Method

The call is an eleven week program consisting of both classroom training and 'on-the-job' practice. The training materials used are founded upon the training method of Evangelism Explosion. The materials used consist of the book "Evangelism Explosion" plus unit study handouts. The classes meet once a week for three hours. The current schedule can be viewed here.

One of the foundational ideas of Evangelism Explosion is that God equipped every one of us with a tool to help us learn how to present the gospel of Jesus Christ -- our hand. Each digit of the hand represents one point in the gospel presentation, and constitutes a very effective and easy way to remember the gospel presentation. EE refers to the gospel hand when addressing this concept.

Classroom time is spent reviewing weekly unit studies, which consist of assigned reading in the Evangelism Explosion book, gospel hand memorization, and scripture memorization. Classroom time generally runs for 30 minutes.

Following classroom time, teams of three go out into the community for on-the-job training. The teams consist of one experienced evangelist who serves as a trainer, and two trainees. The teams go to assigned 'appointments', which may be visitation requests, requests from other ministries, or recent visitors to the church. If the appointment is not at home, the teams go door to door in the neighborhood.

For safety reasons, and so that all will be above reproach, the teams always consist of three persons of mixed gender; either two males and one female or two females and one male.

The trainer uses a conversational presentation of the gospel during visits, while the trainees watch and observe while praying for both the trainer and the visitor. As the program progresses over time and the trainees learn more of the presentation, they are given the opportunity during visits to present all or portions of the gospel, while having the trainer present to coach them.

Following the on-the-job time, the teams reassemble back at the church. Each team presents a one minute summary of the evenings events: how many doors were visited, how many gospel presentations made, any professions of faith made by the visitors, and so on. After a short time or prayer, the team is dismissed until the following week.