When we (Soma Communities) train around the world, one of the most asked questions after training on The Story Formed Way is this: How do you get your neighbors to come to the Story?

While this question is pretty natural, we need to be careful in how we handle the Story and "getting people to come."  The reason most of us ask this is because we have been trained to believe that the only time one will be discipled is if we get them to come to some sort of meeting.  Now, meetings are important, but they are not the only time one is discipled.  I am not going to go into this fully in this post, but know that one is watching you and listening to you in everyday life to see what a follower of Jesus looks like.  

Instead, let me ask you this:  When was the last time you asked, "How could I get someone to come to my kids birthday party?" Did you devise a plan to seek out how you could best invite someone to your kids party?  No. Of course not.  Your kids birthday party would never be the end all of ones relationship with another.  Not only that, but it would seem quite odd to have an entire relationship based on getting that person to the party.  

Here is the point.  The people that are usually invited to your kids party are those people you have the best relationships with.  If you are like our family, we also look for those in our kids' lives that are marginalized to also invite them to the party.  These relationships come naturally and are not forced for some end result.  The party becomes an afterthought, not the central reason to be friends with another.

What if we saw our friends, neighbors, family and community in the same light?  What if we saw them as God sees them: made in his image instead of projects to get to come to an event? 

We are called as the people of God to show off who he is, both in speech and action.  All the pressure is off of us, because we cannot convert anyone to the ways of Jesus.  Why not live in this way? Why not live as people who sow and water the seed, instead of people who functionally believe that we actually can convert someone's spirit to live in the ways of Jesus? 

If you look to the story of Abraham, you'll notice that he was sent by God as a righteous one to a new place and because of Abraham being in this place...the people would be blessed.  

What we need to see is that if we are from the seed of Abraham, if we are from his family because of Jesus, we too are sent with the same mission.  

Abraham didn't go to this new place and try to convert people to his ways of thinking, he went and lived his life for the glory of God (we call this living by faith, which is why Abraham was called righteous) so that others would see the reality of who Abraham's Jehovah Jireh was.  

We too are sent to be "Abrahams" to our cities.  Instead of spending all our time trying to convert someone, or trying to find ways to get them to a meeting, why not spend our time seeing how we can bless our cities, both by speaking about Jesus and living in light of Jesus.  By living as a blessing to our cities, and by being transparent to the people, and by speaking about our God we'll be able to show off who our God is and some will seek out how they too can be part of this other Kingdom.  

By understanding this, people stop being a project for us to convert, but become a people who are made in God's image, with the respect that they deserve.  Not only this, but if you are merely living in light of what God has done for you and your goal is to simply show off who God is, you won't be crushed if people don't "respond" the way you deemed appropriate.  But, instead, they'll respond, and you can trust in this, exactly the way God desired (Isaiah 55:6-13).

So, how do you get people to the Story? 

Live a life like someone who is affected by the good news of the crucifixion and resurrection with the power of the Spirit living within you.  Seek ways to glorify God in all your relationships with a view to glorify God, not with a view to get someone to a meeting. 

When you live in this way...you'll be surprised how many people desire to learn more about this God that you serve.   Then the invite to the Story becomes as easy and as natural as asking someone if they'd like to come to your kids birthday party. 

/// Seth McBee is an elder and preacher at Soma Communities - Renton and also a Missional Community leader in his town of Maple Valley, WA. ///