Inviting Who We Know

This morning I wish to address a question that many believers have, and that is “How do we get people to come to church?” First of all, it is important for us to realize something I once saw stated on a church sign. Where the pastor’s name is normally listed, someone had posted this: “Minister: Every Member.” It is of great significance for us to understand that Jesus has assigned each and every person in the body of Christ the task of carrying out the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20). When we come to understand this fact, then we will begin to ask, “What can I do?”

Maybe some of you are asking this question right now. Perhaps you feel a sense of responsibility to help people come to know Christ, and know the wonderful fellowship that exists among the believers in the local church. Perhaps when you ask, “What can I do?” thoughts of inadequacy enter your heart. I want to encourage you that getting people to come to church is not as difficult as we make it out to be. All it takes is for us to think of someone we know, and then to invite that person to church.

It has been stated that the number one reason people don’t go to church is because no one invited them. It is vital that we invite people to church, and it’s a simple task. Many of us will ask, “But who do I invite?” Well, it’s all about working within our daily network of relationships. We know more people than we think we do! I have entitled our message for this morning, “Inviting Who We Know.” This title conveys the simple truth that we all know people, and these are the individuals with whom we must focus our evangelism efforts.

Our Relatives and Friends (Acts 10:24, 44-48)

24 And the following day they entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting for them, and had called together his relatives and close friends . . . 44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. 45 And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. 46 For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered, 47 “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.

We see here that Cornelius invited his “relatives” and “close friends” (v. 24) to hear Peter speak (v. 44). We also read that what they heard Peter speak was “the word” (v. 44). If we look back to verse 36 we can see that Peter spoke about Jesus. In verse 39 Peter said they killed Jesus by hanging Him on a tree, which was the cross, and in verse 40 Peter declared, “Him God raised up on the third day . . .” The facts that Peter shared with Cornelius, according to 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, comprise what is called the gospel message – “That Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.”

Cornelius’ “relatives” and “friends” heard the gospel message preached, and we see here in verses 44-48 that it resulted in people being filled with the Holy Spirit. This takes place when we believe in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. We also see that they were baptized in the name of Jesus (vv. 47-48).

When researchers asked new converts, “What was the major influence in leading you to Christ and the Church?”, they responded like this: Church advertising two percent; the Pastor six percent; organized evangelism programs six percent; and friends and relatives eighty-six percent.(1) Our family members and friends are groups of people on whom we have an influence and can invite to church to hear the gospel preached; and when they hear the gospel message it will change their lives!

Let’s take a brief look at our relatives. Our family is one of the most difficult groups of people we can witness to; however, these are the ones we see most frequently in our lives. The thing is, we don’t necessarily have to witness to these people by ourselves. All we have to do is persuade them to come to church with us.

Allow me to share another example from the Bible of what can happen when our family gathers to hear the gospel. Concerning Paul and Silas preaching to the family of the Philippian jailer, Acts 16:31-33 tells us this: “So they said, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.’ Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized.” If we can get family members to come to church, and sit down and hear the preaching of the gospel, then they might just get saved and baptized!