One key area of strengthening churches is in the area of evangelism.  The SBCV strengthens churches in evangelism by challenging them with the priority of the Great Commission, by equipping them to share the Gospel, and by providing opportunities for sharing the Gospel with others.  Challenge and training take place through the SBCV Evangelism Conference, SBCV Youth Evangelism Conference, and FAITH Sunday School Strategy.  Training and opportunities for witnessing can be found through involvement in the Evangelism Response Center.

Evangelism Tool Box

• Community Canvassing
  Feel Free to download and use any of the surveys below as you canvas your neighborhood.
  (Church Survey, Crossover Survey, Door-to-Door Survey, How to Survey, Opinion Poll Survey, Passion Survey, Saddleback Survey)
• Friend Day
  Click Here to find out great tips and tools to help you take advantage of this exciting evangelistic resource.
• Sunday School
  Click Here to download this lesson that will teach and encourage your class in evangelism.

What is the Evangelism Response Center?
Would you like to share the Gospel with people from every part of North America from the comfort of your own home? The ERC sponsors a toll-free hotline which offers seekers the opportunity to call you for information about how they can experience new life in Jesus Christ. Telephone Encouragers receive these calls and talk and pray with callers about how to receive or grow in Christ.  Statistically, one in ten calls results in a decision for Christ.

This ministry is safe: You do it from your home. Calls are routed by computer to your phone, so your number is never seen by the caller.
This ministry is convenient: You control when and how long you will receive calls by using an 800 number to log on and off of the ERC system.
This ministry is effective: Callers will be responding to some form of evangelistic media that has encouraged them to make the call.

How do I become involved with the ERC?
Any adult (18 or older and not in high school) who is a member of an SBC church may become a Telephone Encourager (TE). TEs must attend an ERC TE training event and complete all necessary forms.

After completing the requirements, the North American Mission Board will send you a TE manual and ERC access information. TEs can then immediately begin spiritual counseling.

How does my church benefit from the ERC?
SBCV churches benefit in several ways:

• Increased awareness of and involvement in evangelism by church members.
• Increased baptism and membership as ERC converts are referred to the ERC-registered church closest to them.
• Free use of the (888) JESUS.2000 number and the The Good News website.
• The ERC is available as a first response network for church-sponsored evangelistic events.

What is a Covenant Church and how does it relate to the Evangelism Response Center?
The Evangelism Response Center depends upon the work of two networks: the Response Network and the Follow-Up Network (the local church). Both are necessary to complete the work of sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ and baptizing and discipling those who make decisions for Christ. One goal of the ERC is to refer every person who has been touched by the Gospel to an SBC church in the local area. When a local SBC church registers with the ERC as a Covenant Church, the ERC can efficiently make those referrals to the local church.

A Covenant Church is able to:

• Receive referrals of people in the local area who have expressed an interest in knowing more about new life in Christ.
• Receive referrals of people in the local area who have recently made a salvation decision, a rededication decision, or who have ministry/mission needs.
• Build an atmosphere of evangelism and missions in the church.
• Baptize and disciple more people in your community.
• Identify areas around the church where new work could be started.

How can my church register as an ERC Covenant Church?
Contact the SBCV or the ERC to request a manual and registration form.

ERC
4200 North Point Parkway
Alpharetta, GA 30022
(770) 410-6383