Grow, Pray & Study Guide: Faith Sharing, Week 4

Our hope at River City is that you grow daily in your walk with God! One way to do that is to spend time with God every day. This Grow, Pray and Study Guide (GPS) is just one easy way to connect with God on a daily basis.

Monday

Does an invite really make a difference?  Check out this blog post!  It is one of Pastor Derek’s favorites!  http://teddyray.com/one-invitation/

 

Tuesday

Read John 4:1-30 focusing on verses 28-30.

The Samaritan Woman did not invite her friends to church. Instead she invited them to Jesus. This is also what Matthew did in Matthew 9 and Zacchaeus did in Luke 19. I hope that you can use your church as  way to invite someone to experience Jesus, but that might not be the best invitation. Maybe inviting them to an event. Inviting them to your home or inviting them to coffee. Getting to know someone just for the sake of getting to know them. Matthew experienced Jesus and wanted to get his friends around Jesus. Zacchaeus and the Woman at the Well did too. Jesus is in you. Jesus is in your church. Take some time to think of some friends who inviting them to church would not be the best option just yet. Would inviting them to coffee be better? Then why don’t you? Spend some time in prayer for them today.

 

Wednesday

Some people are not ready for an invitation to church, but some people definitely are ready. I’ve heard stories and stories of people who would have come to church if someone would have invited them. Take some time to answer the questions below:

  1. What are your fears around inviting someone to church?
  2. What are some of your favorite things about your church?
  3. Who are some of the people you are closest to in your church? What is it about them that you love?
  4. Is your life better because of being a part of your church?
  5. Do you think other people’s lives would be enhanced by being around people that are a blessing to your life?
  6. Who are three people you know that you think would benefit from experiencing community through your church? 

When we invite someone to church we are inviting them to so much more than a Sunday morning experience. We are inviting them to a group of people that they can connect with that will be with them in the highs and lows. We are inviting them to make new friends and have an even stronger support structure for themselves and their family. We are inviting them to begin a journey that leads to great things. Yes, we are inviting them to songs and a sermon, but there is so much more.

 

Thursday

It started with my sister Leslie who encouraged me to go to church camp when I was in fifth grade. At camp my counselor encouraged me to be a part of my youth group. My youth minister invited me to youth group on Sunday night. My dad took me every Sunday from there on out. My “road to faith” had many people along the way directing which way to go. Think back on your journey. Who are those people that extended an  invitation or a direction towards faith?

 

Friday

Philemon 1:6 and Matthew 5:13-16

I love this verse because it says I hope that you will be “active in sharing your faith.” It doesn’t ask us to be an expert. Rather just to be active. Sometimes it just means letting our light shine. I was playing golf the other day and I hit a bad shot off the tee. My friend hit and his shot wasn’t to great either. I hit my shot again (mulligan) and put it on the green. My friend said he was going to play his first shot so immediately I had to admit that my shot I hit on the green was actually my second shot. My friend’s integrity helped me to show more integrity. My friend’s light made me not dim my light. Sometimes sharing our faith is just doing the right thing and letting other people react. They always take notice. Also, please don’t ever let Pastor Eric know that I wrote this about him