Publicity Suggestions
for the Great Commission Living witness workshop

This page has three parts: Decisions, Time-line, and Suggested wording.

Decisions:

Setting the Fee. Jim will present this workshop at no charge. The registration fee would be based on whether or not the team wants to provide lunch. The fee would also need to cover the cost of coffee and snacks throughout the day. The fee would also depend on how the team will cover the workshop book, Great Commission Living.

Getting the book: There are two choices for providing the book:

1)      order from LCMS World Mission at $6 per book.

2)      Print on church printer. The book is 69 pages, double-sided.

Registration. The team also needs to decide whether it requires money to be sent in with the pre-registrations. Pre-registrations are important to know how to plan for lunch. Experience at other churches has shown that you get more pre-registrations if you set an early-bird fee. There is a logical date for the early bird fee: you need those registrations ten days before the event so you know how many books to order. Those who register after the ten day deadline will still receive a book, but those books will be ordered after the workshop and they will receive the book ten days later. I encourage walk-ins, because those who registered on time can let the later registrants look with them at their book during the workshop itself. Shall there be a special rate for high school and college students? Would you like to have a special rate for two people registering together, sharing one book?

Checks. The team needs to decide who the checks should be written out to, and who will take care of those checks.

Contact person. The brochure will include a tear-off registration blank. The team needs to decide what address will be used, and who will pick up the blanks. If the team allows registration by phone and/or email, the team needs to decide whose phone number will go on the brochure and other publicity.

Time. Jim usually teaches from 9 to 12, and 12:30 to 3:30 (with a fifteen minute break at 19:30 and 2). The team needs to decide whether to lengthen the lunch time, and whether to add a welcome and devotion by one of the pastors before 9 or after 3:30 (this is not required, but many churches want to do this).

Publicity Scope. To decide how many brochures to print, the team needs to decide whether it wants to mail publicity to circuit churches, to all your denomination's churches in the area, or to churches in your area. If you print the brochures in-house, you could print just enough for the first mailing, and then print more when you hand them out to the entire congregation in your church bulletin. Sample wording for a brochure is at the very bottom of this page.

Time line
This plan assumes you will want to publicize the event in two of your monthly church newsletters.

On day of the workshop, set up tables and chairs, sound system, and white-board. Prepare coffee and snacks.

Suggested texts for you to edit:

(Suggested wording for Newsletter two months before the event):

On (date) (church name) will present a workshop called GREAT COMMISSION LIVING.  The Great Commission is “go and make disciples of all nations;” Great Commission Living then is seeing the opportunities to help others become disciples as you go through your day. Through this workshop, burdens will be lifted, common blockades will be removed, and faith will be built up -- faith that God can use you to help others. The sessions provide answers to common concerns such as starting a spiritual conversation, avoiding rejection, answering objections, and not being sure what to say.  Our entire life is a witness, providing opportunities to show how Jesus on the cross is the basis for acceptance by God. Workshop presenter is Jim Found from our church. The workshop fee of $__ will include lunch and materials. The workshop will start at 9 am with coffee and rolls provided, and continue to 3:30. A full description of the workshop can be found at http://www.foundbytes.com/witness/JimWorkshop.htm.

(suggested wording for newsletter for one month before the event):

Have you registered for the GREAT COMMISSION LIVING workshop planned at (your church) on (date)?  Just phone __at ___ or email  ___.  The workshop starts at 9, includes lunch, and continues to 3:30.

 You can learn to share your faith in Christ more effectively, starting with the people God has already placed around you. The new life naturally wants to express itself, and through this workshop you will peel off impediments like fear of rejection, uncertainty as to how to present the faith, anxiety about being faced with objections, and difficulties in bringing up the subject. The power is not in us, but in God, for “the gospel is the power of God unto salvation.” To preview the workshop concepts, go to http://www.foundbytes.com/witness/HowToWit/HowToW_overv.htm.

 You may register by taking a brochure from the welcome center at church, by phoning ___, or by emailing _____. Those who register by February 21 will be able to receive their book at the conference, and receive the discounted rate of $8, which includes lunch. Those who register at the standard fee of $10 by March 4 will receive their book ten days after the conference. Registration on the day of the event is also possible, but getting the standard lunch is not guaranteed.

Suggestion for letter to other churches:

Dear ___

 On (date), (church name) will be hosting a workshop called GREAT COMMISSION LIVING. Christ has commissioned us to “make disciples of all nations.” This workshop will show how we can be part of God’s plan for others to become disciples through the encounters we have in our day to day living.

