A14 When No One Comes
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A14 When No One Comes
One of our co-workers invited ten people to his new Discovery. In the last three days before the meeting, everyone apologized to him. In the end, no one came at all! It was great disappointment for him. He wondered what he had done wrong. I don’t know if he did anything wrong. Maybe not. This is not a surprising response at this time of development of the spiritual movement in our country. Our people have no idea what riches are hidden in God’s word, nor can they even think how radically different life is life with Jesus as a personal Friend and Lord.
May it encourage you that our other co-worker – then as a completely new believer – invited three friends to his Discovery and all three did come. Usually when we invite ten people, three or four would come.
Huge impact on whether invited friends come have elements like:
−My own prayer background
−My prayer Army
−Relationships and conversations I usually have with the invited ones
−The invitation itself – what I tell them and how I say it,
−Number of invitations, if I reminded myself acceptably.
−Also there is a role of if I am the only one in George’s circles talking about reading the Bible or if more people have been present at a Discovery, and they say it was interesting.
If I don’t invite people, they certainly won’t come!
That’s simple. When I invite them, often even intelligent or educated people do not keep their word. So we learned to invite rather more people. And especially to those who promised, we sensitively repeat the invitation. I’m not pushing anyone. If I see interest, I simply share my experience with Discovery and with the living Jesus. When I don’t see interest, I still talk to them – about normal things. I’ll just try to mention Jesus here and there again or the Discovery – to see if anything has changed on their part – which happens occasionally! When he moves me or my Jesus to another box in his head…
What to do WHEN NO ONE COMES?
1. Pray for your people
Suddenly you have time to pray for everyone you have invited. Do nothing else for an hour and a half, now! Urge Jesus to touch your friends and draw them to himself…
2. Pray for co-workers
For other harvesters. (Luke 10: 2b) If you had a buddy to accompany Discovery with you, inviting friends might be more effective.
3. Invite the same people again
Some of your guests really couldn’t come – for something important. That’s why I individually and personally try to invite the same people again. When someone makes excuses again at the next invitation, I’ll leave them. Do you remember how the Lord Jesus describes the sower whose grain falls in four soils? Some may not be a good soil for sowing God’s word, now! (Matthew 13: 3-8; 18-23)
4. Invite other people
Go back to your relational map and think in prayer whom else you can invite! Remember the lesson about inviting people, and go for it. Send a text message to the newly invited a day before the meeting that you are looking forward to them.
5. Don’t be discouraged!
Jesus‘ disciples say that the harvest will come in four months, but the master says that the fields are ready now. „The reaper ALREADY gathers the harvest for eternal life.“ (John 4:36) The Lord Himself says it, so it simply is that way!
When something goes wrong – for example, when sometimes no one comes – we observe three standard excuses or rather self-deception among believers:
a) Yeah, it worked in the book Acts, or maybe later, but certainly not now in the 21st century.
b) Something like this may work in China and India, but certainly not in the Czech Republic or Slovakia.
c) Maybe, it works for gifted evangelists, such as Pavel, as he describes in his lessons; but definitely not for me.
Do you know what the three self-deceptions we often see in believers? They do not believe that a new Discovery, even the movement can take place:
NOW, HERE and through YOU!
When no one comes to your Discovery, no problem! Some Discovery will start at the third time. Someone tried for half a year, before it started… Pray all the more urgently, invite your buddy, invite the people you have already invited, go through your relational map and invite other people, and most importantly don’t be discouraged! You are doing a work that Jesus himself stands for!
In your closeness, Lord Jesus, is the strength to overcome all disappointments and losses. Thank You that through Your empowerment, great things begin to happen for Your glory HERE, NOW, and through ME.