Wednesday, September 2, 2026

Being for one more means choosing to move toward people, ask thoughtful questions, and point them to Jesus with love, humility, and courage. In Acts 8 (NLT), Philip gives us a simple, practical model for sharing faith: move toward people, ask questions that build connection, and point them to Jesus. If you want to help someone take a step toward faith but are not sure what to do, this story gives you a clear map.

Sometimes the hardest part of helping someone spiritually is not caring. It is knowing what to do next.

That tension shaped this weekend's message at CedarCreek. Andy opened with a vivid story from a CrossFit gym: a man was being attacked by a dog outside, and while several people rushed toward the situation, nobody immediately knew the right move to make. There was compassion. There was urgency. There was concern. But there was also uncertainty.

For many Jesus followers, sharing faith feels the same way. You care deeply about your friends, neighbors, coworkers, and family members. You want them to know Jesus. But when a real moment shows up, it is easy to freeze. What should you say? How do you bring it up? What if they ask a hard question? What if the conversation gets awkward?

This week's bottom line was simple and practical: if we want to be for one more, we need a map.

That map comes from the way God used Philip in Acts 8:26–40 (NLT):

The three-part MAP framework in Acts 8 is:

●       Move Toward
●       Ask Questions
●       Point to Jesus

That is how we can live as people who are truly for one more.

God's Heart Has Always Been for One More Person

God's heart has always been for one more person because Jesus consistently moved toward individuals, not just crowds. Throughout His ministry, Jesus noticed people others overlooked, welcomed outsiders, and made room for those who felt far from God.

Andy reminded us of Jesus' words in Luke 15:7 (NLT):

"In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven't strayed away." — Luke 15:7 (NLT)

Heaven celebrates one more.

That means the mission of the church cannot stop with the people already in the room. As important as caring for believers is, God is still pursuing the person who is not here yet. He sees the person with doubts, the person carrying pain, the person asking hard questions, the person who has been hurt, and the person who feels far from Him.

At CedarCreek, we want to be the kind of church that never loses sight of that.

You can learn more about who we are and what matters to us at About Us.

Philip's Story in Acts 8 Gives Us a Clear Map for Sharing Your Faith

Philip's story in Acts 8 gives us a clear map for sharing your faith because it shows how God often works through ordinary obedience, relational connection, and Jesus-centered conversations.

The message centered on Philip's encounter with the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8:26–40 (NLT).

Philip had already seen God do big things. People in Samaria were responding to the gospel. Lives were changing. Momentum was building. Then God told him to leave the crowd and go to a desert road.

From a human perspective, that did not make much sense. Why leave visible impact for a quiet road in the middle of nowhere?

Because God cares about one more.

On that road, Philip met an Ethiopian official, a man with power, wealth, and influence who was still spiritually restless. He had traveled a long way searching for God. He was reading Scripture, but he did not understand it. And because of his identity as a eunuch, he likely knew what it felt like to live at a distance from full belonging.

God saw him. God sent Philip. God moved the story toward one person.

Moving Toward People Is the First Step in Sharing Your Faith

Moving toward people is the first step in sharing your faith because spiritual conversations usually begin with presence before they begin with words.

The Holy Spirit told Philip:

"Go over and walk along beside the carriage." — Acts 8:29 (NLT)

The instruction was simple. Philip did not receive a polished script or a detailed strategy. He was told to get close.

This matters because many of us assume we need a perfect plan before we can engage someone spiritually. But obedience often starts with proximity. Before Philip explained anything, he moved toward the person God cared about.

That is still true today. If you want to be for one more, the first step may simply be showing up relationally and staying available.

Moving toward people might look like this:
●       learning your barista's name

●       walking across the yard to meet your neighbor

●       staying after practice to talk with another parent

●       asking a coworker how they are really doing

●       joining friends instead of isolating yourself from people who think differently

You do not have to force every moment into a spiritual conversation. Just be relational. Be present. Be available. Often, that is where God begins.

One of the strongest reminders from the message was not to let differences become distance. That was true in Acts 8, where a Jewish believer moved toward an Ethiopian official, and it is still true now.

God Is Building a Multiethnic Church Family Through Jesus

God is building a multiethnic church family through Jesus, and Philip's story shows that the gospel crosses ethnic, cultural, social, and spiritual barriers.

Philip had already seen God work in Samaria. Now God was doing it again through an Ethiopian official. This is part of the good news of Jesus: He is creating a people from every tribe, nation, and background.

CedarCreek wants to reflect that heart. We want to be a church where people know there is room for them. Not because they have everything figured out, but because Jesus welcomes people before they have everything sorted out.

If you are exploring faith, unsure what you believe, or wondering whether church is really for someone like you, this message offers a clear reminder: there is room for you here.

You can learn more about CedarCreek's foundation at What We Believe.

Asking Questions Builds Trust and Opens Spiritual Conversations

Asking questions builds trust and opens spiritual conversations because questions help people feel seen before they feel instructed.

As Philip came near the carriage, he heard the man reading Isaiah and asked:

"Do you understand what you are reading?" — Acts 8:30 (NLT)

Philip did not begin with a speech. He began with a question.

That matters because questions communicate care. They say, "I want to understand where you are before I tell you what I know." Andy pointed out that asking questions helps us connect, not just communicate. Often, people are already giving us clues about where they are spiritually if we are willing to pay attention.

The three common areas to listen for in spiritual conversations are:
●       Something missing — peace, purpose, direction, or hope

●       Something broken — grief, conflict, loss, pain, or disappointment

●       Something new — a move, a relationship, a job, a child, or a major transition

These moments often open the door to meaningful conversation.

