The Basics

The Basics

I am totally convinced that God loves me.  And that He has a wonderful plan for my life.  Unfortunately, my version of  "wonderful plan for my life" is the Americanized version and reads like one of those nauseating Christmas letters.

The wonderful plan for the Sudanese Muslim  who places his faith in Jesus, might be dying a violent death at the hands of radical Muslims three months later, after sharing his faith with his friends.

Because God's plan is not all about me.  It's about me playing a role in The  Story He is unfolding...the bit part I have in the world  He has strategically placed me in.   And my part includes sharing The Story,  opening my mouth and verbalizing my faith in Jesus, giving the Holy Spirit opportunity to work in a friend or acquaintance's life.

I do not have to convince you of this.  We all believe we should share our faith. We all nod and agree.    And then we act right and I guess just hope people who are not remotely interested in church or Jesus, just kind of figure out the reason we're nice is because we love Jesus, not because we're vegetarians... and......come to church.

Even though,  it seems like church is mostly for church people who have their act together.  Or if they don't, once they realize what's amiss, they fix it or act like it's fixed.  Why would you want to come if your act is not together?

So what to do?

You meet someone who is unchurched, and has never been churched and knows nothing about Jesus.  Inviting them to church is like asking them to come to a racing club.  Everybody owns a car and is racing around the track at 140 mph.  My friend doesn't even drive, much less own a car.  She doesn't speak the language...she has no idea why everyone is so excited.

So say, your desk is next to hers and over time, she comes to faith....so you bring her to church.  She has bought the car, but has not read the instruction manual...nor has she ever even driven.  She sits down in a class or in worship and has not one clue what the teacher is talking about.

My church (and I'm in a big one) does not have a place for people like this that I know of... although....this is our target audience, right? Makes you wonder doesn't it.

In a recent poll, I read that 25% of Americans indicated "none" when asked about their religious preference.  I'd venture to say  that a remaining 50% may mark a preference but the reason is  probably because their mama always put that down...or they went there some growing up.  And most people they know are  Methodist...so they are too.

That leaves 25% which is probably a generous figure...who have a vital, daily relationship with Jesus.  They are in His word, they pray, they look to Him for guidance,  they are obedient to what He tells them to do.  Maybe 25% is stretching it a bit.

These numbers make a huge impact on our mission doesn't it, because that's a lot of people who weren't taught the Bible or about a relationship with Jesus, in homes or schools ....and certainly no one prints anything about Jesus in the  media.

That leaves ..... us ...  to tell the Story and convey the basics of  the instruction manual so they can buy a car,  pull the car up to the starting line with the others and participate.

And where we do that is .... not in church.  We do it one on one with people we have a relationship with.   We share our faith one on one.  They come to faith.  We share basics  about what you need to know now that you have a relationship with Jesus, one on one.

"This is what you need to know about the Bible, and assurance, the Holy Spirit, prayer, Satan, Lordship.   This is the basics about the church and forgiveness and God's love."

I have taught Bible in one format or another for years and years.  I have never sat down and shared the basics with a new believer, walked through discipling someone who knows nothing, until this year....and I am 63.  That is pathetic.

Yet if I stood up in front of 50 women my age who had been in church their entire life...they would say they couldn't do this.  It's not their gift.  So if cooking isn't your gift, would you let me starve to death or fix me a PB & J?

About three or four years ago, Billy Graham's grandson came to town and held an area wide crusade.  I wasn't really pumped, but went, helped out, got the literature, brought it home, put it in a basket in a cabinet and forgot about it.

This year a college student I knew, came to faith.  She knew nothing beyond, "This is a Bible."  I knew if I took her to church, she would be lost.

God brought to mind one of those booklets that I brought home and tossed in a basket.  It contained all these topics that I've mentioned.  It was like I'd struck the mother lode.    Little one page lessons...Bible verses on these topics that  you just talk through.  My husband says if you know 10% more than someone who knows nothing, you're an expert.

You are an expert.

A friend has a new neighbor and they have begun to walk together.  Because my friend is so aware of God's presence in her life and finds tremendous delight in her relationship with Him, it was natural for her to talk about Him during their walks.  The neighbor was clueless.  It quickly became obvious that she respected Debbie's views  but had no idea what she was talking about.

So she continues to build a friendship and one day hopes to lead her to faith.  When she does...the next step will be to introduce her to the basics.  Then because there are so many believers in this neighborhood, they've begun a Bible study...so she can take her to be with a small group of women who study the Word, share their concerns and pray for each other.

What a difference in that scenario and "come go to church with me Sunday," hoping whoever you sit them in front of will say the right things.  We DO that...absolutely...but by the time we do that,  they're ready.  Their confidence is in the Word, in the Father.

What a great start, a wonderful foundation and chances are, you'll be more excited than even she is!