evangelism
Building Bridges:
Making Relational Connections with
Lost Students
Think About It
Why is it that many Christians become frustrated and
don't follow through when they are asked to bring their
friends to an outreach event, or to tell their friends
about Christ? Maybe it's because we don't know many
non-Christians and those we do know, we consider to
be acquaintances rather than friends. This makes it
even more difficult to bridge the gap to spiritual issues.
Have Christians become cocooned?
Heart of the Matter
Cocooning was
a buzz word of the '80s. VCRs and Domino's Pizza have
made it possible for people to spin a web of safety
and security in their own comfortable environment rather
than venture out into the world.
Sometimes Christians cocoon into spiritual safety and
security rather than take risks to build relationships
with the lost. We fill our evenings with Bible studies,
fill our lives with Christian friends and end up isolating
ourselves from the very culture to which we were called
to be salt and light.
The Christian community should be a place from which
we can confidently go out into battle building common-ground
relationships with the lost. It should not be our fortress
where we hide from the world separating ourselves from
those we are seeking to reach.
Jesus was often criticized by the religious leaders
of His day for associating with tax collectors and sinners.
His response revealed both His heart for and pursuit
of the lost: "It is not the healthy who need a doctor,
but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous,
but sinners" (Mark 2:17).
As Christians, our mission is to reach out into the
world around us and love people into a life-changing
relationship with Christ. The following steps are principles
for building bridges of friendship with lost students.
Steps to Take
- Make new friends
-
- Make a list of unreached
friends.
- Get involved in common ground
activities such as intramurals, band, greek system,
clubs, etc.
- Be yourself and have fun.
- Remember there are lots of
morally neutral places you can go and things you
can do with non-Christians.
- Study the life of Christ;
He was a friend of sinners.
- Pray
- Pray consistently for your
new friends.
- Ask God for sincere compassion
(Mark 9:36).
- Pray for God's Spirit to work
in their hearts (John 16:7-11).
- Pray for open doors and opportunities
(Colossians 4:3).
- Pray for their salvation (Romans
10:1, 1 Timothy 2:1-7).
- Imagine a group of 10 believers
praying for 10 people each. That would be 100 non-Christians
being prayed for!
- Give yourself
- Be a good conversationalist
and friend.
- Be available in the hard
times.
- Enjoy being with them without
having an agenda.
- Focus on their heart, not
their actions. Don't expect them to live the Christian
life yet.
- Idea: Small groups in a Los
Angeles church throw a party once a month. The
Christians in the group invite their non-Christian
friends, allowing relationships to form with other
Christians.
- Tell them
- Tell them your
story of the difference Christ has made in your
life.
- Invite them
to church or to an outreach event.
- Ask if anyone
has explained to them what it means to be a true
Christian. Let them know how to begin a relationship
with God.
- Begin an investigative
Bible study of the Gospel of John. Lead them to
Christ as you sense they are ready.
Real Life Story
Damon and Andrea were involved in Campus Crusade in
college. After graduating they got married, and Damon
went to medical school while Andrea got a job.
After becoming involved in a church, they helped give
leadership to a church-based campus ministry with students
attending from two universities. They also got to know
another couple from Damon's class in medical school.
They prayed for this couple, took them to church, and
spent time with them. After several months, their friends
received Christ. Because they had a relationship with
Damon and Andrea (and with the church), it was natural
for the new couple to receive follow-up and become involved
in the church.
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