For some reason we were missing a group of small group leaders last night at Resurrection (7th/8th), so we pulled an audible with how we did things. Instead of having the students break into groups after program like they usually do, we did some Q&A with the large group. The topic of discussion was how we can make disciples through evangelization. When we asked the students how they could share the “Good News” with their friends a few of them had some great ideas from inviting their friends to church to wearing stuff that expressed their faith.
After the program I was talking with one of the 8th grade guys about the subject and asked him if he was going to bring someone. He told me he has tried to bring his friends and they’ve come once or twice. We got into a conversation about why they didn’t come back, and he simply said, “I don’t know.” I asked him if he enjoyed coming and he said that he did and so I asked him, “When you invite someone what do you tell them?” And he said, “You want to come to church with me on Sunday?” I told him that was good but talked about how sometimes we need to give people a second invitation, because they may not feel like they can come back on their own accord.
I think there are times where we have an attitude of asking people about their faith once. We have a tendency to think that talking about something once is good enough, when in reality it needs to be a continuous conversation. Relationships aren’t something you work at once and expect things to fall into line, they need work or else they fall apart…same thing goes with a relationship with Jesus Christ. Paul did this, he didn’t just go to Corinth and then leave, he stayed in touch, wrote letters, was in constant contact. This is something we should remember. So, think of someone you have invited that’s come but hasn’t come back. Have you invited them to come back? Why not, what’s holding you back?