God’s mission has always been to see His purpose realized in a restored creation for the sake of His glory.
As a missional God, the Father, Son, and Spirit create and send a missional people (the church) to see His purpose accomplished. Mission is for everyone and happens in the everyday!
If we are to be sent like Jesus, then we should stop expecting people to come to church, and we should start taking the church to people. After all, the church is not a building or a service; it is the people of God on the mission of Christ. The Church is us.
We just need to go with one another into our neighborhoods, places of employment, kid’s schools, and favor-ite hangouts to make disciples. Where can you begin? Look around! You live next to people, work with people, and are friends with people who do not know Jesus. Mission happens in the everyday things of life: backyard grill-outs with the neighbors, lunch breaks with your co-workers, attending concerts, watching movies, and play dates. The missional church is not about adding activities to an already busy life – rather, it is a matter of being yourself in the everyday with gospel intentionality.
Identify
Pray daily, asking God to show you the people you are to invest in.
Look at the “Circles of Influence” map below – you is already right around you? By identifying those that need the Gospel, we are more apt to actually share. It gives this entire mission a face and a name.
Invest
Once you’ve identified the people around you, begin looking for ways to spend time with them.
The purpose of investing is to build a genuine relationship. No doubt, investment takes time, energy and effort. Think about how you can use your natural interests, gifts, talents and abilities as you seek to build relationships with new people.
We all do lunch
In fact, we eat 3 meals a day! You might go to lunch with a co-worker rather than eat by yourself, or invite a family or neighbor over for dinner one night.
Be a regular
Begin to create a routine of when and where you for gas, groceries, haircuts, eating out and coffee. If you go to the same places at the same times, you will naturally get to know the staff. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and pray for them when you get a chance.
Use your hobby
Whatever your hobby is, get out and do it with others. You might even share your hobby by hosting a party or teaching lessons. Be prayerful, be intentional and be yourself.
Talk to your co-workers
You probably do this everyday! Take intentional breaks with the goal of checking-in with and speaking to people. Don’t miss out on opportunities to socialize outside of the work environment either.
Participate in your community
Be looking for opportunities to get out into the commu-nity like festivals, summer shows, concerts, or volunteer organizations. Go and participate with the intention of connecting with people.
Be a neighbor
Take a prayer walk down your street and look for oppor-tunities to serve your neighbors. If you don’t know your neighbors, offer to host a neighborhood cook out or block party.
Intercede
As you begin investing, opportunities will come for you to ask how you can pray for what is going on in people’s lives. Although while we can and must pray for matters related to their lives and circumstances, the emphasis should always be on their salvation.
If you will be consistent in prayer with a heart concerned for those far from God, then you will begin to see people as God sees them. Pray with confidence that God hears us and desires to respond.
Pray for the lost using God’s Word
Ezekiel 11.19 | Pray that God would give them a heart of flesh
Ezekiel 36.17 | Pray that God would put His Spirit within them
Matthew 11.28-30 & John 14.6 | Pray that God would call them and they would come to Christ
Acts 16.14 | Pray that God would open their hearts to believe the gospel
Romans 6.17 | Pray that God would free them from the slavery of sin
2 Corinthians 4.4 | Pray that God would remove Satan’s blinding influence
2 Timothy 2.25-26 | Pray that God would grant them repentance
Romans 10.14 | Pray that you will be able to develop a relationship with them
Matthew 5.16 | Pray for opportunities to serve them
Colossians 4.2 | Pray for them faithfully and persistently
Romans 10.1 | Pray for a burden to plead for their souls
Ephesians 6.19 | Pray for boldness in generating & taking oppor-tunities to speak the gospel
1 Corinthians 3.6 | Pray for other believers to encounter them
Invite
The opportunity to invite can look many different ways. The goal is for people to take the next step toward Jesus, whatever that may be.
You may have the opportunity to invite someone to a church service or outreach event. When they do come, follow-up by going to lunch after service or checking in later in the week to see what they thought. Share your thoughts too, keep investing, and invite them again.
You will likely have the opportunity to invite them into a conversation about the Gospel too. Because you have been investing in them, you will have a sense of their struggles and needs. Think about what it is in their life that the gospel message speaks to.
Additional Gospel Resources
If you’re unsure how to share the message of the gospel, 3 Circles: Life Conversation Guide is a simple way to learn and illustrate the story using scripture.
You can also access a 5-week guide called Gospel Conversations to use for personal study and reflection on