Over the past few weeks, I have been part of small group meetings to get to know the congregation. We have gathered for snacks, coffee, and fellowship. At each gathering, I ask those in attendance how they came to attend Main Street UMC. The majority, no matter how long they have been attending, attribute their relationship with Main Street to a personal invitation. Either a family member or a friend invited them personally to visit Main Street, and they found a place to call their spiritual home.
Jesus is all about personal invitation. Think of all the many times in scripture when he reaches out to someone to connect on a personal level. When Jesus called the twelve, he met them where they were, in the middle of their busy lives. Several of them were working as fishermen, and Matthew was on the job as a tax collector. He invited those whom he had healed, like Mary Magdalene, and the blind beggar. He invited Zacchaeus to come down from a tree, and then Jesus invited himself to dinner at Zacchaeus’ house! Jesus’ invitations were personal and life-changing, and they broke through social barriers. He engaged in a theological discussion with a Samaritan woman at a well. Each of these invitations meant upheaval in their lives, but not an upheaval to cause chaos. An upheaval to set them on the right path. That path led to a deeper relationship with Jesus.
That invitation still stands today. Jesus is inviting each of us to a closer, deeper, more vulnerable relationship with our Savior. I’m inviting you too. If you haven’t been to a church service recently, I invite you to go. Main Street would love to see you. But what is most important is to find a place where you can be among others, worshipping God, loving your neighbor, and being challenged to grow. And if you already attend church services, invite a friend or family member! This relationship with Jesus Christ is life-changing and might be an upheaval, so let’s do it together.
