per year. This permit allows you to mail at 3.8 cents per piece instead of the current 18 cents per piece. There’s one catch. You must mail at least 200 pieces at one time to qualify. This is dirt cheap compared to 18 cents per piece.
But using the mails, you can reach an entire city with little or no personnel. Sure, it’s going to take time to raise your mailing budget, have your material printed and purchase your supplies. Still again, you use the law of averages to your advantage. For every 200 pieces of mail, attractively printed and knowledgeably written, you will receive about 6 to 15 inquiries or replies to your offer of a free Home Bible Study. The Home Missions Division has a mail-out brochure describing the Home Bible Study Course. Search for Truth also has information of Direct Mail. In some instances, it is not uncommon to receive back 20 to 30 inquiries per 200 mail-outs.
Direct Mail is for the really serious minded soul winner who is planning on being in the soul winning business next month and next year. You need to test your results on every mail-out and see which one has the most results, etc.
It’s unlimited what you can accomplish through Direct Mail. There are Direct Mail companies that have every household in America on computer labels that can be purchased for as little as 1.5 cents each per 1,000 minimum. Every medium and large city in America has these companies. Check your phone book under Direct Mail for listing. If you live in a rural area, that’s no problem. Remember, every household in America, whether rural or city, is available to anyone who has a need for them.
You can be the most bashful or shy person in the world and Still get a Home Bible Study using Direct Mail. Once an inquiry is made, you have the name, address and phone number of a prospect. Immediately call or go see the person and set up a time for the first study. Or you may want to offer a free trial study and let the person decide if he/she wants to enroll in the complete course. If a trial study is offered, give any study that may be of interest to the prospect. Bathe all your efforts with prayer and let God direct your thinking.
PHONE SOLICITATION
The only people who can’t get a Home Bible Study are the ones who can’t talk — Maybe.
Almost everyone has been contacted at one time or another by someone wanting to sell them something over the phone.
We baptized Lois Brooks, a retired lady – age 72, by simply dialing her number and witnessing to her over the phone. The worker who had charge of calling the “B’s” in the phone directory said as she began to witness, the Holy Ghost directed her as to what to say. Mrs. Brooks received the Holy Ghost in the water and was faithful to God until her death.
One person, or any number, can use this method. The housewife, the husband, the teenager – anyone with a sincere desire to secure a Home Bible Study can do so.
After proper organizing, so duplicate calls will not be made, prompter cards need to be typed or written with your conversation before you on the card. Try to sound as natural as possible. You may want to devise something similar to the following:
“Hello, this is Dan Stratton of Bible Ministries. As a community service, we are offering the Home Bible Study Course, ‘My Father’s House,’ to anyone in your household free of charge and no obligation. Thousands of people just like you across America are taking this course and increasing their knowledge of the Bible. If you are interested, I’ll be happy to drop by and leave you a brochure as to the contents and how it works. How about tomorrow evening about 6:00. — If the response is negative, ask if you could mail them the info.”
The law of averages will work for you again and again. After about 100 conversations, you will have five to ten Home Bible Studies.
You may want to devise your own speech to fit the needs of the locale. Tongues is always a subject of interest. So is Bible Prophecy. It’s easy to develop a speech around these two subjects.
If you have any difficulty, contact me. I’ll help you get something going.
NEWSPAPER
Almost every American has availability to a newspaper. Many people read it from start to finish, yet there are those who only glance at it. Nevertheless, the newspaper is an excellent media whereby you can get Home Bible Studies.
Classified Is Best
A neighboring church here in North Carolina put the following ad in the newspaper:
Free Home Bible Study – With Trained Instructor – Certificate on Completion – No Obligation – Call ____________.
This was a Home Missionary Pastor with no money for extensive advertising. The ad was run for three days at a cost of about $6.00. It pulled about eight calls resulting in two Home Bible Studies, with one lady being baptized and receiving the Holy Ghost. Not bad for a $6.00 investment.
The following ad was placed in the local Greensboro newspaper for seven days.
Have you spoken in tongues? Call 299-7381.
In a period of seven days, over 25 calls were received resulting in a schoolteacher being baptized and receiving the Holy Ghost. Some of these calls were prank calls but most were curious. All we were wanting was to make an appointment with them to present a trial Bible Study. Remember, all you are wanting is a prospect. Without prospects, no Bible Studies.
I heard of an Apostolic minister in a Midwestern town placing this ad:
Most people have been baptized wrong. For the right way, call 333-3333.