Helpful questions you can ask include:

●       How are you doing with that?

●       What has that been like for you?

●       How are you navigating that season?

●       Who is helping you through that?

These are not "churchy" questions. They are human questions. And human questions often create space for deeper honesty.

Curiosity Communicates Care and Creates Real Connection

Curiosity communicates care and creates real connection because genuine listening honors someone's story and helps you recognize where God may already be at work.

Sometimes we ask questions while waiting for our turn to talk. But real listening is different. Real listening slows down. It notices. It honors what someone is carrying.

That is what Philip did. He listened long enough to recognize an opening.

The Ethiopian replied:

"How can I, unless someone instructs me?" — Acts 8:31 (NLT)

That was a wide-open door, and it often starts with a simple question.

Pointing People to Jesus Is the Goal of Every Spiritual Conversation

Pointing people to Jesus is the goal of every spiritual conversation because Jesus, not our arguments or personalities, is the one who changes lives.

Once the man invited Philip into the conversation, Philip did not point to himself. He pointed to Jesus.

"So beginning with this same Scripture, Philip told him the Good News about Jesus." — Acts 8:35 (NLT)

That is our calling too.

You do not have to know everything to point someone to Jesus. Philip was not introduced as a celebrity preacher or elite scholar. Earlier in Acts, he was simply serving tables. God used an ordinary, available person.

That means you can point people to Jesus too.

Practical ways to point someone to Jesus include:
●       sharing how Jesus has changed your life

●       explaining why your faith matters to you

●       offering to pray for someone
●       inviting someone to sit with you at church

The goal is not pressure. The goal is direction. We are not responsible for changing people's lives. Jesus does that. Our role is to point.

Hospitality Helps People Experience the Welcome of Jesus

Hospitality helps people experience the welcome of Jesus because hospitality says, "I thought about you before you got here," and "There is room for you."

This message was not only personal. It was also deeply connected to how we function as a church.

Andy talked about hospitality as a spiritual practice. Hospitality reflects the heart of Jesus by preparing space for people who are skeptical, hurting, exploring faith, or returning to church after a long time away.

That is why CedarCreek works hard to create environments where people can show up with questions, doubts, baggage, or no church background at all and still feel welcomed.

It is also why strategic invitation matters. Sometimes spiritual maturity looks less like asking, "What do I prefer?" and more like asking, "Who could I bring?"

That is one reason we talk so often about taking your next step and helping someone else take theirs too, whether through GrowthTrack, serving on the DreamTeam, or simply inviting one person to church.

Your Top Five Can Help You Pray for and Invite One More Person

Your Top Five can help you pray for and invite one more person because intentional prayer keeps people, not preferences, at the center of your faith.

At the end of the service, the church highlighted the Top Five card, a practical tool to help you pray for and invite people in your life who do not know Jesus yet.

You may not have five names right away. Start with one.

One friend.
One coworker.
One neighbor.
One family member.
One person God keeps bringing to mind.

Pray for them. Care for them. Look for opportunities. Stay available. Never underestimate what God can do through one invitation.

Andy shared that his own story of coming to CedarCreek started because one girl invited him in college. She may not even remember doing it. But God used that invitation in a life-changing way.

That is how God often works.

What Are the Next Steps If You Want to Be For One More?

If you want to be for one more, your next steps are to identify one person, practice the MAP framework, pray for open doors, and stay available to point them to Jesus.

The next steps from this message are:

1. Write down one name. Start with one person God may be calling you to be for.
2. Use the MAP framework this week. Move toward. Ask questions. Point to Jesus.
3. Pray for open doors. Ask God to help you see people the way He does.
4. Invite someone to a weekend service. This is especially meaningful during a series that connects with what they are walking through.
5. Take your own next step. If you want to grow in community and impact, explore GrowthTrack or join the DreamTeam.
6. Remember the goal. Do not make people a project. See them as people God loves.

If you have been wondering whether there is room for you too, there is. Jesus still meets people on desert roads. He still moves toward outsiders. He still welcomes the searching, the skeptical, the hurting, and the spiritually restless.

And if you are ready to explore faith, CedarCreek would love to walk with you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What does "for one more" mean in a Christian context?

A: In a Christian context, "for one more" means caring about the next person who needs to experience the love, grace, and truth of Jesus. It reflects God's heart for individuals, not just crowds, and reminds the church to keep making room for people who are still searching.

Q: What can we learn from Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8?
A: We can learn that God often uses ordinary obedience to reach one person at a time. Philip moved toward someone different from him, asked a thoughtful question, listened well, and pointed that person to Jesus. Acts 8 gives us a practical model for sharing faith with humility and love.

Q: How do I share my faith without making it awkward?
A: You can share your faith without making it awkward by focusing on relationship before explanation. Move toward people, ask honest questions, listen carefully, and look for natural openings. You do not need a perfect speech. You just need to be present, caring, and willing to point people to Jesus.

Q: Why is hospitality important in church?
A: Hospitality is important in church because it helps people experience the welcome of Jesus before they understand everything about faith. A welcoming church environment tells guests, skeptics, and newcomers that there is room for them and that they matter to God.

Q: How can I invite someone to church in a meaningful way?
A: You can invite someone to church in a meaningful way by thinking about what they are walking through, praying for them, and making the invitation personal. A simple invitation, offered with care and without pressure, can become a significant step in someone's spiritual journey.

Q: Is there room for someone who is unsure about faith?
A: Yes, there is room for someone who is unsure about faith. Jesus consistently welcomed people who were questioning, skeptical, hurting, and spiritually restless. CedarCreek wants to reflect that same heart by being a place where people can explore faith honestly.