So I just need to invite my friends to church, right?

Historically, most of us have been taught that evangelism is simply 'bringing people to church, so the preacher can tell them the gospel and get them saved.' But is this biblical? Sadly, our current methodology doesn't require much effort or investment on our part, which fits pretty well in a spiritually lazy culture. When Jesus talked to friends and strangers about the Kingdom of God he actually made it sound a bit confusing and radical. He used parables or short stories that would illustrate the deeper (hidden) truths of God. Jesus never invited people to a club, gathering, or organization. He invited people die to themselves and follow him.


Luke 9:22-26

"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?

If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.



Luke 9:57-62
As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go." Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."
He said to another man, "Follow me." But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God."

Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family." Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."

So the natural question may be: "What are you inviting your friends to?"



__________________
Clarke T. Cayton
Vice President of Content
Responder Life

To a lot of people, including myself until a few years ago, church is a huge turn off. And in a way, its the easy way out of doing "your christian duty". Its overused, but still true....People don't care how much you know, till they know how much you care. Being Jesus to those around you is more difficult than just inviting people to church. It means being there when they need a friend, someone to lean on. It means walking with them towards God, no matter how long it takes.