One Way for Pastors to Meet People: Mobilize Your Study

As a pastor, it is somewhat easy to remain locked away in your study preparing sermons, as well as praying, counseling, writing blogs, and sending emails. And what about home and hospital visitations, funerals, weddings, and spending time with your family? All of those things combined make for a fairly busy schedule. In all this, when do you have time to meet people in the community? Your Christian bubble is fairly full and regulated.

One way you can meet people in the community for whatever reason (e.g., sharing the gospel, developing relationships, inviting people to church, etc.) is by mobilizing your study. While there are certain things a pastor wants to do in his study behind closed doors (e.g., pray), there are things he can do in public. For example, you can prepare sermons in public. That provides an interesting springboard for conversation. For some, however, that will not work. Certain pastors prefer complete silence during sermon preparation. If that is you, then perchance you can send emails in public. Find a local coffee shop where people gather and catch up on emails. During that time, you may find yourself in conversation with those in the community. Simply extend a customary 'hi' and see where the conversation travels.

There are so many blessings to getting to know those in the community. While it allows you to better understand the culture, learn how to pray more specifically based on your observations, extend hospitality to others, it also allows you to bear witness to the good news of Christ and invite people to church. 

If you are accustomed to spending the majority of your time in the study, consider setting a time each week when you will attend a local coffee shop. Attempt to be as consistent as possible. People who frequent that location at the same time you do will begin to notice you. As you lock eyes during one of your scheduled visits, attempt to converse with that person. Basic small talk is often harmless. Consider asking people if their day is going well; inquire about their occupation; ask about community events. And be sure, amid the conversation, to get and remember their names. People appreciate it if you remember them by name.

Mobilizing your study to a local public meeting place is one way for pastors to get to meet people in the community. In fact, I am typing this blog from a local coffee shop. This particular location has afforded the opportunity to meet and establish several relationships with those in the community, invite people to church, and into our home for meals.

Will you try it and be consistent at it?