The reason people invest thousands of dollars every year in outreach is to simply “reach out” to people. This involves two simple methods:
1) the disseminating of truth,
2) making friends with someone.

The truth does have a powerful effect on the hearts of those who receive it, but in most cases, those who really accept the truth, stay in the truth and then become teachers of the truth themselves, are those who first made friends with someone else in the truth. This fundamental principle, simple as it is, must not be overlooked.

The missing element in most “outreach” is the bonding of a searching soul with someone else. Simply put, here are the seven steps of soul winning:
1) two people meet,
2) they become friends,
3) trust and confidence is established,
4) truth is shared,
5) Bible studies follow,
6) conviction comes home to the heart,
7) the person surrenders their life to Jesus Christ.

A high percentage of people who make a decision for baptism based on these steps will stay in the church. Their focus will be the Word of God and their foundation will be Jesus Christ, and they will have fellowship with the body of Christ.

While attending evangelistic meetings I watched many people on opening night leave the church without one person going to them, greeting them, taking a personal interest in them. Some left, never to return. Why do we have evangelism? Not only to share “the truth,” but to come close to people and make friends. That’s the point. Unless we realize that, and act upon it, we are wasting thousands of dollars in outreach. We must learn the art of reaching out.