Five Thresholds
This is the journey of how people tend to explore faith. Once we understand the process, we can be more helpful to friends moving through each threshold. God is already at work in our friends; discerning what thresholds they are in allows us to be more helpful to their faith journey. May God give us wisdom, courage, and love as we help our friends grow toward their next step of faith.
Threshold 1: Trust
People today often start in a place of skepticism or distrust toward Christians. In Threshold 1, they move into a relationship of trust with a Christian friend. Trust is the seed that catalyzes the journey of faith.
Threshold 2: Curiosity
It’s possible to have a trust relationship with somebody for years without them having any interest in our faith. Threshold 2 is where they become curious. Learn how to ask questions that spark curiosity.
Threshold 3: Openness
Threshold 3, where people go from being closed to open to change, is the most misunderstood and mysterious of the thresholds. Your friend’s questions move from curious, often intellectual or academic, to the personal realm, and they start to examine their life. Our friends desperately need someone who is willing to offer them the truth - in love - to encourage them to be open to change.
Threshold 4: Seeking
Threshold 4 is where someone moves from simply being open to change to actually seeking after Jesus. People often begin by looking everywhere and investigating everything; Jesus is one of many options they’re exploring. We have the joy of focusing them in on Jesus and helping them ask him the questions they need answered in order to trust him.
Threshold 5: Following
This is the wonderful moment when someone puts their trust in Jesus for the first time. As a friend, in Threshold 5 we can help them see how good Jesus and the kingdom of God are, as well as the cost involved in following Jesus. We also need to celebrate with them and continue to support them in their new journey of faith.
Learn more about the Five Thresholds from Intervarsity’s video series or from the book I Once Was Lost.