How well do you know your community? Have you ever sat in your yard and looked up and down the street and thought about how many of your neighbors you actually “don’t” know?
I was amazed one afternoon as I sat in my yard and thought of all the neighbors who have moved in over the past 10 years or so and I don’t have a clue who they are. I started to pray that God would help me to introduce myself to them and He did. I was ashamed to find that many people had lived right near me for many years and we had never met.
I don’t think I am the only one. I would dare say that people who read this are pretty much in the same boat I was. The great thing is, we can change this. Simply getting out in the neighborhood and going for a walk could change this situation. Maybe you can take a Sunday afternoon or better a Saturday afternoon walk and say hi to every neighbor you see. Who knows, you may be able to strike up a conversation and invite them to church. It really is that easy, just say hello, introduce yourself and invite them to church.
If it is so easy, why aren’t more people inviting? I have several answers but I think number one is that we are so wrapped up in our own lives that we don’t have time for anyone outside “the family.” We are busy.
In order to win the world to Christ we just need to invite. There was a time when I would have said that you have to learn 5 points of the Gospel and be able to lead someone into a relationship with the Creator of the Universe. However as I have gotten older and know that doing that is like pulling teeth, there is a simple way. Just invite people to your church, to your outings, your cookouts, your concerts. Whatever activities your church does, invite people.
Statistics show that about 80 percent of the people outside our church doors are un-churched, in almost any community. Now there is not a shortage of churches so that is not the problem. We are the problem! We cannot stay inside the 4 walls of the church and win the world to Christ. We must get outside, be involved with the community and invite people.
It really is this simple.
Ronnie
PS, you can actually get to know people on a tool called facebook now and invite them this way. We have been very successful with facebook in our church.
Ronnie