Not As Far As You Think | Week 2 | Pastor Ben Pierce

Thanks for stopping by. If you watched this week’s message from Generation Church FL, you heard Pastor Ben Pierce speak with his trademark blend of humour, honesty, and conviction. He delivered an encouraging call to action for every follower of Jesus: you’re closer to sharing faith than you think, you already have what you need, and the Holy Spirit will do the heavy lifting. Below, I unpack that message, share stories and practical next steps, and give you a simple framework to invite people into life-changing conversations this season.

Why This Message Matters Now

We were in the final week of a short series called Not As Far As You Think, timed intentionally for the back-to-school season and the start of a new church cycle. That timing is not accidental. Seasons like this create natural opportunities to reconnect with people, family, neighbours, and co-workers, and to invite them into conversations about meaning, purpose, and faith.

Whenever we move into a new season, school starting, new jobs, holidays ending, people around us ask big, inward questions: “Is there more to life than this?”, “What am I really here for?” Pastor Ben reminded the congregation that these questions often lie closer to the surface than we assume. People aren’t as far from faith as we imagine. And because of that, church members don’t need one more course, one more degree, or the perfect evangelistic script to begin the conversation. They need a willingness to say yes to God, open their mouths, and share what He has done in their lives.

The Passage That Anchors the Message: 2 Corinthians 5:17-20

Pastor Ben built the message on a foundational passage: 2 Corinthians 5:17-20. It contains three truths he emphasised for every follower of Jesus:

1. When someone is in Christ, they are a new creation, the old has gone and the latest is here (v.17).
2. God reconciled us to Himself and has given us the ministry of reconciliation (v.18).
3. We are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making His appeal through us (v.20).

“If you are a follower of Jesus, He has given you the task of helping other people become followers of Jesus.”

Notice how practical this is. Reconciliation is not just theological jargon; it’s a ministry. Paul says there’s both a ministry and a message of reconciliation. The ministry is the act of sharing the invitation, the prayer, the presence, and the message, which is simple: here’s where I was, what happened when I met Jesus, and where I am now.

Why Don’t We Need to Wait for Perfect Training

One of the most freeing lines in the talk is: You don’t need more training; you need more trust. So many of us think we must become gifted communicators or scholars to share faith effectively: apologetics courses, memorising the Romans Road, mastering theology. Those are valuable tools but are not prerequisites for being an ambassador for Christ.

Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 5 show that God gives empowerment (ministry) and the words (message). The “trigger point” Pastor Ben named is simple: open your mouth. Pray, invite, ask questions, and tell a short, authentic story of how Jesus changed you. The Holy Spirit will be faithful to bring the rest.

YES, a Simple Acronym to Help You Remember

Pastor Ben gave a three-point acronym, YES, to help people remember how to begin. Each letter stands for a practical reality:

• Y – You already have the message.
• E – Everyone has a circle.
• S – The Spirit does the heavy lifting.

Y – You already have the message.

At its heart, the message of reconciliation is testimonial. It’s not a lecture, not a courtroom summation. You’re not being asked to be the attorney of salvation; you’re invited to be an eyewitness. Share your life before Christ, what happened when you met Jesus, and how life is different today.

Pastor Ben’s own testimony is a direct, humble example: he described nights of drinking, waking up in his brother’s room still inebriated and disoriented, and the moment the Holy Spirit met him. He never had to rely on polished theological wording; he told what he had seen and heard. That authenticity is compelling.

Practical tips for sharing your message:

• Keep it brief, one minute to a few minutes. Aim to tell three short points: before, when meeting Jesus, and now.
• Focus on emotion and change, not on theological proofs. People relate to human stories more than doctrinal lectures.
• Be honest about ongoing struggles. Authenticity builds trust.
• End with an invitation: “If this is where you’re at, I’d love to share more or invite you to something that helped me.”

E – Everyone has a circle

Alpha training describes three circles of influence: family, friends, and frontline people. These people around you will often ask life’s big questions, even if they don’t say them out loud. Pastor Ben made three points about circles:

• God has placed people in your proximity on purpose. Your workplace, neighbourhood, and family are not accidents; they are boundaries God uses to bring people across your path who might respond to your witness.
• Evangelism starts close to home. You don’t have to travel to another country to do kingdom work; you begin where you already are.
• If you don’t reach your circles, who will? Your unique rapport with those people matters.

He shared a story to illustrate this: Kevin Johnson, one of the church greeters who runs a security company, bumped into a former employee and casually invited them to church years ago by how he lived and playing Christian music at work. Years later, the woman told Kevin she’s getting baptised because his consistent, everyday witness had impacted her without him ever realising it.

That’s a frontline influence in action, incremental, patient, relational. It’s not flashy, but it’s effective over time.

S – The Spirit does the heavy lifting

This is the gospel’s most liberating truth for everyday evangelism: You aren’t asked to save people. You are invited to be faithful to plant and water. God does the growing. Paul makes that point in 1 Corinthians 3:5-7: planting and watering are human tasks, but growth is God’s work.

Pastor Ben emphasised that God makes His appeal through us when we speak. We are ambassadors not because of our eloquence, but because we have been sent with authority and a message. The Holy Spirit equips and empowers ordinary speech to accomplish divine purposes.

Real-life example: Susan, a church member, had been praying for her son for years. During a conversation with his girlfriend, who had suffered a loss and said she didn’t know anything about heaven, Susan prayed for help and shared what she knew. That short, faithful interaction led the girl to Christ.

These stories make a key point: you don’t need perfect words. You need a willing heart. When we obey, the Spirit brings conviction, clarity, healing, and new life.

