It’s about the power of ONE. Lee Clamp, director of the evangelism group of the South Carolina Baptist Convention, says it this way: “If every South Carolina Baptist took the responsibility for just one person a year, and prayed one prayer for God to use them to reach the one, then 3.6 million people would have an opportunity to see, hear, and respond to the gospel in less than a decade.”
“Somewhere along the way, our mission became taking people to church, [and] church attendance became the ultimate goal,” Clamp said.
“Our mission is to make disciples. This has historically fallen on the shoulders of the institution we call the church and [its] leaders. However, it is not just the mission of the institution. It is the responsibility of the individual. This is our life mission. Disciples will tell the story of Jesus and answer the question, ‘What must I do to be saved?’ Evangelism becomes a part of the disciple’s DNA. Individual believers – not just the professionals at church – must get involved in telling the story of Jesus.”
To model what Clamp is calling simply “ONE,” the South Carolina Baptist Convention staff has embraced an emphasis to pray for people, tell people about Jesus, and celebrate the conversations that are happening about Jesus.
On the first floor of the convention building is a display with peel-and-stick notes. The notes include the names of individuals whom staff members are preparing to talk to about Jesus. Clamp’s instructions to staff are simple: Pray ONE prayer: “God, use me to reach ONE.” Then write down the name of ONE you plan to start a conversation with about Jesus. The names are written on the front of sticky notes, while the staff members’ names are written on the back. The notes are all one color.
As conversations with individuals begin, the notes are exchanged for a different color. Staff members change the color of the notes a third time when the individual confesses Jesus as Lord, repents of sin and is baptized.
As the colors change, the board provides a visual representation of conversations staff members are having with the lost about Jesus. The colors are the same as those of a traffic light: red (stop and pray), yellow (slow down and start a conversation about Jesus), and green (confession of Jesus as Lord – growing and going).
Clamp pointed to six conversations already reflected on the board. “We do a good job celebrating the baptism. We must begin finding ways to celebrate the conversations. If we can just get people – individual Baptists – to begin conversations, the conversions will follow. This emphasis allows us to track the conversations. That’s what I hope churches will see from the model.”
“I want churches to know the SCBC staff is serious about reaching the ‘one.’ Too many times we talk about ‘reaching the world,’ and that leads to meetings about strategies and programs. We must be talking about the ‘one,’?” Clamp said.
Each month at the convention staff’s forum meeting, Clamp will invite staff members to stand and talk about conversations that are happening and celebrate the conversion stories coming from the emphasis. “I believe this model will help people develop a heart for the lost. Wouldn’t it be awesome to announce at the annual meeting that the staff took responsibility for 70 individuals and began conversations with them about Jesus?” – SCBC