A focal point in our announcements for the past couple of weeks has been encouraging our attendees to invited friends to our Christmas Eve services. We have equipped our attendees with what we consider to be an effective tool and to help envision our church we had three people paint a picture of how powerful inviting someone to a weekend service can be by telling their story. Pastor Bill Hybels wrote a great book on personal evangelism called Just Walk Across the Room. Well sometimes we just need walk around in a circle.
(left to right Karen Olson, Becky Toth, Lauren Faiai & myself)
Ephesians 5:15,16 says "Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil." Two friends of mine (Becky & Lauren) lived these verses out literally six years ago. In October of 2003, California was experiencing what would become a 5-month Grocery Union Strike. As Albertsons employees on strike they had to picket eight hours a day walking literally in the same circular pattern. Yet this time was redeemed as they got to know one particular fellow employee Karen a lot better. And through a series of conversations with her spiritual matters were brought up, weekend messages were given & an invitation to a church service was made.
To fast forward the story -- Becky & Lauren decided to invite not only Karen, but a whole group of their fellow picketing employees and on one Friday night they filled an entire row. Now some of those guests never returned, some attended for a season and moved on for a varitey of reasons. Yet for Karen she got to know God, who she previously thought to be distant, in a personal way and her life has been changed, for the better, in countless ways.
Jesus said in John 4:35 "Do you not say, 'There are yet four months, then comes the harvest'? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest." Inviting someone to church and to speak to those close to us about God and spiritual matters -- something so personal too many -- can be met with resistance, hostility and awkwardness at times. And at the same time sometimes people are so ready and waiting for someone to ask just as Karen was.
So take advantage of the next 10 days or so and make the ask and invite someone to a service, their life just might be changed for eternity.
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