Outreach in Los Angeles

The following photos are from my work with the Intentional Community Evangelism Team in Los Angeles, CA. We saw 264 people come to faith in Christ through our entire team and 18 in the areas where I worked.

Divine Opportunities

I’m back. It has been an embarrassingly long absence to be sure. Having started the FriendFluence Blog with many good intentions, I found my laziness to be stronger than my creativity. I’ll try to do better…

Recently, my wife and I went out to eat after church and God provided us with a divine opportunity to lead our server to Christ. It was an amazing, God-orchestrated encounter.

The whole thing started when we asked the question, “can we pray for you today.” It is a practice that the Lord has led us to follow on many occasions in restaurants and many doors to witness have opened as a result of asking this simple question.

Our server, a young girl named Heather, nearly started crying when she thought about her answer. It was clear that she was overwhelmed at the thought of a stranger caring enough to ask a question like that. She wanted prayer for her mother but did not tell us any specifics as to why.

So we prayed for her.

When she returned with our drinks, I asked her if she was 50%, 75% or 100% sure she would go to heaven when she died. She responded by saying that she had no idea how to answer that question. She knew that there was some kind of divine standard, but did not know what that was.

Before the meal was finished – between her serving duties – she prayed to receive Christ. God was working in her heart to bring her to faith in Jesus.

Sharing the good news must first begin with caring. If people know that you care, they will listens to what you have to say. If we show genuine concern for those around us, God will give us divine opportunities to influence – even lead them – to faith in His Son.

So, take time to care if you dare!

Tis the Season...

OK, first of all I admit...I am a lazy blogger. I didn't post anything this week although I had good intentions to do so. So flog me with a wet noodle...

Now for the post...

This is one of those times in the life of the church where we are presented with a wonderful opportunity to reach people with the good news, yet we fail to seize the moment. I am talking about the annual Easter (Or Christmas) cantata that many churches put on.

For several years, my home church music ministry, led by my wife, put on an elaborate program at the local Christian College. We had great sets, wonderful lighting, acting, lots of wonderful singing and special effects including an accession scene where Jesus was lifted up on a hydraulic lift camouflaged by lots of smoke and special lighting. For a small country church, it was quite an impressive show.

The biggest thing we had going for us was the strong gospel message presented through the drama and music. I know smoke and mirrors doesn't draw people to Jesus, but a clear presentation of the gospel coupled with the convicting power of the Holy Spirit does.

There was one thing missing however...lost people.

The audience was primarily made up of people from our church and other churches in the area. Rarely did any of the believers bring their lost loved ones and friends to see and hear the gospel message. It wasn't as if we were asking believers to witness to their friends - we were asking them to bring their friends to be witnessed to.

Most churches never take advantage of the opportunities that fall in their lap to get people to Christ. They spend lots of money to entertain the saints when they should be evangelizing the lost. Churches don't think with an evangelistic mindset.

It may be too late to change your program now - to make it more seeker friendly. (I use that term in the sense of planning and presenting our programs with the lost in mind, not in the current sense and usage of the word.) Here are some suggestions on how to make your program into an opportunity to reach lost people.

• Hold the event at a neutral location. Lost people are more likely to come to a program being held at a local high school gym or civic auditorium than at a church.
• Advertise your event through secular media as opposed to Christian media. It may cost more, but lost people generally don't listen to Christian media outlets.
• Emphasize the fact that this is an opportunity to reach lost family and friends to the congregation. Challenge believers to invite and offer to bring at least 5 of their lost friends with them to the event.
• Always have a pastor or lay leader give an invitation to follow Christ at the end of the program. Make sure that attendees have a reply mechanism such as a guest card so that follow up can be made for decisions.
• Make sure the gospel is clearly presented in the program; not just some pretty music.

Let's not waste the opportunity to present the greatest message of all - the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.