When was the last time you took a mid-term exam? Did you treat it seriously, or just shrug it off as 'only' a mid-term, feeling the like final exam was really where it counted. That's often our temptation, where the whole purpose of mid-terms is to provide an intermediate encoruagement and accountability that prevents cramming and the last-minute chaos of only preparing at the end of a course.

Here at Southridge, it feels like this week we're preparing for a mid-term exam of sorts. Since September God's had us on a journey to share His love and the message of Jesus with those who don't yet know Him and haven't yet heard it. We've learned that eternity matters and that there are stakes to exposing others to the forgiveness and new life that Jesus provides that last forever. We've been challenged by God's heart to share His message and we've explored the consequences when we resist that call on our lives, just as in Jonah's case. And we've taken a good hard look at ourselves to address some attitudes and behaviours that have made us appear unChristian.

The question is: has this journey God's had us on had any impact or effect? Or more specifically, are there actually people in our lives with whom we're now actively sharing the love and message of Jesus more than we were before?

That's where the mid-term exam comes in. This weekend is our Christmas production 'Believe'. It's specifically designed to encourage people who previously would have had a generally closed heart and mind to faith, the Bible and Jesus, to consider what it would take for them to open themselves up to the possibility to believe. We feel like it's a great spark plug to ignite journeys of faith for many of our friends, family, co-workers, classmates, teammates and neighbours who haven't yet embraked on a journey of faith for themselves - if only we would take the opportunity to invite them.

So consider where God has brought you this fall in your capacity to share His love and message with others. And consider the opportunity that our Christmas production provides to help you do that. Then ask yourself if there are people in your sphere of relationship and influence that God intends for you to invite. And then consider the real, bottom line question: have you bothered to asked them?

This entire fall season was intended to stir up a greater degree of concern for the people around us who don't yet know Jesus, and to inspire us to encourage journeys of faith among them to a greater degree. And we feel like exposing people to our Christmas production can be a fantastic way to stimulate that process.

So treat this week like a mid-term exam - and don't just shrug it off. Ask yourself who you can invite to our Christmas production to encourage in a journey of faith for themselves - and go for it!

P.S. Here's a sneak peak at some of the videos and stories from Believe!