When did you last invite someone to your place of worship? It’s probably been a while, right? You might have extended an invitation for special occasions, but let’s consider a regular Sunday. The truth is, not inviting people to church usually boils down to a lack of deep connection with them. I admit, I’m guilty of this – a large majority of my friends, practically 99.9%, are practicing Christians who attend church each Sunday.
The thought struck me one morning on my way to work – Who could I invite this Sunday? Beyond my longtime downstairs neighbor, I realized that I don’t really know the people living in close proximity to me. I leave home in the wee hours of the morning and typically return well after sunset. Encounters with my neighbors over the weekend have been rare and, truth be told, I’ve not taken significant measures to form genuine, meaningful connections with them. The physical church building and its digital arena can only do so much – reaching out to those who haven’t found their path to faith is our duty. We are to act as extensions of His will, becoming His hands and feet.
Often, we gaze at the unoccupied spot next to us in the church, without feeling a tinge of responsibility for those who may be lost, those who need the guiding light of faith. Those we could’ve invited. When the church’s growth doesn’t meet expected rates, it’s easy to point fingers at the church’s leadership – attributing the slow or stagnant growth to inadequate preaching or lackluster programs. Yet, is the problem really that the pastors aren’t preaching enough, or could it be that they are addressing congregants whose focus is primarily self-centered?
For the expansion of faith and God’s kingdom, it’s crucial that we foster a sense of community with both believers and nonbelievers. Tim Keller eloquently put it as: “God was so positive about bodies that he himself assumed a body in the incarnation of Jesus Christ. If we are going to give and receive grace from each other, we have to get in on the action the way God did – by creating and maintaining deep relationships with the people around us.”
Romans 10:14 further elaborates on this principle, “But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him?” Strive to extend your faith, your community, and your invitation – not just to those who already believe, but also to those who might be on a journey towards believing.
Wells of Wonder 