ON THE STREET

• Once you get to your location, alert the students to the boundaries, where you can see them at all times.

• Use the “buddy system”, each couple knowing where their counterpart is, yet each student working independently. While the students can be paired in groups of up to three, be sure that they are not overwhelming the people to whom they witness. They are to share the Gospel individually.

• Give the students a few minutes to get acclimated. Circulate amongst the team, asking how they’re doing. For those who are timid, start a Gospel conversation to show them what it’s like to break the ice. Then have them start conversations.

• Check on each individual student throughout the day. Encouragement is always first, then accountability.

• ALWAYS smile when talking to the students especially during the accountability moments.

• Your goal is to help each student do their best and improve through each session of your open-air time. They are not competing with you or the other students, but with themselves. The first phase is acclimating. The second phase is helping the students break the ice. The rest of the day involves encouragement and accountability.

• Remind the students to use their bibles.

• Instruct students to look people in the eye, speak clearly, smile, and keep their hands out of their pockets.

• Encourage students to always try to engage people in conversation first. Then offer a tract as they leave.

• Treat hecklers with calm and respect. If they persist, ignore them and contact the overall leader of the team.

• Pull back your team from any potential danger due to verbally or physically abusive or combative people and/or situations directed toward you and/or even close by your team. The same would be true of distractions such as jackhammers, fires, or police maneuvers where you might be in the way.

• Steer away from people that seem irritated or dangerous.

• Heed police instructions. Contact the overall leader of the team.

• Keep the team out of the street, away from storefronts, and off to the street side of the walkways.

• Don’t block door fronts or impede sidewalk traffic.

• Remember that while you are to be an example, you are not to witness for the whole time while the students simply observe you.

• Always move, work, and break as a team.

• Don’t waste open-air time. Encourage the students collectively during break or mealtime. Encourage them individually during open-air time.

• Consider how you would want your leader to treat you.

• Be in constant communication with the church leader so that you’re on the same page.

IN THE SUBWAYS

Before entering the system

• Make sure you have all the students’ phone numbers and go over the protocol for the subways (especially protocol for a lost student).

Losing a student

• The student is lost when they are not with the evangelism leader.

• If the evangelism leader gets on the train and the student does not, then the student is “lost”. At that point, the lost student is to remain on the platform and try calling and texting the evangelism leader or another team member to notify them. The lost student is then to remain on the platform for up to 30 minutes. During that time, the student should be retrieved. If the lost student has not been retrieved after 30 minutes, then the lost student is to go out of the subway system above ground to the nearest street corner and call and text the evangelism leader, giving the names of the cross streets and then wait for further instructions. If the lost student does not have a phone, then they are to ask a nearby person to use their phone.

• If the evangelism leader gets off the train and the student does not, then the student is “lost”. As soon as the student realizes he is lost, he then must get off the train at the very next stop. At that point, the student is to remain on the platform and try calling and texting the evangelism leader or another team member to notify them. Then the lost student is to follow the same protocol mentioned above. The lost student must NOT get on another train without the evangelism leader present.

Retrieving a lost student

• When the evangelism leader gets on the train and a student does not, have the rest of the team get off at the next stop with you. Ask the team to wait for you there at that platform while you go back to retrieve the student. Take the train to retrieve the student. Pay attention as to whether it is an express or local train and whether the express train stops at the previous stop.

• If the evangelism leader gets off the train and the student does not, follow the same protocol as mentioned above.

Entering the system

• Approach the turnstile. Tap the subway pass, and ensuring the light turns green or the meter digitally reads, “Go”. Then proceed. If the card does not work at that turnstile, do NOT go to another one. Try again at the same turnstile, and wait for instructions from the evangelism leader.

• If carrying a sketch board or a suitcase through the turnstile, always pick the luggage up and over the bars; NEVER try to go under the bars. In Chicago, there are handicap accessible doors that you can use.

• When on an escalator, stay to the right side so people can pass you.

Standing on the platform

• Keep team away from the platform edges. Don’t step on the painted line.

• Be mindful of your surroundings.

• Don’t block the walkway.

Boarding a train

• As the train approaches, stand behind, yet close to the painted line on the platform edge near where the door of the train will open.

• Encourage the team to use all the doors of the same train car.

• Stand to the side, and allowing the people get off the train before you enter.

• Once it is clear that no one else is getting off the train, immediately enter, and finding a seat or making your way to the middle of the car.

• Do not stop or stand in the doorway.

Riding a train

• Sit down or hold onto a bar.

• Make sure to hold your backpack with one strap so as not to take up more space or accidentally hit someone with it.

• Remind the team not to leave the evangelism equipment behind.

• Don’t speak loudly or preach in moving trains.

Transferring from platform to platform

• Always do a head count before you transfer or leave the system.

Ministering on the platform

• Establish boundaries so you can see your team members.

• Keep the team away from the platform edge. Don’t step on the painted line.

• Be mindful of your surroundings.

• Don’t try and talk above the noise of moving trains.

• Distribute tracts only to those stepping onto trains or leaving boundaries.

• Remind the team to use their Bible.

• Instruct the team to use the rope illusions as good conversation starters.

IN YOUR MIND

• Ensure they are trained.

• Remind team members to bring a pocket bible.

• Have them read the Gospel literature that they will be using such as, i.e. “This Is What You Are Missing”.

• Discourage chewing gum or wearing backpacks or sunglasses during evangelism sessions.

• Be clean, and dress neatly and conservatively.

• Remind team members that they are in a spiritual battle.

• Encourage them to trust God, not themselves, or their program.

• Encourage them to follow your safety instructions in the open air.

In YOUR HEART

• Be sure to spend time with God in His Word before you start the day. Take time for prayer in solitude. Confess any sin to God.

• Pray as a team.

• Pray in your heart throughout the day.

• Remember you are there to serve God by serving the team so they can effectively serve the lost.

• Filter your thoughts and words through God’s Word and prayer in anticipation of unexpected moments.

• Pay attention to the needs of your team and the particulars of their surroundings (weather, schedule) so you can best serve them while not neglecting the purpose of the trip.

• Remember that your team members are likely to have limited experience with open-air evangelism. They will need your consistent encouragement, attention and accountability. Always start and end on a positive note when possible.