Guide

STEP #1: FIND WAYFARERS

The first step to becoming a WAYFARER GUIDE is to find WAYFARERS willing to be guided in the Christian Faith. The good news is that people are generally open to reading the Bible together with a friend if it is done in a non-threatening manner.

Finding WAYFARERS starts with asking everyone around you a very simple question: “Would you be willing to meet together with me once in a while to read a portion of the Bible and explore what it says about God? If they ask for details, say, “I suggest that we read through the Gospel of John, for it gives the clearest picture of the Bible’s claims about Jesus. If we met once a week, it would take a couple of months.”

Do not get discouraged if many say, “No.” You need only one person to say, “Yes,” to become a GUIDE.

STEP #2: PREPARE WAYFARERS

The second step to becoming a WAYFARER GUIDE is to prepare your WAYFARERS for meeting together. First, agree to meet with your WAYFARER at a time and place that is convenient to you both. Do all you can to ensure that the place is comfortable and familiar to them. Be hospitable and generous, offering to buy them coffee or drinks if it is appropriate. Look for a place that is not too loud and affords a little privacy so that you can have good conversation

Explain that there is an app that was created to read and explore the Bible together. Show them your app, and how to navigate it as you read the Scripture together. Ask them if they would be willing to download the WAYFARER app on their device. If they are not willing to download the app, ask them if they have their own Bible or if they would like to borrow one from you. If they would rather use a physical Bible, point them to the portions you will be reading together the first week. You can use your own app when you meet together to guide the discussion.

STEP #3: PREPARE YOURSELF

The third step to becoming a WAYFARER GUIDE is to prepare yourself for meeting together. First, pray for yourself and for your WAYFARERS. Pray that God would give you wisdom and insight to guide the conversation. Pray that God would give your WAYFARERS open hearts to receive the Word. Second, briefly familiarize yourself with the passage of scripture and the study guide. If you have questions, contact your own GUIDE for assistance.

STEP #4: MEET TOGETHER

When you meet together, be friendly and open. Ask them about their lives; about what they are grateful for and what challenges they are currently facing. Honour their time. If they have agreed to meet for a half hour, then make sure you finish within that half-hour. If the study is not complete when your agreed upon time is over, ask them if they’d like to continue or wrap up.

Do not be afraid to say, “I don’t know,” if they ask you a difficult question. Many questions that they have at the beginning may be answered later in the study. Do not become defensive or argumentative. Trust the process and the sufficiency of God’s Word to answer their questions.

If you are meeting with a non-Christian, please ask if they would be comfortable with you praying for them as you close the study. If they say, “No,” honor that. If they are ok with you praying for them, keep your prayer simple, generous, and humble. Bless them and ask God to reveal Himself to them through the study of His Word.

STEP #5: FOLLOW-UP CARE

To be a GUIDE is more than just leading someone through a Bible Study. It is about being a spiritual friend and GUIDE to those you are guiding. Pray for them through the week. Contact them regularly to ask about their lives. Meet practical needs in their life, thus demonstrating Christ’s love to them.

WAYFARER is designed to start the process of exploring the faith outside of the local church, but it is not to be understood as existing apart from the local church. As WAYFARERS come to faith and especially as they progress into the WALK section of the app, invite them to join you in the life of your local church.

There may come a time when you have to pass-off your WAYFARERS to a different GUIDE. Perhaps you move or become sick. In that case, work with your WAYFARERS to find an appropriate guide for them.

Also, it may be that you begin the WAYFARER process with an WAYFARER of the opposite sex. This is appropriate for the early stages of the process. However, if your WAYFARER continues on from the EXPLORE studies into the WALK studies, it would be better to pass them off to a GUIDE of their own sex. We suggest bringing a prospective GUIDE along during the WAYFARER in Freedom studies in the Book of Galatians so that they can begin the WALK process together with them.

CONGRATULATIONS!

You are now ready to be a GUIDE to new WAYFARERS!