Helen's story is a simple one. But it's also a reminder of the power of inviting communities, the importance of process and the impact of seeker-orientated services :

I was baptised as a baby and confirmed when I was twelve. I always went to church with my parents (a traditional Anglican service) and I used to sing in the choir. The church was made up of mainly older people. I would say that I always believed in God but thought it was a lot of theory. I didn’t know how it was relevant and thought that God was rather stern, fierce and finger pointing.

About a year and a half ago I was invited by my sister-in-law, Julia, to a pub lunch and walk organised by a group from her church.

It's easy to get overly busy around Christmas and miss lots of easy opportunities for the gospel. Here are 7 top tips to get you started.

1. Free Publicity for your Carol Service
Okay, we all know that the Carol Service is far and away the most seeker-friendly Christian service of the year. It's a given that you'll be inviting friends, neighbours and colleagues and, more importantly, encouraging everyone else you influence to do the same.

But did you know that you can usually get your Carol Service publicised for free by the BBC and other local news providers?

2. Advent Prayer Calendar
Use an Advent Calendar as a reminder for daily prayer for non-believing in the run up to Christmas. You can either use ready-made calendars, or else create something individual for the members of your group. As an alternative, make up some simple bookmarks with the dates on, or hand out candles to be lit daily during outreach focused prayer.