Coming to faith in Jesus is a personal journey however, many experts in evangelism have written of common thresholds in coming to faith in Jesus.
In this article you will learn about framing the journey to faith as thresholds to be overcome. It will be useful for people who are in one on one trusting relationships with people who are on, or at the beginning, of the faith in Jesus journey.
It is good to have framework and a plan to help people as the journey through thresholds to faith.
The NCLS research team have reported ‘Nearly 4 in 10 (37%) of Australians are likely to go to church if invited by close friends and family’. Relationship, trust and personal invitation are going to be essential.
Thom Rainer makes almost exactly the same conclusions when surveying people who have become Christians in a 5 year period in the USA. Family relationships, followed by trusting friendships are key to people
coming to faith in Jesus.
While the NCLS conclusion that ‘There are no doubt many nominal Anglicans who would accept an invitation to church’ is likely true (Powell, Slide 50), it is also true that we live in an era of distrust of church institutions and Christians themselves (Everts 2008, 30-33) (Morgan 43). Even if people enter the building it may not be the beginning of a journey toward faith in Jesus that we might hope for.
Considering the pathway of thresholds to faith is a way overcome these challenges. One example is outlined in the book I Once Was Lost. The authors discuss five thresholds that individuals typically navigate on their journey to faith:
- Trust: Building trust with someone who embodies Christian values, fostering a safe environment for questioning and exploration.
- Curiosity: Developing a sense of curiosity about faith, prompting individuals to explore spiritual questions and seek answers.
- Openness: Being open to the possibility of faith, including personal change.
Seeking After God: A purposeful but time limited ‘seeking’ leaning in for answers or a final resolution. - Entering the Kingdom: A call and response to commit to following Jesus and embracing Christian beliefs as a way of life.
These thresholds provide a framework for understanding the progression from skepticism to faith in Jesus.
Simon Koefoed, Archdeacon, Anglican Diocese of the Northern Territory
