Imagine that you decided to take a night class to improve your job skills. The class meets weekly and is a small, discussion oriented class. Do you feel more connected to the people in the class than you would in a large lecture hall with 300 classmates? Of course you would. However, do you have a “relationship” with them other than the shared class and conversations you have with them at the class? Not much of one unless you start doing things with them outside the class. Relationships are built around shared activities and shared experiences. This is just as true for relationships between believers as it is between classmates. To build Christian community, we have to have shared activities and experiences beyond the small group discussion and the large lecture hall.
The ancient Roman style of evangelism could be summarized as “When you look and act like me, you can be a part.” That sounds vaguely familiar, maybe like most of our own general ideas about people coming into the fellowship. In contrast, the Celts practiced the reverse order. Outsiders came to belong before they came to believe. It was more about having a relationship with a community and adopting the beliefs of that community. Sociologically, this is what we all do. We adopt the values, attitudes, and behaviors of those around us. Making a place for others to experience true Christian community is the most powerful means of drawing others to God we have available. This means the primary task of evangelism is to help people “belong so that they can come to believe.” They don’t have to know anything about God, the Bible, or theology to enjoy good food and good fellowship.
“What should be done then, my brothers and sisters? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up.”
Mutual edification and encouragement was the norm. Everyone came prepared to share something of spiritual value. We are to freely share those things God prompted us to share. We are also to freely share the goodness of our life in Christ with others, hence the “FreeShare” label. How would unchurched, or formerly churched people respond to this kind of genuineness and community built around our shared spiritual bond? Maybe this is an example of making the good news of God attractive to others (Titus 2:10).
ACTIVITIES: a potluck meal, restaurant or coffee shop together, picnic in the park, corn hole tournament, hike a trail, bicycle ride, game night, prayer walk through neighborhood, volunteer at a local non-profit, visit to a local nursing home, Christmas caroling, backyard camp fire, watch a sports event on TV, attend an event together, service project for an elderly neighbor, etc.
SPIRITUAL ELEMENTS: one on one prayer, talk about spiritual insights from events of the week, share a memory verse, mention insights or application from the Scripture reading, tell how God intervened in your life this week, share a song that was meaningful to you, encourage each other, take care of needs anyone had in the ekklesia, etc.
REMEMBER: practice doing these spiritual elements spontaneously in the midst of normal life activities such as those listed above. Sometimes that will mean sharing with the group as a whole, and sometimes it will be with only one or two others.
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