Church Introductions to Jesus

This question was presented to me while I was having coffee with a pastor friend of mine. For him, it has been the meat of his wrestling with God over the course of a few pastorates. As people become less familiar with the language and culture of the Bible, the church and the Christian faith, how do churches facilitate the process in keeping with the mandate to make disciples?

When we speak of making disciples, we both refer not just to the initial apprenticing to Jesus (conversion), but the lifelong apprenticeship (discipleship). The means that we use for the latter may obstruct those interested in the former. Further, what is the role of Sunday morning in this? I didn't have a good answer for him.

But I was reminded of a book that we had both read (Vertical Church) where the author, James MacDonald insists that the church must focus on what is available nowhere else. So I followed that thought and see where it led me. I've come up with three:

1. The Presence of God. God is unique, and wholly other. The church strives to invite people to meet God, with all the emotions that can bring. Paul says, But if an unbeliever or an inquirer comes in ... they will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, “God is really among you!” (1 Cor. 14:24a, 25b). His presence is solely at his discretion and that is what make's it unique. It cannot be manufactured. The genuine sense of his presence, the conviction of his Spirit and the miraculous cannot conjured up and therefore act as pointers to a God who is not like us but is with us.
2. The Power of God's Word. The words of God are unique. They are life-changing, heaven-initiated revelation. These words are the authority on which the truth-claims of the faith are based. Paul says, "His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms.." (Eph. 3:10)  People were hungry for this (Matt. 7:28)
3. The People of God. The love expressed with the community of God's people is unique. Jesus testified: By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. (John 13:35) 

Jesus often drew crowds. The early church drew crowds (Acts 2:47). These crowds came because they hungered for the presence of God, the power of God's word and new identity as His people.