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Project Christmas Family Follow-Up
Main Objectives:
- Take any opening that presents itself to share the gospel
- Deliver the family pictures taken at project Christmas and the ESV study Bibles
- Find out how they have been doing since Christmas
- Find out what relationship, if any, they have with a local congregation
- Invite them to join us at Maynardville Fellowship
A Long Overdue Delivery
We can all agree it has been entirely too long since project Christmas for us not to have followed up with these families and delivered on our promise of bringing them their family pictures. I think it is entirely appropriate for us to own this with these families as we try to make contact after all this time. We did invite them to join us during project Christmas, we have continued to pray for them even when have not joined us, but we should have done a better, and faster, job at following up with them.
All that being true, we still want to fulfill our promise to them, and we still want to do what we can to serve them, as individuals and even more so as a fellowship. Contact your family (remind them who you are and that you are with the group that put on Project Christmas) and set up a time to deliver their promised family pictures. Make every effort to get this done in as timely a manner as possible; we do not want to yet again appear unfocused and aloof.
Ask How They Have Been Doing
We do not want to appear to be strictly business with these families. We all got some information about the needs and situations of our families before we met with them the first time. Remember as much as you can about those needs, and ask them how they have been doing; especially in those areas they had expressed concerns about.
Take time to show genuine concern over those areas that remain concerning, or new areas that have since developed. Pray for the issues are they come up; look for opportunities throughout the conversation to point them to the gospel.
A Church Home?
Find out which, if any, church or churches your family feels any connection with. Are they attending anywhere, are they plugged into a local congregation? We do not want to be sheep stealers, yet we need to be willing to push a little further then what church do they claim. In asking about their local church connection we can find the opportunity to stress the importance of commitment to a local body in our spiritual lives.
Even if they claim to be actively involved in a local church, find out what that means to them. We don’t want to steal sheep, yet we need make sure that sheep are actually being shepherded.
Invite Them to Join Us
Unless we are absolutely convinced that they are being sufficiently cared for in a gospel preaching church, we want to do what we can to minister to them as best as they will allow us. Try and get them to join us for worship on Sunday; be willing to make this attempt week after week. Willing or not to join us on Sundays, ask them if they would be open to having a family Bible study together.
We want to show them the love of Jesus as clearly as possible. We can do this as individuals, but it is in the context of the local body of Christ that God’s love is most clearly and brightly on display. As we are committed to unity and fellowship, as we are committed to the power of the gospel and the transformation of lives, as we sacrificially serve the good of one another, others will see and taken notice. Getting these families in the door is not the final objective; it is just one piece of sharing Christ and His gospel with them and praying that God would make it effectual to bring about salvation.
Do Not Neglect to Pray for Them
While we have from time to time remembered to pray for these families, and I am sure many of us have done so in private, we have not been as faithful as we ought to persevere in prayer over them. Pray for them before we call them; pray for the meeting before we go to them; pray with them while we are with them; pray for them after we are gone; pray until God gives us leave to stop.
Always Look for Gospel Windows
While we do want to intentionally steer conversation toward the gospel, we should keep our eyes open for any way the Spirit might open a window.
