Carrollton for Christ update

I wanted to take a minute to provide an update on the Carrollton for Christ effort. This effort is to go door to door to the entire city of Carrollton, Texas and share the Gospel. A video and description in my first post on this effort provides background on how I am doing this. A second post update provided some additional detail.

The Clip Board
The basic method still holds. I carry a clip board with me. The clip board serves the following purposes:

1. The top paper is a flyer from Metro Crest Social Services. This gives me credibility that I am really representing Metro Crest. It has the added benefit that if someone wants to give later, I simply give them a copy of the page. I’ll have about 10 of these on my clip board at one time.
2. Below the stack of flyers from Metro Crest, I have slips of paper for praer requests. Currently the slip just has a place for name and prayer request(s) with some lines to write in. However, I am finding that I at least need to include the date and the address. In addition, it would be beneficial to include a place for email address and phone as well as general comments. I tend to write some or all of this information onto each slip, so it would be useful to have a spot for it. (Note to self – update the card, then share it with this blog). I’ll note here that the request is typically what the person speaks to me. However, if they tell me they have no prayer request and then we get into a discussion and I realize they have not repented and trusted Christ, then I write in a prayer request for their salvation. The general comments section allows me to capture notes like if they are interested in helping, or what religion they said they were.
3. Below the stack of prayer request cards is a couple of sheets of paper. The primary purpose is that I use this to track each house I visit. I primarily only tract that I went to the house and that I had a one on one conversation. So, when I head out, I’ll write the date and draw a line, then skip some space and write 1:1 and put a line. I find it is best to capture the chicken scratch at the same point of each house visit. Otherwise, I get confused and think “did I already mark that house down, or not”. So what I’ve decided to do is that as I walk AWAY from that house back to the sidewalk, I’ll make a mark for the house and a separate mark for a 1:1. Then I move on to the next house.

Before you “go”
The most important thing we do before we “go” is PRAY! I do not want to enter the battle field with out first being prayed up. If my wife is home then we will pray together in person. If not and she is available, we will pray together over the phone. Otherwise, I’ll spend some time in prayer by myself before heading out. If you are going to go door to door, please, do not skip this step!

Three steps to the Gospel
At each house, I am using the approach that I am at the door for three reasons. Then I go through the reasons one by one. Notice that these lead into the Gospel slowly. As Ray Comfort says, we don’t want to come to the door and sudden shine a flash light in their face. We need to awaken them slowly and then bring up the things of God. So the three purposes for visiting are:

1. I first explain that I am conducting a food drive for Metro Crest Social Services and ask if they would be willing to make a donation. As I’ve been doing this, I’ve stressed to people that the food is re-distributed right here in the City of Carrollton. I like for them to know that they are making a local impact. Some will give one can of food. Some a whole bag full of food. The ones that give little will sometimes say they wish they could give more. Some say they would give at a later time. In the latter two cases, I will provide them with a half page flyer from Metro Crest that has their contact information so that they can make a donation at a later time. Some people will go get the food at this point and come back with the food. Others want to know the other two reasons first. Be flexible. As much as my intent is to drive the conversation towards sharing the Gospel, I recognize that it’s their house and respect their wishes whichever way they want to go here.
2. Once the food collection item has been discussed, I turn the spiritual things saying something like, “the second reason that I am here is that my friends and I are having a prayer meeting and we’d like to know if there is any specific way we can pray for you and your family?” Most people regardless of any faith background are receptive to this question. A few have said, “no, we’re good”, but most say something like, “we’d love that” or “can never have too much prayer”. I try to get the prayer request to be something personal about that person because then we could come back in a few weeks and see if the prayer has been answered. One time, I had a man identify himself as a Christian and he offered to pray for me. That was awesome. Another time, the prayer request was for a woman who was caring for her mom. The mom has less than three weeks to live. We discussed the Gospel and realized she and her mom we both saved. We prayer with her right there on the spot. Many tears were shed at that door.
3. Finally, I turn to the Gospel. I tell them, “the third reason that I am here is that I am taking a spiritual survey to see what the neighborhood believes. For instance, do you have any spiritual beliefs, like do you believe in God?” This can lead in a number of directions. They may say right off that they are a Christian, Catholic, Budhist, Muslim or whatever. Or they may say, “no, I don’t believe in God.” Basically I have to be prepared for any possible answer. The good thing is that God will guide the conversation and provide the right response. At the conclusion of the conversation I’ll give them a good news / bad news Gospel tract.

When no one is home
Figuring out if no one is home is not an exact science. There are a couple of key things I check for. First, when I ring the door bell, I try to listen to hear the bell actually ring. If it does, then I know that if they are home and coming to the door, then they should come in 30 seconds or so. If I don’t actually hear the ring, then I am never sure if possibly they are not answering the door because the door bell does not work. If the person has a dog, then you can usually tell that the bell works because you’ll here the dog barking inside. If I didn’t hear the bell, then I may knock instead. I then have to wait a unspecified period of time until I decide if I should move on. Some indicators as to someone being home is seeing light in the windows above or beside the door.

If there is no answer, then I’ll leave a good news / bad news Gospel tract on their door and then move on to the next house.

A few times after waiting what seemed like “long enough”, someone answered the door as I was walking away. In this case, I just go back and talk to them.

Thoughts on experiences
There are a couple of additional thoughts to share.

• I’ve had women come to the door wrapper in a bath towel or wearing a bath robe. In these cases, I’ll excuse myself and move on to the next house.
• Follow the lead of the Holy Spirit. Although it is not my intent to actually pray with the person at thier door, in the case of the woman whose mom was dying, the Spirit lead us to do that and I believe it was a great encouragement to her.
• Look for No Soliciting and No Trespassing signs. Although I don’t believe that what we are soliciting, I have decided to pass by any house that has either of these signs. This avoids getting into a debate about whether it is soliciting or not. I pray for this household as I pass by.
• Be mindful that some people don’t want to talk about spiritual things. God may not be calling them at this time, or their heart may be so hardened to spiritual things that they won’t discuss it. That is okay. I still try to leave them with a Gospel tract.

Finally, when I am rejected, I remember that it is not me that they are rejecting, but Jesus. I take comfort in these words from 1 Peter 4 as I remember words that Mark Cahill wrote in his book, “One thing you can’t do in heaven“

¹²Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. ¹³But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. ¹⁴If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. ¹⁵If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. (1 Peter 4:12-15, NIV)

Mark Cahill writes that there are three responses a person may make to hearing the Gospel: repent and trust Jesus, think about it or reject it. (BTW, if you have not read Mark’s book, it is excellent and highly recommended. You can request a copy from his web site. I may have a few copies left. If so, I’ll send you a free copy if you send me your address.) The last case can come in the form of personal attacks. Although persecution in Carrollton is nothing like what Voice of the Martyrs sees around the world, people still reject the Gospel here. And sometimes, they are not very nice about it. For example, yesterday a Muslim woman said, “there is one god. whether you want to call him allah or Jesus is up to you.” I said, “mam, what if your understanding was wrong, would you want to know about it?” My intention was to give her a Living Waters Why Christianity booklet. However, as I finished my sentence, she stepped back and slammed the door! I don’t take it personally. I take it that she is rejecting Jesus. Breaks my heart. We will be praying for her.

That’s it for now.

Until next time, if there are any questions please email me or post them in the comments. Let me know if you are able to use any of these ideas to reach your own neighborhood or city for Christ. Please keep my efforts to reach Carrollton for Christ in your prayers!