Is Your Life “Questionable” Enough?
By Dustin Serns, Washington Conference church planting coordinator
The Seattle metro area has recently been ranked the least religious large city in the United States.
Around 64% of residents never attend religious services or go less than once per year. How can we reach people who have no interest in church or desire to know the Bible?
Peter advised,
Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have…
Being “prepared to give an answer” assumes people are asking you questions about your faith. Are they? If not, how can you live a more “questionable” life?
My friend Reylourd says, “Adventists love to be different, but if our differences don’t make a positive impact in the lives of others, then that just makes us weird.”
What made Jesus and the first-century church so “questionable” that people wanted to know their Kingdom message?
Their strategy was simple: pray, bless, eat, and listen.
Pray – Jesus daily interceded for those He wanted to become part of His Kingdom. Through prayer, the Holy Spirit opened doors for the church to have spiritual conversations and invite people to follow Jesus.
Who are 5–10 people you can pray for daily to commit to Jesus and journey with His church?
Bless – Jesus regularly blessed people. The early church was known for its generosity to those both inside and outside the church.
How can you bless people in intentional ways on a weekly basis?
Eat – Jesus extended friendship to those He wanted to reach by eating with them. For the early church, the Lord’s Supper was more than a ritual wafer and thimble-sized glass of juice; it was a shared meal eaten in acknowledgment of the presence of God.
How can you eat with people from both inside and outside your church on a weekly basis?
Listen – Jesus listened to people. In the Gospels, Jesus asked questions 100 times more often than He gave direct answers. The early church deeply cared for people and empowered them to follow and share Jesus with passion.
How can you ask meaningful questions to people you would love to see know Jesus?
When you pray, bless, eat, and listen, people will ask questions. When they ask, share with passion what Jesus has done in your life—and invite them on a journey to discover what He could do in theirs, too.