Ministry to New Believers - Laying the Foundation - Part 2

Continuing from last week's post - laying a foundation for ministry to new believers. First that new believers matter to God, and second, that they should matter to us as well.

Third, there are tremendous joys connected with ministering to new believers. There are also painful sorrows as well. If there aren't, your heart isn't in the right place! At th e beginning of the month we conducted a survey of people who had indicated that they accepted Christ at PVC last year. It was encouraging to see how many are still connected (I'll post the results soon). There is disappointment over the ones no longer attending here, but some solice in the fact that they are attending somewhere.

The pain is in those not attending anywhere! It is hard to hear about those that are to busy, or that simply don't care. Those hurt! On the one hand, we can say that they have to choose for themselves, and that they need to take responsibility. You can also say that perhaps they really didn't choose Christ.

The other hand, is the elephant in the room. What could we have done to connect them. What do we need to change, or do, or not do, to help the seeds planted in them take root. I think we do some things really well, or at least have the processes in place toward doing things well. The issue is the constant knowledge that we need to do better. That's not a bad thing, it just is. It's a constant. It's a good thing to not be satisfied with the status quo. We don't beat ourselves up over where we are at, which leads me to the next point.

Fourth, it's all about God! I shouldn't have to say that, but I do. I need the constant reminder too! It's not about programs, it's about people. And, it's not really about the people, it's about connecting the people to God, or at least providing every opportunity for them to get connected. The hard thing, humanly speaking, is waiting on God. Things happen in His timing. If they don't, He isn't in it! This is the biggest thing I have had to learn in the past couple of years. Sure I knew it in my mind, but I never really put it into practice, until this past year.

Prayer has to become more than a devotional and crisis event. It has to become truly a "pray without ceasing" lifestyle. If you want to know what God wants, you have to spend time with Him. That means reading and studying the Bible, and talking with Him in prayer. If this sounds really basic, it is! You can't expect God to show up if He isn't invited to the party! This not only goes for the programming, it goes to the relationships too. Waiting for God's timing can be really hard, but it's necessary. When you pray, study, and wait on God, you learn to expect Him to show up big when His timing arrives. The joy you find in that moment is indescribable, and the impact is immeasurable.

There is so much more that could be said that is foundational, but I'll add that later. Next week I'll begin to talk about what we do to minister to New Believers and how God's timing has impacted the ministry.