| Find that special gift God has purpose for in your life, | | | | and then to Christ. It is what we call a niche, something |
| and use it as a bridge to bring others to Christ. You | | | | we love to do, and comes natural for us. We often |
| can easily bring 100 new members to your church | | | | think of those gifts as something God has blessed us |
| every year! | | | | with, to bring us joy and pleasure to our lives. While this |
| I find that often Christians want to serve, but the | | | | is true, those gifts were also given to us to serve as a |
| opportunities in their Church are few, they don't have | | | | bridge to bring others into the church, and to Him. How |
| the knowledge or skills, or they don't know God's | | | | much easier would it be to develop a friendly |
| purpose for their life. Pastors are usually so busy, that | | | | relationship with someone, and gently bring them into |
| many of them don't have time to supervise a particular | | | | your circle, than to door knock, or approach strangers |
| ministry. And often aren't sure who would qualified to | | | | in public places. Most unchurched people aren't looking |
| head one. They may be reluctant to delegate | | | | for someone to witness to them. But they will feel |
| responsibilities to others, because of the pressure as | | | | comfortable sharing an activity with you that you both |
| leader of their church to maintain a pure spiritual | | | | love. |
| doctrine. | | | | Here's an example: |
| Most Christians, even those that consider themselves | | | | Bob loved woodcarving, though he considered himself |
| active, lead only a few people to Christ every year. | | | | to be an amateur. He decided to start a local blog site |
| That's because they only witness to a few each year. | | | | to share what he knew and to ask others to share |
| The retired, have little contact with people outside the | | | | their knowledge with him. He solicited others to write |
| church. The rest, have contact with a small group they | | | | articles for his blog sharing their information. Everyone |
| work with, and find it awkward to witness to them. | | | | had a suggestion, where to purchase tools, best wood |
| However we can be evangelist for and through our | | | | to use, and their favorite techniques. |
| church, or as an individual, via the internet. | | | | It wasn't long before Bob's blog was buzzing with |
| Would you like to be a missionary? The definition of a | | | | activity. He decided to invite his new internet friends to |
| missionary is, "one who goes forth as a representative | | | | join in a woodcarving session, to be hosted at his |
| of God, teaching a message with a view to making | | | | Church's activity building, and offered a beginners |
| converts". When you think about it, that's God's | | | | woodcarving class. This brought his bloggers in contact |
| purpose for every Christian. The challenge is to | | | | with members of his Church in a relaxed and friendly |
| determine what gifts He's given you to accomplish | | | | atmosphere. Each session was opened in prayer, but |
| that. | | | | church members were cautioned not to be preachy, |
| Wouldn't it be great to be able to just go out and tell | | | | but could invite visitors to church as personal |
| thousands about the Gospel, and see hundreds of | | | | relationships grew. |
| souls saved? Better still, why not do it from your | | | | After eight weeks of carving their best, projects were |
| home? | | | | displayed and trophies were given in several |
| The internet provides us a method that allows us to | | | | categories. As the "Woodcarving Ministry" membership |
| build a bridge that brings the un-churched into the local | | | | grew, the more professional carvers (Christians) |
| church, through the development of "Bridge Sites". The | | | | assisted the amateurs, and great friendships were |
| Bridge Site Strategy is grounded in the idea of finding | | | | born. |
| common ground as a method of relating better to | | | | As the "new woodcarvers" grew personal |
| those who don't know the Lord. And we can do it | | | | relationships with the church members, new members |
| from the comfort of our homes. | | | | are added to the church. And they invited others to |
| Common interest, hobbies, life situations, work | | | | both the "Woodcarving Ministry" and to Church. |
| experiences, health conditions, causes, etc., can be | | | | Some of the new additions to the Church were the |
| used as the "Bridge" to enter their world. A bridge | | | | unchurched, but others were people that had fallen |
| presents opportunities to develop friendships and | | | | from Church and returned through this ministry. |
| dialogue, which gently brings them into your church | | | | A ministry such as this could easily bring ten new |
| community. | | | | members each month. That is one hundred twenty |
| Because a blog is informal and personal, it can create | | | | new members per year. And you would be having the |
| a feeling of personal relationship between users and | | | | time of your life. |
| the writer - this is called a sense of community. | | | | Can you imagine the buzz a Church would receive if |
| "People are interested in people." | | | | twenty such ministries were present in a church? |
| God has given each one of us, one or more gifts that | | | | Each bridge ministry could easily bring 100 new |
| can be used as a bridge to bring others to church first, | | | | members to your church each year. Do the math. |