Several calls were received, resulting in a Lutheran teacher accepting a Home Bible Study and following through with baptism in Jesus Name and receiving the Holy Ghost. This man was influential in bringing several Lutheran families to the knowledge of the Truth.
The key to this being successful is not to get drawn into conversations over the phone. Your goal is to get an appointment with them for the purpose of the ad. You must sound friendly, not
provocative, and state clearly that they are under no obligation. Once in their home, have pertinent literature describing the Home Bible Study and show them the benefits of it.
What can be done with the newspaper classified is endless to anyone genuinely interested in getting prospects for Home Bible Studies. Use your imagination and see how many ads you can write to get someone’s attention to call you.
24 – HOUR BIBLE RECORDING
Using this method alone, we actually secured more Bible studies than we had personnel to teach. You will need a sturdy Phone Answering device, a private line and sufficient advertising.
Your Purpose or Mission – To give the Word in subject form or read a scripture pertinent to the needs of mankind. At the end, mention that a free Home Bible Study is what they need and your church is offering this Home Bible Study as a service to the community, Ask for their name, address and phone number. This is your prospect.
Phone Answering Device – You need a type whereby you can make your own cassettes and place in the unit. Ansa-Phone has an excellent model for about $400.00. Radio Shack TAD-30 is what we are using at the present. The outgoing message needs to be about one minute; the incoming message needs to be about 30 seconds, or voice actuated. You can experiment and find what best suits your needs. Let me emphasize to get a good, sturdy one. The cheaper models break down too often.
Advertising – You can flood your area with handbills, door knockers, and business cards with the words: 24-Hour Bible Promise – 24-Hour Bible Recording – 24-Hour Dial-A-Prayer – 24-Hour Inspiration Message – or whatever you would like to name it – along with the phone number to call. You may also run a classified ad periodically – reading the same way. Use all the methods available to get the phone number out. People have the option of calling whenever they please. We have received as many as 70 calls in one day. Some of these callers will leave false information that is misleading, but don’t get discouraged — follow them up anyway.
Here’s How It Works!
Someone sees the number and dials.
Sample Recording
“Hello, this is Pastor Stratton of Calvary Apostolic Church. Ralph Cudworth once said that Truth and Love are two of the most powerful things in the world. And when they both go together, they cannot easily be withstood. Think of the two just a second — Truth and Love. In St. John 8:32, the Bible reads, “And you shall know the Truth and the Truth shall make you free.” In St. John 3:16, the Bible reads, “For God so loved the world He gave His only Begotten Son.” Do you have access to Truth and the ability to recognize real Love. As you know, there are many counterfeits to both. But the Bible will teach you the concepts of Truth and Love. In fact, you can enroll in the free Home Bible Study by leaving your name, address and phone number at the tone. Thank you for calling. Here’s the tone.”
You can devise little sermons about 60 seconds long on any subject you feel led of God. You can preach 24 hours per day, seven days a week on a 24-Hour Bible Recording. Here is another recording.
“Hello, this is Pastor Stratton with today’s Bible Promise found in I Cor. 10:13. “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man, but God is faithful, Who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” That’s quite a long scripture, isn’t it? You may want to call back and hear it read again. Yes, God has a way of escape from the pressures of this life. If you only knew about them. And, in fact, you can know about them through the Home Bible Study course that is now available to you. For more information about this course, leave your name, address and phone number at the tone. Please wait for the tone.”
Please Note
You will need to write down your message and time it before recording. Date each message and play a new one each day. You will build up a clientele of daily callers who will depend on your moments of inspiration for strength each day. Also, keep a record of each message left and date them.
Using the 24-Hour Bible Recording, we actually got more Home Bible Studies than we could teach. The same will work for you. If you have any questions, let me hear from you.
LITERATURE DISTRIBUTION
The printed word has an impact. The Communist world keeps their presses going day and night to convince potential Communists that the Communist way of life is the utopia here on earth. It has been said that Communist infiltration of propaganda into the hands of people who wanted to read something has been the major factor in them gaining control of two-thirds of the world’s population. Will the smut from the porno presses and filthy paperbacks that are placed in every supermarket in America go unabated?
Personally, I feel the Apostolic-Pentecostal churches have the network of churches spread across the land and an army of volunteers who could place literature on every door in America. Just think, if our people were to work three hours per week placing prayed over and anointed tracts on doors across America, in one short year we would reach our nation with the truth of salvation.
Here’s how it would work on the local church level.
