Ridgell's Originals

 One of the things that happens when you get serious about reaching people for Jesus is that you will find non-believers who are actually "used to" believers.  Some have lost their faith.  Others have misplaced it.  Some walking back into darkness.  Others living in the shadow-land between darkness and light.  

I consider work the these to be evangelism.  Convert a soul or bring a soul back.  Either way sins are being forgiven and souls are being saved.  

A couple of things we are doing with our "come home lost sheep" people.  

We encourage them to do three things.  

Get started back on their Jesus journey.  Start praying.  Read your Bible.  Get intentional about how to treat people.  Work on kicking your addictions.  Cultivate the right relationships.  End the wrong ones.

Get involved in your community of faith.  Come worship.  Go to Bible class.  Get in a small group.  Accept the invitations to eat out.  Pray for the people that are mentioned as needing prayer.  Go to the all-church activities.  Give.

Find a ministry.  Visit the hospital.  Help as an usher/greeter.  Work in the VBS.  Sign up on a meal train.  Be open to non-profit opportunites.  Talk to friends, neighbors, and families about Jesus.  

And as part of their coming back home journey, we ask them to meet with our church leadership.  We have the elders pray over them.  We share the desire to rededicate their life to following Jesus.  We offer help in managing consequences.  We walk beside them.  

Coming home needs to have a significant milestone.  For us, it is meeting with the elders.  Some might have people come before the church for prayer.  

We do not deal much with details of their past.  But we not just let them slide back into church as if they never left. 

And right now, we are brining almost as many home as we are bringing new into the Kingdom.  

A soul saved is a soul saved. 

# posted by Steve @ 5:00 AM