As the Christmas bells jingle your ears and the holiday drinks tingle your tongue, remember to pray about who God wants you to BRING to our Christmas Eve Service. Statistically, it is the #1 time of year when someone who does not claim religious affiliation of any sort will darken the doors of a church. That means it is a HUGE outreach opportunity. Having said that, sometimes inviting someone sounds intimidating. To make it less scary, here are 10 easy and creative ideas to invite/bring someone.

1. "The Classic Cheeseball." - Bring someone a small gift (plate of cookies/coffee/starbucks card) and hand them a flier. It's trite, it might be a bit cheesy, but if it's done tastefully and lovingly, it can be effective. Don't try to be "over the top" with your invitation, keep it real and personal. Remember, many people are lonely during the holidays and they're looking for something fun to do.

2. "The Sloppy Joe." - Invite someone over to your house or meet them for lunch/dinner (no you don't have to eat sloppy joe's). Focus on getting to know them, and at the end of the meal let them know that you'd really love for them to come with you to the Christmas Eve service. This one is very effective because you are investing in the person before inviting them AND they already know you so they will not feel completely uncomfortable.

3. "The Techno-Geek's Delight Part 1." - Post it on your Facebook/Twitter/Tumblr page that you will be attending Christmas Eve service and would love to invite any of your friends to come. Make sure to post a link to the website LoveHopeCity.com so they have all the information.

4. "The Techno-Geek's Delight Part 2." Posting a status update is great, but even BETTER is sending a direct message to someone! Everyone loves getting a direct message/email. It feels more personal. Scroll through your facebook friends and pray about who you could send a nice, encouraging direct message to with an invitation. People will feel special.

5. "The Memory Factor." Remember this: the person you are trying to bring to church for the first time is NOT in the habit of coming. Your job is to REMIND them with a personal phone call or text message the night before and possibly the day of just to be sure. People want to be remembered just like you do. REMEMBER to remind your friends and make sure to let them know where you'll be sitting so they are not alone!

Our Christmas Eve service is going to be an absolute blast. Please don't miss this amazing opportunity to welcome in a new soul into our community!

CHALLENGE: In the comments, write the first letter of the person's name you are hoping to bring. That way we can all pray for each other's new friends!