 The presenter is Jim Found. Jim served as a missionary for eleven years, and then taught mission and outreach courses as part of the Oswald Hoffmann School of Christian Outreach (OHSCO) at Concordia University in St. Paul, Minnesota until he retired from teaching in 2006 and moved to Colorado. He continues to give these workshops around the country as a representative of OHSCO.

 Your congregation members can learn to share their faith in Christ more effectively, starting with the people God has already placed around them. The new life naturally wants to express itself, and through this workshop your members will be able to peel off impediments to that natural expression, impediments like fear of rejection, uncertainty as to how to present the faith, anxiety about being faced with objections, and difficulties in bringing up the subject. The power is not in us, but in God, for “the gospel is the power of God unto salvation,” and people can learn to share this gospel in a relevant, non-threatening way. A full description of the workshop can be found at http://www.foundbytes.com/witness/JimWorkshop.htm.

The workshop will begin at 9 am. Lunch will be provided, and the afternoon session will then continue until 3:30. The registration fee includes snacks, lunch, and all materials. Early registrations will help us to know how many books to order, so we will offer a discount registration amount of $8 for all registrations received by February 23; after that date, the registration amount will be $10. To register, mail the form in the brochure or simply send a note with your check to the church address. You can also email to __ or phone __ at ___.

If you would like additional brochures or suggestions for announcements in your bulletins or church newsletters, please email Jim Found at learner9696@yahoo.com.

Sincerely,

(sponsoring group) 

Suggested wording for Email for all church members 

 Dear Immanuel member or friend,

Immanuel will host a workshop on March 7 called GREAT COMMISSION LIVING. The purpose is to help all of us take part in the Great Commission, which is to “go and make disciples of all nations.” This workshop shows how we can do it naturally as part of our day to day living. The time is 9 am to 3:30 pm, with lunch provided.

The presenter is Jim Found, a member of our church. Jim began giving this workshop while serving as a missionary on Taiwan, and during the years following while teaching missions courses at Concordia University in St. Paul, Minnesota, has presented it in about forty churches around the country. Click here to see a sampling of the workshop approach: http://www.foundbytes.com/witness/HowToWit/HowToW_overv.htm

We hope you can take part. You may register by taking a brochure from the welcome center at church, by phoning ___, or by emailing _____. Those who register by February 21 will be able to receive their book at the conference, and receive the discounted rate of $8, which includes lunch. Those who register by March 4 will receive their book ten days after the conference. Registration on the day of the event is also possible, though getting the standard lunch is not guaranteed.

Suggestion for news release to local papers

 WITNESS WORKSHOP AT IMMANUEL

Immanuel Lutheran church, 4650 Sunview Drive, will host a workshop on March 7 called “Great Commission Living,” showing how people can share faith naturally in the course of daily life and so be part of God’s plan to “make disciples of all nations.” Presenter is Loveland resident Jim Found, representing the Oswald Hoffmann School of Christian Outreach. The workshop is described at www.foundbytes.com/witness/JimWorkshop.htm. To register, phone ____.

For use on a newspaper community calendar on March 6:

Immanuel Lutheran church hosts the Great Commission Workshop tomorrow. For details phone _____.

Suggestions for Sunday bulletin paragraphs:

Does fear of rejection keep you from sharing your faith?  You can learn to share in a non-threatening way that keeps your relationships intact. Find answers at http://www.foundbytes.com/witness/Reluctance/rejected.htm, and more at the Great Commission Living workshop here at Immanuel on March 7.

Are you afraid your witnessing attempt will leave a bad impression?  Find out how even a mistake on your part could be used in God’s plan for your friend. Find answers at http://www.foundbytes.com/witness/HowToWit/what_witn_include.htm, and more at the Great Commission Living workshop here at Immanuel on March 7.

Can you readily move from secular topics into spiritual ones?  Learn three simple ways to transition naturally to the subject of Christ. Find answers at http://www.foundbytes.com/witness/HowToWit/begin_conver.htm, and more at the Great Commission Living workshop here at Immanuel on March 7.

 Do you refrain from witnessing because you’re not sure what to say?  Learn from Peter and Paul what the basic concepts are, and how to share them without becoming mechanical. Find answers at http://www.foundbytes.com/witness/Content/content_intro.htm, and more at the Great Commission Living workshop here at Immanuel on March 7.

 Do you hesitate to being up your faith because you’re sure someone will raise an objection you can’t answer?  Learning the three ways to respond to an objection will release you to get conversations started. Find answers at http://www.foundbytes.com/witness/Reluctance/RaiseObj.htm, and more at the Great Commission Living workshop here at Immanuel on March 7. from 9 to 3:30.

