Leslie’s Story • The Invitation

When Leslie thought of starting her own group, she wasn't sure who would be involved. "Slowly but surely, people started popping up in my mind and in my path of who I felt was supposed to be involved." Now, Leslie has a group of four - her neighbor across the street, her sister-in-law, and a coworker. 

At the start of gathering people, people came to mind who she felt needed to be part of her group but said no. "It kind of, at first, took the wind out of my sails a little bit because when you work up the courage to ask somebody to do this thing."

It took Leslie back to square one, thinking intentionally and prayerfully about who to ask. "I felt how I handled their 'no' was really important too because I think asking them has put it back in their mind that it's there. So maybe one day, they'll come back around and want to join."

The Good News study also creates space to discuss the people in our lives - neighbors, friends, coworkers. "That was really huge for me because I feel like with the pandemic and everything going on, it's been so easy to be inward-focused...that you kind of forget to look outward." The consistent reminder, support, and accountability challenged Leslie and her group to pay closer attention to the people around them.

When Leslie experienced a discovery group her first time, the intentional awareness of people in her life helped her see the opportunities of invitation all around her. "I've seen that developing in our group as well - just the wheels turning of 'how does this apply to my life, but also, who else needs to hear this?'"

Launching a group placed unexpected pressure on Leslie, who wanted to see something she cared about have a meaningful and lasting impact on the people in her life. "I knew that the hardest part is getting people there, and I knew once people got there and experienced it, that God would take over, and it would all be good." 

Leslie soon learned that the invitation to be part of a discovery group is really an invitation to a deeper relationship with one another and with God. Discovering how to walk in Jesus' direction alongside one another builds trust, intimacy, and a depth of community. Leslie has been able to watch what communal steps of faith can lead to. "I think the 'I don't know what this is about, but you're inviting me in,' kind of a thing has paid off in that way."

Beyond the comfort zone is where the magic happens. "What I found in my experience is that the people that are here, they needed to be here, and they wanted to be here. And I would venture to say that even for some of them, it was the thing that they were really looking for or really needing. So, not only would I be robbing myself of that, but I'd be robbing them of that too if I didn't follow through with that invite."

It always begins with an invitation. Who will you invite to discover, do, and share good news with?