“Bringing People to Christ”

I saw this slogan on the sign of a Lutheran (ELCA) congregation recently. And I think I understand what they mean by this. But I wonder – is it possible to "bring" people to Christ?

Where is Christ located, and how do I bring people there? (I know I can bring people to the mall or to the ballgame or even to my church, but to Christ? Where’s Christ on the map?) Sure, there is alot we know about Christ’s presence – in the poor, in the Word proclaimed, in the sacraments, in the suffering, among the outcast, etc..  But there is alot we don’t know, too – see the testimony of church history for many examples of religious people missing the mark on Jesus.  Since the location of Christ is both hidden from and revealed to us, and since all our efforts to get to Christ are doomed to failure by our sinful nature, wouldn’t the task of bringing people to Christ be better left to the Holy Spirit? I’m not sure if I want to take that one on.

But more to the point – why would I bring people to Christ when Christ is already with the people?  It seems to me that the task of bringing people to Christ would involve going nowhere and/or everywhere, for that is where we can find Christ. In the dull, in the unimportant, in the suffering, in the hidden places of our lives and in our world, that’s where we’ll find Christ. Or, perhaps better said, that’s where Christ will find us.