I’m doing something a little different with this post. Most of what I have to say is going to be contained in an attached .pdf file. (file here: follow)
The church I pastor is smallish (60-90, any given Sunday) in a small town (1700 peeps), so needless to say we don’t have the resources (read $$$$) to purchase a lot of outreach materials. So, what happens is I end up writing some homemade tracts, pamphlets, booklets, etc. Then we print ’em and hand ’em out. Good thing I actually like writing, when I have time… 🙂
This April, I’ve put together a sermon series for my church, simply called Follow. And to go along with it, I’m putting together a booklet by the same name. Over the next week or so, we’ll add some graphics, but it into booklet form, print it out, put it together, and give it away. I’m going to send a copy home to all our AWANA families (most of whom are not involved in any church), and I’m going to give a copy out to everyone during the sermon series. The hope is also to use it for other future outreach purposes.
The .pdf I’ve attached is my rough draft, obviously pre-booklet form. I’m presenting it here before hand for critique and feedback. Also, I’m really not interested in ever making money or holding exclusive copyrights on anything I write. So if you find it useful, please feel free to use it or reproduce it in whole or in part (I’d appreciate simple acknowledgment).
So, check out the file… and say what you will…
Here’s a preview of the opening lines:
FOLLOW
We all follow something…who (or what) do you follow?
“Follow Me” ~ Jesus, Luke 5:27
Everybody in life follows something or someone. So who, or what, do you follow? Who is the person that leads you? What is the thing that you value most—the thing that gives you your identity?
Popular personalities? (you know—actors, actresses, sports figures, politicians) Parents? Spouse? Children? Peers? Religion? Culture? Tradition? Yourself?
What is the most important thing in your life?
Often whenever Jesus encountered people, he would tell them, “Follow me.” He was inviting them into a completely new life and identity totally defined by him. And Jesus didn’t make this an easy thing to do. He wasn’t asking people to add him into their busy lives or their list of favorite people. In modern terms, he wasn’t asking people to like him or be his friend on Facebook or to follow his posts on Twitter. No, Jesus was telling people to give up their very lives for his sake…