Invite a Friend!

If you are anything like me, you wholeheartedly want to see everyone you know sitting in the chair next to you on Sunday morning.  You know how exciting it would be to sit next to your dad, coworker, friend or the employee you see every day in your activities.

You are sold on the mission God has given to the church of introducing people to a personal relationship with Jesus.  God probably has brought somebody to your mind in reading this Freshly Bru’d.

While you can and should invite your friends, any Sunday, at First Free we pick a couple of days out of the year to emphasize an ‘Invite a Friend Sunday.’  Our next invite a friend Sunday is October 16^th.  A series begins that day on “Overcoming Obstacles That Trip Us Up.”

However, you may recognize a fear rising up in you when extending the invitation.  Perhaps you have thoughts like ‘Will they think I’m weird for inviting them?’ or ‘I know they probably won’t come anyway,’ or ‘I don’t know what to say.’

Let me give you a couple of suggestions to help you overcome these fears.  Let me share with you how you can naturally invite someone to church in a way that does not feel forced or unnatural.

First, categorize the relationships you have and then adjust your invitation to be appropriate within the context of each relationship.  You wouldn’t invite a family member to church the same way you would a casual acquaintance.

Here are examples of an invitation for different types of relationships for those who are close to you: “Hey, Steve, I’ve told you about how my church has been impacting me positively in my life.  Why don’t you come this Sunday with me and we’ll grab lunch after?” or “Sara, you know how I told you I have been kind of depressed since my dad died.  We are doing a message series and I think you would like it.  It’s about overcoming obstacles in life that trip us up.  I think this series will not only help me but you as well.  Why don’t you come and we will go to brunch afterwards?”

Those who are not close to you (co-workers, daycare workers, lawn care service people, etc.): “Bob, you do such a great job on our lawn and I’m not sure if you have any plans for this Sunday, but I have been attending a really cool, relevant church and I’d like to ask you to come and check it out.”

Those you do not know (people you sit next to at a restaurant, or your waitress, or at Starbucks, etc.), “So, I am curious. Do you attend a church? If you are looking for a relevant place, I’d like to invite you to church on Sunday.”

Don’t let this year pass you by without rising to the challenge of impacting the spiritual lives of the people God has placed in your life.  Imagine the day when someone you know, that you invited, is worshipping God as they stand next to you.

Blessings,
Pastor Mark "The Bru"

P.S. Have you ever felt like life was spinning out of control? Have you struggled with knowing how to maintain control? What if there was a way to be prepared to walk through life no matter what came your way? Join us this Sunday at 9:15 am or 11:00 am to discover the way to maintain control when you’re tempted to lose control.