A short teaching block from our weekly Friends of BPC email. Updated each week.
Invest, then invite
Think of someone you know who came close to church but never quite took the next step. Often the problem is not that they refused an invitation. It is that no-one had truly invested in them first, so the invitation was easy to turn down.
Paul asks the Colossians to pray that God would open a door for the message, and then to be wise in the way they act toward outsiders, making the most of every opportunity, with conversation that is always full of grace, “seasoned with salt” (Colossians 4:6). That is, we must speak life-giving words, full of God’s truth, as we build relationships with others. Our words and our lives should always match. Our prayers and our relationships should connect (i.e. we should pray that God would work in our relationships).
This is where hospitality comes in. Gathering around a meal is a great way to get to know someone, to hear their story and understand them on a personal level. A good chat over dinner beats six months of chats about the footy and the weather. Investing in the relationship is what makes an invitation land, whether that is coming to church for the first time or another event where the gospel is clearly presented.
So think of the people God has placed around you. Who could you share a meal with, praying that the Lord might bring them to saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ?
Read about it for yourself: Colossians 4:2–6
Adapted from MTS Ministry Paper 2.04 Hospitality Ministry. mts.com.au/resources/ministry-training-papers/