Imagine. You walk over to your next door neighbor’s home and ring the doorbell. You and your spouse are greeted warmly and invited to come in. Within a short period of time, the doorbell rings several more times and with each ring, other people from your neighborhood arrive and join you inside. Refreshments are available and everyone is at ease, casually engaging in conversations. There’s lots of laughter. At just the right time, you invite the group of eleven or twelve to gather together in the living room and you begin to facilitate an hour-long, highly interactive and invigorating discussion about spiritual issues. Soon into the discourse, people are wrestling with comparing what they believe with what the Bible teaches and what others are sharing—and everyone seems to be enjoying themselves!
Even though the participants don’t all agree, there appears to be an overflow of respect and unconditional acceptance. It’s obvious to you that most are not yet Christians. After the discussion time ends, many linger in the kitchen to continue the dialogue. As people eventually leave, you’re struck by their anticipation for future meetings: “Looking forward to next time.” “This was a blast.” “I wouldn’t miss these discussions for the world.” “See you next week.” As you exchange farewells and stroll back home, you and your spouse are awe-struck. Never in your wildest dreams did you think such an exciting experience like this could ever happen right in your very own neighborhood.
Can you imagine such a scene? Just think of it! Eleven or twelve spiritual seekers eagerly gathering together with you on an on-going basis to genuinely share their beliefs and disbeliefs about spiritual matters! This is the essence of a spiritual discovery group—and you could lead one! Almost anyone can. Do you have family members, neighbors, classmates, co-workers, or teammates? You can provide a safe place for the non-Christians in your life to investigate the claims of Christ at their own pace and discover biblical truths for themselves. Just think what God could do through you. Imagine the possibilities.
I’ve been training Christians to launch and facilitate small groups for spiritual explorers now for twenty-five years and I cannot get over the powerful impact these kinds of groups make in the lives of non-Christians and how God uses this cutting-edge tool to reach people for himself. There are three distinct advantages to using this tailored approach for reaching out to friends and family members for Christ.
A Safety Zone
First, spiritual discovery groups provide a safe place for seekers to really seek. Participants investigate the claims of Christianity at their own pace. They are accepted no matter where they are in their spiritual journeys. If they have little or no knowledge of the Bible, that’s okay. If they are cynical or skeptical, they are welcomed anyway. There are no judgmental attitudes, only a spirit of mutual acceptance. This safe place provides an environment for spiritual explorers to openly express their thoughts and feelings, to voice their observations and questions, and even assert their objections—all without any fear of criticism or rejection. The result is that the non-Christians in the group actually look forward to sharing their issues and concerns about the Bible and its claims. And amazingly, they eventually get to the point where they eagerly engage in the process of searching out biblical answers for themselves.
Another component of safety occurs when non-Christians find a place where they can connect with other non-Christians. There is definitely safety in numbers, and when the majority of the participants are non-Christians, people in the group can identify with each others’ spiritual questions and concerns. Time and time again, I’ve heard spiritual explorers remark to one another things like, “Oh, I can’t believe you just said that! The issue you just raised—I’ve had that same concern for a long time, but I thought I was the only one. I feel better now knowing I have some of the same questions as the rest of you.” When non-Christians identify with other non-Christians, it legitimizes their questions and objections—and there is no better way to create a secure environment.
Seekers also feel safe when they are allowed to discover spiritual truths for themselves. They’re not coming to the group to hear a lecture or get talked at; instead, leaders orchestrate dynamic discussions in such a way that the non-Christians have the opportunity to think out loud and encounter “ah-ha moments” about biblical truths. The facilitators provide the forum for an amazing discovery process where spiritual explorers are given the freedom to investigate and learn on their own, in their own way, and at their own pace.
A Proven Approach—Time and Again
A second distinct advantage of a spiritual discovery group is that it’s a highly effective tool for evangelism. The impact these groups can make in the lives of people far from God is unmistakable. Non-Christians throughout the world have crossed the line of faith as a direct result of their participation in these discussion groups. At many churches, these groups have become one of the most effective evangelistic tools they have at our disposal. In fact, many pastors consider spiritual discovery groups to be one of the greatest evangelistic tools they’ve deployed.
I’m sure you’ve all had the experience of using a few good illustrations to share your faith with someone, only to have the person respond, “Well, that sounds fascinating. It seems like a nice idea—for you, and I’m happy for you, but it’s not really something I’m interested in right now.” At that point, the conversation comes to a screeching halt. You really don’t know where to go from there, and the next time you see your friend, you’re not sure how to come back around and pick up the conversation where you left off. You’re just sort of stuck.
While it’s difficult to know how to re-engage when a previous conversation has ended so abruptly, a spiritual discovery group provides a built-in “excuse” for ongoing dialogue about spiritual matters. It’s like having a set appointment every week with a group of non-Christians to talk about faith-related issues. It’s far easier—both for the leader and the seeker—to strike up spiritual conversations on an on-going basis when it’s already scheduled. In fact, I’ve had non-Christians tell me they were working on a whole list of objections to Christianity and could hardly wait to bring it to the next group meeting to discuss. For them, the group became their own special opportunity to fully engage in the seeking process. It was something they really looked forward to!
In addition, what transpires during the discovery group can prompt conversations that take place outside of the meeting. If the leader notes various individual responses, he or she can initiate a time to get together on a one-to-one basis and dig in a little more deeply on those particular issues. Group discussions provide easy avenues for the leader to meet with group members individually—to share a meal or just hang out together. The leader can then ask to hear more about specific issues, what exactly was meant by something expressed, or simply evaluate how well the group is going. This is an excellent chance to help the person take one more step in his or her spiritual journey—and another example of how the group can become a vehicle for ongoing spiritual conversations.
A Broad Appeal
A third distinct advantage about spiritual discovery groups is that it’s a highly transferable concept. These groups are easily adaptable within a wide spectrum of church and ministry settings, styles, and formats. And whether the church utilizes a traditional or contemporary worship format, a seeker-oriented or believer-oriented approach, or anything in between, these small groups can flourish. No radical changes within a church or ministry structure are needed in order to launch these groups.
This evangelistic tool offers an excellent next step for non-Christians already attending a church or taking part in a ministry. Up until spiritual discovery groups become available at a church, there’s rarely any next step options for the non-Christians attending weekend services. Churches provide lots of next steps for believers—Christians can get connected into small groups and they can find places to serve. Spiritual explorers, though, are sort of at a loss to know what to do beyond attending church services on a regular basis. But spiritual discovery groups provide a natural outlet for non-Christians to step out and get connected into these specialized small groups, propelling them forward in their spiritual journeys.
These groups have also become a springboard for people not yet ready to attend church services. Meeting in neighborhood homes, workplace lunch rooms, or the local café, people initially unwilling to darken the door of a church make progress in their spiritual journeys and eventually become interested in getting connected to a nearby church where they can take more steps in their spiritual path and grow further in their understanding of the Bible.
Imagine the Impact
Picture yourself forming your own group specifically designed for non-Christians. Imagine identifying an ideal setting, maybe in your church, your workplace, or neighborhood and inviting spiritual explorers to join you to meet on a regular basis for a discussion about spiritual matters. Visualize yourself offering a safe place for non-Christians to read the Bible and explore the Gospel message. When you gather a small group filled with non-Christians, it’s only a matter of time before you’ll give them the chance to discuss it, understand it, and eventually embrace it. And I’ll predict you’ll experience some life-changing moments that you’ll remember for the rest of your days. And when it happens—when you play a role in leading someone across the line of faith—two lives will be changed for all eternity. The one who received Christ and yours—because you were there!
