This worksheet and handout were created for the December “Come follow me” lesson : How can I help my less active friends return to church? But it can also go with the lesson How can I invite to come unto Christ or any other topic that helps bring others come to the light of the Gospel.
This worksheet goes with Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Come, Join with Us,” Talk.
I focused on these particular sections and divided them up among the class to fill out the worksheet:
unanswered questions, Mistakes of imperfect people, What about my doubts, I just don’t fit in with you people in the Church, I don’t think I could live up to your standards, I know a member of your Church who is a hypocrite. I could never join a church that had someone like him as a member.
Here is a handout that students can handout to friends or use as reminder of what the purpose of church is and invite others who are seeking truth, meaning, faith in action, and a place of belonging.
Of course we want to invite other to drink in the goodness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ but above all, I love what President Utchtdorf states: “It may break our hearts when their journey takes them away from the Church we love and the truth we have found, but we honor their right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their own conscience, just as we claim that privilege for ourselves.5“
With that said, my focus on what it personally means to do missionary work has shifted. If you watch or show this video or this one, the message pattern is the same. People first need to feel our sincere friendship, understanding and love before they will accept an invitation to church.
My goal was to emphasize that fellowshipping is easier than they think. It is using their natural abilities in friendship, nurturing, taking care of those around them by including and loving them. Help free them of the pressure of viewing people as projects or trying to force an agenda on them to bring them back to church but help them understand that sincere expression of love and testimony is how we help them FEEl Christ. That we SHOW who Jesus Christ is and His love by sharing our own light and truth through Christ and His Spirit.
I also believe it important to trust a person’s own journey towards Christ. We don’t know their personal experiences or longing of their hearts. We can only dedicate our own lives and heart to being in a place of love for anyone who is yearning for love and friendship. With that, we can help direct those to greater truth if they seek it.
More December, “Come follow me” lessons here.