 See how burdens are lightened when you have a clear view of God’s role in witnessing as compared to yours. Find answers at http://www.foundbytes.com/witness/HowToWit/Role.htm, and more at the Great Commission Living workshop here at Immanuel on March 7.

 See how you can be part of God’s command to “make disciples” no matter what response you get when you witness. Find answers at http://www.foundbytes.com/witness/HowToWit/HowToW_overv.htm, and more at the Great Commission Living workshop here at Immanuel on March 7.

 Do you hold back from witnessing because you’re afraid you’ll offend your friend? Find answers at http://www.foundbytes.com/witness/Reluctance/offend.htm,  and more at the Great Commission Living workshop here at Immanuel on March 7.

The brochure in today’s bulletin includes a registration form for the personal witness workshop, which is just three weeks away. You can register though next Sunday, Feb 21, at the early discount rate. There is a box for registrations on the welcome center counter.

 Only six days left until the GREAT COMMISSION LIVING workshop here at Immanuel next Saturday from 9 to 3:30. To help you prepare, there is a devotion for you on each of those six days. Find them at http://www.foundbytes.com/witness/devotions.htm. If you haven’t registered yet, phone ___ at ___.

Other Suggestions: 

If you desire to use bulleting inserts, you might like to print one of the witness devotions each week along with your registration blank.

You might get additional ideas for publicity by contacting some of the churches that have hosted this workshop in the past.

Witness Brochure template

(fill in dates, times, fee, submit to your church’s brochure-maker)
(this template assumes a trifold, but the same copy can by use in other styles)

(page 1 – title page) (brochure maker can add graphics)
GREAT COMMISSION LIVING
Sharing Faith Naturally in Conversation
Presented by Jim Found
Oswald Hoffmann School of Christian Outreach
of Concordia University, St. Paul MN
(date)
(time: suggested is 9 am – 3:30 pm)
(Your church name)
(Your church address)

(page 2)
GREAT COMMISSION LIVING
A personal witnessing workshop

The term “Great Commission” refers to Christi’s command in Matthew 28:19-20: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations.”

 Great Commission Living means that you are ready to see your daily interactions with people as opportunities for God to move them along the track towards faith and discipleship.

 In this workshop, blockades are removed and faith that God can help others through you is built up.  The sessions provide answers to common concerns such as starting a spiritual conversation, avoiding rejection, answering objections, and not being sure what to say.  Our entire life is a witness, providing opportunities to show how Jesus on the cross is the basis for acceptance by God. A preview of the workshop concepts can be found on the link “witness” at www.foundbytes.com.

 (page 3)
Have you ever …

Let a fear of rejection keep you from sharing your faith?

Hesitated to bring up faith because you were sure someone would rasie an objection you couldn’t answer?

Been unsure how to move from secular topics to spiritual ones?

There is a growing need for God’s people to “always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” 1 Peter 3:15 (NIV)

The workshop schedule is:
Session 1 (first morning session): Removing Blockades to Witness
Coffee break
Session 2 (second morning session): Have clear direction while avoiding a mechanical approach
lunch
Session 3 (first afternoon session): Bringing up faith in relevant ways
Coffee break
Session four (second afternoon session): Overcoming fear of Objections

(page 4)

(insert photo of Jim from http://www.foundbytes.com/Jim%20Bio.htm)

 Jim Found
Oswald Hoffmann School of Christian Outreach
Concordia University, St. Paul, MN

 Jim Found and his wife Sue served with LCMS World Mission in Taiwan for 11 years, on the campus of a Chinese school called Concordia Middle School. Upon returning to the states, Jim then taught missions and outreach courses at Concordia University in St. Paul, Minnesota, and as part of the Oswald Hoffmann School of Christian Outreach (OHSCO). Before going to Taiwan, Jim was a Director of Christian Education near Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Jim and Sue moved to Loveland, Colorado when Jim retired from teaching, but Jim continues giving workshops around the country as a deployed member of OHSCO.

 (page 5)
TO REGISTER, Phone _________, email _____________, or mail this slip to the church address on the front of this brochure.

 The registration fee includes the workshop, materials, and lunch. We need to receive your fee by February 22 for you to get the early bird fee of $8, because we will order the books that week. After that the fee becomes $10, and you will receive your book sometime after the workshop.

 Names of those attending:

 Address:

 Phone:

 Home church with City:

 Amount enclosed:

 (page 6)

 (photo of your church)

 (How to find your church)

 (Your church web address)

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