II CORINTHIANS 5:19-21: “For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.” NLT
OBSERVATION: Can the church in America continue with the old game plan of inviting people to church? Most of the outreach strategies of the past have revolved around getting people into the church and then winning them with a presentation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We have geared our church services to be attractional and exciting. The only problem we have is…
NO ONE IS COMING!
There is still a constant shifting of the saints among churches. People dissatisfied with one church leave and seek out another. Yet there is a growing trend in the church today. Since Covid-19 attendance has been trending down. In very few churches are we seeing growth through conversion. Our programs seem designed to attract those who are seeker sensitive. The only problem with this is…
NO ONE IS SEEKING!
This does not mean that people are not hungry for reality and truth. People are desperately seeking truth. Our culture is encouraging people to create their own truth. This syncretistic and narcissistic approach is appealing to many. I can build a truth around my own personal needs and desires. This truth allows me to be and do whatever I want and never challenges my way of living or thinking. The only catch to this is…
A LIE CAN NEVER BECOME THE TRUTH!
After pastoring for over 40 years, and now as an active member of a local church in a supporting role, I have been wrestling with the question – “How are we going to reach our generation for Christ?” I can remember when we would go door to door before an Easter service and our attendance would triple on Easter Sunday. Not only that, but we would have decisions for Christ each Easter Service that would result in church growth.
This is no longer the case for so many churches. On Easter, churches are happy when all those who attend some time during the year show up and possibly bring some family members with them. Outreach programs that focus on “bringing them in” no longer seem to work. Just a few years ago we hosted one of the Billy Graham movies with a free BBQ dinner. We invited people from our friends lists far and wide. The result was disappointing as only a few people who did not attend the church showed up and then they left before the movie was over and we were going to have an altar call.
THEN I WATCHED THE MOVIE – “JESUS REVOLUTION!”
This movie has brought me back to the roots of my salvation. I can remember that we never thought of church as the place to bring someone to get saved. Rather, we brought those who had become saved through our outreach to church for worship, fellowship, and the ministry of the Word. While there always was a call for anyone who was seeking to receive Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord, this was not the focus of our meetings. We knew our friends and family were unsaved and we knew that we would have to,
INVITE THEM TO JESUS!
The message that we have received as Ambassadors of Jesus Christ is not – “Please come to church with me.” Rather, this message, and the power of this message, is a bold invitation to Jesus Christ!
- “We speak for Christ when we plead, “COME BACK TO GOD!”
The unchurched today are not considering the church as the place to find answers to their spiritual and emotional questions about life. They don’t even know that they are lost and in need of a Savior! Yet, they do know the effects of sin in their life. They live with the consequences of bad choices and unhealthy thinking. They find themselves seeking to medicate their troubles away but are totally unaware that you cannot wash sin away with alcohol or pills.
The message of the “JESUS REVOLUTION” was a simple message. It was –
- Jesus SAVES!
- Jesus can CHANGE your life!
- Jesus can HEAL your body!
- Jesus can give you PEACE!
- Jesus IS the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE!
I will never forget the testimony of one of the original Christian recording artists from this era, Barry McGuire. He said he was walking down Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood and someone said to him – “Jesus is coming back! Are you ready?”
This haunted Barry McGuire. He could not get this question out of his head. He wrestled with it until he finally laid down the drugs, his pursuit of success, and surrendered his life to Jesus Christ. The person who impacted Barry McGuire’s life never invited him to church.
THEY INVITED HIM TO JESUS!
I find myself seeking and praying. We cannot go back to the past. We will never have a “Jesus Revolution” that will look the same as it did in the 1960s and 70s. Yet, we can seek the Lord for His divine strategies on how we can fulfill the calling to be His Ambassadors TODAY to this hurting and dying world. We can spend less time and money on attractional church programs and look for ways to go into the harvest with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Until we find a way to win people to Jesus Christ in the marketplace our churches will not change. While we wait disappointed that no visitors are coming, there are hundreds waiting for someone to invite them to Jesus Christ! Maybe we need to rethink our church services. Perhaps our focus should be on worship and equipping the saints for the work of ministry. Our gatherings would be a time to encounter God, be renewed in the Holy Spirit, and receive God’s Word to empower us so that we can return to the marketplace and be Ambassadors for Jesus Christ!
These thoughts are more of a wrestling in my mind and spirit than they are a declaration. I don’t have the answers. Today, people don’t want you to knock on their doors. They are hesitant to speak to you in the public square. Yet, their need for Jesus has never been more acute today than anytime I can remember. I believe God will give any serious praying church a divine strategy to go into the harvest. I know that every Bible-believing church wants to reach the lost. Yet, I am becoming more convinced that we will not fulfill our calling until we change our approach. First, we need to,
INVITE PEOPLE TO JESUS!
