A Prayer to Invite Your Non-Believing Friend to Church
By Victoria Riollano
Bible Reading
“But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!” - Romans 10:14-15
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As a pastor’s wife, I am always thrilled when a new family walks into our church. Their look of curiosity and sincere hope that our church could be safe place for their family has always been one of the highlights of my week. I cannot wait to meet the first-time guests and ask them the million dollar question, “How did you hear about our church?” Almost every time, I receive a similar reply, I was looking for a church online. Typically, their story continues as they share about a previous church disappointment, being new to the area, or feeling like they wanted a fresh start in a new ministry. And, on a beautifully rare occasion, a newcomer will share that their neighbor or co-worker had been inviting them for some time.
The truth is many who enter church are Christians simply moving from one flock to another trying to find the church that feels like a better fit for them. Although we welcome everyone, I always wonder when the day will come that church members would bring in non-believing friends so that they may be in a room full of people who want to see them know the Lord! Admittedly, even as a pastor’s wife, I recognize that asking someone to come to church, especially a non-believer can be a bit nerve-wracking. Yet, I always remember that if we don’t invite them, we cannot expect them to come. I am reminded of the verses above from Romans.
The words, “how beautiful are the feet”, have always struck me as an odd phrase and source of encouragement. Truthfully, when we think of feet, especially during biblical times it is hard to consider how the feet of anyone could be seen as beautiful. In fact, some believe that the Apostle Paul traveled over 10,000 miles by foot. Its fair to say his feet were bruised, in pain, and not a pretty sight. Yet, spreading the gospel to non-believers was his life’s mission and he was willing to get a little dirty and be uncomfortable to do so. Truly his journey and his feet were blessed and beautiful as he told others about the hope that is found in Jesus Christ.
Today, I want to empower you to walk out the walk of sharing God with anyone who will listen. And as Romans 10 reminds us, you are in fact sent by the Lord to share the gospel! We live in a time that we can share the message of God’s love and our testimony with the click of a button. My encouragement to you, however, is to take another step of faith and invite the person you share with to church. If they aren’t local, share churches you know of that can help them to be discipled and grow in their relationship with God! Surely, the local church is a place of emotional support, spiritual growth, and friendship. I believe every new believer can benefit from not having to discover their faith all alone but to do so in community. May we be bold enough to invite people to church without pause!
Let’s pray:
Lord, I thank you for the privilege of sharing the Good News. At times, I have allowed the fear of rejection and not knowing the words to say to halt me from inviting others to church. Lord, I ask that you give me opportunities to share with others the Gospel and creative ways to invite them to church. May you bless me as I walk out the great commission with wisdom and peace. Lord, I pray for a great harvest of believers to arise from my choice to invite others to church. In Jesus’ name, amen!
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