Some churches focus a good deal of energy on hosting programs on their property. Others prepare and deliver meals to families who are in need. While these and a number of ideas may be effective in reaching out to a local community, those at Mosaic Nashville see how “serving and partying a bunch,” according to church planter and pastor Gary Morgan, can point people to Jesus.
Gary’s two daughters (Story, 7, and McKenna, 11) afford he and his wife, Johni, ample opportunities to interact with non-believers. Gary said while 20 students comprise Story’s class, he knows of only four others who are involved in any form of church. Simply inviting Story’s classmates and their parents over for an Easter egg hunt can expose entire families to the Gospel.
“It’s an opportunity to be a presence,” Gary said.
It’s no secret 11-year-old girls enjoy slumber parties. One might say they live for them, from weekend to weekend. Gary said with one such event they hosted at their home, single ladies from Mosaic helped a group of McKenna’s friends do their nails and hair. When one of the preteens asked about an older girl’s mission trip to another country, this allowed the believers easy access to share about Christ’s activity in their lives while in a comfortable, non-threatening setting.
“They were fun hipster ladies modeling the ways of Jesus,” Gary said.
One of McKenna’s friends, a Jew, vocalized how her parents don’t believe the same things the girls shared about Jesus. Yet when this friend’s grandfather died, she called McKenna, looking for answers and comfort.
Another aspect to the slumber parties involves serving the girls’ parents dinner. After eating, the adults leave while their children remain for the night.
Gary said it’s so important to spend time away from other believers.
“You have to rearrange your schedule in order to do that. We’re not (always) going to spend time with Christ-followers,” he said. “You have to be intentional to spend time with different people groups.”
Sometimes a member of another people group will come to you.
Paul began spiritual reconstruction when he first visited Mosaic three years ago. He had started drinking at the age of 13 and grew up as a “cultic Christian.”
“We followed a man and a non-biblical way of life as opposed to what I now understand Christianity to be … following Jesus, and growing in a relationship with (Him) for the sake of others,” he said.
Paul was fresh out of rehab and had three DUIs on his record when he met Gary. The 20-something’s main motive for attending the worship service was to get his parents off his back.
Yet he soon revealed something else he was seeking–companionship. Gary said Paul shared he had no friends who weren’t drug addicts or alcoholics, and asked if he knew of anyone with whom he could hang out.
Gary arranged for a weekly lunch, where men talked about pop culture topics such as music, movies and magazines. The gatherings seemed to be going well until Paul said he didn’t want to come anymore.
“He said he needed to talk about real stuff,” Gary said. “He said, ‘If I don’t talk about real things, I’ll die.’”
Gary mentioned this to some of the other guys in the group, who at the next lunch asked Paul what he thought they should discuss.
Three years later, conversations on deeper topics like relationships, living life, addicted behaviors, insecurities and fears remain subjects of weekly lunchtime dialogue. Gary noted recently someone in the group vocalized how he feels he is asking too many questions about God and Jesus. Paul responded, “It’s not about answers, man, it’s about giving your life over to Christ.”
Gary said activities like inviting people over for a weekly barbecue or “just keeping your head up” while at a local venue allow a believer ways to engage in conversation and potentially impact the lives of others in his/her community for the sake of the Gospel. He said topics like finances, sexuality, individuality, belonging and pride can catch almost anyone’s interests and be launching points for the development of relationships.
“It’s an opportunity to live the story with people,” Gary said. “All these will come relationally–you just don’t see them in one day. It’s a weekly, monthly, annual process. No matter the cultural distance … we can dive into people’s lives.”
Written by Natalie Kaspar. Natalie is a freelance writer for The Upstream Collective and lives in Texas. She served as a missionary writer based out of Prague, Czech Republic, from 2007-2009, and plans to return to full-time international mission work in a few years.
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