I’m so glad you visited our #SeeAllThePeople website and are committing yourself to disciple making. I hope you have had the time to read through the booklet on Developing an Intentional Discipleship System. My prayer is that it will help guide you personally and your congregation in recognizing people who need to know Jesus.
This is the first of a series of posts that I believe will give you ideas on how to shape your vision in such a way that you will begin to see and reach people where they are, instead of trying to make your church more appealing so they will come to where you are.
You will receive an email from me every other week. The emails will supplement the booklet with ideas on getting outside the church building and really seeing the masses.
When you read Scripture you will see that Jesus spent a lot of His time outdoors.
I think that’s a good lesson for us.
Have you been outside lately? Too many of us leave our houses, go to our garages, get in our cars, drive to our places of work, go to our offices or work stations, spend the day there, then, at the end of our work day, get back in our cars, drive home, park in our garages, go into our houses and stay there until the next morning.
Let me offer you a challenge.
This week, take a walk. Get out and walk in your neighborhood or on your town’s Main Street. See people. Look at those who cross your path. The people you see – all of them – are people loved and cherished by God. They are people God wants you to love.
On an episode of the television comedy “The Big Bang Theory,” scientist Sheldon and waitress Penny are playing a game, trying to match people’s descriptions to their names. Sheldon is shocked that Penny knows so much about so many people.
“How do you know that?” he asks, dumbfounded.
Penny responds, “Oh, I don’t know. I go outside and I talk to people!”
We can do that. Get outside. Talk to people. You will be surprised how enlightening it is.
Jesus was a man of relationships. I believe that’s one of His traits we can emulate. Disciple making starts with noticing people and reaching out in friendship.
Try that and let me know how it goes.
Praying for you,
Rev. Junius B. Dotson
General Secretary
Discipleship Ministries
The United Methodist Church
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