They’re More Open Than You Think
By Pastor Ellis White
Senior Pastor
What if the people most ready to hear about Jesus aren’t far away… but already in your life?
Every Sunday this summer, something beautiful is happening as we gather as one church family—young and old, new and long-time, all in one room. There’s something powerful about it. You can feel the energy, the unity, the presence of God among us.
And yet, even as we celebrate, a question lingers:
Who’s not here?
Not who’s on vacation or serving in the nursery—but who’s truly missing? Who’s not at the table at all?
In the first week of our For the One series, we looked at Luke 15 and the story of the shepherd who leaves the 99 to go find the one lost sheep. It’s a story of courage, pursuit, and joy. But before it’s any of those things, it’s a story of heartbreak. One sheep wandered off—and the shepherd noticed.
That’s what this series is about.
Not just enjoying the 99 who are gathered—but noticing the one who’s missing.
And make no mistake—there are a lot of ones.
There are over 150,000 people within a 20-minute drive of Chapel Hill who don’t regularly attend church. That’s 150,000 people missing out on the power of the gospel, the joy of Christian community, and the purpose found in Christ.
But here’s the good news:
Most people are more open than you realize.
Most non-Christians in our culture aren’t hostile to faith. They’re not looking for a debate or a fight. In fact, they’re curious. A recent Barna study found that 54 percent of non-Christians say they are curious about spirituality.
There are people in your life right now who are more spiritually open than you realize. What if all they need is someone they trust to walk with them as they explore?
That’s where you come in.
And I want to help you feel ready.
We have a fantastic resource available to everyone in our church—a course designed to equip you to engage spiritually open people in conversations about faith. It’s called Faith for the Curious, available through RightNow Media. It’s full of practical, thoughtful insights on how to have meaningful conversations about faith without pressure or fear.
If you haven’t signed up for your free RightNow Media account yet, you can do that here.
Once you’re in, start watching Faith for the Curious.
This week, don’t just notice who’s missing from the table.
Take a step toward becoming the kind of person who lovingly invites them in.
And as we continue worshiping together in one combined service at 10:00 am, we’re prayerfully discerning what the future of worship at Chapel Hill might look like. This is a season of listening—to God and to each other—and we’re open to your feedback. If you have thoughts, ideas, or reflections, we’d love to hear them.
They’re closer than you think—and God is already at work.
Let’s join him—for the one.
Pastor Ellis