October 26, 2025
Block Party Evangelism
A Biblical Model
Matthew 9:9-13 - 9 As Jesus
passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax
booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.
10 And as Jesus reclined at
table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were
reclining with Jesus and his disciples. 11 And when
the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher
eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 But
when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a
physician, but those who are sick. 13 Go and
learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’
For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Does there seem to have been a sermon, speech, or other form
of evangelism at this event?
What role does mercy play in our outreach?
How is mercy displayed?
“[W]e knew that if we could get to know people, Jesus was
already taking care of advancing his own mission in their lives.” – p. 137
Long-Term Missionaries
What is the key difference between short and long-term
mission work? Friendship.
Finke’s Neighboring Formula
Unhurried Time + Proximity + Activity (usually involving
food) = Conversation
Conversation x Time = FRIENDSHIP
Unhurried Time
This is more of a mindset or attitude we have when we are
with people.
Do you remember Jesus’ inefficiently effective model of
mission?
Be curious –
1.
Who are these people?
2.
What is Jesus up to in their lives?
3.
How can I join him?
Proximity
Acts 17:24-28 – The God who made the world and everything in
it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by
man, 25 nor is he served by human hands, as
though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life
and breath and everything. 26 And he made from
one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the
earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their
dwelling place, 27 that they should seek
God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is
actually not far from each one of us, 28 for
“‘In him we live and move and have our being’; (Epimenides
of Crete)
as even some of your own poets have said,
“‘For we are indeed his offspring.’ (from Aratus’s poem “Phainomena”)
What does this passage teach us about proximity?
What does it teach us about curiosity regarding the people
we meet?
What is God’s purpose in his placement of people in times
and places?
Activity
Finke is big on food and beverages.
So was Jesus. – Matthew 11:19 “The Son of Man
came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a
drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is
justified by her deeds.”
What other activities might help us to get to know others?
Conversation
What is the difference between conversation and proclamation?
How important is listening to a conversation?
This might be a lost art that we badly need to regain in our
time.
Some challenges to conversation:
-
Talking points
-
Believing that disagreement is an attack
-
Competitiveness
-
Formulating responses
-
Prejudging people’s motivations, beliefs, and worth
Time
How much time was there between the first sin and Jesus’
death and resurrection?
How long was Israel in Egypt?
How long was Israel in Babylon?
2 Peter 3:8-9 – But do not overlook this one fact,
beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand
years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill
his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not
wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
Friendship
Can there be varying depths of friendship?
What might be some central characteristics of friendship?
Why might friendship be the best context for witnessing to
another person?
Missional Communities
“It’s dangerous to go alone! Take this.” – an unnamed old
man, The Legend of Zelda.
Mark 6:7 – Jesus called the twelve and began to send
them out two by two ….
What is the role of the community in discipleship and
mission?
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