CLOSING THE DEAL: A Spiritual Case Study

My Friend Dave Smith got invited for coffee by a man we’ll call George. Dave was surprized because George was in a LeaderImpact Discovery Group loaded with highly successful business leaders, and many with deep spiritual knowledge and insights. Apart from that, George’s group was also highly relational and intentional about helping marketplace leaders discover the relevance of faith in their business and personal life.

Dave continues the story…Having met George previously on several occasions we … We converged on Tim Horton’s and very quickly George began to share how he had been going to his group for a long time… He knew that each man there was on a spiritual journey, but… in his own case, something was missing. Following some probing questions it was evident that George was a very moral man who sought to follow the golden rule, tried to be a good example in his business and family, and had acquired a significant knowledge about God and Jesus in his group setting.

George’s story was very familiar to me as I have met countless people with exactly the same story. In fact there was a point in time when I was just like George. Fortunately for me, someone came along and brought me to a personal decision. A decision that would transition me from knowing about God to actually knowing God. A decision that would confront me with an opportunity to make a personal profession of faith by acknowledging Jesus Christ as my own personal Lord and Savior…. A decision that changed my life!

As George sat attentively, I shared about knowing God personally, how God loved George and created him to know him personally, how we are separated from God by sin, how Jesus was God’s only remedy for sin, and how we must personally invite Jesus Christ, through prayer, to be our Lord and Savior as the basis of a restored relationship with God. In a crowded coffee shop, where many were going about their business, George bowed his head and silently prayed. I left George some resources and vowed to follow up. In the meantime, I received an email from George the next day telling me how excited he was and how things were finally making sense.

Fortunately, for people like me who like clear presentations with a straightforward decision, I was able to communicate much of this visually with my ipad using the “Knowing God Personally” free App by Power to Change. Of course, there is a small booklet with the same name that is an excellent tool. Or others may go directly to a Bible and share key verses. Another excellent resource available from Power to Change for people who have professed their faith in Christ but want to know more about the Holy Spirit can access the booklet “Satisfied” by Bill Bright, which is also a free app.

In the vernacular of Power to Change and LeaderImpact, we invite participants to join us in a “Faith Adventure” which consists of discovering Jesus, experiencing His power, and inspiring others. Four discussion questions for City Team and Group Leaders are:

1) Is the group experience encouraging members to know about Jesus (head knowledge), or to a personal relationship with Jesus (both head and heart knowledge)?

2) What can we do to improve this area?

3) Are there others like George sitting in your group(s)?

4) If not, Why not, since this is who we are trying to reach?

In the business world, we may have the best product or service in the world. We may believe it passionately, clearly see the desperate need for it, draw a crowd of people who sense their need, and invest years telling them all about it, but what is profited or lost if they don’t get to experience it first hand?

“What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, but loses his soul?” Matthew 16:26

Dave Smith is an Area Manager with LeaderImpact Group and lives in Colbourne Ontario. See http://davidasmith57.wordpress.com