Archive for January, 2008
« Previous EntriesEngel’s Strategy Classic: ASSESSMENT OF ORGANIZATIONAL STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES
Thursday, January 31st, 2008From the 1975 classic “WHAT’S GONE WRONG WITH THE HARVEST” by James Engel
ASSESSMENT OF ORGANIZATIONAL STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES
The next question centers on the availability of resources needed to capitalize on the opportunity that has been demonstrated. This is especially critical if only one organization, say a local church (or a mission board in an overseas […]
Engel’s Strategy Classic: Competition
Wednesday, January 30th, 2008From the 1975 classic “WHAT’S GONE WRONG WITH THE HARVEST” by James Engel
Competition
By competition is meant those other viewpoints that are competing for men’s minds. In many parts of the world, potent competition is provided by non-Christian religions, and this is increasingly true in the United States. Under such circumstances, at least part of the […]
Engel’s Strategy Classic: ANALYSIS OF THE ENVIRONMENT
Tuesday, January 29th, 2008From the 1975 classic “WHAT’S GONE WRONG WITH THE HARVEST” by James Engel
ANALYSIS OF THE ENVIRONMENT
Obviously, any strategy begins with an understanding of the audience, but attention also must be focused on several additional factors: (1) competition, (2) governmental regulations, and (3) media resources.
The Audience
George and Sally Calderone represent a segment of the total audience […]
Engel’s Strategy Classic: Men, the Message, and the Media
Monday, January 28th, 2008From the 1975 classic “WHAT’S GONE WRONG WITH THE HARVEST” by James Engel
Men, the Message, and the Media
The Calderofles are just two of the more than 40,000 people who live in Rollingwood. Probably no more than 20 percent of these 40,000 are Christians, judging at least by church-attendance figures. So the tasks of proclamation and […]
Engel’s Strategy Classic: Cultural Norms and Values
Friday, January 25th, 2008From the 1975 classic “WHAT’S GONE WRONG WITH THE HARVEST” by James Engel
Cultural Norms and Values
There are widespread differences between segments within a single culture and certainly between different cultures. Often the extent of these variations is not grasped, and the effects created when the communicator steps out of his own milieu are all too […]
Engel’s Strategy Classic: Spiritual Awareness
Thursday, January 24th, 2008From the 1975 classic “WHAT’S GONE WRONG WITH THE HARVEST” by James Engel
Spiritual Awareness
A properly understood decision for Christ does not require a leap into the unknown. In fact, the experience of many evangelists is that a large number of those who appear to have committed their lives to Christ fail to show signs of […]
Engel’s Strategy Classic: UNDERSTANDING DECISION PROCESSES
Wednesday, January 23rd, 2008From the 1975 classic “WHAT’S GONE WRONG WITH THE HARVEST” by James Engel
UNDERSTANDING DECISION PROCESSES
The gospel had been simply an abstraction to George and Sally. The statement “God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life” is indeed a most profound truth and therefore difficult for many to comprehend. Until this truth is […]
Engel’s Strategy Classic: CONVERSION
Tuesday, January 22nd, 2008From the 1975 classic “WHAT’S GONE WRONG WITH THE HARVEST” by James Engel
CONVERSION
George and Sally had built their entire lives on one unwarranted assumption — that tensions and frustrations were the result of circumstances. Rarely, if ever, had they looked within themselves, because both, unintentionally, were really playing God. They felt they could ultimately arrive […]
Engel’s Strategy Classic: Proclamation, Persuasion, and Cultivation
Monday, January 21st, 2008From the 1975 classic “WHAT’S GONE WRONG WITH THE HARVEST” by James Engel
PART III: Proclamation, Persuasion, and Cultivation: Toward Restoring the Cutting Blades
Now, with this overview of biblical communication principles and the task of the Great Commission behind us, it is time to return once again to the community of Rollingwood. First Church, of course, […]
Engel’s Strategy Classic: THE IMPORTANCE OF MEASURABLE GOALS AND CHURCH GROWTH
Saturday, January 19th, 2008From the 1975 classic “WHAT’S GONE WRONG WITH THE HARVEST” by James Engel
THE IMPORTANCE OF MEASURABLE GOALS AND CHURCH GROWTH
It has been repeatedly stressed that the intent of Christian communication is to bring about change! This also is the basic thesis of church-growth theory. Because of the importance of church-growth concepts, no discussion of the […]
Engel’s Strategy Classic: Cultivation
Friday, January 18th, 2008From the 1975 classic “WHAT’S GONE WRONG WITH THE HARVEST” by James Engel
Cultivation
The decision process does not cease when the believer has become spiritually alive. Rather, the Holy Spirit now undertakes sanctification, which results in a growing conformity over a lifetime to the image of Christ (Rom. 8:29; Phil 1:6).
Notice in Figure 3 that spiritual […]
Engel’s Strategy Classic: Regeneration
Thursday, January 17th, 2008From the 1975 classic “WHAT’S GONE WRONG WITH THE HARVEST” by James Engel
Regeneration
The objective of persuasion is to lead to regeneration, but not every apparent decision will have this result. Some will be brought to the point of decision and draw back from the commitment that is demanded. This is depicted in Figure 3 by […]
Engel’s Strategy Classic: Persuasion [in Christian Communication]
Wednesday, January 16th, 2008From the 1975 classic “WHAT’S GONE WRONG WITH THE HARVEST” by James Engel
Persuasion
Most training in evangelistic technique focuses on methods of persuasion — simple, dramatic presentations that provide the essence of the gospel, with special focus on the steps necessary for a decision. Persuasion, therefore, is Christian communication designed to call for and facilitate a […]
Engel’s Strategy Classic: [The Engel Scale] Proclamation
Tuesday, January 15th, 2008From the 1975 classic “WHAT’S GONE WRONG WITH THE HARVEST” by James Engel
Proclamation
Often in non-Western countries, the vast majority of the potential audience, 90 percent or more, will be at position -8 on the continuum in Figure 3 and have little or no effective knowledge of the gospel. At the very most, they will have […]
Engel’s Strategy Classic: [The Engel’s Scale] The Great Commission in Modern Dress
Monday, January 14th, 2008From the 1975 classic “WHAT’S GONE WRONG WITH THE HARVEST” by James Engel
The Great Commission in Modern Dress
With this grasp of the biblical principles of communication, we now can seriously focus on the true significance of the historic communication mission of the Church. Has it changed? What does it really mean, especially with the growth […]