Connected to God, connected to each other, connected to the world: An evangelism model for Mount Paran North Church of God (Georgia)

This project was initiated by two simple questions: why are not more people involved in evangelism, and for those who are, why are they not better at it? To begin to answer these questions, two frames of reference were analyzed, our present culture known as postmodern, and the ministry culture of Mount Paran North.; It was postulated that engaging in evangelism and being effective in this new postmodern world requires three different connection points: connected to God, each other and the world. Most often overlooked in the discussion of evangelism is an individual's relationship with God. It gets overshadowed by discussion of method and doctrine. Each has its place in effective evangelism; however, John 15 awakens the believer to the imperativeness of connection and the reality of ineffectiveness in being disconnected from the Vine. The premise here is that the postmodern culture can sense a "stale" relationship a mile away. Dealing with a culture built on relationships and experience requires one to be engaged in an up-to-the-minute, exciting relationship with God.; This connection with God needs to be coupled with relationships with other believers. The postmodern longs for community and is more apt to welcome the message of Christ in that context. Acts 2 is a strong indication of the magnetism the message of Christ has when linked with a community of Christ followers. In addition, our connection with God is shaped and strengthened in community.; Finally, as followers of Christ, we cannot be effective in proclaiming the Good News from a distance. In Jesus' prayer recorded in John 17, He specifically indicated His desire that we remain in the world. This is contrasted to the tendency of followers of Christ to separate themselves from unbelievers and insulate themselves in the "Christian" world. Our effectiveness in introducing unbelievers to Christ is directly in proportion to our relational distance.; Presented in this work is a small group structure for Mount Paran North, an introduction to the postmodern culture, and an initial training in postmodern evangelism.