PLAN (pt. 1): Forming a "Bespoke" Mission Plan

FBCO Notes & News for the week of March 31-April 6

Apr 01, 2025

Over the past few weeks, we’ve been working through a short series of reflections I’m calling, “Realistic Daily Mission.” How do we intentionally lead people to faith in the good news of Jesus Christ? In the first email, we considered the place of prayer in evangelism. Then, we thought about who, of all our unbelieving friends, we would intentionally pursue with the gospel. This and next week, we're going to turn our attention to consider “how.” Do you have a plan for how you will lead someone to the point of faith in Jesus Christ?

What Micah taught me

I have a dear friend named Micah who pastors a small church in Lewiston, Maine. If I know anyone with the "gift of evangelism” it's him. It seems like every time I speak to Micah, he’s telling me another story of someone he’s sharing Christ with or someone who has recently put their trust in Jesus.

About a year ago, Micah and I traveled to speak at a pastors conference in northern Maine. Micah was leading a session on evangelism and I would be unable to hear it. However, with five hours in a car together (each way), I had plenty of time to pick Micah’s brain about evangelism. While he had lots of great advice and insights to share, one thing he taught me has fundamentally changed the way I understand the work of evangelism: The job of an evangelist isn’t always to “seal the deal” but to help a person “take their next step toward Jesus.”

Micah wasn’t downplaying the necessity of calling someone to repent and believe the Good News, rather he was pointing out something we often miss about the nature of conversion. Most people who don’t know Jesus carry with them a backpack full of questions and preconceived ideas about Christianity. They need time to unpack their questions and critically reconsider their objections. Many others have never been around the church or Christianity. They need help understanding some of the basic ideas of the faith such as sin and grace. Still others have deeply held beliefs that are directly opposed to Biblical truth. They need someone to help them consider and reevaluate their worldview and compare it to the teachings of Jesus. The ultimate goal of evangelism is always to lead people to repent and believe the gospel, yet the work of evangelism is more then merely “sealing the deal” or “forcing a decision.” It’s typically a slower process of escorting a person step-by-step, day-by-day, closer-and-closer to Jesus until they eventually put their trust in him.

A Shift in our Mindset

If this is true, we need to think of ourselves less like argument-wielding apologists, ready to blast people with head spinning arguments, and more like trail guides, ready to walk with our friends as the Lord calls them to himself. We will be there to talk with them about their questions and look with them for answers. We will ask them questions about how they came to believe what they do and share the story of how we came to believe in whom we do. We will tell them the reason for the hope that is in us and introduce them to believing friends who have this same hope. We will listen compassionately to the hard experiences they’ve had in the church and invite them to see what a church centered on Christ can look like. In short, our job isn’t to be a theological Jedi but a faithful friend, one who will patiently, yet intentionally, seek to guide this person from where they are in their faith journey to where the Lord is calling them.

So, as you think about the people you hope to pursue with the gospel, you know where you will lead them (to the cross), but where are you leading them from? Where are they currently at in their faith journey and what’s the next step you’ll help them take to get one step closer to Christ? Next week, I’ll offer three simple questions you can ask yourself to help you figure out the path forward. We’ll look at each question and apply them to three friends of mine: Indifferent Izzy, Skeptical Sally, and Mystical Mark.

FBC Ojai News: March 31-April 6

Book Discussion Night: is TONIGHT, April 1 at 6:30 PM. We’ll be having a discussion of the book Being the Bad Guys: How to Live for Jesus in a World That Says You Shouldn’t by Stephen McAlpine. Come prepared to discuss tonight in the sanctuary.
Grief Support Group: Our next Grief Support Group is tomorrow, April 2, at 4 PM.
Topa Topa Elementary: There is a new sign-up sheet in the foyer to provide snacks to our local elementary school. We especially need someone for this Thursday, April 3, so please call or email the office if you’re willing to step in for that date. If you have any questions, please talk to Jan Worsham.
All Valley Women’s Retreat: This year’s theme is “I Speak Jesus!” The retreat will be Saturday, May 10 from 8:30 AM-4:30 PM at Forest Home. The cost is $55 per person and that covers breakfast, lunch, speakers and activities. Pick up a registration form in the foyer and get it to the church office by April 26.
Mark Your Calendar: for a women’s retreat this fall entitled “In the Word” with Jen Wilkin. The retreat is in Santa Clarita from Friday evening through Saturday noon on September 12-13. Groups of 5 or more get a discounted registration of $70 ($85 regular admission) when you register early. Please indicate you are interested by signing up in the foyer.
Easter Eggsplosion: Saturday, April 19, we are partnering again with Redemption to put on a large Easter Eggsplosion at Libbey Park! The event is from 1-3 PM. There are four ways you can get involved: run a fun game booth, help set up before the event, assist in tear down after, or work at registration and pass out candy. This is such a fun and meaningful way to bless our community and share the love of Jesus with families in Ojai. If you’d like to be a part of it, email Rachel at kids@redemptionojai.org, and we’ll get you signed up!
Easter Breakfast: Come celebrate Resurrection Day together at our Easter Breakfast on Sunday, April 20, from 8-9:15 AM before our Easter morning service at 10 AM. If you’re available to help, please contact the office or Cyndi Hassien.
Oakleaves: It’s time to put together our next newsletter! Please submit all notes, pictures, articles, and updates to the church’s email: office@fbcojai.org or call the church office at 805-633-9055. We are looking for YOUR submissions by Tuesday, April 15.

Sermon Questions on John 20:1-10

This Sunday, we started a four week sermon series on John 20 called “Jesus & the Eyewitnesses.” Spend time with your home group, family, or on your own, reflecting again on the passage and discussing the way it might help shape your life and faith.

This series is all about Christ’s resurrection. Have you thought much about the significance of the resurrection? What if it’s not true? What if it’s true?
Read John 20:1-2 again.
- What does Mary see? What is her interpretation of the evidence before her? (We’ll look more closely at Mary Magdalene next week)
Read John 20:3-10 again.
- What do John and Peter see? How does the evidence before them flip Mary’s conclusion on its head?
- Take some time to read 1 Corinthians 15:12–19 as a group and unpack it together.
While our sermons are typically geared more to the believer, this series is geared more to the unbeliever. Who in your life might benefit from hearing this series? Is there anyone you might share this weeks sermon with? Is there anyone you might invite to next weeks service?