Today I'm continuing the discussion of reigniting your passion through invitation, service, commitment, and worship.
 
Debbie and I were eating a late dinner at Cracker Barrel last week. Our waiter, though semi-attentive, was almost nondescript as he took our order and checked on us once after our meal was served. As I laid his tip on the table, he smiled and put his hand out to shake mine. I had never had a waiter extend his hand as I was leaving. He asked, "Are you folks from around here?" I replied that we were and he said, "Good, I want to invite you to my church, the Visionary Baptist Church, home of the Reverend..."
 
I smiled as I interrupted his enthusiastic invitation and placed my hand gently on his shoulder. "I'm a pastor at Johns Creek Presbyterian Church and I think our folks would miss me on Sundays."  He looked confused but then exclaimed, "There's a whole world out there that doesn't know Jesus."
 
Inviting people to church is a wonderful way to deepen faith in Jesus. He and I seemed to miss each other because there was a missing ingredient to the invitation and that was the process of identification.
 
I became a Presbyterian because of an invitation that shared a passion. My family moved to Indiana at the 
start of my 6th grade year. The Presbyterian minister, 
Rev. William Heimach, welcomed us to town and he asked me how old I was. I replied I was 11 years old and he said, "Good! My son is having his 11th birthday party on Saturday and you are invited. Well I was new to town and didn't know anybody so it was a good opportunity to make friends. We shared a passion for sports and played on various teams together until we graduated from high school. Rev. Heimach was my inspiration to become a minister.
 
An invitation is most powerful when we identify through a shared passion. What area in the life of JCPC are you passionate about? Whom might you invite to share in that passion? 

Prayer for Today

Holy God, by your Spirit may our passion for loving Christ lead us to open our lives up in the fellowship of believers, so we may be one in the Spirit and one in the Lord. Amen