Using Good News
Good News is different from most other Christian publications in that it is designed specifically for non-Christians. It is an ideal 'bridge builder' from the church to the community.
Although every issue contains the Gospel message, and God can and does speak to people through that without our help, ideally the paper should be seen as 'sowing seed' and creating opportunities for follow-up.
Our responsibility for evangelism doesn't end at the door the paper is put through - that's just the beginning, an opening for conversation. Most people come to Christ through friends and friendly people; Good News is a thought-provoker, a tool the Holy Spirit can use to start people on a spiritual journey. It gives an opportunity for you to come back to the door and ask what they thought about it, or go back to the friend you gave it to and start a conversation about faith.
How is it used?
The paper is bought by churches and Christian groups to distribute to their non-Christian contacts. The majority of the readers are therefore either unchurched or have only fringe church connections.
Churches and city missions buy the newspaper in bulk for sale or free distribution, often door-to-door in their area. The paper is also...
- placed in doctors' and dentists' waiting rooms, staff rooms and university common rooms
- given personally to friends, family and work colleagues
- handed out in street outreaches
- distributed through church bookstalls, market stalls, church coffee shops or charity shops
- donated to local libraries and prisons
- given to newcomers to church services
... the list is endless!
Localisation
Good News is an excellent way to reach your community with God's good news, and there is a square space at the bottom of the back page for your church or organisation's stamp or label. But if you would like to make readers more aware of your church and details of its services and activities, or invite them to a special event, we offer a more extensive localisation service.
We can professionally print your invitation or information in the larger space across the whole of the bottom of the back page. This will help you to build a stronger presence in your locality and attract people to your church/outreach event. We can also put your church or organisation's name or greetings on the front cover, if you wish.
For full details of how all this works, and for prices, see the To order section.
Good News User Support Leaflets
The Good News Fellowship provides a range of free, photocopiable leaflets to assist you in developing your Good News outreach. Based on the many years of practical experience of several evangelistic newspaper distributors, they offer practical advice. Here's the list…
A. Strategy Leaflets
These are for help with using Good News for specific types of outreach. Each gives a plan of action for successful distribution:
1 Congregational Use
2 Congregational Use - Door to Door
3 Friendship Building
4 Mission
5 Door to Door - Team Approach
6 Individual Use
7 Whole Area
8 Ceremonies (weddings, funerals, baptisms etc.)
9 Church Group
10 Senior Citizens/Residential Homes
11 Hospice
12 Street Use
13 Workplace
14 Drop-offs and Hand-outs
15 Drop-in Centre
16 Reader Questionnaire
17 Discovering Home Mission
18 Newspapers, Videos, Enquirers' Courses
B. Evangelism Leaflets
These are to help with more general evangelism issues and planning your Good News distribution, outlining good practices and principles for literature use:
1 Evangelism and Good News Publications/Community Survey Questionnaire
2 Friendship Building Activities for Good News Families
3 Sowing and Reaping
4 Goal Setting
5 Good News Distribution - Outreach Plan
6 Prayer and Evangelism
7 Principles for Effective Outreach
8 Witnessing
9 Personal Evangelism
10 Equipped for Evangelism
To order
Ring Elaine Robinson on 01487 824399 or Rev'd John Mutton on 0115 937 7476
Training for Good News Users
Many people who distribute Good News ask if there is training available in how to use the newspaper. Well, the answer is ‘yes’!
Outreach UK (formerly Home Evangelism), is a UK-based mission that seeks to encourage and train church members in personal evangelism, and has agreed to offer your church or organisation training in how to get the best out of Good News.
Outreach UK's Liaison Officer, Trevor Dickerson, says: “We believe that it is necessary and vital for those in our churches to be equipped to share their faith, and in so doing, to build up relationships with those who are at present outside the sphere of normal church activities.
“We are commanded by our Lord to 'go into all the world and preach the Gospel.' Each of us has a mission field on our door step, to those who live around us, or work with us. Home Evangelism uses its many years of outreach experience to show how each church member can share their faith in an effective way, to sow seed, to water them and see fruit.
“In partnership with Good News newspaper, your church can be trained and equipped to reach out into your neighbourhood with a Gospel tool that is up to date, attractive and presents the Gospel in a medium that is acceptable today.”
What might be covered by some training sessions?
• The kind of person God uses
• Knowing the Gospel
• Telling your story
• What to say
• Presenting the Gospel message
• What to do, and what not do
• Prayer and preparation
• Developing relationship through listening
• Answering tough questions
• Useful aids
• Follow up linking with Outreach UK
Outreach UK has full and part-time evangelists. They work alongside local churches, and Outreach UK gives them on-going training, encouragement and support.
For more information, contact Trevor Dickerson, Liaison Manager:
Tel: 01322 866484 or Outreach UK HQ: 01784 432558
Website: www.outreachuk.org
