Party Evangelism: A Churched Perspective

Last updated on: May 18, 2006 at 5:44 am by Scot McKnight

Party Evangelism: A Churched Perspective 2006-05-18T05:44:07-05:00 Scot McKnight

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

One of my students, Renee Dinges, did this project on party evangelism and she is working this out with another of my students, who must have one of the coolest names in history, “Lightning.” He, too, is prayerfully considering becoming a church planter. This post is his interview.

February 24, 2006
Lightning Atkinson, with his wife Sara and a few others, are currently pioneering the concept of “party evangelism” at the Vineyard Christian Church of Evanston, Evanston, Illinois. Currently using their house group as the “pilot” forum of the cutting edge evangelism angle, Lightning sat down to talk about what he has found.
Where did you originally hear about the idea of “party evangelism”? What was your initial reaction to the concept?
I initially heard of a Vineyard pastor, Steve Morgan, who was using “party evangelism” as significant gathering element of his church plant in Seattle. Steve Nicholson, the senior pastor, at Evanston, later suggested the idea, sharing a bit of how it has impacted the Morgan plant, at Evanston’s Leaders Day in September. My thought when I heard of the concept was “that could work.”
What was it that made you want to try “party evangelism”?
When Sara and I began to dream and talk about the vision for our new house group, we decided that we wanted a group that drew people in. Being that we are preparing to church plant in the next year and church plants are often full of new Christians, we wanted to try the “party evangelism” with our house group, making it a place that attracted people that were unfamiliar with or uncomfortable with the traditional church setting.
Is there a specific passage in the Bible or element of Christ’s character that you relate to “party evangelism” as a foundational characteristic?
Jesus, as a person, was so attractive to others that people threw parties for Him; take Simon, for example or Zacchaeus. Jesus created a non-religious context to meet with these people and build relationship with them, similar to the idea of “party evangelism”.
Now that you have hosted a few of these parties, what are your thoughts about the concept? Do you think it’s effective?
It is a slow way to do evangelism. Practically it usually takes about 2-4 months of inviting, for a person to first come to a party. Followed by an additional 3-4 parties (which usually means 3-4 months—a party per month), for a person to come to a Sunday morning service. For people that arrive at these parties primed and “ready”, in a sense to become Christians, the parties are clearly effective. These parties are not aimed at “closing the deal” on a person’s salvation, but rather focused on “getting leads” on peoples’ lives.
What are some of the strengths and weaknesses of “party evangelism”?
A major strength is that these parties are a tool to bring people into a place and eventually a community that then allows other tools (relationships, the salvation message, etc) to be used.
The parties that we have found to be most successful are those that have had a gimmick of sorts. “Hat and Wig” night was one of our favorites, requiring all party-goers to wear either a hat or wig or in some cases both. Some brought their own, while most claimed and throughout the night, traded the hats and wigs we provided. This gimmick tied the party together, allowing for a central aspect with low-key, low-pressure structure.
A weakness, or hard part of party evangelism, is that it takes a lot of people and structure to “put on” or host a party. In most cases, it requires about 12-15 people to organize and facilitate a party.
We have come to realize that there need to be definite and clear roles filled by the group of people hosting the parties. I believe there are about seven major roles that need to be filled by either a person or few people during each party, beginning with the “administrator”, who does the “pre party” work, coordinating and planning the details. A “host” is concerned about making people feel welcome, initially greeting them and bringing them into the party. A “team of minglers” then takes over, working to mix new people with old people, make conversation, and connect people. An “overly extroverted person” helps a lot, setting the social tone of the party. A “kitchen staff” is responsible for more than food, as people are often likely to wander into the kitchen and just hang out; this team creates the “homey” part of the party. “Bringers” make the party, by simply bringing people, which requires them to be networked within the community (one outside of the church) from which they can gather people. A few “intercessors” rounds out the group, praying that God’s work would be done at the parties.
What about follow up (with the people that come to a party): is there a necessary process or does that element happen naturally?
Ideally the parties work by person A inviting an un-churched friend of his that is in the 1st or 2nd circle of his life. This way the follow-up is naturally, happening casually at the office, a playgroup, book club, etc.
Do you think “party evangelism” attracts a certain type of person or is it something that anyone “flocks” to?
These parties usually hook the demographic of people holding the parties. People invite their friends who are usually like themselves.

Conversion

Emerging Movement

Previous Post

May 18, 2006

Paul's Prayers for Rome

Next Post

May 18, 2006 Spamalot

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Acts of the Apostles Adam Advent Anabaptism Angels Anglican Apologetics Atonement Baptism BCP Prayers Bible Biblical Studies Birds Blogging Bloglossary Bonhoeffer Books Calvinism Christianity Church Church History Coffee Colossians Commentary Recs Conversion Creation Creeds Culture Death Ecclesiastes Economics Education Embracing Grace Emergent Emerging Movement Eschatology Essays Ethics Eucharist Evangelicalism Family Fasting Fathers Fellowship of Differents Footsteps Tour Fun and Whimsical Gospel Grace Happiness Heaven Hell Holy Spirit Irenaeus James Jesus Jesus Creed Job Justification Kingdom of God Law Lectures Lent Liberalism Love and Marriage Mabanteneni Manhood Mary Miracles Missio Alliance MissioLife Missional Missional Jesus Movies and Film New Perspective Northern Seminary OneLife Origins Project Orthodox Parables Pastor's Spouse Pastoring and Leading Pastoring and Preaching Patristics Paul Paul-John Tour Pharisees Pietism Political Theology Prayer and Formation Preaching Problems for Faith Psalm 119 Psalms Public Issues Purgatory Religions Resurrection Revelation Romans Rule of JCreed Science and Faith Sermon on the Mount Sports Ten Commandments Theology Third Way Top Ten Lists Translations Uncategorized Universalism University Ministry Way Out Weekly Meanderings Wisdom Women and Ministry Work Worship Writing & Blogging Youth Ministry

Select a Month July 2021 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 0000

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Which prophet had a vision of God standing beside a destroyed altar?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Amos Micah Ezekiel Joel