The 4XFour Challenge

4XFour Challenge?  Is that an off road race?  A new weight loss program?  Is it introducing a new person to the Trinity?  No, nothing that bizarre.  If you were in church last Sunday you heard about it but last week a whole lot of people were out for a long holiday weekend so I need a place, like this blog post, where people can find out more.

The 4XFour Challenge is a simple way we can join together as a church and reach out to people around us.  As more and more studies reveal, unchurched people are less likely to respond to an institution but more likely to respond to an individual.  Let me say that another way, the unchurched tell us they are not looking to the church or "organized religion" for the answers.  They are looking more and more to other individuals whom they perceive as spiritual for guidance and direction on life issues.  The statistics from organizations who study these kinds of things (LifeWay and the Barna Group) tell us the unchurched are less likely to respond to a media advertisement for a church (they are not completely closed) but much more likely to respond to a person they trust inviting them to church or a religious gathering of some kind.  For example, 87% of the unchurched surveyed responded they would be open to an invitation to a baptism.  That's pretty amazing.

So what can you do?  The 4XFour Challenge calls us to these actions in response to people's openness and our opportunities:
1.  Identify four unchurched people or families around you.  Even in a Bible-belt place like Texas, 7 out of 10 households do not attend church.  So look around you and do this next thing along with it.
2.  Intercede for those people at least 4 times a week.  Prayer is a vital part of this challenge, we cannot do this on our own, nor can we make a difference in people of our own ability.  Get others to pray along with you, connect with people in your Bible study, family or friends in praying for your four.
3.  Invest your time into your 4.  Remember the unchurched tell us that they are turning to people they trust, people they perceive as spiritual.  You have to befriend and walk with them long enough for them to trust you, to see the love of God and the life of Christ at work in you.  That means you and I have to be more than interested in them as a way to get someone to come to church.  We  have to truly care even if they do not come to church.
4.  Invite your 4 at least 4 times in 2014.  Easter is not far around the corner.  Easter and Christmas are times when the unchurched have said they are more open to attending.  You may find that inviting people to a Sunday School fellowship, Upward soccer game, mission project or some other gathering is something to which your people would be more open.

To help in this challenge, starting on Sunday, March 2, you will be able to sign up and receive a simple card reminder of the 4XFour Challenge.  By signing, you will also get some email encouragement from me.  I hope you will be praying about this challenge and your willingness to take it on as joining something God is already doing around you.

Last week, after my message on this, a lady from our church came up to me and said, "There are four single women who live on my street.  I have been sensing for a while that God wanted me to do something with them, now I know what it is."  I will be praying that God will show you what He has in store for you and for us and that you will join me in this challenge.

for the journey...

Tim