Does prayer make a difference in reaching out to others for Christ--including starting seeker Bible studies? Does having a specific time and date and plan for a seeker study matter? Is there power in making a specific ask of people?

The answer to these questions is YES!

1. A Plan

Recently, I began to plan starting a new seeker Bible study on Tuesday nights. Why Tuesdays? Well, one new friend that I made from the Son of God movie outreach that we had earlier this year said that Tuesday was the night that she could do a seeker study. Then, a few weeks ago, one of our guests at church checked on her "connection card" (member/visitor card) that she wanted to be a part of a seeker Bible study and place membership with us. And one of our members who had started a one on one Story of Redemption study with one of her friends indicated that she would be interested in helping with our Tuesday night study.

So I sent out a message to these three, telling them about our intent to start a new seeker study on Tuesday nights. I asked them to check with their friends and see if they would be interested in joining the study. And I sent this message out to some of our outreach people, and asked them to pray about this study:

"My wife and I are looking at starting a seeker small group study at our house on Tuesday nights, probably starting Tuesday, Sept. 9. Looking at perhaps a 7:00 or 7:30 start time (this can be adjusted), with some dessert and then about 45 minutes of study. If you or a friend of yours are seeking to draw closer to God and want to be a part of this, please let us know! We will try to match up different Christians and seekers with those that they might relationally connect to."

Notice that we planned a specific time and date around 2-3 people who we thought would be willing and interested in be a part of this study. Then we began asking those people, asking them to invite their friends, and asking others to pray for this study. Then we trust that God will begin to work to answer our prayers and a full group will form. You have to sometimes just pick a time and date and go with it. Being vague is not helpful, as people have busy lives and full schedules.

2. An Invitation

I also sent out this message to some of our outreach people:

3. The Power of Prayer!

So now I want to tell you what is happening with the seeker Bible study that we are putting together for Tuesday nights at our house. Tonight I was outside talking to one of our neighbors, who is from India. I asked them if they spoke Telegu, which is the third most spoken language in India (spoken by millions), and they said that they did.

I told them that about the Story of Redemption seeker study, and that one of my native minister friends from India was working on a translation of this study into Telegu. I asked if they could look this over and see if everything translated well for them, as I am seeking to put together little translation teams for the study in different languages--and it would be a good way to introduce them to God's story. They said that they would be happy to do this!

Love and Creation (Intro, Part A) in Part 1 of the Story of Redemption

Then I told them about the Tuesday night Story of Redemption seeker study that we were planning on having at our house, and I asked them if they would be interested in being a part of this study. And they said YES!

God will work wonders, if we will but ask him and be willing to invite others. I would ask for your prayers for this study, that God may bring a wonderful group together, and that together we would learn to love God, one another, and the world more deeply. I am overjoyed at those who have said that they want to join us learning God's great story for our lives.


What questions do you have in starting a seeker Bible study? If you have started one of these, how did you do this? How did you see God at work in this, answering your prayers and opening people's hearts?