What if you as a Jesus follower met one person outside of your congregation a week? What do you think could happen? Doable? Over the last month, this has become my goal--and this coming from a full-fledged introvert (maybe to your surprise). It may be challenging in the beginning, but watch how, as you go from week to week, it becoming easier and people you've recently met actually doing the introducing work as they wish you to meet their friends/customers. Could pastors/church workers model this for our members and lead the charge? Or could our members gracefully inspire church workers to get out of their offices and do life "in" the community? Could this be a way we can "Go" as Jesus commissioned His disciples in Matthew 28:19? Would meeting someone new each week up the chances for someone joining you for worship on the weekend, experiencing Christian community, hearing the good news of Jesus? Are you up for the challenge? If you are, I'd love to know. Send out a comment.
I don't know much about David Platt, so don't take this as big endorsement of what he believes/teaches. But he nailed this one! Back in my early years, I had a friend who doubted/questioned my faith in Jesus because I had not bowed down and said the "sinner's prayer" (you know...the one found nowhere in God's Word). Having grown up in the church my entire life, going to Christian schools, being brought up by Christian parents, not knowing AT ALL what life was apart from my Lord and Savior Jesus...NONE of this weighed in enough for my friend because I never said verbatim the sinner's prayer. Sad and so wrong! Now if I had a friend with whom I was discipling and who came to faith in Jesus, I would invite him to say a prayer. But...it would be a prayer of thanks for the faith 100% given to him by the Holy Spirit. The faith did not come from his own doing or decision. It was all given by God. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV) May we NEVER discount God's saving work or fool ourselves that we have anything to do with earning our salvation! This is why Jesus needed to come! BOOM! (dropping the mic...walking away)
Meet Jesus was written last summer. So to make it easy for those getting into the devotional now, below are quick links to each day's devotion. Blessings on this 40-day journey, as you meet Jesus and as you become equipped to share who Jesus is with others!
Yes, I edited the video, but I don't know enough special effects to have manufactured the transparent and enthusiastic responses shared by our folks! Here is a glimpse of our CITYLIGHTS community gathering to worship Jesus in downtown Aurora, IL:
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