There's a difference between having a kind of meandering interest in something and actively seeking it.
When spiritual questions become urgent for someone, they’re seeking. They want answers.
When someone’s at this stage, we can include them in our communities—places where they can ask their questions honestly and deeply. We can also help them clarify their quest and focus it on Jesus.
Our friends and coworkers may begin to ask questions like:
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Who do I think Jesus really was?
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What are the “dealbreaker” issues for me when it comes to faith?
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Could I really trust Jesus with my life?
We can also help them count the cost. Are they ready to follow Jesus . . .
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With their possessions and money?
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With their relationships and sexuality?
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With their career and whatever power they have?
Because seeking involves seriously considering a new way of life, it can’t last forever. The tension of putting everything on the line is too great. Often, people only spend *three months* at the seeking threshold before deciding whether or not to follow Jesus.
So, we want to be there when someone is ready to start seeking. If we show up when they’re ready to dig in, we might get to see some of the most powerful moments in their journey toward faith.
Sources: Luke 14:25-33 (ESV) Don Everts and Doug Schaupp, I Once Was Lost: What Postmodern Skeptics Taught Us About Their Path to Jesus (Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 2008).
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