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	Invite  Jesus Christ didn’t wait for his first disciples to find him, he sought them out. John records that Jesus called his disciples with the command, “follow me“ (John 1:43). Some, like Andrew and Simon, responded quickly to the invitation to follow Jesus. Others needed more convincing. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth“ (John 1:45). When Nathanael was unconvinced that anything good could come out of Nazareth, Philip invited him to know Jesus with the words, “Come and see“ (John 1: 46b). There is more to evangelism than inviting. Evangelism also includes the ministry of faith sharing or telling others. Peter encouraged the believers to “always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is within you“ (1 Peter 3:15). In Romans 10:8-9, Paul wrote: “The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart…because it you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.“ Clearly, an important element of the faith practice of “inviting“ is also witnessing through our words to the faith within us. Inviting also implies welcoming with open hands and hearts those whom the Holy Spirit leads to faith. Jesus told his followers that their future was impacted by the way they treated strangers among them: “For I was a stranger and you welcomed me“ (Matthew 25: 35). He even connected the way his followers welcomed others to their relationship with God: “Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me“ (Matthew 10: 40). Like Abraham and Sarah in the Old Testament, when we welcome others into the life of the church, we may be “entertaining angels unaware.“ Adapted from “Toward a Vision for Evangelism,” by Marta Poling-Goldenne and Ted Schroeder For graphics, see Teach the Faith Graphics Library top of page