Inviting the Unchurched & Dechurched to Church

http://www.postchristianevangelism.com/learn-discover--stuff.html

                When you see your neighbors taking a walk with their kids, mowing their yard, or you chat with them at your neighborhood event, their life looks good, which is great!  However, you’d love to see them connect with God and Jesus Christ and choose be a Follower.  But do you think they’d ever attend your church?  What does your church have that they would see as a benefit to their lives.

                What if your neighbor says they connect with God on a personal level and they don’t attend church?  First, maybe ask your neighbor to describe what for them “is a good relationship with God” and how it benefits their life.  Really listen and pay attention to what they say that also resonates with your relationship with God.  Such as, God helps them relate to others in a loving and caring way.  You can share that Jesus taught and lived out his revolutionary teaching to show mercy and love to everyone, including those who are unloving towards us, even our enemies.

                You could ask, what in you daily relationships with family, friends, co-workers, etc. challenge and teach you about your own thoughts and how you interact with others?  After they respond how they’ve been taught though that, you can share how your church has been a great additional God given support in having positive and healthy relationships with others.  You can share that your church friendships help your reinforce Christ-like teachings in the relationships you have.  If you have a specific example you can share regarding your friends, marriage, kids, co-workers, etc. that can have real meaning to your friend. 

                Through sharing the benefits of better relationships you have with others and God by attending and being involved in Church, you can help your friend make that decision to attend your church or small group gathering.  Of course, you‘ll need to extend an invitation!  Recent surveys show that about 75% of people invited to church will actually go!  May God’s leading and Spirit be with you and me in loving and caring for our neighbors and friends who are unchurched. 

                Please share with me your thoughts and experiences regarding this!  Thanks much!!

"What the Hell do I need to be saved from?"

If you stopped and asked people on the street “What do you need to be saved from?”  What do you think the responses would be?  Friends have told me that they don’t believe they need to be saved by God for anything.  Saying. “What have I done to cause God to hate me that he would send me to hell?  I’m basically a good person and my life is fine without God.”  Actually, I agree with the previous viewpoint.  God doesn’t hate you for anything you’ve done and your life can be fine without God.

Then, what’s the reason for seeking to know and follow God?  Is the purpose of a relationship with God a “self-improvement” program?   Unfortunately, this seems to be the focus of some churches.  If being “saved” is supposed to make you a better person, then what about my friends who are more loving and caring than a few church people I know?  So, if you’re not a Christian, what do you need to be saved from?   The correct Sunday School answer is of course, “H-E-double L”. 

If a 12 year old boy lies to his Mom about taking a cookie from the cookie jar, then does that means the boy deserves an eternity in hell?  Does that type of “theology” make any sense to an unchurched friend, especially when you share about your Christian God as being all-loving and caring?  There are churches and Christian ministries that approach salvation from this viewpoint or at least it appears so from their belief statements and messages concerning salvation.

Jesus says something related to this that is quoted in the Gospel of John, chapter 10, verses 1 – 16.  Using the example of a good shepherd, Jesus talks about God’s desired relationship with us. 

Jesus is a Good Shepherd who watches over his sheep 24/7.  Therefore, the sheep recognize His voice and trust to come to and follow Jesus because this Good Shepherd has protected them from harmful and destructive forces in the world and guided them to “good pastures”, a place where a good life is found by following the Shepherd. 

                What do we need to be saved from? Ourselves, and the poor - destructive choices we make coming from the negative aspects of our human nature.  Knowing and relating to Jesus Christ can “save” us from the harmful aspects of our nature.  But is there more to life than just being “saved”?  We are so thankful as a community when a person is saved from a deadly situation because now they can continue to live out their life with those who love them and they can pursue their purpose in life. 

                God desires to save us so we can live a life here on earth and in heaven knowing His love for us and so we can care for and love those around us, our neighbors, community and family.  I, along with many other Christians, believe this “Godly” life is best found in knowing and following the person of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  Naturally, we desire to share who Christ is to others, so they can discover and choose this great life of knowing and following the Good Shepherd.