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    Internet Evangelism Idea #1: Using CraigsList to Serve Local People in Need

    Paul SteinbrueckBy Updated:30 Comments3 Mins Read

    This post is a part of the series 20 Ways to Share Your Faith Online leading up to Internet Evangelism Day on April 25. We encourage you to tweet, share, blog & discuss these ideas in your church & circle of influence.

    CraigsList has revolutionized the classified ad industry.  Not too long ago local newspapers had a virtual monopoly, and anyone looking to buy, sell, or hire had to pay big fees to run a classified in their local newspaper.

    CraigsList changed all that with its free, online, community-monitored classified ads.

    Now anyone can go online and post an ad for just about any item they want to sell, service they want to provide, or job opening they want to fill – for free!

    That’s great, but what does CraigsList have to do sharing your faith?

    I first heard this idea from Shelly Juskowicz, Pastor to Women at Mariner’s Church in Irvine, CA when she gave a talk as a part of Leadership Network’s AHA Online Conference.

    The entire talk is inspiring and worth watching, but the part about CraigsList starts at 4:37

    The idea is quite simple.

    • Go to CraigsList.
    • Click into the listings for your specific location.
    • Under the “for sale” heading click the “Wanted” category.
    • Find a listing for someone in need.
    • Meet their need.

    Shelly tells of how she went onto CraigsList, found a listing for someone who needed blankets, bought the blankets, and brought them to her.

    Most of the listings in the wanted category are for people who want to buy things – cars, scrap metal, jewelry, etc – but as I look at the wanted board in my own Tampa Bay area I see needs like this:

    A kind heart needed:

    OK HERE IT GOES -MY SONS BIRTHDAY IS SATURDAY 03-04-2010 AND I AM UNABLE TO BUY HIM ANYTHINGI , MY HUSBAND HAS ONLY BEEN WORKING ENOUGH TO KEEP OUR LIGHT ON…

    Family in need:

    hi my family just moved here 3 weeks ago we are getting out own place this week and we have very lil money and we are in need of kitchen supplys we have everything else so if you can help out we will greatly appreciate it im not asking for it for free but atleast cheap thank you so much

    As with any kind of servant evangelism, you may not have the opportunity to share the gospel immediately (though maybe you will), but  maybe you can give the person your phone number of email address and tell them to contact you if they need anything else.  Maybe you can invite them to join you at church (bring a brochure or invitation card).

    What do you think? Is this use of CraigsList a way you might connect with people in your community?

    Share and Enjoy !

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    Co-founder & CEO, OurChurch.Com Paul has been the CEO of OurChurch.Com since its founding in 1996, combining his passion for faith and technology to lead the organization. An accomplished writer, Paul has authored over 2,000 articles on faith and technology, featured on platforms like ChurchLeaders.com, The JoyFM, and his personal blog, LiveIntentionally.org. Beyond his professional achievements, Paul serves as an elder at Journey Community Church and is deeply engaged in his community through his involvement with the Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranch and the Safety Harbor Chamber of Commerce. He is a contributing author of the book Outspoken! Conversations on Church Communication. 

    View 30 Comments

    30 Comments

    1. Lance on

      Thanks for sharing this AHA!!! moment. My wife and I have been looking for a unique way to help people in our community, and this article provided a step in the right direction.

    2. Scott Williams on

      Paul, great idea. I love the creativity. But what I love more than the specific idea, is the intentionality behind it. By doing this you are intentionally seeking to find need and serve your neighbor. It is so easy to isolate ourselves from need and then (at least in our minds) absolve ourselves of any responsibility to do anything about it. This turns the tables and seeks the needs out. Love it!

    3. steve on

      Hey Paul, always enjoy reading your blogs. There's another site similar to Craigslist that you should check out. YouHaveIWant.com It's a smarter classifieds system that allows for people to chat directly, instead of thru e-mails. Blog about it! Would love to see what my favorite blogger has to say about this site that is important to me. It's a startup site so it's still in the process of coming out. >>>> http://www.YouHaveIWant.com

      Cheers,
      steve

    4. Joanna on

      hey was inspired so much by the video, I live in England and went straight to my section of Craigslist to see if there was anyway that I could help but was amazed to see there was nothing in my area. I'm sure there is lots of people that are in great need where I am as theres always people in need. Any ideas on how to make this more well known?
      Thanks

    5. Renee on

      Another place to find needs is athttp://www.freecycle.org. Find the group in your area and look for "wanted" ads. However, you must be cleared for membership in the group before posting anything.

    6. Pingback: Become A Blessing Thru Social Media « FAITH BASED MEDIA 2.0

    7. Jan on

      Really great creativity. Reminds us that sharing the gospel can be so simple, I also really like the idea of walking around with the gift vouchers for food. Provides an easy ice beaker and of course you will get to know your neighbors.

    8. Adley on

      I must appreciation for the work you get in writing this article. It has been an encouragement for me. I have transferred this through to a friend. thankyou

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