Take A Risk...Invite Someone to Alpha

Sharing your faith can be intimidating. As a pastor I know I am supposed to say it comes naturally; but to be frank, I sometimes find it terrifying! Rarely is it easy for me to broach matters of faith with family members, friends, or strangers. But last year, I had an encounter that continues to encourage me to take risks and tell people about Jesus.  

One afternoon last spring I was in my backyard prepping my garden for summer. As I was about to go inside for dinner, my neighbor struck up a conversation from the other side of the fence. I could tell he needed someone to talk to about a challenging situation. During our discussion, I felt a nudge—I believe from the Holy Spirit—to ask him about his faith background. He was incredibly open and honest, and I took the opportunity to invite him to Alpha. I didn’t think he would be interested in visiting a church of strangers, not to mention attend a class. But to my surprise he found Alpha engaging and attended nearly every session. After Alpha we continued to have fruitful dialogue about faith, Jesus, and the storyline of the Bible. Although I didn’t have the opportunity to lead my neighbor to trust in Jesus, I know gospel seeds were planted.

"So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow."

1 Corinthians 3:7  

Through this experience I learned a few things about evangelism:  

1. First, many are inclined to have faith conversations. At the very least, people are spiritually curious and are willing to ask questions.  
2. Second, Alpha is a fitting context to ask such questions. No question is off-limits which makes it a welcoming environment for skeptics. 
3. Third, the Holy Spirit is the one who changes hearts and minds. If we believe that we are responsible for one’s response to the gospel, the call to share our faith is daunting. This is one of the main reasons so many of us shy away from having conversations about faith. But if we adopt the mindset that our role is to plant gospel seeds, we can trust the Holy Spirit for the outcome.  

On Monday, April 25, 2022, we are offering ALPHA again because we believe it is a powerful tool to connect with those who do not yet know Jesus. So, take a moment to pray that God would bring to mind whom he wants you to invite. Then, take a risk, extend an invitation, and plant a gospel seed!