The last few posts (starting here) told the story of how we started a church with not-yet-believers. Here are some of the principles:
- God is already at work in the lives of not-yet-believers and they are happy to tell you about it. We have a friend who once sat at a cafe with a sign saying, "I'll buy you a cup of coffee if you let me tell you my story about God." One person took him up on the offer. The next day, he sat at a different cafe with a sign saying, "I'll buy you a cup of coffee if you will tell me your story about God." People lined up to speak with him, and many thanked him, profusely and with tears for listening.
- Not-yet-believers are happy to study the Scriptures. We have often started groups with people who don't know the Lord, and this has been true every time. Luke 8:11 tells us that the seed of the Kingdom is the word of God. The word is living and active (Hebrews 4:12) and when people sit under its influence, their lives are changed.
- When we invite someone to come to our church (simple/organic church or traditional church) we extract them from their own environment and bring them into our Christian environment. By doing so we win one person to Christ. If we can start something in a place that is comfortable and familiar to the not-yet-believer or new believer, and with their friends and family, we have the opportunity to win a whole community to Christ. It's interesting that in the book of Acts, there are only two examples of individuals finding the Lord–Paul, and the Ethiopian eunuch. Every other time it is groups–Cornelius and his household, Lydia and her household etc.
- Meals are great for breaking the ice and sharing what is going on in people's lives. We have friends who ask, "How do you spell fellowship? The answer is F-O-O-D!
7 replies on “4 principles for working with not-yet-believers”
God stories, I like it! That question hadn’t occurred to me to ask. Thanks for the post… I’ll remember that!
God stories, I like it! That question hadn’t occurred to me to ask. Thanks for the post… I’ll remember that!
Thanks so much, just a sweet and strong and direct word. So encouraging. We’ve seen this work overseas, but it’s a good word to hear of simple and direct bearing fruit here in the ‘vaccinated’ USA.
You’re really encouraging us to become ‘missional’ right where we are.
It’s awesome how 2 and 3 compliment each other. We forget that a lot. The right seed without the right environment dies, gets stolen, etc. (parable of the sower). The right environment without the seed bears no fruit.
Church = people. People were made for fellowship. Eating food = fellowship 🙂
Great comments–thanks everyone.
How we all need to expect the unexpected! I include myself in this. Our past experience dramatically colours our expectations and we need to launch out however the Lord leads us – even if it seems daft.
I love the idea of asking not-yet-believers to share their stories of spiritual awareness. That is not an idea that would occur to many of us – why not?