I love Costco. There I said it!
It’s one part entertainment (admit it, you too have watched most of a movie on their big-screens), one part grocery, one part household (seriously, do we need that much T-P?) and all parts AWESOME!
One of the things I like most is the free samples!
Why yes, I’d like the sample slice of the Kirkland Pizza!
Of course I’ll try your chocolate chip cookies!
What’s that? You’d like me to try the Extra Sharp Cheddar on those crackers? Yes Please!
We love free stuff!
Well, not only is salvation free (saved only by God’s grace, through faith), but so is the Gospel. It is literally something we are to give away to all!
There are days that I go to Costco and there is not a single sampler to be found! I look for that person giving away the goods, but only find the stuff that I have to pay for. Isn’t it interesting that the same is true of the unchurched? Sometimes the Christians are not out giving away the free stuff. The Gospel! While the unchurched are walking around buying into the ways of the world, thinking they can work their way to heaven and pay for their indiscretions on the credit of good deeds, Christians are often not sharing what is free.
Take ‘em on a Field Trip.
Here’s your freebie, since I’m talking about free stuff, let me suggest to you a free evangelism training trip to apply this idea of giving away the free stuff.
Take a 90-minute road trip to Costco (or Sam’s Club) without telling them what you’ll do. Here are the rules and instructions.
- Have students bring $5 each
- Tell students they cannot speak to each other for 45 minutes (can only speak to people outside the group)
- Give students a card with instructions to attempt as many of the following as possible:
- Bless people by returning shopping carts from car to racks
- Engage people so that you can get into the store (students most likely will not have Club cards, so they’ll have to befriend people in the parking lot and tell the customers that they’re doing a spiritual scavenger hunt activity–this should give opportunity for spiritual conversation already!)
- Bless someone by purchasing a hot dog and soda (about $2.00)
- Engage a “Sample Person” with a spiritual conversation
- Find an item in the store that they determine would be the best tool to help them in sharing the gospel and why (come back prepared to share why)
- Give the students the return time and place to gather
- Debrief the activity with a Pizza lunch together in the parking lot asking them to share their experiences (45 minutes)
Have fun and encourage your students to share the free stuff!
