Outreach Is... An Open Door!

This morning, in our men’s Bible study, we discussed the privilege (and challenge) of being “salt” and “light” in this world. Jesus expects His followers to be difference makers. This is not relegated to just acts of service, but also to boldly sharing what we believe. “But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.” (1 Peter 3:15)  God wants us to be out there engaging a world that is often stuck in darkness—bringing the hope of Jesus to a hopeless world.
 
As our final two weeks of summer end, we will soon find ourselves settling back into the familiar rhythms and routines that the school year brings.  This could be a perfect time to extend an invitation to someone.  Fall is not only the ideal season for pumpkin spice lattes, but also an opportune time to invite someone into the life of our church. In John 1:46, when Nathanael doubted that anything good could come from Nazareth, Philip didn't argue or over-explain. He simply said, "Come and see." That's the heart of invitation—not pressure, not a perfect pitch, just an open door.
 
When it comes to sharing our faith, we often psyche ourselves out. We let the lies of the Devil get the best of us. The reality is that you don't need the right words or a five-step evangelism plan. You don’t need to quote chapter and verse of all sorts of Bible passages. You just need to be willing to say, "Come with me."  As the new school year approaches, think of a neighbor, coworker, or friend who's been on your heart. Fall brings fresh starts — new schedules, new routines, new openness to try something new.  Who is God putting in your path this season? Invite them. Let Him do the rest.
 
Found some fantastic quotes about this. I could not just pick a couple! Check them out… 😉
 

• "Evangelism is just one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread." (D.T. Niles)
• "The world is not looking for perfect Christians. The world is looking for authentic Christians who are honest about their struggles and point to a perfect Savior." (R.M. Pippert)
• "We must look at people through the eyes of Jesus. When we love people genuinely, sharing our faith becomes a natural conversation, not a sales pitch." (Christine Caine)
• "Evangelism is not a professional job of a few trained experts, but is the natural expression of every believer." (Lesslie Newbigin)
• “The Church exists for nothing else but to draw men into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself, are simply a waste of time. God became Man for no other purpose.” (C.S. Lewis)
• “At the end of the day, the biggest obstacle to evangelism is Christians who don’t share the gospel.” (Albert Mohler)
• “It is the duty of every Christian to be Christ to his neighbor.” (Martin Luther)
• “Evangelism is not salesmanship. It is not urging people, pressing them, coercing them, overwhelming them, or subduing them. Evangelism is telling a message. Evangelism is reporting good news.” (Richard Halverson)