There are many different roles you will play as a Christian living in the church scattered. You start by being a Committed Disciple who has prioritized knowing Him so that we can then make Him known.
You are also a Servant Leader to everyone in your family and a Good Samaritan to all who need your help. To accomplish everything you are called to do in your public world you must also become a full time Missionary.
I set all of this up in chapter two of the book by saying that we have three generations in America who are as culturally distant from God as anyone who lives in India or Iran. I then said that this contextual reality demands a cross-cultural relational approach to effectively reach people for Christ.
For it to be relational it must be intentional. You need to build relationships with lost people that will build trust over time so they can more effectively hear and respond to the gospel.
These people can be at work, living in your neighborhood, cutting your hair, insurance agent, or anyone else that you can establish a relationship with in the normal everyday patterns of life. I intentionally bought three sets of tires over an 8-year window from the same person to help move him toward Christ.
I have been using the same lost person to cut my hair for over ten years and intentionally developing relationships with several of my neighbors every chance that works.
The key here is not to have hundreds of lost people in your network because you don’t have the time to have meaningful conversations with that many people. So the Holy Spirit assigns you up to around twenty different people that you will pray for every day for God to soften their hearts for the truth.
I started this relational network to help me keep track of all the people I am ministering to at some point in time in my Public world. This network is a prayer journal on steroids.
This is merely an extension to what most of us do in the corporate world when we create and sustain a professional network. You are now using those same personal leadership skills to integrate faith into all of your relationships.
I know what you are thinking; I don’t have any more time to do anything else, especially this. The point I am making is that for the most part you are already doing it. The key is to intentionally lead yourself and then just use the normal patters of life to connect with people who need Christ.
The problem with reaching people over the years is that we have made it more about inviting than investing. Jesus wants us to integrate our faith into a “as we are going” daily approach to move everyone we meet closer to Him.