Come and See: Why Christians Invite Others to Church

God is doing an incredible work in the lives of normal men and women, people with all kinds of stories, backgrounds, and baggage. God’s work in those being baptized carries one thing in common: somebody planted a seed. A parent, grandparent, friend, or neighbor took a step and pointed them toward Jesus, and God grew that seed into life change.

The question, then, is simple: Why do Christians invite others to church? The invitation does not come from needing more people in a room, filling volunteer spots, or trying to earn a bigger reward in heaven. Joy works differently than that. Joy gets fuller when it is shared. The image of God in people creates that instinct: when something has genuinely blessed a life, people naturally want those they love to experience it too.

John’s Gospel shows that instinct showing up immediately when people met Jesus. Andrew encounters Jesus, becomes convinced that He is the Messiah, and then goes straight to find his brother Simon Peter. Philip receives Jesus’ invitation to follow and then finds Nathanael. Nathanael brings his skepticism, asking whether anything good can come from Nazareth, but Philip does not launch into a seven-point defense. Philip simply says, “Come and see.”

The invitation to faith does not require somebody to have every answer, win every argument, or pressure another person into a decision. The invitation simply says, “God has done something in my life. Come and see for yourself. You can sit with me.” Questions are welcome, and doubts do not have to be checked at the door. The church becomes a place where people can bring real questions and see whether God might meet them.

The three nots can help identify open doors: “I’m not from here,” “I’m not doing well,” and “I’m not prepared for.” The first not may reveal somebody who is new and looking for community. The second may reveal a marriage, career, family, or financial burden that cannot be fixed with easy answers. The third may reveal fear around a new season, a child leaving home, retirement, aging, or an uncertain future. Each opening can receive the same low-pressure response: “Come and see.”

The legacy of Simon Peter shows what may hang in the balance. Andrew had no clue that his simple invitation would lead to a life known by billions of people. God alone knows what He may do through the person in the next cubicle, across the street, or down the dorm hall. A simple invitation can become the seed God uses to change a life.

##

Key Takeaways

• 1. Joy wants others to share it [08:16] Joy does not stay contained when something has truly blessed a person. The image of God creates a desire to share what is good with people who matter. An invitation to church can come from love, not from pressure or a recruitment strategy. [08:16]
• 2. “Come and see” is enough [13:00] Philip does not try to overpower Nathanael’s doubts or answer every objection. Faithful invitation makes room for honest questions and personal encounter. Christ does not need somebody to be an expert before somebody else can be welcomed near Him. [13:00]
• 3. The three nots reveal openings [15:27] “I’m not from here,” “I’m not doing well,” and “I’m not prepared for” often expose a real need beneath ordinary conversation. Those moments do not call for a quick fix or a polished sales pitch. Those moments can receive a gentle invitation toward a community where God is at work. [15:27]
• 4. Nobody invited is a project [18:39] An invitation says that somebody cared enough to share a place where they had been blessed. Love takes the awkward step of going out on a limb for another person’s good. The dignity of the invited person matters more than any number or outcome. [18:39]
• 5. God knows what hangs in balance [21:02] Andrew could not see the future impact of bringing Simon Peter to Jesus. God often uses small acts of faithfulness in ways nobody can predict. A simple “come and see” may become the beginning of a story only God can write.
  
  ## [21:02]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [01:30] - Somebody Planted a Seed
• [02:58] - Why Invite Others to Church?
• [04:47] - Why People Share What They Love
• [08:16] - Joy Becomes Full When Shared
• [09:42] - Andrew Brings Simon to Jesus
• [11:54] - Philip Invites Nathanael
• [13:00] - Come and See
• [15:27] - The Three Nots
• [18:39] - An Invitation Is Not a Project
• [20:34] - Andrew’s Invitation and Peter’s Legacy
• [21:50] - What God May Do Through One Invite

1. “One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.” [09:42]
2. “He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (which means Christ).” [10:49]
3. “He brought him to Jesus.” [11:33]

1. “The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, ‘Follow me.’” [11:47]
2. “Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.”
3. “Philip found Nathanael and said to him, ‘We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.’” [12:06]
4. “Nathanael said to him, ‘Can anything good come out of Nazareth?’ Philip said to him, ‘Come and see.’” [13:00]

1. What does Andrew do first after becoming convinced that Jesus is the Messiah, and what does that reveal about who was important to him? [10:49]
2. What is the difference between Philip’s response to Nathanael’s skepticism and the kind of response people may feel pressured to give?
3. What are the three “not” statements that can reveal an open door in a conversation? [15:27]
4. What kinds of struggles or life changes were named as examples of someone saying, “I’m not doing well” or “I’m not prepared for”? [17:03]

1. Why might Andrew and Philip’s first response to meeting Jesus be to find someone else, rather than simply keeping the experience to themselves? [08:48]
2. Nathanael begins with a skeptical question about Nazareth. What does Philip’s simple “Come and see” suggest about the role of questions and doubts when someone is considering Jesus? [13:46]
3. How does an invitation such as “Come and see—you can sit with me” differ from trying to win an argument or pressure someone into a decision? [14:21]
4. Andrew could not have known what God would do through Simon Peter. How should that shape the way Christians think about small, ordinary acts of invitation? [21:02]

1. Who was someone God used to plant a seed in your life—a parent, friend, neighbor, coworker, or someone else? What did that person do that made a difference for you? [01:52]
2. Is there someone in your life who is new to the area, struggling, or facing a season they do not feel prepared for? What might it look like to care for that person before or alongside extending an invitation? [15:54]
3. What makes inviting someone to church or pointing them toward Jesus feel awkward or intimidating for you? How could the words “Come and see” help make the invitation more natural? [14:11]
4. Think of one person you genuinely care about. What has God done in your life that you would honestly want that person to experience too? [18:39]
5. How can you make an invitation feel personal and welcoming—for example, offering to sit with someone, meet them beforehand, or answer the questions you can without pretending to have every answer? [14:26]
6. Have you ever felt like someone treated you as a project rather than a person? How can we make sure our invitations communicate love, dignity, and freedom rather than pressure? [18:55]
7. What is one simple step you could take this week to plant a seed or extend a “come and see” invitation, trusting God with whatever happens next? [21:50]