Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Evangelical
Top Ten Ways a Church Can Have a Spiritual Harvest

Top Ten Ways a Church Can Have a Spiritual Harvest

Last updated on: October 6, 2015 at 4:52 pm by Jim Erwin

Top Ten Ways a Church Can Have a Spiritual Harvest 2015-10-06T16:52:11-05:00 Jim Erwin

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.

Top Ten Ways a Church Can Have a Spiritual Harvest

1. Retool your church

A church can spend time updating it’s vision, mission, and values statements. It is important that the church review its existing documents in order to focus their ministry. Focus on the right things keeps churches from being distracted from good things. A church may have to also update to reach a digital generation. Does your church still use cassette tapes? Do you have an updated system that allows you to use smartphones or tablets? The church needs to use new tools for a new generation. Does your church have a website, a Facebook page? How do you communicate your prayer requests?

2. Put on a big event

Putting on a big event for the community attracts a crowd. While this may not create a spiritual harvest, it will help introduce new people to your church. Easter and Christmas are not the only times one can use for big events. Other holidays lend themselves to good opportunities to reach out to the community: July Fourth, Halloween and Thanksgiving are all holidays when a church can use a big event. One can also put on big events based on interests: Sportsman Banquets, 5K Runs, Outdoor Festivals, Parades, and any other local festivals can be hosted by the church.

3. Invite an evangelist

The church should use an evangelist. They are one of the ministers that can be used by the church to build up the church. Some evangelists are preachers, conference speakers, or pastors. Some evangelists have special skills which draw a crowd to hear them: musicians, ventriloquists, illustrators, illusionists, and outdoorsmen. Invite an evangelist to come and speak. You might be surprised how effectively God can use them for your church.

4. Plan a revival

Another way a church can have a spiritual harvest is to plan a revival. Invite a music team and a speaker to help draw interest. If you have been using community events, and have retooled your church, you can use a revival as a way to have your church invite people to hear the Gospel. Contrary to popular opinion, revivals do work.

5. Start a prayer emphasis

All of these opportunities work when God’s people pray. So start a prayer emphasis. You can announce that the church pray for specific ways for a harvest to happen. You can have a 24-hour prayer vigil. Your church can spend a set day each week praying for the lost. Do a prayer walk in your church’s neighborhood. Make your prayer emphasis interesting.

6. Reach out to people

If you want to see lost people get saved, you’ve got to reach out to people. Your church will see a spiritual harvest only if you start to build relationships. You have to reach out to people. Whether by going door to door, asking people in your church for referrals, you need to get out and visit the people.

7. Work with other churches on a campaign

Who says that your church has to do things alone? You can work with other churches on a special emphasis or campaign. Have a tent revival or use a stadium and invite a couple of churches to join in the effort. If another church is planning a special evangelistic effort for the community, offer to help and join in.

8. Have something for the kids
If you want to reach young families, you have to plan something for the kids. Parents come when they know that their kids are being taken care of. Parents may drop their kids off. So you need to focus an evangelistic outreach to both groups. Make sure there is child care. But make sure that you witness to the kids as well.

9. Provide help for the community

The church needs to be part of the community. The best way to be part of the community is to offer your buildings for community events. There are many clubs and groups looking for a free place to meet. If you have an activity center and gymnasium, then offer have the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts come and use the building. Host a health fair with the local hospital. Use your building for baby showers, wedding receptions, and family reunions.

10. Use social media to plan and host a party

Get on Facebook and invite your friends to a party at the church. It doesn’t have to complicated. Have a themed party for the seasons: Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine’s Day. St. Patrick’s Day. You can have a summer event where you grill burgers. These parties are a great way to build relationships, which are necessary for a spiritual harvest to occur. The event doesn’t have to cost money. Just invite a group of people together and have a party. Have fun!

var vglnk = { key: ‘6a3e592a376014df9810d5dab9f5b350’ };

(function(d, t) {
var s = d.createElement(t); s.type = ‘text/javascript’; s.async = true;
s.src = ‘//cdn.viglink.com/api/vglnk.js’;
var r = d.getElementsByTagName(t)[0]; r.parentNode.insertBefore(s, r);
}(document, ‘script’));

Previous Post

October 6, 2015

Back to the Future Part 2 (1989)

Next Post

October 8, 2015 X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category 1 Chronicles 1 Corinthians 1 John 1 Kings 1 Peter 1 Samuel 1 Thessalonians 1 Timothy 2 Chronicles 2 Corinthians 2 John 2 Kings 2 Peter 2 Samuel 2 Thessalonians 2 Timothy 3 John Acts Advent Amos Book Review Colossians Comics Culture Watch Daniel Deuteronomy Ecclesiastes Ephesians Esther Exodus Ezekiel Ezra Galatians Genesis Guest Post Habakkuk Haggai Hebrews Hosea Humor Inspiritational Isaiah James Jeremiah Job Joel John Jonah Joshua Jude Judges Lamentations Lectionary Lent Leviticus Link Love Luke Malachi Mark Matthew Micah Movie Review Nahum Nehemiah Numbers Philippians Political Watch Prophecy Watch Proverbs Psalm Revelation Reviews Romans Ruth Science Watch Sermon Series Sermons Simple Thoughts Song of Solomon Titus Top Ten Uncategorized Video Review Zechariah Zephaniah

Select a Month May 2026 October 2025 September 2025 June 2025 February 2025 January 2025 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 July 2024 June 2024 April 2024 March 2024 January 2024 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 June 2023 May 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 January 2022 June 2021 January 2021 October 2020 July 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 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 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2009 June 2008 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 October 2006 September 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 September 2005

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Which prophet saw a vision of a flying scroll?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Daniel Zechariah Jeremiah Ezekiel