wednesday jason small group church pretty share meal figure bible intersects daily lives answers we're lacking lively discussion week jeff church's mercy justice pastor front left tossed question ring reaching sharing story volunteering inviting people church kind thing people immediately shared variety ideas humans good excuses ranged supposed reaching feel overwhelmed typically reach subtle direct ways focus preparing soil planting seeds widely agreed-upon response fear primarily fear non-christians dismiss discover they'll defenses turn stereotypes full blast christians thinking intelligent people they're judgmental narrow-minded generally shut touched posts back irony rain morning small group discussion surprised blog post holds back noel heikkenen high school pastor vibrant young church michigan state university post noel asks readers essentially question small group discussing miles night jesus reader responses noel's blog gamut fear failure insecurity embarrassment life's hectic pace lack discipline selfishness laziness list writing book volunteering shelter making career change learning play instrument response mentioned comments noel's blog general fear small group narrowed people older learned worried people ironically discovered non-christians things imagine they're fully aware proud non-discerning judgmental christians gradually accepting automatically assume worst convinced they're thinking freak crap they're thinking unexpected interesting story good open honest conversation people debating convincing simply open conversation sharing story hearing kind interaction people engage fact people hungry fear lose 