The pastor would organize his workers in accordance with the field (city – town – rural). Appropriate tracts would be secured and on every tract there could be a place for free Home Bible Study with a phone number to call. Each week, 200 – 500 – 1,000 or whatever number of homes could be reached with the gospel message – plus – an offer for a free Home Bible Study. In a matter of weeks, more studies would be secured than could be taught.
Again, the law of averages with big numbers would be the important factor. For example, 5 people working 3 hours per week. If each person placed 50 tracts per hour, that’s 250 tracts per hour x 3 hours = 750 tracts per week. That’s 750 homes each week that will (1) have access to the truth about salvation, (2) advertise your church, and (3) advertise the Home Bible Study Program. If this were done for one year, it would encompass 39,000 homes. The law of averages again would give you more Home Bible Studies than you could teach.
The key is persistence, prayer and a burden for the lost.
The Pentecostal Publishing House has a tract and literature list. The address is 8855 Dunn Drive, Hazelwood, Missouri.
Search for Truth Publications has a free catalog about tracts and literature. The address for Search for Truth is P. 0. Box 34236, Houston, Texas, 77034.
Also, the First Pentecostal Church in West Monroe, Louisiana, Rev. Fred Poster, has some tremendous literature and tracts. Their address is P. 0. Box 667, West Monroe, Louisiana, 71291.
CHURCH CENSUS (BIBLE SURVEY)
Church Census is a very effective way of getting information for Home Bible Studies.
Home Missions has a new survey entitled “Finding the Field” by Sis. Gloria Sanders. Write General Home Missions and request this survey. Ask them to bill you. Sis. Sanders has worked for a professional survey company for several years and has all the pertinent facts and figures that will help you plan your program. It’s a 30-page report that will bless you in many different ways. Using this survey, you will absolutely get more Home Bible Studies than you have people to teach. It’s proven and tried and it works.
Another proven and tried survey is put out by Life Tabernacle, Houston, Texas, Rev. James Kilgore, Pastor. Write them today and ask about the “Research and Opinion Survey” they have used so effectively in times past.
Make Your Own
You don’t have to write for anything. Make your own survey form.
1. Name
2. Address
3. City – State – Zip Code
4. Phone
5. Member of What Church
6. Do you believe the Bible is God’s Word?
7. Do you believe in Heaven or Hell?
8. What do you think it takes for a person to be saved?
9. Do you think water baptism is important to salvation?
10. What is the correct formula for water baptism?
11. Is speaking in tongues relative to salvation?
12. What does the number 666 mean?
13. Would you like to know more about the Bible?
14. You can enroll in a free Home Bible Study Course. This course is offered as a community service of our church. We have openings starting this Tuesday night. Would you like a free trial lesson?
The above could be something similar to what you could devise yourself, Start to work on it now and see what you can come up with.
Worked consistently, the survey method of getting Home Bible Studies will produce more studies than you can teach.
FREE DRAWING FOR BIG FAMILY BIBLE
Have you ever filled out a card for a Free Drawing for anything? Well, what you were really doing was putting yourself on someone’s prospect list. You can do the same to get people on your prospect list for a free Home Bible Study.
Here is how it works.
“Free Drawing For A Big Family Bible”
1. Plan on how many “Drawing Boxes” you will need.
2. Make them as professional looking as possible, along with a nice poster.
3. Secure as many places as you have boxes. Grocery stores – Gas Stations – Department Stores and general business places.
4. Purchase as nice a Family Bible as possible – not a cheap one.
5. Set your Drawing Date.
6. Ask for name – address – phone number.
7. Award the winner with the Bible and explain the Home Bible Study.
8. Send each person a letter, giving the name of the winner along with a brochure explaining the Home Bible Study Program.
9. Call each person in a few days, after they have had a chance to read the material, and ask them if they would like to have the Home Bible Study.
You will probably have more prospects than you can contact. Hence, more Home Bible Studies.
COUNTY AND STATE FAIR BOOTH
This takes advance planning and personnel to man the booth at all times during the duration of the fair.
Contact Rev. Barry King at the Southwest United Pentecostal Church,
6750 S.W. 198th Avenue, P. 0. Box 384, Beaverton, Oregon – Phone No.:
503-642-2347. He has had tremendous success in Fair Booths and can give you in-depth information.
You will get more studies than you can teach at the County or State Fair with a booth displaying your brochures and charts. This would also be a good place to have your Drawing Boxes for a Family Bible.
(The above material was published by the Home Missions Director of the North Carolina District.)
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