Sometimes Fliers Really Do Work

Every semester starts off with a big promotional push for those of us in campus ministry. Trying to catch them before their schedule picks up, we strike out to every canteen and busy intersection and give away fliers and candy. After a few smiles and quick conversations, aided by more fliers and candy, we've talked to hundreds of students. Some of them appear genuinely interested. Most I'll never see again. But at least we've gotten our name out on campus.

Usually the fliers bring in a group of first timers to the next event. Sometimes they stick around, and sometimes they don't. That's just the way the process works. I've come to accept that fact.

Sometimes these random bits of paper take me entirely by surprise.

Last week three girls showed up near the end of our Bible study, and slipped in near the door. Afterward I went to talk with them, and asked if they had a friend at grapevine. They said that no they didn't know anyone here, but they had received a flier three weeks ago, and hadn't been free to come sooner. They'd kept the information and had been so excited to join that they showed up long after I'd anticipated seeing any real results from our opening promotion. They've also returned and, I believe, will keep coming back.

Sometimes fliers just get tossed out and trampled mere seconds after they've been handed out, and sometimes, not unlike a seed, they really do work.