Did we forget somebody?

Last week we wrapped up a series of posts about the four stages of spiritual development, but there’s one type of person we forgot:  the UnConvinced.  You won’t find them at Living Hope.  You won’t find them in any church.  They are people who, when asked what their religious affiliation is, proudly respond “none.”

We all have UnConvinced people in our lives.  We all have people in our lives who aren’t exploring, discovering, growing or surrendering to Jesus.  These people look at us in disbelief as we take our next steps of faith, practice our spiritual disciplines, and give our time, treasure and talents to the mission of God.  While we are busy knowing and growing in intimacy with God, they are completely Unconvinced that there is a God at all.

An Unconvinced person is someone who:

• May or may not believe that God exists
• Believes God and faith are irrelevant today
• Has little or no contact with a church and doesn’t see any reason to change that
• Does not know anything about the Bible, but has negative assumptions about it

We are surrounded by the UnConvinced every day.  We dearly love them. We call them brother, sister, mom, dad, friend, neighbour, boss, etc. We question, “How can we help someone who is Unconvinced take their next step towards God?”

The first thing we need to understand is that the Unconvinced don’t believe they need to take a step towards God.  Remember that they believe he is irrelevant, so they aren’t looking for him or interested in him.  Let me give you two actions which, if done over time, will be catalytic in helping your Unconvinced friend or family member to move closer to God. They may even begin to explore their faith.

1. Be a friend – What the Unconvinced needs is for someone like you or me to take an interest in them, love them and just be their true friend (not a project).  If they are struggling with something, be there for them and care for them.  If you are struggling with something, share it with them and let them care for you.  Genuinely love them, spend time with them, and live life with them.  Talk about the things that matter to them.  If they ask questions about your faith, answer honestly and even be willing to say “I don’t know” when you aren’t sure. Let your friend set the agenda on when and what they want to talk with you about faith.  Don’t try to shove your faith down their throats, but don’t hide your faith. Be authentic and real with them.
2. Pray – God cares about your Unconvinced friend as much as you do, so talk with him about them.  Pray a blessing on them and their family.  When they are sick or going through a rough time, pray for them.  Become their biggest prayer advocate.  You don’t have to tell them; it’s just another way to love them.
3. Invite – Invite your Unconvinced friend to your home, out to lunch, to a game, etc.  Invite them to hang out with your Christian friends over dinner.  Invite them into your life.  Give them a front row seat to see Jesus in the way you live.  Love them and show them how Jesus is relevant in everything you do.  If it seems right, invite them to go to the Global Leadership Summit with you or to something that has faith themes (like a movie or play) and see if it sparks a conversation.  Maybe you’ll even have the opportunity to invite them to your community group or church, but let Holy Spirit open the door and don’t rush it.

The truth is that when someone is Unconvinced, arguing with them is likely not going to change their mind, but loving them and modelling a Christ-like life will. Giving honest answers to their questions will make a huge difference.   So be a true friend, pray for them, and let the Holy Spirit do the rest. After all, Jesus said that’s what the Holy Spirit would do (John 16:8,12-15).  As you do this you’ll discover something amazing.  As you are loving your friend or family member, you’ll draw closer to Jesus yourself.

This weekend we are continuing our ‘Deeper’ series and we’ll be talking about the greatest indicator of whether we are living a Spirit-filled life.  I hope to see you this Sunday as we move deeper into the river.

See you Sunday,

Pastor Kirk

Living Hope MidWeek
Join us Wednesdays for MidWeek, an evening where the entire family can sit around a table for a great meal (beginning at 5:30).  At 6:45 you can find activities that will help your family take their next step in their relationship with Jesus.   We have Kids Choir and Clubs for your school-aged kids and Hope Youth for your teens.  For adults we have Starting Point, Hearing God and a drop-in group for those who’d like to go deeper and discuss our weekly sermon.  There is something for everyone every Wednesday!

Global Leadership Summit – October 18 & 19
Your influence matters. Learn how to maximize it!  Join us for this year’s Global Leadership Summit and get a unique blend of vision, inspiration and practical skills you can immediately apply.  The 2-day Global Leadership Summit will hone and improve your leadership skills with a fresh perspective from world-class leaders.  Register today for this world-class event featuring Simon Sinek, Juliett Funt, Sheila Heen, John Maxwell and many more.

Annual General Meeting 
Living Hope’s 2018 Annual General Meeting will be held on Sunday, September 30th at 1 pm.  A detailed financial meeting which reviews the audited financial statements will be held at 9:30 am on September 30th.  We hope you’ll join us as we talk about what God has done, is doing, and wants to do in our church family.

Coming Events