People don't go to church to be religious.  They go because you ask them.  They want to make a Christian connection.  They don't call them Sunday School classes anymore.  They're called Connection Groups.  You learn more about God because you find a group you like.  That may sound harsh, but if you don't find a group you connect with, you will most probably move somewhere else, or quit.  And if you are a Christian, you will experience a loss and so will we----because we are one body.  It's kinda like losing a finger or knee or ear.  You can do with out those parts, but not as well.

If you have quit, we hope you will come back again.   We want you.  We need you.  All your expertise and knowledge need to be shared with us.  So the class that I teach on Sunday morning has decided that this year, we are going to "Each One, Reach One."  And it will take an effort.  Because we are in a nice little rut.  We are all content.

People do that.  They find a group, get satisfied with the friends they have made and don't think to include anyone else.  It's not mean hearted.  It's inertia.  You already have someone you know that you can call at the last minute and say, "You wanna go to lunch?"  It takes an effort to call someone new.  They might say "No," and then you don't know if you are being rejected, or they just can't go.  You have to put yourself out there.  So here is what I am suggesting to my group.  Doing these things must be real.  You have to sincerely care about someone.  You don't reach people you don't know.  Preachers can do that, but you and I don't.  Getting to know new people is difficult.

1.  Join something.  Meet some new people.  Make a new friend.
2.  Reconnect with someone who has dropped beside the way.  Make the effort to reengage.
3.  Go to lunch, a movie, event, craft group....something.  Sincerely care about someone.
4.  God is going to give you the opportunity to ask them about church.   Plan on what you'll say.
5. Tell them about your connection group and how you support each other.  Ask if they would go with you sometime.  Offer to pick them up.  Nobody likes to walk into a strange place by themselves.

It may sound contrived, but it's not.  It is a change in your life style that leads to new friends.  It helps others over the hump of rejoining the people of God.  People can miss that connection.  Reaching others is the job Christ gave us to do.  "As you are going, tell others..."