Practical Next Steps, Pastor Ben Encouraged

The talk wasn’t just inspirational; it was practical. Pastor Ben asked people to do three simple things as a response:

1. Write down three names of people you will pray for in your proximity and begin to invite.
2. Pray regularly for them. Keep a list on a card, phone, or heart. Lock them into your head and carry them before God.
3. Use the tools the church provides, such as invite cards, Alpha evenings, and group dinners, and take the next step by personally inviting someone to Alpha.

In the service, attendees received an invite card with a QR code to register friends for Alpha, and there were 30 days before Alpha started. If you’re part of a local church, find out where the Alpha or similar newcomer group is running and bring somebody along for dinner, a talk, and a real conversation.

Why Alpha (or a Table Conversation) Works

Pastor Ben highlighted that the “table” is the new pulpit. Jesus promised in Revelation 3:20 that He would come in and eat with the person who opens the door. A dinner table creates space for honest questions, vulnerability, and curiosity. Alpha is built around this model: a short talk, a free meal, and an open conversation where questions are welcomed, no judgment, no pressure, and sometimes, yes, explicit language that makes the conversation real.

So if you’re thinking, “I don’t know how to lead a person to Christ,” give them a seat at the table. Let them listen, ask, and hear other stories. Conversations at a table are low-pressure, high-impact environments for the Holy Spirit to do what He does best.

Stories That Reinforce the Truth

Pastor Ben reminded the congregation of the container under the stage, a physical box filled with names people had written and prayed for when the building was constructed. Stories kept coming back to that box. A family shared that an atheist brother had been saved at Easter; his name had been placed under the stage. Jacob, a worship leader, had been far from God until someone invited him because his name had been prayed for. Those testimonies underline how prayer, persistence, and invitation work together.

None of these stories relied on complicated evangelism techniques. They relied on faithful people saying yes to God, praying in expectation, and extending invitations. The Holy Spirit brought conversion and fruit.

How to Tell Your Story (a Simple Template)

When Pastor Ben said, “You already have the message,” many people wanted a practical way to do it. Use this template as a starting point, short, honest, and easy to remember:

1. Where I was: Two sentences about life before Jesus. (Be honest, but not gratuitous.)
2. What happened: The moment you encountered Jesus or began to follow Him. (Keep it personal.)
3. Where I am now: A sentence summarising how life is different, purpose, peace, and new identity.
4. Invitation: “If you want to hear more, would you join me at Alpha, come for dinner, or grab coffee?”

That’s it. No theological lectures required. Share your authenticity, then invite them to a space where they can ask questions and hear more.

What to Say When You Don’t Know What to Say

There are seasons where words fail. Pastor Ben suggested two powerful alternatives:

• Pray silently and ask God for a few words. He’ll often give one or two sentences to say.
• Be willing and obedient. Say, “I don’t know all the answers, but this has made a difference in my life. Can I pray for you?”

These responses are honest and tender. They remove the pressure of performance and allow the Spirit to work.

The Urgency and the End Goal

Pastor Ben reminded the congregation of an often-missed truth: the world’s and God’s timelines intersect at our obedience. Luke 14:23 instructs us to “go and compel them to come.” Jesus says the end will come after the gospel is preached to the whole world. In other words, Jesus is waiting for us, the church, to be faithful in building relationships, inviting people, and creating conversation space. Waiting for a perfect moment isn’t the same as making a faithful one.

That’s why the call wasn’t abstract. It was practical: 30 days to Alpha, write names down, pray, invite, and trust the Spirit. Those small steps, carried out faithfully across a whole church, multiply exponentially.

A Simple Prayer to Say and to Share

At the end of the service, Pastor Ben led a short, accessible prayer for people who wanted to begin a relationship with Jesus. If you’re reading this and sensing the tug of God on your heart, you can pray these words in private:

Father God, the creator of all things, I want to know You personally and intimately. Would You come and make Your home in my heart today? Forgive me of all my sin, make me a new creation. Thank You, Jesus, for dying for me. Today I make You Lord. I turn my back on sin and commit my life to You. Amen.

Pastor Ben encouraged those who prayed to lift their hands so the church family could celebrate with them. This was a symbolic welcome and a way to say, “You are not alone; we are family, and we want to walk with you.”

Practical Checklist: How to Start This Week

Ready to move from hearing to doing? Here’s a simple checklist to help you begin:

• Write down three names of people you will pray for daily.
• Send a text or make a phone call inviting one person to an upcoming Alpha evening, dinner, or casual catch-up.
• Pray for courage: ask God to give you one sentence about what He’s done in your life that you can share naturally.
• Plan a meal or a coffee, the table is powerful. Ask questions and listen more than you talk.
• Use your local church’s resources, invite cards, QR sign-ups, and small groups as a follow-up route for people who want to explore further.

Final encouragement

Pastor Ben closed with an invitation to say yes. Say “Yes, God. Send me.” Isaiah 6:8 is the model prayer of a willing heart: “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” He answered, “Here am I. Send me.”

If there’s one lingering thought to carry from this message, it’s this: you are not as far away from sharing faith as you think. You already have the message, live in circles that matter, and the Spirit will do what only God can do. Your task is to be willing, obedient, and authentic.

So pick up a pen, open your phone, jot down three names, and pray for them. Invite one person to a meal or Alpha this month. Trust that God will meet the conversation, touch hearts, and do the heavy lifting.

Service times and getting involved

Generation Church FL gathers weekly at 8:30 AM, 10:00 AM, and 11:30 AM. If you’re local and want to take the following steps, whether Next Steps, Alpha, or serving, reach out through your church’s connect points. If you’re not local, find a church near you and ask how you can bring someone to a table conversation this season.

If you want to recap the framework, remember YES: You already have the message. Everyone has a circle, and the Spirit does the heavy lifting. Say yes. Let God use you in ordinary conversations to accomplish extraordinary things.