New Approaches

“We can’t keep doing that! It doesn’t work anymore.” 

Lily, a respected, experienced leader of our SLM movement, was close to tears. Some in the room were nodding their heads in agreement. Others had raised eyebrows as if asking with their faces, “Is she seriously suggesting we quit doing initiative evangelism? That is who we are!”

I imagine you have been in some rooms like this. They can be intense! Emotions run high because every person there has committed his or her life to the Great Commission. You have made sacrifices and worked hard. It can be discouraging when our Local Movement Indicators don’t seem to reflect all the work we’ve done and all of the prayers we’ve prayed. 

Your team may find it challenging to engage people in conversations about Jesus. Or you may have great conversations with people when you first meet them—confident they will engage again… but they don’t. People may be making decisions to trust Jesus, but they are not motivated to follow Him with their whole lives and join in the Great Commission. 

What needs to change? Will working harder at the same strategies produce better results? Possibly, but many of us have been faithfully trying that approach for a long time, and it hasn’t worked yet. 

Last month, we talked about approaches to ministry that are motivated by the love of Jesus. We can be motivated by the love of Jesus and fail to communicate the love of Jesus. What is the difference? The basic communication model shows us that effective communication doesn’t happen just through the sender’s intent of the message. The receiver has to hear, understand, and interpret the message that has been sent before we can determine if effective communication has happened. Following in the footsteps of Jesus, we need to take the initiative to communicate to our people in ways that they can hear, receive, and understand.

I am happy to introduce you to a resource that will help you understand the people God has called you to love and reach even better than you already do. It is called The Audience Map. This website, which is in its beta version, is designed to help all our local teams (not just digital strategies) by giving insights into people's spiritual journeys. It is based on actual, ongoing global research. You will be able to hear from people in their own words as they tell us what they care about, how they are more likely to engage in spiritual topics, and what next steps they are likely to take. 

The Audience Map is a sense-making tool. It will not give you the perfect strategy to reach people, but it will help guide you and your teams to be led by the Holy Spirit in creating more effective strategies. I want to invite you to explore it for yourself!

Our mission has not changed, but our strategies, approaches, and tactics must change. Our goal is not merely to proclaim concepts. We want to love people with the love of Jesus and help them understand the gospel so that their lives are transformed by a relationship with the God who created them and died to save them.

Together with you,
Cheryl

While past methods may have once proven effective, they now face challenges in the rapidly changing digital landscape. To remain relevant, we must embrace adaptation, innovation, and a shift in mindset.

Maintaining Tradition, Embracing Change

Our previous strategies were grounded in successful traditions and methods. However, sometimes our focus has shifted from genuine audience needs to rigid strategic planning and unattainable goals. Recognizing the limitations of these approaches prompted a shift towards a new mindset—one guided by Spirit-led compassion and a readiness to take calculated risks.

For example, I worked on a campaign to tackle the widespread issue of loneliness among urban youth. We realized that the campaign needed to shift toward collaboration and Kingdom-oriented thinking to be successful. We accessed invaluable expertise and resources through a partnership with Media Impact International. That research emphasized the significance of meaningful engagement rather than mere content delivery. To serve our audience better, we redefined our persona and devised four distinct personas we wanted to reach. 

In her book It’s Complicated, Danah Boyd writes, “In a world where information is easily available, strong personal networks and access to helpful people often matter more than access to the information itself.” By defining distinct audience personas and leveraging strong personal networks, we fostered genuine dialogue and connection.

Acknowledging that traditional communication methods like email weren’t adequate, we embraced instant messaging platforms to facilitate real-time, personalized interactions with our digitally savvy audience.

Manifesting Transformation

The impact of these changes was profound, with over 200k inbound/outbound messages from 75k+ unique visitors. As conversations progressed, thousands of visitors asked for Scriptural material. Over several months, we engaged with youth on their terms, offering hope and sowing seeds of the gospel beyond the confines of traditional church settings. Witnessing over 100 professions of faith underscores the significance of our adaptive approach, leaving room for continued impact in the days ahead.

As we approach experiments and innovation in our ministry, we need to remember that the gospel is the important thing, not how it’s packaged. My philosophy is that everyone who reaches out for a mentor in The Mentor Ministry should be given a relevant presentation of the gospel. I believe God has created our organization to proclaim the good news, and if someone starts a conversation with us, regardless of why, they should eventually hear about Jesus.

Where we innovate is in the conversation transition from a discussion about a felt need to why I care about the person and, even more importantly, why Jesus cares. 

Our organization has a history of making things transferable. From the 4 Spiritual Laws to the three-minute testimony, we’ve done a good job of training people to share their faith at the proclamation stage. 

Now, we’re working on new approaches to bridge the gap between the start of the conversation and the spiritual presentation. It’s the hard part. It is where people will often say, “I’m not interested,” and slam the door (sometimes metaphorically.) Here are a few examples of transitions.

A mental health nurse I know asks her anxious patients if they have a faith background to find out if there’s a common language or understanding she can use with them as she helps them with their anxiety. 

One of our team members shares how she spent her Easter weekend and what it means in her life.

We will continue to curate as many examples as we can so we can create transferable training. What are some examples from your ministry?

Sometimes to be faithful to the mission, we must try new approaches. Looking at today’s hookup culture, we decided that one way to point people toward Jesus was by redefining how relationships are built in the Philippines and beyond. 

We created Boiling Waters PH as a relationship platform that empowers Filipinos to build healthy and smart relationships worldwide. We believe in the power of connection, communication, and community in fostering bonds that flourish. From this belief, Boiling Waters PH emerged as a trusted guide for those navigating Filipino culture's intricate world of relationships.

The message spread like wildfire. Our presence on social media skyrocketed, amassing over 2 million solid followers who engage, share, and grow with our content daily. But it didn’t stop there. In 2019, we hit a monumental milestone by ranking as the Philippines’ top podcast on Spotify, a signpost to our unwavering commitment to providing valuable insights and relatable content.

Our online community now has over 100,000 members and is continuously expanding. It’s a space for individuals to share experiences, seek advice, and support one another in pursuing healthier, smarter relationships.

Shaped by #Hack

Through Indigitous #HACK, one of our core strategies came to life: the BW Dating App. Participants spent hours and days across various events strategizing ways to counter the toxic relationship culture and foster healthier relationships through this platform.

Under the guidance of coaches and experts during Indigitous #HACK, we gained valuable insights that created momentum for this project, engaged users, and designed a pathway for individuals to encounter and engage with the Gospel.

We also gained investors during #HACK who elevated the vision to a new level of commitment, ensuring that many users will continue to enjoy and benefit from the project.

We launched the app in early 2024 and are currently on track to reach 10,000 beta users.

“For lack of guidance a nation falls, but victory is won through many advisers.” Proverbs 11:14

The Indigitous community has enabled us to advance our vision and connect with valuable individuals along the way, helping us refine and challenge our ideas to ensure we fulfill our mission. How about you? What will you build together with the Body of Christ?