Lunch

Wednesday, I saw Rev. Matt Basford, the pastor at Hartford Baptist Church, in the Old Mexico Restaurant in Geneva.  David, Paul, Jamie, and I were there for a staff luncheon.  Matt was sitting by himself, enjoying some quiet time alone.  Jokingly, I walked up and said, Hey Matt, sitting here with all your friends?  We laughed a little and reflected on the death of one of his church members.  We small talked a little and then our group left to attend our meeting.  It was good to see Matt.  It was a good lunch.

Now, I want you to consider your lunch time practices.  Some people like to eat alone.  I don't.  I would rather not eat than eat alone.  I will call friends and family...whatever it takes, so long as I don't eat alone.  I prefer the company of friends.  Maybe you like to eat with friends.  Maybe you like to eat alone.  Maybe you don't care as long as you get to eat!

I would like you to consider inviting a friend to lunch this month.  I would like you to invite an unchurched friend to lunch.  You remember last month I wrote about how we need to get to know the unchurched and how we need to invite them to meet Jesus.  Many of you agreed with me and gave me much affirmation about that article.  Now, I want you to do something about it.  I want you to make some new friends...unchurched friends.

You can not invite an unchurched friend to church for one of two reasons.  1) All your friends are churched people. 2) You don't have any friends.  Either way, it is time we enlarge our circle of friends.  The first step is to make the friend.

One of the ways we make friends is to eat with them.  So, this week I invite you to have lunch with an unchurched person, with the goal of building a friendship.  I have a couple of pieces of advice for those of you who wish to join my challenge.

   Don't make the lunch a time to bring up church.

   Don't invite them to church...YET

   Don't push an agenda-especially the church or religion.

   Do ask about family, friends, interests.

   Do be invitational with your life and home.

   Do pay for the meal (or prepare it). This is your gift to them.

   Do be genuine.

In the months ahead, you will have a chance to build on the relationship that you start this month.  We will examine how to make that first invitation.  We will look at how to share our faith.  We will do this together over this year, but let's start with a meal.  That's my prayer for me and that's my prayer for you.