Expect Results From A Challenge
Jake is a student in our high school ministry who works at our church’s concession stand. He was also in my cabin at our discipleship retreat a couple of months ago. We’ve come to know each other on a surface level over the past couple of months.
Tonight we struck up a conversation while I was waiting for my food. When he told me he was working until 10:00 pm, a red flag shot up in my mind. If he’s working until 10 pm, then he’s for sure not going to small group tonight. On a hunch, I asked if he went to small group last night (they only meet on Tuesday and Wednesday nights). He told me he’s not in a small group.
When I found out he goes to the same school as my small group guys, I told (not asked) him to join my small group. Whenever something like this comes up, I don’t see a reason to ask. People can say no to a question. However, they are likely to rise up to an expectation. I always do this in a light-hearted way. However, there is no question about whether or not I’m serious.
To reinforce this expectation, I pulled out my phone and sent the e-mail at the top of this post as a challenge and a reminder. Notice the subject of the e-mail, “You’re in my small group now.” Instead of a request, I just put the facts about what I expect him to do. It will probably take a couple of more contacts to get him there. However, as I continue to build a relationship with him and reinforce the challenge, the likelihood of him joining the group goes way up.
Need: Students want to belong. Solution: A challenge like this helps them feel wanted. It’s this combination of need to belong and solution that will help Jake soon belong to my group. Once he joins, Jake will connect on a deep level with other believers and grow in his faith.
Expect results from a challenge delivered well, but only hope for results from an open-ended request.
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