And then,
INVITE THEM TO CHURCH!
Heavenly Father, give me the grace and faith to make a paradigm shift in my life, my attitudes, and my actions. Jesus, help me to continue Your ministry. Holy Spirit, empower me to become a true Ambassador of Christ!
- “For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation…“COME BACK TO GOD!…”
In Jesus’ Name!
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I didn’t see my post on the website, so I will place it here.
I have pondered and thought about some of those same issues. A few years ago, I was going to teach a Sunday school lesson on Christian giving. That one lesson lasted for three Sundays. I than began to write a book about what I had learned. But the more I wrote, some of the issues in your post, came into focus, and the book branched out into other important concerns, but still relating to the original topic. I am finishing up the last chapter, and it should be done in a week or two.
I do not have all the answers. Nor do I presume to give instructions to you. But I think I have a few answers, and can at least point you into another area of study that many overlook where the solution lies. By the way, what I can share, is not a revelation I have been given, but itâs always been in Scripture, and many have been studying this issue, and have used the Scriptures as their template for their churches and spreading of the gospel, and have found great success.
If you would like to read it or do a review, I would be happy to send a PDF when its finished.
Please do so!
What I have seen is the evidence of observation in what Covid 19 revealed. Modern Churches today, specifically American Evangelical Churches, have wonderful ministry and outreach programs. Yet, when someone does come to Christ, there is no true discipleship. No true accountability. No true commitment to assist individuals in developing their faith.
Sure, home group fellowships are great – except for those who are already established. Definitely good to have programs to help people understand the basic gospel message through committed classes on becoming a member.
However, there is no real movement to disciple people. What I am referring to is what is contained in the Great Commission Christ gave to His disciples. It was not enough for them to go preach the Gospel, calling people unto repentance. Christ included the charge: “and make disciples” (see Matthew 28:16-20. What type of disciples were the original disciples to make?
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. ” (Matthew 28:19-20, ESV).
Discipleship required baptism. Second, discipleship required instruction and observing all that Christ commanded. What was it that disciples are to observe? What are these commandments he gave to the original disciples? First, to love God with all that we have. Second, to love others. However, Christ also taught that we are to forsake all things, deny ourselves, and take up our cross on a daily basis (Matthew 16:24-26; Matthew 19:29 Matthew 22:36-40; Luke 14:26).
The observation that is seen is this: Many who are ministered to end up becoming what A.W. Tozer calls a carnally minded individual. They confess Christ, profess faith in him, yet do not do anything to grow in faith, in spiritual maturity, and see no real victory in their lives:
“Now, what about the carnal man? The carnal man is the immature Christian who does not go on or advance. He is slowed in His spiritual development and is not influenced or controlled by the Holy Spirit but rather by his lower nature.” (A.W. Tozer The Crucified Life, p. 66).
Tozer also pointed out that many individuals “…are not willing to pay the cost associated with the victorious Christian life.” He further observes, “Erroneously, many are taught and believe that the Christian life is a free ride that eventually ends in heaven. After all. Jesus paid it all.”
Deitrich Bonhoffer recounts that this type of erroneous teaching that has become a long-standing tradition in many modern Evangelical Churches is based on a Gospel Message of Cheap Grace (Cost of Discipleship).
In one recent conversation, I asked someone what it means for them to deny themselves and take up their cross to follow Christ. Their response shocked me – yet revealed the commonly held attitude that appears to be prevalent in churches today: “I don’t need to deny myself anything. Christ came and preached according to the Old Covenant and Law and is no longer relevant to us today.” Her statement essentially diminishes the efficacy of Christ’s teaching as no longer important to follow in a Christian life as, per her understanding, only applied to the first century Jews.
When you have such a mindset and attitude regarding the gospel message. Have the established promotion of Easy Believism – no wonder people are not really convicted, converted, growing, and experiencing a rich and deep faith in Christ. Living in peace and growing from Faith to faith and grace to grace.
What do Christian churches offer people today that challenges them to examine themselves in the Light of Christ and the Gospel? If the message of Churches today mirrors the world – no wonder, there is a decrease in conversion and church growth.
Timothy – thank you for your comments. I agree with your assessment on the need for discipleship. Please check out our website – http://www.localchurchdynamics.org.
My focus on this post was on the GO part of the great commission. We must go fishing for men in order to make disciples of men. Church is the place where discipleship should happen. It is not the center of – but the sender of evangelism. This was my main point.