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Door To Door Soulwinning


Anon

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So, our church does door to door soulwinning (mostly just tracts), and I go as well (hubby is pastor!) but I feel sooooo awkward! We live in the Northeast, where privacy is valued...plus, I am a shy person who hates to be where I'm not wanted or expected....so for me to walk up to strangers homes for 30 minutes even just to stick a flyer in their door is just gut twisting for me. Lol.

I vote that God never sent women out in twos....just men....... :-) Lol.

No really, I go because my husband says, but I wanted to see what you all think of cold calls in this day and age? It literally scares me so much that sometimes my stomach starts hurting and I almost can't go.

Is this really super bad of me to feel this way? Do you think God really wants women to be mildly confrontational in this way?

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Ive gone door to door with my pastor, I found/find it rough as well... I certainly dislike when people call me at 6pm for surveys from my bank. It is though, better that nothing. I live in a very hippy culture so its like threading a hippo through a cheerio at times to get your point across. I am more of a fan of on the street witnessing, or we have a community breakfast and Ill sit down and find someone to talk to.

at the end of the day, for me it was about finding how I evangelize best, which is just at all times being able to find a spot and bring it up, or if the church is doing a function, to sit and talk to people.

Hope in that jumble some of it helps...

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I understand your leeriness, kita.  I would say that it would prOBably be best for you to go with your hubby, so he can do that "confronting", if you are uncomfortable with it.  I prefer going with my hubby, and when our church has our all-church visitation nights we do go together.  We also do our nursing home visits and others together as well.

 

I wouldn't have a prOBlem visiting with another lady, but if a man answered the door, I would likely just introduce us, and give him a tract, invite him to church and wish him a good day.  I say likely because if we are tender to the Lord, that might change what we think we might do.

 

I do think it's effective, even if there aren't large numbers being saved. Because we never know who behind those doors has had the Holy Spirit already working on them.

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Around here this just irritates people. Strangers knocking on their door about anything "religious" and they are automatically defensive, turn cold and/or aggressive and then they think ill of whoever the door knocker is representing. It really doesn't matter if it's Mormons, JWs, Baptists or who knocks on their door, they don't want to hear it and they act/feel violated by the unsolicited intrusion.

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There are actually people in the neighborhoods here that have signs specifically telling religious people to stay away.

We only put flyers in doors but if there are people out or open doors, we then have to politely explain what we are doing there. I don't even like doing that. I gingerly put the flyer in the door as silently as possible and then I feel like booking it back down the driveway. I feel like a criminal.

We have four boys so usually we split up the kids among whoever comes, whic is usually only a couple people. So it's usually just me and one of my kids. That is, if I haven't prayed for rain, or my stomach doesn't hurt too badly. Ha.

There so has to be a better way to get the gospel out.......

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Oftentimes around here door knocking and even leaving tracts at the door get the police called because people start calling either the police or the mayor complaining about the activity.

 

Most folks simply don't want to be disturbed at home. Most have also heard the Gospel already, or think they know enough about Christianity already, and they take it as a private intrusion when someone tries to speak with them about "religion".

 

Leaving tracts in public places, inside library books, offering one to someone walking down the sidewalk or in a park and things like that still seem to be an open door.

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I tend to agree Joseph. In years past many folks would sit outside on their porch and were open to someone stopping by. These days most people view their home as their sanctuary (as it were); the one place where they can relax and not be bothered.

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I have been going door to door cold-call soul-winning weekly for over 20 years now, and it never gets easy.  Especially in the Pacific Northwest, but I do follow some guidelines.  I never ever knock or even leave a tract on a door that has a No Soliciting sign, even though I am not selling anything.  I never speak to anyone alone at the door who appears to be under the age of 18 without their parents home and I have met them and asked them for their permission to talk with their child.  Even if the purpose of the visit is to invite them to Vacation Bible School or some other kids event.  I never ever enter a home if a woman is there alone, I don't care if she is 99 years old.  I will not argue with someone or allow them to take me off the topic of salvation. I am looking for a prepared heart ready to listen and receive, if I don't strike oil within 2 minutes, I quit boring...  Yes, I have had everything you can imagine happen to me over the years but even the ones that slammed the door in my face (nice compared to some reactions) I believe fulfilled God's purpose, even if that purpose is to give them "no excuse" on the judgement day when they try to complain that "no one told them" or even tried to warn them.  God will remind them of the two He sent to their door and what their reaction was.

