Three weeks from today, starting on May 1st will be the annual Pella Tulip Time Gospel Outreach. Group Leaders and Guest Speakers have had their meetings, know what they are presenting on, and are diligently preparing to make this year’s outreach the best so far. We’ve been in prayer, seeking the Lord’s guidance, sharing the gospel more frequently, and fine-tuning our gospel presentations in our one-on-one conversations. We are excited about the opportunities this outreach will provide to connect with our community, share the message of hope and salvation, and witness the lives that will be touched through this event. We look forward to the fellowship with you and yearn to see our friends again from across the country to hit the streets together as one. But there is one thing that we are asking you to consider: your involvement and support.
So…have you registered?
There is much value in registering early and not the day before or the day of. It’s important, and not about just getting a headcount. The main purpose of Pella Tulip Time Gospel Outreach is to not just share the gospel, but equpping the saints for the work of the ministry (Ephesians 4: ). It’s the best possible environment to learn evangelism or grow into it within a safe, family-friendly environment being led by people experienced in evangelism. From the Team Leader & Coaching Guide:
“The master goal of the event is to share the gospel with unbelievers AND to coach and train up laborers in the harvest. It is for them to grow and mature in evangelism. For some, they may have never handed out a tract before in their life, and their main goal is to hand out tracts and watch others witness (to help them learn)… Challenge and encourage, but don’t set the bar for them, let them do that, and be their cheerleader.”
The rest of the Team Leader & Coaching Guide is all about helping you overcome fear, weaknesses, and intimidation; and to move one step closer to being a bold and courageous proclaimer of the gospel. One step closer is not failure…but a victory worth celebrating. Us leaders want that for you and to help you as much as we can.
But in order for this to happen effectively, we as your coaches would love for you to register early, get paired up with us at least a week before we meet, so that we can talk through some battleplans before getting on the battlefield. The following are some questions we will be asking.
Name 3 things you want to learn on this outreach in order of importance to you.
The great thing about this outreach is that there is so many different types of evanglism in one place, that you get to try them all if you want, all with someone experienced right next to you. Here you can put your toe in the water of one-on-one street witnessing, passing out tracts, parade evangelism, booth evangelism, prayer stand evangelsim and even open-air-preaching on a “soapbox.”
Maybe it’s not about style or tactic, but rather overcoming fears like being around large crowds or feeling shy when sharing the gospel. A few years ago, I struggled with fear and found it hard to be around people at a festival. My group leader helped me understand that I wasn’t broken, just introverted. I learned that I could engage in extroverted evangelism in my own way, which made me feel more at ease.
If you could accomplish just one thing and call the weekend a victory, what would that be?
What that one thing is is personal to you. Maybe it’s open-air-preaching on the box for a minuite or more? Maybe it’s to have one good conversation a day? Maybe it’s just to hand out one gospel tract? Search inside and think about what that is. But whatever it is, it’s not dependant upon anyone else…just you.
I can’t say my goal is to have 50% of my “students” overcome their fears during Pella Tulip Time. It’s not up to me to do that. It’s beyond my control. But what is in my control is to create an atmosphere to overcome challenges, be flexible in my approach, create constructive feedback and create opportunities for positive reflection all while (prayerfully in His strength and not my own) maintaining a positive attitude.
What do you feel is your greatest strength and weakness?
What are you good at? What are your gifts, strengths, abilities? For me, I like to write, and I think I’m good at it. I love getting my thoughts on paper, and provoking questions to the reader. But, unfortunately, my memory is about as reliable as a goldfish at a spelling bee. Sometimes, my brain pulls a “Macbook loading icon” and just spins, waiting for my thoughts to catch up—it’s quite the show trying to find words on the fly.
But the cool thing about weaknesses is that, according to the Bible, they are our greatest strengths.
“…Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 ESV
When I get to share the gospel with someone, the Holy Spirit always gives me the words so that He receives the credit. When I’ve had to preach behind the pulpit, my wife says I am a different person—confident and engaging. My brain doesn’t wait to load words to my mouth. Why? Because it’s His words, not my own. If the Holy Spirit can do it for me, for sure He WILL do it for you too!
You know your strengths, your weaknesses, and what you want to accomplish–but we don’t. Help us help you and register early.
Join us in this noble mission to spread the gospel in Pella, Iowa from May 1 – 3. Every effort counts, and together we can make a significant impact on the lives of those around us…
Pens & Wrenches 
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