This article is the third in a series related to how to do front door evangelism. Sharing Jesus at the front door of a home is by no means a new method to make Christ known and give sinners an invitation to repent and believe, but it can be an effective one. With nearly 80 percent of Kentuckians opting out of church attendance on Sunday mornings, according to Glenmary Research which bases their findings on church attendance records, we need to use every method we can find, both new and old, to help lost people encounter Jesus and His saving grace.

So, if one decides to venture out into the community on a door-to-door campaign, how should they approach this gospel sharing ministry? This article will describe seven steps to an effective front door gospel visit.

Step One: Walk up the sidewalk to the front door maintaining a friendly, professional attitude. If you are visiting in a rural area you will be driving up a driveway, but the practice remains the same. The point of step one is to remember that you are there on important and serious business and want to make the best first impression you can.

Step Two: Knock on the door, or ring the door bell, then step back at least three steps and turn to the side. Door bells are not always dependable, but a strong rap on the door of five to seven knocks will likely be sufficient. If there is a house dog inside, you will soon know that you have alerted the residents to your presence. The reason to back away from the door and turn to the side is so that the homeowner will not feel threatened by your presence and can look through their window and see you before you see them.

Step Three: Extend your hand toward the door with materials in hand while stating your name, your church, and your business. As the door begins to open reach forward in a not-threatening way with a gospel booklet and some information about your church. As the person is receiving your material state your name and that you are from _______ Baptist church and that you are out talking to people about the Lord and their relationship with the Lord. There are other suitable greetings in front door visitation, but this is my favorite as it clearly identifies who I am, where I am from, and why I am there. The homeowner will decide if he or she wants to talk.

Step Four: If the person accepts your introduction then ask their name and if they have a spiritual belief. It is easy to keep a conversation going if you ask about where the homeowner is from, what kind of work do they do, what are their hobbies, etc.

Step Five: If the conversation continues, ask if you may share your belief with them. It is always good to be prepared to share the gospel and ask if you may share your belief at the door. The person may or may not give permission for you to share, but again it is their house and they can decide if they want to hear you share the gospel. Many people will be open to hearing you share the gospel, so be sure that you are ready to share when given the opportunity.

Step Six: If they listen to your gospel presentation then ask if anything like this has ever happened in their life and if they would like to receive Jesus. Always be ready to help those who are ready and willing to welcome Jesus into their life as Savior and Lord.

Step Seven: Finish the visit by gathering their contact information, praying for them, and sharing next steps. If the person receives Jesus then help them by talking to them about church attendance, baptism, reading the Bible, and sharing their faith. If they are not ready to receive Christ but are open to talking, then invite them to church and ask if you can meet again and talk further. If they are not open to talking, then remind them of the gospel booklet you shared with them and offer to help in the future as needed.

It is my hope that you and your church will consider using front door evangelism as one part of your church’s evangelism strategy. If you are still not convinced of the viability of this method, then consider the multi-billion-dollar political campaign industry. These efforts to get people elected to public office have access to the to all the high-tech tools of the trade and lots of money to spend, yet most of them also use old fashion shoe leather and door to door outreach as part of their effort to win voters. If they believe their political agenda is important enough to send people to talk to strangers at their home, then how much more is our mission of introducing people to Jesus Christ?