Thursday, December 05, 2019
Do church at home this Christmas...
So I often get asked how to use the Christmas opportunity to reach friends, family, and neighbors for Jesus. How do you start conversations, open doors, share the gospel?
I want to suggest you try some version of home church this year.
I am not suggesting that you not invite people to your church services. That may very well spark conversation and give opportunity to ask if they have questions or would like to visit more. Make this experience better by having them over for supper before or take them to lunch after.
I am not even suggesting you not go to "big" church service and instead do family church. Tho I have to say that may be really effective with family members who are not yet believers.
But here is a suggestion that might work for you.
Invite a couple of church families over. Also invite a couple of families you want to reach. Or do your family gathering this way if there are some present who are not believers.
And here is what I think you do.
Eat together. Provide the meal. Soup, burgers, whatever. It is even OK to ask everyone to bring something: dessert, salad, bread.
Sing a couple of Christmas songs that point to Jesus. Away in a Manger. Silent Night. Hark the Herald Angels Sing.
Read the account of the birth of Jesus from Luke 2.
Have a time of prayer. Take requests.
You may even want to give a short testimony about why Jesus is so special to you.
Thank everyone for coming. Let them know if they want to talk more about Jesus or about how to have the "Christmas" spirit all year long you would love to get together again. You can even follow-up by asking them later if they would like to talk more.
I don't believe in ambushing people so I think it is OK when you invite them to say we are going to eat, sing a couple of songs, read the birth story of Jesus, pray.
And keep it short. An hour. Maybe an hour and a half if you have dessert.
It may not open any doors. Or it may open one wide open. But you will have planted a Jesus seed in a heart that needs him.
Praying it works.
I want to suggest you try some version of home church this year.
I am not suggesting that you not invite people to your church services. That may very well spark conversation and give opportunity to ask if they have questions or would like to visit more. Make this experience better by having them over for supper before or take them to lunch after.
I am not even suggesting you not go to "big" church service and instead do family church. Tho I have to say that may be really effective with family members who are not yet believers.
But here is a suggestion that might work for you.
Invite a couple of church families over. Also invite a couple of families you want to reach. Or do your family gathering this way if there are some present who are not believers.
And here is what I think you do.
Eat together. Provide the meal. Soup, burgers, whatever. It is even OK to ask everyone to bring something: dessert, salad, bread.
Sing a couple of Christmas songs that point to Jesus. Away in a Manger. Silent Night. Hark the Herald Angels Sing.
Read the account of the birth of Jesus from Luke 2.
Have a time of prayer. Take requests.
You may even want to give a short testimony about why Jesus is so special to you.
Thank everyone for coming. Let them know if they want to talk more about Jesus or about how to have the "Christmas" spirit all year long you would love to get together again. You can even follow-up by asking them later if they would like to talk more.
I don't believe in ambushing people so I think it is OK when you invite them to say we are going to eat, sing a couple of songs, read the birth story of Jesus, pray.
And keep it short. An hour. Maybe an hour and a half if you have dessert.
It may not open any doors. Or it may open one wide open. But you will have planted a Jesus seed in a heart that needs him.
Praying it works.
