Andrew
was a quiet guy. We don’t read much about him in the Bible. He was
at all of the gatherings of the 12 but rarely spoke. The
few times Andrew is mentioned in the Bible it's because he brought
people to Jesus.
Andrew
was a follower of John the Baptist. When he heard John declare that
Jesus was “the
Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world,”
he
brought his brother, Peter, to meet Jesus.
Later, Peter would preach a sermon that led
3000 to faith in Jesus.
Andrew
brought a boy to Jesus who was willing to share his lunch. Jesus took
the five loaves and two fish, prayed, and fed 5000. (John 6:5-13) He,
also, brought some Greeks to Jesus. (John 12:20-23)
Like
Andrew, you can have a powerful impact just by inviting people. A
2019 Lifeway study in showed that a little over half of church
attenders had not shared their faith in the last six months but the
same number had invited someone to church in the same time frame. The
fact that most
people will go to a church for the first time because they were
invited by someone they know, makes this very encouraging.
There
are several factors that will improve the receptiveness of your
invitation:
Relationships
Andrew
went to his brother first. People close to you respect your opinion.
They are your friends because you have things in common. You will
know when to invite and to what events. Folks are more likely to come
to a special event than to an average Sunday service.
On
the other hand, a person may be going through a tough time and have a
heart ready for God. People are more ready for Jesus than we think.
Volunteering
Andrew
found a boy who was willing to serve. There are people who are not
yet ready for worship or traditional Bible study might enjoy serving
in a food pantry or work day. A woman went to serve in New Orleans
with a group from her company, following Hurricane Katrina. She
enjoyed the experience so much that she went back with a friend's
church group the following year. She was amazed by the contrast
between the two experiences. She witnessed Christian faith in action.
Cultural
Curiosity
Andrew
learned of some Greeks who wanted to learn more about Jesus.
International students and immigrants are curious about all things
American. They will be curious about American forms of Christianity.
Christmas and Easter are holidays that are both Christian and
American and a great opportunity to invite folks to a church service
that explains their origins.
Bible
discussion or discovery classes may be attractive to Americans who
grew up in non Christian homes.
Food,
Fun and Fellowship
People
who have objections about church still like to eat. Invite them to a
non-churchy event involving food. Invite other Christians, as well,
to build a comfortable familiarity. Discomfort with the unknown is a
barrier to the gospel that can be overcome with genuine friendship.
This
is part of the sermon series “How To Be Spiritually Successful.”
It is based on the Masterlife study “The Disciple's Cross.”
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THE BOOK:
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