A Life Changing Invitation

I will never forget someone inviting me to church. It changed my life. Though I said "no" several times, my friend didn't give up. It was through this simple invitation I started to go to church, and that my family and I eventually came to joyfully know Jesus. Thom Rainer says that, "9 out of 10 people would come to church if invited." This week I was working on some training materials for our leaders when I was reminded of different ways in which people share Jesus with others. In his book, Becoming A Contagious Christian, Bill Hybels shares 6 approaches when it comes to sharing your faith with others. Which do you most identify with?

1. Confrontational Approach - this doesn't mean that you're a jerk, but that you are comfortable in directly bringing up the gospel in your conversations. You get to the point, can clearly present the gospel and encourage people to make a decision. This approach is seen in the Apostle Peter in Acts 2.
2. Intellectual Approach - this person likes to talk about evidence for the gospel. You find great joy in hearing and being able to help answer the questions your friends have about Christianity. Apologetics and philosophy are subjects that interest you greatly. This approach is seen in the Apostle Paul in Acts 17.
3. Testimonial Approach - this person loves to share the story about who they were before they knew Jesus, how they met Jesus, and how Jesus changed their life. Some falsely believe they don't have a great testimony because they "grew up in the church" and didn't experience a lot of drama in their life. That is not true. Don't forget that sin makes us dead and Jesus makes us alive! (Luke 15:32) Some of the best stories I have heard are from those who realized that even their best efforts weren't enough to gain God's grace. The woman at the well in John 4 is believed to have used this approach.
4. Interpersonal Approach - this person loves to hear their friends' stories over a good meal or cup of coffee. You listen well, are energized by spending time with friends and are probably very hospitable. It is easy for you to see how Jesus is working in your friends' stories to bring them to him. The tax collector, Matthew, in Luke 9:25 shows aspects of this approach.
5. Invitational Approach - you have a heart for your friends to experience what Jesus is doing at your church. You find it easy to invite them to join you on Sunday mornings or during the week at your community group. This approach is seen in Andrew. Every time he is mentioned in the Gospel of John he is either bringing someone to Jesus, or referring someone to Jesus.
6. Service Approach  - you see needs around you and have to do something about it. You love to brighten a person's day by handing them a cold bottle of water at an intersection, or by serving with a team in renovating an area of your community. You know how to clean, fix an appliance, plant a garden, or make a new person feel welcomed into the neighborhood. It brings you great joy in using that skill to break down walls while sharing a simple message of God's outrageous grace. I heard a pastor once say, "We're never more like Jesus than when we're serving others."

In our church we need each of these approaches. One is not greater than the other. So which approach can you identify with? How can you use that approach to share Jesus with someone this week?

(Pictured above is Ty Neal. He is a friend of Grace City Church and the pastor of Grace Point Church in Las Vegas, NV. In this picture he is handing out a bottle of water during their annual Servolution event.)