 

 I was led to the Lord by someone door knocking.  My testimony of the illustration that "turned the light on" for me so that the gospel made sense, is posted in the soul winning forum here.  I have led many to the Lord on their doorstep.  When I say "many" I mean less than 200 in 20 years.  I am NOT into easy believism, and anyone I say I have lead to the Lord fully understood the gospel.

 

Bro. Garry

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Knocking on someone's door isn't violating their privacy.  Insisting on talking if the home dweller doesn't want to, or pushing one's way into the house would most definitely be a violation. If people are out in their yards and they make it OBvious that they don't want to talk, you thank them and walk away. No violation of privacy.  

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For them, it's a violation of their privacy if they consider it such. For most folks today, that seems to be the case. When at home, if it's not family or friends (sometimes they don't even want them dropping over!), they don't want someone knocking on their door. Many today view this similar to how they view getting telemarketer calls.

 

Legally speaking it's not a violation, but even so, when several people call the police or their alderman or the mayor complaining about such, the police do show up. I've seen JWs escorted out of town.

 

When we hung a bag with tracts and church information (from the IFB church that ended up closing its doors) on doorknOBs around town, even that prompted complaining phone calls. Folks complained to the pastor, the mayor, their aldermen and the police.

 

It seems odd to me, especially since when I was growing up most folks around were pretty friendly and open. Most folks welcomed a knock on the door and many folks still sat on their front porch or in their yards and talked to everyone who went by. Not these days. Even when I do see someone outside and I speak I often get a frown and they pull an (unnoticed by me) earbud out of their ear and annoyingly say "What!".

 

I think I'll just shut myself in my room today and read. NOBody better knock on my door either! :eye::eye:

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I have been going door to door cold-call soul-winning weekly for over 20 years now, and it never gets easy.  Especially in the Pacific Northwest, but I do follow some guidelines.  I never ever knock or even leave a tract on a door that has a No Soliciting sign, even though I am not selling anything.  I never speak to anyone alone at the door who appears to be under the age of 18 without their parents home and I have met them and asked them for their permission to talk with their child.  Even if the purpose of the visit is to invite them to Vacation Bible School or some other kids event.  I never ever enter a home if a woman is there alone, I don't care if she is 99 years old.  I will not argue with someone or allow them to take me off the topic of salvation. I am looking for a prepared heart ready to listen and receive, if I don't strike oil within 2 minutes, I quit boring...  Yes, I have had everything you can imagine happen to me over the years but even the ones that slammed the door in my face (nice compared to some reactions) I believe fulfilled God's purpose, even if that purpose is to give them "no excuse" on the judgement day when they try to complain that "no one told them" or even tried to warn them.  God will remind them of the two He sent to their door and what their reaction was.

 

 I was led to the Lord by someone door knocking.  My testimony of the illustration that "turned the light on" for me so that the gospel made sense, is posted in the soul winning forum here.  I have led many to the Lord on their doorstep.  When I say "many" I mean less than 200 in 20 years.  I am NOT into easy believism, and anyone I say I have lead to the Lord fully understood the gospel.

 

Bro. Garry

pacific northwest? sounds like you're near me.

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For them, it's a violation of their privacy if they consider it such. For most folks today, that seems to be the case. When at home, if it's not family or friends (sometimes they don't even want them dropping over!), they don't want someone knocking on their door. Many today view this similar to how they view getting telemarketer calls.

Legally speaking it's not a violation, but even so, when several people call the police or their alderman or the mayor complaining about such, the police do show up. I've seen JWs escorted out of town.
:

Its not a violation, even if people think it is. They can ignore it, tell the people to go away, lock their gate so noone gets in, keep a ferocious dog in the yard, post no tresspasding or no soliciting signs-all to keep people out of their yards.

If anyone escorted out if town and there is no town or county ordinance against it, their rights are the ones that have been violated...
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