Not Without Aim | Making Evangelistic Goals

EVANGELISM ARTICLE
B. Colton McDaniel | Springfield, Illinois

We know we ought to be evangelistic, do we not? We also know how to go about saving souls. I have confidence in my brethren that they are both able and willing to go out and work. I often hear them speak of the importance and necessity of evangelism with passion. It is that yearning that led you to read this evangelism section in the first place. The trouble is making the determination to “Go.”  For whatever reason, be it fear or uncertainty, we can lack the drive to just get up and get to work. This is where goals come into play.

Goals motivate us to action. Some, however, say making goals hurts evangelism. Perhaps they assume this because previous attempts failed to deliver or because they think goals will stifle on-the-spot evangelism. This could not be further from the truth. In fact, I would venture to say that nothing is accomplished in evangelism without setting goals. We will not get to work if we have not made the decision to do so.

God is a God of goals. The phrase “the purposes of God,” could even be considered synonymous with “the goals of God.” There’s nothing about goals that undermines the sovereignty  of God. He always accomplishes what He intends to accomplish. With that in mind, consider Ephesians 3:8-11. Paul says God planned the gospel and the church in eternity: “according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ” (emphasis mine).

We have several examples in the Scriptures of individuals making plans and commitments. Job made a goal not to lust after women (Job 31:1). David determined not to transgress the Lord with his mouth (Psalm 17:3). Paul purposed to go to Rome after he went to Jerusalem (Acts 19:21). He even described the life of a Christian as reaching for a goal (Philippians 3:14).

The chief example of setting goals – especially evangelistic goals – is Christ. In Jesus’s ministry we find a consistent purpose: save the lost (Luke 19:10). In fact, the first two sentences recorded of our Savior’s ministry are evangelistic (Matthew 4:17, 19). When you read through the Gospels, it becomes obvious; Jesus was accomplishing His goals.

What is incomprehensible is that, when Jesus finished His saving work and left this world, He entrusted us with His goals of saving the lost (Matthew 28:18-20). He trusts us. And, we can have confidence in our work because of this promise: “I am with you always.” When we say with Paul, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:20), we are saying that Jesus’s aim; His ambitions, His actions are all ours. Christ’s goals have now been made our own. When it comes to evangelism, we can do this because He did – and He lives in us. Will you live up to that? Well, if we want the evangelistic zeal of Christ, we must first recognize we are nowhere near it. If, however, we make intentional plans as He did, we will be one step closer.

To start, we ought to make S.M.A.R.T. goals.₁ This is a common method of planning and has become the standard for setting goals. The acronym is easy to remember, and it addresses the requirements and qualities of a focused, successful goal.

S.M.A.R.T evangelistic goals will be…

Specific. You have to narrow down your thinking and no longer think of evangelism in generalities. The more vague your goals, the less likely you will be to follow through on them. “I want to teach people the gospel” is a noble sentiment, but it is not enough. Ask yourself: What precisely do I want to accomplish?

Measurable. You need to see yourself making headway to stay motivated with each milestone. Your goals must be quantifiable, or you will lose focus. Ask yourself: How will I know when my goals have been accomplished?

Achievable. You should make sure you actually can reach your goals – though they ought to push you to your limits. This needs to be a goal you have control over. For instance, you cannot determine how many will obey the gospel. Ask yourself: How can I realistically accomplish these goals?

Relevant. You must actually have goals you and others care about. Thomas Merton said, “People may spend their whole lives climbing the ladder of success only to find, once they reach the top, that the ladder is leaning against the wrong wall.” More on relevancy below. Ask yourself: Are these goals the most effective use of my time?

Time-bound. You need to make a deadline for yourself. If you do not have a proper timeframe, you will not accomplish what you intend, because you will always have other things to do. As Dempsey Collins teaches in his classes on evangelism, “Someday is not on your calendar.” Ask yourself: When will I get these goals done?

To illustrate, a S.M.A.R.T. goal could be, “I will go to the Starbucks near my house (specific) every weekday from 7 to 8 A.M. (time-bound/measurable) to study my Bible and greet people who pass by (achievable) to build trusting relationships and make contacts for individual studies (relevant).”

What does your S.M.A.R.T. goal look like? Write one down.

In creating these goals, we must understand a couple things. After we have made our goals, we must allow for flexibility. If our evangelistic goals are failing, it is most likely because some or all of the S.M.A.R.T. qualities are missing or unfocused. Also, not everyone’s goals will be exactly alike. Everyone can do evangelistic work, but everyone must evaluate what their work may be (see Galatians 6:4-5). This goes back to our R in S.M.A.R.T. goals.

Do you know yourself well? Your talents? Your limitations?

Personality tests are helpful in answering these questions as they are designed for self-evaluation. Legitimate tests – not the goofy, inaccurate options on social media – are out there. Two respected standards in this category are the Littauer Test₂ and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI).₃ The Littauer Test shows where we lean when accomplishing tasks – which directly applies to our discussion. If forces us to decide, “Do I prefer the fun way, my way, the right way, or the easy way.”₄ The MBTI produces sixteen personality-type results based on dichotomies. Is my attitude prone to Extroversion or Introversion? Do I function dominantly by Sensing or Intuition? Thinking or Feeling? I prefer which lifestyle – Judgment or Perception?

Understand, when you take these tests, that none of these personality types are wrong for evangelism. All have their strengths and weaknesses, helping or hurting your work. For example, on the MBTI, my wife and I are polar opposites. We function and process the world in two completely different ways, which means we also will approach evangelism in two completely different ways. I approach evangelism always asking how I can motivate someone to action, while my wife meticulously analyzes and can see if that same individual does not understand something in the study. (Personally, I think we make a pretty good team!) All personalities are needed in the body of Christ.

Knowing where we stand as individuals will show us how to best reach people. If we don’t know ourselves, we cannot make successful goals. And let me suggest not to worry too much about your limitations – as long as they are not taken to their sinful extreme. If you focus too much on your weaknesses, your strengths will also begin to fade. USE YOUR STRENGTHS (Romans 12:3-8)!

Each of us have abilities. Let’s use them to the glory of the Father. The Scriptures are not asking you personally to begin a world-outreach ministry. God simply wants you to use the time you have to the best of your ability, so that souls might be saved (Colossians 4:5-6). I recommend that you write down a list of five evangelistic goals you hope to accomplish by the end of the year. Look back at that list every week to see where you are. Christ is behind you in your work to save souls. Make goals that will help you accomplish the goals of Christ.

What we need to do now is get to it! You may be familiar with this short story. Two farmers both prayed constantly to God for a good crop. Both had all the tools and equipment they needed. One prepared his fields – plowing, spraying, and seeding the ground. The other just waited. Which farmer was ready to receive an answer from the Lord? Which one are you?

“The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest” (Matthew 9:37-38).

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1 For more on S.M.A.R.T. goals, see mindtools.com
2 A fillable PDF of this test can be found at rockthechurch.com
3 A printable PDF of this test along with an explanation of its results can be found here.
4 I would highly recommend buying Florence Littauer’s book on these four personality types, Personality Plus: How to Understand Others by Understanding Yourself. The book includes her personality test along with full explanations of each personality.

18.04.03 | GROW magazine