We are not responsible for saving people; only Jesus can do that. But we are responsible for appointing people to him so he can do the work of transformation.
Evangelism is a necessary part of every Christian spiritual life. Not only are we to go to church, read the Bible, and pray, but we are to be equipped to go out into the world and make disciples. One of the best ways to do this is to invite a non-believer to church, so they can experience the Holy Spirit themselves and choose to follow Christ. But in this post-Christian era, however, it is not always easy. It can be scary to share your faith with others, especially in this world with no objective truth. But there are ways to invite unbelievers to church; Christians just need to be more creative about how they do it. Gone are the days when you can simply hand someone a card to attend church and hope they say this sinner's prayer. People want to experience Jesus for themselves.
Here are six creative ways to invite non-believers to your church:
1. Share Your Story
People love stories. With the popularity of television and movies, people love to get involved in the narratives of people's lives. If Jesus has done tremendous things in your life, don't keep silent about it! Pray and ask God to open opportunities for you to share your faith with those who do not believe in him. It is important to seek the Lord's guidance on this; not everyone is ready to hear the gospel message. God knows people's hearts, and he knows who is ready for the harvest and who is not. When the opportunity arises, share your story of a time when you overcame an obstacle in your life with God's help. Share a time when you had a situation that seemed impossible to change, yet God intervened in a miraculous way. While someone may not want to attend your church simply upon hearing your story, it might plant a seed to get them thinking. Follow up and ask them what they thought about your story. Ask them if they have ever had a time when they saw God at work in their lives. You may be surprised at their responses.
2. Invite Them to an Event
If your church is having a special event such as a movie, concert, or other venue where non-believers would feel most comfortable, take a leap of faith and invite them. Some churches intentionally host these events to make it easy to invite non-believers. If there is an altar call at the end of the event, politely ask your friend if they would like to go up. If they are hesitant but want to receive Christ, offer to pray with them in your seat. If they are offended, follow up with them and apologize for making them feel uncomfortable. Seek to resolve the conflict so you can continue to have a relationship with that person. In some instances, your relationship may be severed or strained because of this. Jesus promised we would have trouble in this life. The conflict surrounding the gospel message will always abound. We must be strong and resist the temptation to fear and rejection and instead, in boldness, invite people into instances where the gospel can be proclaimed and a heart can be changed.
3. Host a Kids’ Event
As a pastor’s wife, I've seen in numerous churches how many non-believers will come to a church because their child is a part of a special events such as a Christmas play, school graduation, or special concert. If volunteers are plentiful in your church, meet with them and figure out what your community likes. Take a blank sheet of paper and write down all of the community events throughout the year. Figure out the common themes. Does your community value nature? Art? Cleaning up the community? Helping the poor? Create your events around this need. Host the Red Cross at your church to give blood donations. Do a reverse yard sale where you give all your items away from the church for free. Start a closed closet or food pantry where non-believers can frequently enter to meet their needs for food and clothing. Do what your budget and resources will allow but be sure that it keeps a non-believer’s needs in mind.
4. Pray for Them
Never underestimate the power of prayer. God is working on our behalf in people's lives whether we see it here on earth or not. Jesus encourages us to pray for those who persecute us. It is imperative we pray for unbelievers because we never know when the end of their life may be near. Ask God to refuel your desire to see people come to Christ. When we slip out of the habit of evangelism, our hearts grow calloused, and we have difficulty spreading the gospel message. By keeping people at the forefront of our minds to pray for, it will become easier for us to pray for them daily and ask the Lord to do a miraculous work in their lives.
Additionally, take an index card and write down all the names of friends and family and acquaintances God has placed in your life who don't know him. Keep it in a prominent place, such as the bathroom mirror or your Bible. Every time you see this index card, take a moment and pray for the names on that card. This will keep you in the habit of praying for non-believers and provide additional opportunities for you to share the gospel when you see them. Keep a record of the names of those who you prayed for and the miracles where you've seen God work in their lives. Rejoice when one does come to know the Lord. Replace their name with someone else's and continue the process of praying.
5. Ask Good Questions
Gone are the days when people set up a felt board in the middle of the street and proclaim the fourfold gospel. Other people will be offended, or they will have little to no knowledge of the gospel because it is not being taught in schools or they have little or no church experience. Treat people as ones of value, not a charity case to be resolved. Treat people the way you would want to be treated. Listen to their stories and ask good clarifying questions. Do your best to get to know them without prying into their deep personal life (unless they want you to). Moving from acquaintance to friend is not only enriching for you as you make a new friend in life, but you also get to know people's stories. Often, the main reason people don't know the Lord is because of personal pain or church hurt from their past. When you can figure out what that pain is, you can help them process it in such a way that it no longer has a hindrance to them hearing the gospel message. We are not responsible for saving people; only Jesus can do that. But we are responsible for appointing people to him so he can do the work of transformation.
Evangelism can be scary. But by shifting our perspective from one of needing to have all the answers to one of asking good questions and hearing people's stories, you may find evangelism is easier and more fun than you expected. If nothing else, commit to praying more often for your neighbors, friends, and family who don't know the Lord. Ask the Lord to do wonderful things in their lives. Bask in the reward of seeing those miracles come to fruition.
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