Door-knocking is the most effective way of making face-to-face community contact, whatever your message might be. Politicians do it all the time and get pretty good results on election day for their efforts. It’s typically called “get out the vote”. Many social-humanitarian causes do it and also get good reception at the door.
Unfortunately it has become a lost art. It has also gotten a bad wrap over the years as many unsavory characters have knocked on your door hawking everything from questionable insurance, cable TV, to brushes and cleaning supplies. Today we have an aversion to anyone knocking on our door with a commercial offering. We also cringe when Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Mormons come knocking with their respective religious messages.
We have been culturally conditioned to see such activity as an invasion of our privacy. Be honest... you probably get a bit irritated when you hear an unexpected knock on your door. “Whatever you’re selling, I ain’t buying...get out of here... leave me alone!”
That being said... those who are courageous enough to try it for the first time are usually surprised by the pleasant reception they receive. What better way to spread the message of Salvation to unbelievers! It’s been done for 2,000 years very effectively and with stunning results.
Here are some pointers that will help when you go door-knocking for the first time with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
BEFORE YOU GO OUT – PREPARE A STRATEGY
Begin with a door-hanger
If you’re church can afford it, leave a door-hanger two days before you go door-knocking. It will prepare people for an expected knock at the door. The door-hanger should briefly describe the purpose of your visit and say that someone will be around in person. Make the door-hanger with light cardstock, cut about 5.5 by 8.5 inches, with a 1.5 inch hole cut in the top and a slit on the side of the hole for easy attachment to the doorknob.
Wear an official name tag
Door-knockers should wear name tags with clear identification and affiliation with the local church name and address. The name-tag ID your wear should match the ID that was on any door-hanger used a few days prior to your knock-day. The best name tags will also include a color photo of you with your name. Name tags are especially important in neighborhoods where people might be suspicious of someone knocking on the door.
Have people knock their own blocks
The easiest way to get started in door-knocking for Christ is to do your own block. This allows door-knockers to introduce themselves with something like: “My name is Bill Smith and I live in the red brick house three doors down from you.” Being a neighbor creates an immediate connection with the person answering the door; after that, everything else is much easier. Arranging for people to knock their own block is the basis of a lot of grassroots organizing.
A survey is a good excuse to door-knock
If you simply want to make a connection with people in your neighborhood or the neighborhoods near your church building, consider preparing a short survey about local concerns,civic projects, or ways to serve the needs of the poor and homeless.
Figure out responses for various situations. What if no one is home? What if the person who answers the door cannot speak English? What if a child answers the door? Figuring out responses ahead of time will make door-knocking easier. more productive and satisfying for you.
Once you have a simple STRATEGY defined... it's time to take the next step... GO!
