More than 80 people from across South Carolina attended Experience Rural Evangelism on Saturday, August 9 and Saturday, August 16.  The first event was held at Pleasant Grove Church, Fountain Inn, and the second was at First Church, Eutawville.

The mornings began with hour long prayer drives through the rural communities of Fountain Inn and Eutawville.  A community native from each town served as a tour guide during the prayer drives.  Also, as the bus traveled by different places, such as other churches, campgrounds, and schools, attendees prayed specifically for the people in those places.

“The purpose of the prayer drive is to look at the community, pray for the people here, and to pray for the people in your own communities,” Jack Partridge, SCBC Personal Evangelism Office director, said.

Upon returning to the churches, participants had a short break, and then began in a dialogue session.  A panel of four men, pastors and lay leaders, were selected from various churches to answer questions, which focused on ideas and ways to reach rural communities.  The dialogue session was in question/answer format, with Partridge asking the panel questions.

At the Eutawville site, Partridge asked one of the panelists, Mike Thompson, pastor of First Church Eutawville, “How do you retain the Hispanic population in your church?”

Thompson explained that the church teaches English as a Second Language as a Sunday School class, and the church provides an interpreter for worship services.  “A hug goes a long way,” he added.  “You don’t have to teach everyone in your church Spanish to reach Hispanics.”

The last part of the dialogue sessions included ideas for pastors to connect with people outside of the church.  This led into the next segment of Experience Rural Evangelism, “Connections: Making connections with people so they can connect with God.”

During this time, Tommy Ferrell, SCBC Evangelism and Missions Team director, introduced a tool, “Connections,” that helps train someone to witness.  “Connections” is a work book written by Partridge and Ferrell that offers a four week process of teaching someone to do door to door evangelism.

“Door to door ought to be about starting relationships,” Ferrell said.  “The first and primary issue is to make a connection.” 

The last part of the day was perhaps the most important.  Attendees left the churches to participate in door to door evangelism in the rural communities.  Partridge called this section of the event “Experience It!” because participants were actually doing evangelism rather than hearing about it.

“There are people in other countries that die for doing what we are doing.  Some actually don’t come back.  This is as good as it gets,” Partridge said.  “I encourage you to go back with zeal to reach your community.”

Before attendees departed, they gathered in a circle, holding hands and praying for their home churches and own rural communities.