Last Sunday during church, our teaching pastor at CrossPoint Church (Kansas), Andy Addis, shared a stat that’s been rolling around in my head ever since. He said that 63% of unchurched people don’t attend because they’ve never been invited. Not because they’re against church. Not because they had a bad experience. Simply because no one ever asked.
That number floored me.
And before we dive into where this connects to our personal and professional lives, let me just say this: if you’re someone who takes time out of your week to read these thoughts, I don’t want you to be part of that 63%. Easter is coming up on April 20th, and I’d love for you to join me at CrossPoint, either in person in Sterling, KS or online from wherever you are. If not CrossPoint, I’d still encourage you to attend a church near you that is focused on the resurrection of Jesus. I promise you, making that choice is something you won’t regret.
Now, back to that stat… 63% of people haven’t been invited.
That got me thinking about all the other areas in life where we hesitate to invite people in. Whether it’s church, business, friendship, or community, we often sit back and wait. We wait for someone else to make the first move. We convince ourselves people will just come to us if they need something. But the truth is, most people are open, they’re just waiting for an invitation.
There’s a phrase we use in our house all the time: "closed mouths don’t get fed." It’s simple, but true. If you don’t ask, you don’t receive.
I remember when I was in sales at CHS, I used to be nervous about asking people for their business. I worried about coming across as pushy or about what they might think of me. But eventually, I got over it by reminding myself of two important things. First, I truly believed in the solution I was offering. I believed it could help their operation. And second, I wasn’t a volunteer. I had a job to do. I had a company that believed in me enough to pay me, and a family that depended on me to follow through.
That mindset helped me find my voice. But even now, I still have to work on this. I don’t always speak up. I don’t always ask for what I want. And I don’t always invite people into the things that matter most to me.
So this week’s thoughts aren’t just for you. They’re for me too. Because I want to be better at asking. Better at inviting. Better at believing that if I’m bringing value to the table, I deserve to speak up and let others know.
We all need to check ourselves here. Are we asking for what we want? Are we showing people the value we bring, personally and professionally? Are we building enough trust that our ask is welcome? And are we being bold enough to ask anyway, even when we’re not sure how it’ll go?
That Leads Me to This Week’s Challenge…
Be bold. Speak up. Ask.
Ask someone to join you for coffee or lunch. Ask for a new opportunity. Ask for their business. Ask for their friendship. And if it means something to you, ask them to church.
We can’t expect to be fed if we keep our mouths closed. But we also need to make sure we’re bringing value to the table. Earn trust. Build relationships. Make it easy for people to say yes.
So I’m going to follow through on this myself:
I’d love the chance to earn your friendship. I’d be grateful for the opportunity to earn your business. And most of all, I’d love to invite you to church this Easter, or any other weekend. There’s always a seat for you. Finally, if these Thursday Thoughts have meant something to you, I’d be honored if you liked and shared them.
I’m thankful you took the time to read this, for choosing to work, and for being a part of what makes this world amazing.
