Circle of Impact
This is every disciple’s daily mission field–the people whom God has placed in our daily circle of influence.
This may include family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, people you see at your kids’ sporting events, etc. This usually consists of around 8-15 people who have a ‘front row seat’ to your daily life.
Biblical Backing:
In Mark 5:19 Jesus said to him, “Go home and tell your own people what God has done for you.”
In Matthew 28:18-20 Jesus gives all his followers the charge to go and make disciples.
2 Corinthians 5:17-21 tells us that if you’ve experienced reconciliation with God through Christ, you’ve been given the “ministry” of reconciling others to God through the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Who are you reaching?
The thought of reaching the world (or even your neighborhood) for Christ is incredibly overwhelming. For that reason, when faced with the task of reaching everyone for Christ, most Christians will end up reaching no one.
Perhaps we’ve overcomplicated the mission.
As it turns out, over 95% of Christians became Christians because of someone close to them—Someone in their close circle of influence. This is the primary way in which the gospel has made its way around the world through the centuries, dating back to Jesus Himself.
Every one of us has a close circle of people who have a front row seat to our lives. Friends, family members, co-workers, fellow students, etc. The Greeks called this inner circle their “oikos”––or extended household. It’s usually made up of around 8-15 people who God has sovereignly placed in our lives.
Tips on how to reach your Circle of Impact
We know that as followers of Jesus, we are called to make followers of Jesus. This is not optional; it is our primary mission on this earth! (Matthew 28:19-20; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21).
The question is… how?
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Write out a list of people in your daily circle. It's amazing how big of a step this is in reaching them for Christ. Simply putting their names down is a tangible step of intentionality.
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Once you list your daily circle, begin praying each day for God to move in their lives.
-Pray for their salvation
-Pray for a greater burden for the lost.
-Pray for opportunities to witness to them
-Pray for boldness when those opportunities arise
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If you know you will be interacting with someone in your daily circle, think ahead of time what you might say to move them further towards Christ. Maybe it's a strategic question about their religious background. Maybe it's an offer to pray for them.
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Personal invitations are powerful. When you feel the timing is right, take a bold step in inviting members of your daily circle into spiritual environments such as: church services, dinner groups, hangouts with Christian friends, etc.
Memorize the Gospel
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God created us to be in a relationship with Him.
(Genesis 2:15-25, Colossians 1:16, John 10:10, John 17:3)
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Our sins have separated us from God.
(Romans 3:26, Romans 6:23)
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Sins cannot be removed by good deeds or religious effort.
(Isaiah 64:6, Ephesians 2:8-9)
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Paying the price for our sins, Jesus died and rose again.
(Romans 5:8, 1 Corinthians 15:3)
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Everyone who trusts in Jesus alone has eternal life.
(John 3:16, John 14:6, Mark 1:15)
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Life with Jesus begins now and lasts forever.
(John 5:24, John 10:10)
Plan a Gospel Appointment
Ready to share the Gospel with a friend but still not sure how? Plan a time and place to meet with them and use the following resources to guide an intentional conversation about the Lord, or a Gospel Appointment.
(This is also Week One of our Discipleship Groups Plan- an intentional way to enter into relationships that allow for customized accountability, life-on-life discipleship, and the development of spiritual habits that lead to maturity in the Lord)