The Five Thresholds for Churches
How can your church center relational evangelism as the “new normal” of faithful witness? Please consider using our InterVarsity best practices. It is our honor to share what God has taught us over the past 20 years. Use these five presentations and practical habits to train and equip your congregations.
Training 1: God Does the Work
With evangelism, it's important to remembe that rGod goes before us. It is essential that we learn to lift up our eyes of faith and look for where God is at work. As we grow eyes of faith, relational evangelism becomes a great adventure of discovery, looking for the fingerprints of God on everyone we talk to. As we embrace this mental shift, relational evangelism shifts from “I have to” to “I get to” be involved in God’s kingdom advancing. Use this set of slides and this intercession assignment to pave the way in prayer.
FAQ for Foundations of Friendship Evangelism Training
Training 2: The Five Thresholds of Faith
There are a number of myths about how Jesus’ harvest works. In this session, you will look at Mark 4:26-29, and allow Jesus to shape how we view his harvest. Everyone is invited to contribute to Jesus’ harvest, not just the extroverts and those with the gift of evangelism. How do we then live out this picture of the fruitful harvest? Over the past 20 years, InterVarsity has found the Five Thresholds of Faith to be the most reliable framework for how people grow towards faith in Jesus, and how we can be good friends along the journey. Use these slides to shift how your congregation sees their role in the harvest. Use our prayer map to help them see the harvest field around them.
Five Thresholds of Faith Slides
FAQ for Five Thresholds of Faith
Training 3: Asking Good Questions: the Lost Art of Spiritual Conversations
Jesus is an expert at asking thought-provoking questions, meanwhile we are preoccupied with the “right” answers. We will take a quick look at some of Jesus’ impactful questions. Use this training to help your congregation grow in asking exploratory questions and deepen spiritual conversations. You will explain how to pair up a connecting question with a deepening question. We think that every Christian should have their two favorite pair of questions ready to go. Have fun with this training. There is no such thing as the correct questions to ask.
Training 4: Compelling Invitations: Invitations that Change Lives
Jesus builds his movement in part based on compelling invitations. In this session, you will learn the difference between bland and boring invitations, compared to clear and compelling invitations. We learn from John 1 and Jesus’ “come-and-see” invitations. You will workshop practical invitations that your congregation can use tomorrow with their friends.
Compelling Invitations Worksheet
Small Group Invitation to Faith Worksheet
Training 5: Mentoring New Believers
What will you do after the thresholds, when people say “yes” to following Jesus? Use this session to equip your congregation to mentor these new believers. It is important to increase your empathy for new believers, and how confusing new faith can feel. We also provide a tried-and-true five-week bible study for you to use with new believers. Check it out!