For an effective tentmaking

    If evangelism is planting seeds of the gospel, pre-evangelism is tilling the soil of their mind and heart, preparing them to at least be willing to listen to the truth. And post-evangelism is the process of follow-up and discipleship for spiritual maturity.

    The difficulty we Christian workers/tentmakers face today is “How can we share the Kingdom message with the people around us in these hostile environments where materialism, pluralism, and post-modern values rule the society.” What do we tentmakers/Christian workers need most for effective mission work?
 
1. A good and respectable relationship first.

    Today conventional witnessing methods, such as door-to-door visitation, passing out tracts, holding street meetings, etc. are not wise or even possible in many places in the world. Therefore, many Christian workers today try to build the point of contact first and sustain a good relationship/friendship with the people whom they meet at their workplaces/marketplaces often.

    Good relationships are like trees. They demand attention and care in the beginning but once they blossom, they provide us shade in all situations of life.
 
2. Ministry skills and tools.

“If the ax is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed, but skill will bring success.” (Ecclesiastes 10:10)

    It is hard for us to imagine going fishing without fishing tools and baits. Unexpectedly, many Christian workers and tentmakers go to their mission fields without their own ministry skills and tools. Many Christian workers still think and believe our spirituality and spiritual maturity cover everything. Many of us still believe if missionaries/tentmakers are well trained and equipped spiritually, they easily can get opportunities to meet people and share the gospel effectively wherever they go.
Maybe, maybe not. What are the ministry tools and skills they use? Even well-trained soldiers still need weapons to fight against their enemy. Without strong motivation, ministry skills, and tools to share the Gospel, less effective Christian workers quickly burn out in often hostile environments.

    When we are in such hostile and unwelcome environments, how are we going to become fishermen of men? What are our fishing tools and baits when we fish?
 
a. Go where the fish are.

    David Egner said, “Just as we won’t catch fish in a kitchen sink, we can’t “catch” souls if we don’t go where they are.” We, tentmakers, know that “To win the lost in the marketplace, we tentmakers must first be in the marketplace and serve them in the marketplace.”

b. Use your ministry skills and bait.

    What are the point of contact you use and practical tools? Ecclesiastes 10:10 says, “If the ax is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed, but skill will bring success.” This verse teaches us the reason why we need to use the right skills and bait when we serve in His Kingdom ministry.

    Several decades after it was written, one specific article still has a massive impact in calling professionals and businesspeople to serve God through their work. 

    “The church needs thousands of Christian professional people to finish evangelizing the world – like engineers, scientists, businesspeople, health care workers, athletes, agriculturists, computer technicians, media specialists and educators of all kinds – tentmakers who can integrate work and witness in the twenty-first century as the Apostle Paul did in the first century.” 

    This is the opening paragraph of the article that has called many people to go as tentmakers throughout the years. It was written several decades ago. Still, it appears among the most read, and most impacting, articles on tentmaking even today. The title is “Why did Paul make tents?” and the author is Ruth Siemens, the founder of the organisation that today is known as Global Intent. Siemens became a pioneer in mobilizing tentmakers after she started the organisation in 1976 – then under the name Global Opportunities. Ruth Siemens stumbled into seeing tentmaking as a vital strategy that God is using. 

Call to tentmaking 

    “I never chose tentmaking – I knew nothing about it. Rather, God unmistakably called me into tentmaking, and then oriented all the rest of my life around that ministry approach. But first, he drew me to himself, and gave me commitment to missions,” she writes in the article titled “Ruth’s Story – The Story Behind Global Opportunities”. 

    Through her job as a teacher, she ended up in Lima in Peru in 1954. Her stay there opened her eyes for how it is possible to reach out with the Gospel through your profession. Soon after her arrival she met with her colleague Marta. A few weeks later, Marta received Jesus as her saviour. 

    “I also audited classes in San Marcos University, to improve my Spanish. I met Maria, and she started coming three times a week to teach me Spanish. The language lessons turned into Bible studies and Maria put her trust in Jesus Christ,” shares Ruth Siemens. After the time in Peru she continues to serve God through her profession in Brazil and in Europe. 

Tentmakers needed 

    In “Why did Paul make tents?” she lists several reasons for why tentmaking is needed in today’s world. Here are the three first: 

1. It gives entry into hostile countries. About 80 percent of the world’s population, including most unreached peoples, live in countries that do not allow Christians in as missionaries. 

2. It provides natural, sustained contact with non-believers in restrictive and open countries. This is essential for winning them. Tentmakers relate easily to their professional counterparts abroad. 

3. It conserves scarce mission funds for missionary ministries that must have full support at time of rising costs worldwide. 

Celebrity’s funeral turns into mass outreach 

    Her death came as a shock to millions of fans. Her funeral turned out to be the largest Christian outreach ever in her nation and it serves as a testimony of how valuable it is for followers of Jesus to engage in the society. 

    Duan, who works for the Royal Thai Consulate General in Malaysia is one of the people who was affected by the livestreaming of the funeral of the Thai actress and celebrity Nida Patcharaveerapong, commonly known as Tangmo.  

    “I paid attention to everything she has said and was most impressed by the message that Christians do not fear death. I learned that God loves everyone. and I decided that I want to know him,” says Duan according to an article published in Christianity Today.  

Quick decision 

    After the third day of livestreaming, she connected with a church. The people there invited her to an Alpha Course.  

    “After only a few lessons, I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior and wanted to be baptized. If I had not watched the memorial ceremony, I would have missed the opportunity to become Christian,” she shares. 

    Tangmo’s talent  was discovered when she took part in the Miss Teen Thailand competition in 2002. Her acting in popular drama series in Thailand, made her famous. Although she had grown up in a Christian home, her faith did not mean so much to her until she decided to get married to Pakin “Tono” Kumwilaisuk who is also an actor. The testimony of the pastor they approached to be married, made Tangmo rededicate her life to Jesus, and she started to speak openly about him in interviews. At a TV-show in 2017 she shocked the host when she said that she wanted to be a “full-time minister of God”.  

Largest 

    According to Christianity Today, pastors in Bangkok say that “Tangmo’s memorial service in March this year was the largest evangelistic outreach ever put on in Thailand.” Allegedly, the livestream of the memorial had 12 million views.  

    Christianity Today writes that pastors have seen an increase in newcomers interested in learning more about Christianity.  

    “God opened a door through the death of a woman who loved God immensely. Tangmo’s life was not perfect, but she was saved by Jesus,” comments pastor Thongchai Pradubchananurat in Bangkok’s Church of Joy.