July 23rd, 2024
Don’t Miss This Step!
“You do not have, because you do not ask.” -James 4:2
Our focus at Christ Presbyterian is shifting. For the last four years, we have been largely focused on getting our house in order as a church. This process has been wide ranging – from organizing our leadership, to setting and casting vision, to equipping volunteers, to renovating and remodeling our facilities, to becoming more welcoming – much work has been done.
Although getting our house in order never truly comes to an end, it’s time for us to turn our main focus away from ourselves and towards our community. For several weeks now, I’ve been writing and speaking to you about the unchurched and dechurched folks in our community. We’ve discussed the “3 Types of Dechurched People” and we’ve discussed how to have an initial conversation with them using “A Flow Chart for Evangelism”. If you haven’t read those two articles yet, you can find them on the CPC app or on the church website.
As we turn our focus outward, there is another crucial step that we have not yet discussed. That step is prayer. If we ask the question, “Why aren’t more people coming to faith at Christ Presbyterian?” – James provides a simple answer. “You do not have because you do not ask.”
About six weeks ago, Miles Paisant – a member here at CPC – and I started to pray for first time visitors. The first Sunday after we began praying, we had 7 first time visitors. Is that a coincidence? No.
So as you reach out to the unchurched and dechurched in your life, don’t forget to pray. Don’t forget to ask God to go before you, with you, and behind you. Ask him to give you wisdom – so that you know when to listen and when to speak. Ask God to bring fruit where you plant and water. As you work for the kingdom, don’t forget to pray.
Your Pastor and Friend,John Knox Foster
“You do not have, because you do not ask.” -James 4:2
Our focus at Christ Presbyterian is shifting. For the last four years, we have been largely focused on getting our house in order as a church. This process has been wide ranging – from organizing our leadership, to setting and casting vision, to equipping volunteers, to renovating and remodeling our facilities, to becoming more welcoming – much work has been done.
Although getting our house in order never truly comes to an end, it’s time for us to turn our main focus away from ourselves and towards our community. For several weeks now, I’ve been writing and speaking to you about the unchurched and dechurched folks in our community. We’ve discussed the “3 Types of Dechurched People” and we’ve discussed how to have an initial conversation with them using “A Flow Chart for Evangelism”. If you haven’t read those two articles yet, you can find them on the CPC app or on the church website.
As we turn our focus outward, there is another crucial step that we have not yet discussed. That step is prayer. If we ask the question, “Why aren’t more people coming to faith at Christ Presbyterian?” – James provides a simple answer. “You do not have because you do not ask.”
About six weeks ago, Miles Paisant – a member here at CPC – and I started to pray for first time visitors. The first Sunday after we began praying, we had 7 first time visitors. Is that a coincidence? No.
So as you reach out to the unchurched and dechurched in your life, don’t forget to pray. Don’t forget to ask God to go before you, with you, and behind you. Ask him to give you wisdom – so that you know when to listen and when to speak. Ask God to bring fruit where you plant and water. As you work for the kingdom, don’t forget to pray.
Your Pastor and Friend,John Knox Foster
Posted in From The Pastor\\\'s Desk
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