This week I am going to write some about sharing our faith and inviting people to Church worship programs. Some aspects of this topic fall under the heading of “Church growth,” some are labeled “Personal Evangelism,” some as “Inviting” and others are a combination of multiple topics.

Before we can begin to talk about the when and how of sharing our faith I have to stop and acknowledge one huge obstacle. That issue is that all of us view life through our own unique experiences. I know that sounds like a “Duh?” statement, but it is worth exploring. Each one of us comes to matters of faith and Church with our own unique background. Some people were raised in a Christian home and some were never taken to Church. Some people have been in Church frequently and others very, very infrequently for a wedding or funeral. Some people come from a background where faith was discussed regularly and others were told it was a personal matter. The list could go on and on. We are all different people with different backgrounds.

I see this difference played out dramatically when people come to Church for the first time. When people without any Church background come to Church they look sacred or angry or both. They don’t know where to sit or when they should sit. They don’t know people. They have never been asked to sing as a group, especially songs about loving some god or a guy named Jesus. Everything is weird and unique if those people have never been to Church. Now contrast that to the last time you visited a Church. You were happy and shaking hands. You took the program and any literature they offered (after all, we might be able to use it at our Church). You sang happily and felt right at home. What was the difference? You have been to Church before.

I firmly believe that the biggest obstacle most Churches have in reaching lost people is the fact that Christians put everything together based on their own background. When I talk to people about making changes to reach more people I am usually met with “I think a non-Christian would like this experience.” Why? Because I like it.

So let me give you a challenge this week or month – attend a group or a function that you know nothing about. Attend a school board meeting, go to a civic group meeting, walk into an open AA meeting, or go to any meeting that is available. If you are a hunter, go to a PETA meeting. If you are a gun collector, go to an anti-gun rally. If you are opposed to anything, go and attend a meeting of the opposite side of the debate. (Isn’t that what we are trying to accomplish with non-Christians or even atheists?)

After you go to one of these meetings take the time to write your thoughts. Did you feel out-of-place? What would have made you more comfortable? What do you wish they had done? What do you hate that they did? How would you change things? Finally, take that thinking to Church.

My fear is that one of the reasons many non-Christians never come to faith is because Church people have only tried to see the world their own eyes.