Relationships are so important.  God built us to live in community, and yet we are in danger of allowing the busyness of life pull us away from developing deep and meaningful relationships with other believers and with those who have not yet believed.

With that being said, I truly believe that the most effective means we have for sharing our faith is through the relationships that we intentionally build with the lost.  I’m not talking about getting to know someone so that you can share the Gospel and then move on.  I mean building deep and long-lasting relationships with people in the hopes of earning the credibility to share your faith with them, and then walk with them as they grow as a Christ-follower.

My faith is a product of that kind of relationship.  Decades before my birth a deacon visited my grandparents at their home.  Before he talked with them about Christ or invited them to church he picked up a hammer and helped them build a porch.  His investment in them lead to my grandmother recommitting her life to Christ, and the rest of the family coming to know Jesus as Savior and Lord.  A wonderful legacy was passed to my family and beyond, in part, because of that man’s faithfulness.

There are countless other stories that I could tell that, like mine, point back to someone building an intentional relationship that led to effectively sharing Christ.  The former atheist who now follows Jesus because a friend patiently answered questions over coffee and while playing games, the wife who saw her husband come to know Christ as he quietly watched her personal growth, the young girl who shared Jesus with her sister one night before bed, the former addict who wandered into church one day and was overwhelmed because of the love he found there.  Different stories, but one theme.  God worked through willing hearts who would love people enough to share life with them as well as the Gospel.

In the months ahead you’ll be able to see and hear some of those stories here on our website, and you can also participate in some training that will arm you to be a part of these kinds of stories in the future.  I would love for you to join us for a conversation about how we can work together to lead the people in our lives to a saving knowledge of Christ.  The training will be on March 3rd from 8:30 am – 4:00 pm (lunch will be provided).  More info below.

I hope that you will join me on this journey.  There is nothing better than being used by God in the life of another person.

 

 

*This post was first featured on the blog at http://www.fbchighlandcity.com