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Have you heard this statement?


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Door to door specifically I don't think is effective in every setting.

Was it Adoniram Judson who only began to see people saved after setting up a "teachers box"?

The people of Burma would not listen to anyone who tried to teach on the street, because their culture denied that as legitimate.

He had to find a "culturally acceptable way" to preach the Gospel. 

Methods can change to fit the culture - the Message can not.

 

There are some over here who still doorknock, but many do nothing at all.

We changed some time ago to "letterbox dropping", because, quite frankly, that was what we were doing anyway when we were doorknocking.

Culturally here in Western Australia, people do not like you "invading their home" like that, and most will shut the door as soon as they hear the word "church". 

That is if you can get them to open the door in the first place.

Our doorknocking went like this in general:

Knock knock.

Wait.....

Wait.....

Wait.....

2 mins later......

Walk away and put an invitation tract (which included the Gospel) into the letterbox.

That was 90% of homes.

9% of those that did answer, shut the door in the middle of our sentence, as soon as they realised we were from a church.

It was genuinely less than 1% of homes that would give you any more than 30 secs at the door.

So we decided to cut out the 2 or 3 mins of waiting at each home, and instead letterbox 4 - 5 times as many homes.

If someone is out the front we try to talk to them.

We still have had very few come because of letterboxing, but I have found over the years that when we stop, we also stop getting visitors.

It is my conviction, from personal experience (in other words, I don't have a Bible verse for it) that God rewards the efforts we make, but not necessarily through those efforts.

If doorknockling works in your area, then go for it.

If doorknocking doesn't work in your area, then find another way to have a regular, dedicated outreach to your community.

(I also understand that in some places it is illegal to put non-post items in the house letterbox. That is not the case here.)

 

 

 

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13 hours ago, DaveW said:

Door to door specifically I don't think is effective in every setting.

Was it Adoniram Judson who only began to see people saved after setting up a "teachers box"?

The people of Burma would not listen to anyone who tried to teach on the street, because their culture denied that as legitimate.

He had to find a "culturally acceptable way" to preach the Gospel. 

Methods can change to fit the culture - the Message can not.

 

There are some over here who still doorknock, but many do nothing at all.

We changed some time ago to "letterbox dropping", because, quite frankly, that was what we were doing anyway when we were doorknocking.

Culturally here in Western Australia, people do not like you "invading their home" like that, and most will shut the door as soon as they hear the word "church". 

That is if you can get them to open the door in the first place.

Our doorknocking went like this in general:

Knock knock.

Wait.....

Wait.....

Wait.....

2 mins later......

Walk away and put an invitation tract (which included the Gospel) into the letterbox.

That was 90% of homes.

9% of those that did answer, shut the door in the middle of our sentence, as soon as they realised we were from a church.

It was genuinely less than 1% of homes that would give you any more than 30 secs at the door.

So we decided to cut out the 2 or 3 mins of waiting at each home, and instead letterbox 4 - 5 times as many homes.

If someone is out the front we try to talk to them.

We still have had very few come because of letterboxing, but I have found over the years that when we stop, we also stop getting visitors.

It is my conviction, from personal experience (in other words, I don't have a Bible verse for it) that God rewards the efforts we make, but not necessarily through those efforts.

If doorknockling works in your area, then go for it.

If doorknocking doesn't work in your area, then find another way to have a regular, dedicated outreach to your community.

(I also understand that in some places it is illegal to put non-post items in the house letterbox. That is not the case here.)

 

 

 

When brother Ted Snyder (is a member here) was a missionary in New Zealand, they would do a lot of letterbox drops. I believe they were helping to grow the local church too.

I too think the method that works in your locality is important and agree 100% the message must foremost be the gospel of Christ.

P.S. Ted is now in Comayagua, Honduras.

Edited by 1Timothy115
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Our church does "Sowing and Reaping."   We have some that go out and leave door hangers (sowing).  Two or three weeks later we have teams who then go to same houses knocking doors (reaping.)  We track each door (address) and we try to return to each door until someone is actually talked to.  Since people rarely answers/opens doors this day and age most contacts come when people are out in the yard, getting into car, etc. 

