Day 28: Invite Three People Again

You have already invited people to church during this thirty-day challenge. It’s time to do it again. The Day 28 challenge is to invite three people from your community to church. Inviting three people personally in one day might be difficult, so it’s okay to email them if you can’t invite them in person. But you need a plan.

Actually, the plan is very simple. We call it the “thank and invite” plan. Identify three people in your community to invite to church. I am doing the same exercise today as I write this chapter.

As I’ve mentioned, I live in Franklin, Tennessee, which is on the southern end of the greater Nashville area. I have lived here for almost twenty years, and I love my hometown more with each passing year. God has opened many doors for me to share the gospel in Franklin. Like any place, responses have been mixed, but no one has been antagonistic toward me.

What I’m suggesting is that you invite a government leader, a business leader, and a local merchant to your church. Here are some ideas for how to proceed.

INVITING A LOCAL GOVERNMENT LEADER

I know the names of some of our civic leaders in Franklin, but I admit that I don’t know them well. So I started my search on the city’s website, franklintn.gov, which I found with a simple online search. Franklin is governed by a mayor and eight aldermen, so I decided to write to the one who represents the ward where my home is located. Here is the template for my email:

Dear Alderman ________,

Thank you for your work as an alderman in Franklin. I appreciate the hours you give to our town. I know it is a big commitment of time and a labor of love on your part.

I want you to know I prayed for you specifically today. If you ever get a chance to visit my church, [name of the church], I would love to meet you and your family in person.

Thank you again for all that you do for our community. I do not take you or your work for granted.

It took me about five minutes to look up my alderman’s name and send him the email.

By the way, people in positions of leadership typically hear from the critics and the naysayers. Your positive email will stand out as a source of encouragement.

INVITING A BUSINESS LEADER

Franklin, Tennessee, is a rapidly growing area. As the population increases, new businesses are popping up all the time. A local developer has been at the center of this growth for the past twenty years. They have worked well with the leaders of Franklin to maintain a balance between preserving the city’s history and moving toward the future. It seemed like a good organization, so I decided to write to the company’s CEO and invite her to my church.

Dear Ms. ________,

Thank you for the many contributions [company name] has made to Franklin. I have watched you and your company show respect for our town while moving us forward. You have placed the good of the community before your own profits. It has not gone unnoticed.

I want you to know I prayed for you specifically today. If you ever get a chance to visit my church, [name of the church], I would love to meet you and your family in person.

Thank you again for all that you do for our community. I do not take you or your work for granted.

Again, it was easy to find her contact information on the company’s website. It took me about five minutes to look her up and send the email.

INVITING A MERCHANT

As I’ve mentioned, when Nellie Jo and I moved to Franklin, we had to arrange for private garbage service. I asked our realtor and two neighbors for referrals, and they all enthusiastically recommended the same company. Our realtor said that almost every home they sold ended up going with this company.

She also told us that the company was a “mom and pop” organization. Indeed, as I got to know the owners, they told me they were the third generation to own the company, which had been founded by the husband’s grandfather.

Writing to them was easy for me because I’ve spoken to the owners several times over the years. Because the wife is the one who runs the office, I sent the email to her.

Dear ________,

I just wanted to thank you again for the great service you and ______ provide through [name of company]. I have lived in a number of places, and I have never had such a good waste disposal service. It is obvious that you care for your customers and that you love the city of Franklin.

I want you to know I prayed for you specifically today. If you and ______ ever get a chance to visit my church, [name of the church], I would love to meet all of your family.

Thank you again for all that you do for our community. I do not take you or your work for granted.

This company does not have a website, but I got their contact information from their social media page. The entire process took less than ten minutes.

THREE AND DONE

That’s it. In less than half an hour, I was able to get the information I needed on three community leaders in my hometown, express my appreciation to them in an email, and invite them to church. It was so simple, but it could make an eternal difference.

By the way, all three recipients responded. They were all thankful that I had taken the time to contact them. Their gratitude seemed sincere. Two of them said they might visit my church in the future. The third recipient is active in another church but appreciated my invitation.

Now it’s time for you to send your emails to three people. Encourage them. Express your appreciation for them. And invite them to church. When you finish your Day 28 challenge, you will have invited eight people to church during this thirty-day challenge. If only nineteen other church members joined you in this challenge, that would be 160 people invited to church.

As we get ready to finish the thirty-day challenge, look back at how far you’ve come. Think about how your attitude has changed. Anticipate that God will do a great work through your acts of obedience as a Great Commission Christian.