Monday, October 1st, 2012click here for past entriesBack to Church Sunday
On Sunday, October 21st, we will celebrate Back to Church Sunday (B2CS) at St. Luke’s Zion. It is a celebration that helps us in becoming an inviting church. While there are some who are really good at inviting people to come to church with them, the majority of us rarely, if ever, extend an invitation to anyone. How come?
For many, there is fear involved. What if they say “no”? What if they get upset? What if they think I’m being pushy? However, the reality is that most people simply don’t come to church all by themselves. The vast majority who start coming to church are invited (or brought) by somebody whom they know.
In my case, I was brought to church by my parents. Who was it who brought you? Who was it who invited you? Pause for a moment and give thanks for the person or people who introduced you to the church! Then pause for a moment and ask a different question: Who has God been preparing in your life? Who has God connected you to who might be ready to come to church?
It might be somebody who used to go to church but doesn’t any more. It might be somebody who has never, ever been to church anywhere. It might be somebody who is not sure what they believe. It might be a friend, or a neighbour, or a relative, or a co-worker, or an acquaintance. Whoever it is, start praying for that person now!
Ask God to open their heart and to draw them to him. Ask God to work in their heart by the power of the Holy Spirit. This is important, because you do not have the power to “get” somebody to come to church! You have the ability to extend a simple invitation that goes something like this: “Would you like to come to church with me this Sunday?” When that person says “yes,” that is God’s doing, not yours. And if they say “no,” that is absolutely okay.
Remember, it is God’s job to work in their heart, and maybe next time they will say “yes.”
Both myself and the council have committed ourselves to inviting somebody to come with us on Oct. 21st. The commitment is not to keep asking until somebody says “yes,” but simply to make the invitation. Success is one person inviting one person. However, do not dare to do it without prayer. Pray not only for the person you will invite, but for yourself – for the courage to invite and the ability to see God’s timing. It is up to us to invite, but the person’s response is up to God.
Once your invitation has been accepted, go and pick up your invited guest and bring them with you, if at all possible. It is far less intimidating for somebody to come with somebody they already know. Then, after the service, introduce them to friends over food and coffee. Finally, assume that they will want to come back. Invite them again for the following Sunday!
Of course, you can invite somebody to come with you at any time. However, celebrating Back to Church Sunday lets people know that other visitors will be here as well. So… can you, too, commit to inviting somebody to come with you on Oct. 21st?
Back to Church Sunday is actually based on a very simple concept: If every one of us invited a friend and they accepted, we would double our congregation. Let’s do it!
In Christ,
Pastor Lynne Hutchison
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