What is
B.L.E.S.S. Your Neighborhood?
Pastor Jenkins taught the B.L.E.S.S. model for evangelism to the entire congregation. Here is a simple approach for sharing the Gospel and the love of Jesus with others:
B – Begin With Prayer.
L – Listen to Them.
E – Eat A Meal With Them.
S – Serve a Need That They Have.
S - Share A Story
Here’s how we will B.L.E.S.S. our neighborhoods
Through the Online Campus, we are adapting the B.L.E.S.S. approach so that we can use it to become champions for Christ in our own neighborhoods!
Begin with Prayer
- Do a prayer survey with them. Ask your neighbors how you might pray for them. You may even consider putting a “How Can I Pray for You?” sign in your yard.
- Pray intentionally for your neighbors’ salvation, at least weekly. Ask God to help you connect with them.
- Make a "How Can I Pray for You?" post on your social media
- Post a "How Can I Pray for You?" sign in a common community area or on your neighbor’s door with contact info (community center, laundry room, etc.). You can order door signs on this page!
LISTEN
- Learn about them. We will never reach people whose names we don’t know. Often, we live near people whose names we don’t even know.
- Drop a note at their door (if you feel comfortable) introducing yourself, or engage them in conversation.
- Do you know what your neighbors do for a living? Do you know about their children, their families or their interests? Take a few minutes to find out!
- Learn a few words of their language just to make a connection
- Greet your neighbors (this may strike up a conversation)
- Host a community Prayer Time (virtually or in-person). Use a “How Can I Pray With You?” card to invite your neighbors. You can order those cards on this page.
Eat a Meal with Them
- Invite them to cookout in your yard. You can do this and remain socially distanced, if you’re still uncomfortable being in large groups. You can even cook something and pack it in disposable containers and deliver it to them. Now that you know more about them, you can prepare enough for the whole family!
- Prepare snacks or goodies for their kids. Consider baking (or purchasing, if you’re not a baker) some cookies or other treats for the children. Be sure to deliver the items. The goal is to seek opportunities to talk and share with them.
- Set up a snack table for the kids with prayer messages attached to the packages (in the community)
- Pay it Forward: Have a meal delivered to your neighbors from their favorite restaurant.
Serve a Need that They Have
- Do acts of kindness for your neighbors.
- Cut their grass.
- Rake the leaves.
- Shovel the snow.
- Take out their garbage.
- Clean their windows.
They’ll often ask why you do what you do—which then opens the door to talking with them about spiritual matters.
Share the Word
- Start a book reading club or a walking/running club. Build on your passions, and work to find others in your community who share that passion. Even if only a few join in, those few may still need to know about Jesus. Build relationships that can lead to evangelism.
- Host a Watch Group. Invite people over to watch a service. Or, meet them online. If you want to host an in-person Watch Group, click here to learn more about hosting.
- Start a Neighborhood Life Group. This can be in person or virtual. Invite your neighbors to a sermon-based life group. We can teach you how to lead it!
