Last year, according to my scales I lost 30 pounds … and found 29 of them.

My New Year’s resolution this year is to find a more accurate scale to weigh on.

Although I am excited about my one-pound net loss, my friend changed his lifestyle, and lost 50 pounds and kept them off.

Rather than change my scale, maybe I need a lifestyle transformation instead.

The reason most people do not make it very far in their New Year’s resolutions is that they set goals, but do not change their lifestyle. They continue with their same habits and expect different results. They venture out toward their goal and then when they hit the pain line, they retreat.

Aren’t you glad you never do this with your desire to share more hope with others?

I have yet to find a believer or a church that was satisfied with the number of broken and lost people that they impacted the previous year. In order for us to reach the goals we set for reaching more lost people, it must accompany a lifestyle change.

A few intentional changes in your life rhythms may lead you to more lost people in need of rescue. Maybe this year, you use your hobby to stop spending so much time with your church friends, and start inviting lost friends with the same hobby into your life. Where could you volunteer an hour a week in the community for you to engage others like the local public school? You could start walking in your neighborhood to meet neighbors and invite them over for a cookout.

When you hit the pain line of an awkward conversation, push through. God uses awkward conversations to save lives. Clear a day on your calendar each month to have awkward conversations. You will be surprised at how natural they will actually be.

The most important lifestyle change you can make is spending more time with Jesus in prayer and the reading of His Word to know Him more. This love for Him will spill out in conversations naturally as you engage others.

What needs to change at your church in order to reach more lost people? Last year, nearly 180 South Carolina Baptist churches doubled their baptisms from the year before. The number one answer when asked what they changed was that they started praying by name for lost people as a church. Their top answer for seeing people come to know Jesus was personal evangelism of the pastor, leadership, and church.

What lifestyle change do you need to make in 2020?

Your change could lead to the life change of someone else. It starts with one!