One of the most powerful places on earth is the home. Most homes are a place of love, warmth, rest, security, and privacy. It is a place of nourishment and growth. It is where family bonds are developed. In addition, godly homes provide a solid foundation for a strong church. That is why our homes are also an effective tool for securing a Bible study with our neighbors. The home is the perfect place to cultivate relationships and guide a soul to Christ.
The use of homes for leading people into Bible studies is a biblical principle. For example, Jesus went to the home of Zacchaeus. While some complained, saying, “He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner,” Jesus went there to save his soul (Luke 19:5-10). We also see that the early church went “breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart,” (Acts 5:42). Bible studies took place frequently in the homes of early Christians (Acts 20:20).
Brethren, we should use our homes, our dining room tables, our living rooms as an “instrument of righteousness” for God’s glory (Romans 6:13)! Yet, too often, we worry about the wrong things in our homes. Let’s recognize that those whom we invite are not there to inspect, appraise, or take pictures for “Good Housekeeping.” Instead, the home is where hearts will open and relationships blossom. The fact that you invited your neighbor into your home speaks love to them louder than any dust of mess!
Here are a few suggestions regarding the use of your home as an evangelism tool:
- First, be willing to use your home for evangelism! It’s a mindset: think about the importance of souls!
- Secondly, food is relaxing and creates conversation, so always eat!
- If you cannot cook, do not like to cook, or do not have time to cook, order out and serve it on a platter because they will generally not mind. Do not feel bad if you need to get food on the home from the store!
- Thirdly, focus on the two most important places: the living room and the kitchen/dining area.
- The kitchen table is the best place to have a Bible study!
- Have your Bible study materials ready and easily accessible when needed.
- A little cleaning goes a long way. Remember, it is more important to make guests feel welcome than to make them feel uneasy because you have turned your home into a “please do not touch that” museum.
- If needed, involve others to help with cleaning, preparing, cooking, and serving. There are plenty of your Christian brothers and sisters who might be willing to help, if you just ask.
- If children come, ensure you have children/teens/adults present to assist. Maybe have a toy box on hand to use if small children do come.
- Remove distractions and turn off noise-making devices.
- Lastly, and most imports, focus on guest(s) and not the house during their visit. The whole point is to nurture a relationship and lead them to Jesus. Never lose sight of your mission!
Using homes as an evangelism tool has been extremely effective over the years with a tremendous success rate. That is because it is hard to resist the loving environment of the home. It is where our neighbors can see and feel the care we have for them. Remember, they don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care! There is no better place to nurture such care than the home. God created the home. Jesus ate in the homes of sinners. The early church used the home for Bible study. Our homes are a blessing from God designed to be used for His Glory!