My friend Simon was on a bus when he heard God say to him ‘invite the guy next to you to come with you to church’.

God can use biscuits of any size, shape or colour

‘What? No!’ was his response, as Simon, in characteristic human fashion enacted over the ages, bottled out of doing just what God had said.

Simon didn’t fancy asking a complete stranger – and a disconcertingly well dressed one at that -  to come with him to church ‘out of the blue’.

As a hopeful compromise, he offered the guy he was sitting next to a biscuit from an open pack he had with him. The chap refused.

‘Invite him to church’ came God’s insistent voice. So there and then Simon invited this complete stranger to come with him to the church meeting he was going to.
I know this because the meeting was taking place last night at my house, a Christian community in Handsworth Wood, Birmingham.

Richard, the stranger that Simon invited, was the last person to leave. He and I talked at length after Simon and all the rest had gone. He was fascinated by my off the wall lifestyle. Over a cup of tea and a NICE biscuit we shared stories and he asked probing questions. Did I really share my salary? What happened with my money? How did we guard against fraud?
Richard was very struck by what he’d seen; the warmth and worship and friendship. He was guarded, but then he’s had some tough experiences in life and finds it hard to trust. He is intelligent, urbane and has a faith in God; I could tell that he was really impacted by the evening’s meeting.

In his words: ‘what struck me was the warmth Simon showed me. People just don’t talk on buses in Birmingham; they are miserable and ‘in themselves’. I had to come and see what made him different.’

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