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1 hour ago, 1611mac said:

- What is meant by "letterbox drop"?  (Hanger on a mailbox?)  

Yes, putting the gospel tract/church invitation into the letterbox. However, that is actually illegal in some places, to use the letterbox for anything but mail.

We do something like this when we do go out, but since we live in an RFD (rural free delivery) area, most have no mailboxes, so we have to put them on fences, into screen doors, tie it onto the barking pitbull's collar, wherever we can find a place to attach it.

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1 hour ago, Ukulelemike said:

Yes, putting the gospel tract/church invitation into the letterbox. However, that is actually illegal in some places, to use the letterbox for anything but mail.

We do something like this when we do go out, but since we live in an RFD (rural free delivery) area, most have no mailboxes, so we have to put them on fences, into screen doors, tie it onto the barking pitbull's collar, wherever we can find a place to attach it.

Yes... that would be illegal here in the U.S.  The nice things about this area is that it is heavily populated with many, many, subdivisions so it's easy to walk an entire subdivision and just hang on door.  When I was in rural s.w. Colorado (high desert) the houses were far, far, apart and many you couldn't even get to due to cattle/driveway gates, etc.  

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1 minute ago, 1611mac said:

Yes... that would be illegal here in the U.S.  The nice things about this area is that it is heavily populated with many, many, subdivisions so it's easy to walk an entire subdivision and just hang on door.  When I was in rural s.w. Colorado (high desert) the houses were far, far, apart and many you couldn't even get to due to cattle/driveway gates, etc.  

We have some of each, with some in between. We have a small housing area, about 5 streets in parallel, maybe 150 houses, we can get them all in about an hour with 4 people, maybe less. Then we have an outlying area where there's a bit more space, and fewer houses, so we might get fifty in a few hours, then in the boonies we might drive 15-20 minutes between houses/trailers. And some may shoot at you, some may not. Some are out making meth, so you try to avoid them.

 

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2 minutes ago, 1611mac said:

RE: Some may shoot you

Ha... That is why I carry when I go door to door...  (legally)

I will hold my Bible high up in the air and come in slow if I worry about it-usually then they either welcome me or just ask me to be on my way, but when they know that's why you're there and not a cop or out for trouble, they'll usually not feel threatened. I've not been threatened at this point, personally.

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4 hours ago, Ukulelemike said:

Yes, putting the gospel tract/church invitation into the letterbox. However, that is actually illegal in some places, to use the letterbox for anything but mail.

We do something like this when we do go out, but since we live in an RFD (rural free delivery) area, most have no mailboxes, so we have to put them on fences, into screen doors, tie it onto the barking pitbull's collar, wherever we can find a place to attach it.

I sometimes wish it was here.  So many leaflets and flyers, sometimes the same handful two days running.pizza delivery notices, hinese os curry takeaways as well. Oh and envelopes addressed to the "Occupier" , and cards saying "We have just sold a house in your road and are looking for more."

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Perhaps, but I will place my trust in the Lord when I give the gospel. I'm not saying you're wrong to do what you do, but interestingly, these promises: "Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you." is done in context of witnessing for the Lord. So I believe that God will protect us as we go forth for Him.

 

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AdamL

In 2013 I visited 79 houses on a road between my home and my local church. Of those door knocking visits one lady (lady 1) came to our church (2015) and attends faithfully. She brings a lady friend (lady 2) with her and they are present for both Sunday School and Sunday worship. This year lady 1's husband has begun to attend some activities at our church.

I have a small group I witness to at a country store, very clannish. They have allowed me to join into their group to some degree after years of stopping after Sunday morning services. I've met them out in the community at other locations and they have cordially invited me to come back. There has been no fruit. I will continue to go back.

It has already been said above plant some, water some, let God give the increase. Right motive and praying is also a necessity.

I hope this is encouraging for you. Looking back on it is re-encouraging for me.

FCC (SW) RET

Edited by 1Timothy115
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