I hope you have already connected to my recent research on the keys to influencing those who have disconnected from church.
Each session is thirty minutes long making it easy to integrate into a Bible Study. The research evolved as I spoke over the past few years about keys to keeping kids who grow up in church connected into their adult lives. The question I would most commonly receive following my sermons or presentations were from parents who have adult children who grew up in church but disconnected as adults. In the research, those who grew up in church, disconnected for a year or more, and returned tell us what influenced them to come back. This article is not a comprehensive look at what we discovered but I do want to give you a nugget that can potentially help you to influence someone who has strayed from life in the church.
Our research revealed two key windows of opportunity to reconnect someone who has drifted away. The windows are milestones and crises. First, milestones such as getting married, having a child, or moving to a new community tend to open up the hearts of those who grew up in church. Similarly, but on the other side, a crisis in someone's life is frequently influential in returning their attention back to their faith. As an interesting parallel, I recall research conducted by Thom Rainer about the key opportunities for adults specifically to be open to the gospel. He noted that in most cases, for adults, the person was going through a crisis and simultaneously, there was a believer ministering to them during their time of struggle.
A lesson to be learned is clearly present in both of these research projects. When you are seeking to share the gospel or to reconcile someone who has disconnected from life in the church, and while there are no guarantees, you should note that the milestones and crises that those around you experience are opportunities either for the gospel or for reconciliation of a believer who has strayed. I do not wish a crisis on anyone. However, I am aware and even more attentive because of these lessons. Here is the key: You have to be looking. Observe. Certainly you should pray, but more importantly, love, encourage, and seek an opportunity to have a spiritual discussion while the window is wide open!
