Be open. God can create pathways into faith and Christian community through any number of circumstances. Advertising helps. Websites open doors. However, most people come to Jesus and into Christian community through friendship.
“No one invited me.“
It may sound old-fashioned and way too simple, but here it is: Inviting a friend to church is one of the greatest gifts you can give, and it will forever be the most common way to grow God’s kingdom and build God’s church.
The keys to inviting a friend will always be generosity and courage. But as for strategies, you can try…
- Phone call or face-to-face invitation
- E-mail or text
- Card or letter
And if you’re struggling for the right words, try something like this: “We really enjoy going to Sunridge Church. Is that something you’d want to try one Sunday?”
Very few people are offended by a generous invitation to church. Why?
- Most people are God-friendly. A very small percentage of people in our culture are atheistic. Most are curious and have at least a mild form of spiritual sensitivity.
- According to surveys, the number one reason people give for not attending church is “No one has invited me.”
- People are hungry for community even if they’re unsure about Jesus.
Anytime is good, but the best time is during life transitions …
- Engagement or marriage
- Birth of a child
- Move to a new community
- Death of a loved one
- Job change
- Separation or divorce
- Empty nest
- Facing chronic illness
When we invite friends, it really helps to …
- Plan a casual lunch together after church. Depending on the nature of the friendship, this opens the door to sharing impressions and questions.
- Follow up in the simplest ways. Offer to sit with them again next week, or write a note saying how cool it was to have them with you.
- It’s never a put-off to say, “Great questions. Let’s find out!”
- If it’s a deep question about God, be “testimonial” rather than theological. “This is what my relationship with God has meant to me.” Remember, you are the expert of your own story.
- If you discover your friend has views that differ from what the Church teaches, be patient. This is not the day to argue or persuade. With ongoing exposure to scripture and Christian community, God reshapes our world views and brings us all to clarity.
Pray for the moment and just do it! Someone you care about will enjoy a relationship with Jesus and an eternity with God because you extended yourself in this simple way.