An easier way to evangelise?

"My soul is uplifted when I visit churches and there is a discussion of what the congregation will do to sharpen their evangelism.

Talk normally revolves around new, exciting events or ways to engage with the community that has had no contact with the church. Connection with the community is certainly what is on view.

But in these conversations, I’ve noticed that there are many people who have come to events and church in the past, but we have forgetton to re-invite them. This surprises me because such people have usually appreciated joining in, are favourably disposed to faith and generally 'warmer contacts'.

I am certainly not opposed to, in fact I am a strong supporter of engaging 'cold contact' with the wonderful gospel claims of Jesus, but not when we neglect our warmer contacts.

I wonder whether we forget about warm contacts because we think they won’t want to come again, or we may be stretching the friendship to re-invite friends. Or it may be that we are afraid to continue the conversations at a personal level for fear that we might get it wrong, but think the event is not what the friend now needs.

However, I have noticed that many warm contacts, after their conversion tell the story of waiting to be re-invited to consider Jesus. We laugh at, but it is so common, to hear the testimony of the person who says they had to ask their friend to bring them back to church."

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