Getting Started:
2 Thessalonians 1:11 Nlt
“So we keep on praying for you, asking our God to enable you to live a life worthy of his call. May he give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do.”
Have you ever felt “prompted” by your faith/God to do something?
READ
Many times, Christians measure success by how many people they “evangelize,” how many they bring to church, or how many people “pray the prayer.” But many Christians wrestle with feeling like they are “selling” God, like God is product you should acquire so your life will be better - not so you’ll actually experience any real change.
Evangelizing often comes off as an act, because it seems like an unnatural thing: like a sales pitch. Now there’s nothing wrong with sharing your faith, that’s part of being the hands and feet of Christ on earth. However, when it isn’t natural it can feel forced and insincere - when you’re doing it because you think you’re supposed to. We should reflect as to why it feels unnatural.
We need a level of authenticity in our lives regarding our faith. The church, in many cases, has super-spiritualized faith to the point that we can’t live it out in any type of natural context. This creates disconnect between us and God. It’s funny that Christians often admit to having more significant spiritual experiences in places they never expected to see God than they do at church, because it’s in those unexpected contexts that we’re truly able to connect faith with his reality.
Sometimes we need to feel uncomfortable in our faith—that’s what growth is,—but oftentimes it is more beneficial to simply live a better story that others can experience and be drawn into. When our lives match our words, that’s what living a genuine, sincere, connected faith is all about.
DISCUSS
Is your story engaging and inviting?
Are people drawn to your life?
Where have you had a spiritual experience or “holy moment” outside of church?
What are some things that temper you from sharing your faith?
Referring to 1 John 4:20, Rob Bell says, “How we love others is how we love God.” In Matthew 25, Jesus reminds us that whatever good we do for others, we do to God.
How does this affect your approach to personal interactions?