Podcast Episode #108
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I recently conducted an informal Twitter poll and asked what keeps Christians from evangelizing. The results were overwhelming and led to a blog post that generated quite a discussion. Today, we go deeper into that post and the comments that came from it.
Some highlights from today’s episode include:
- For those in ministry, you have to be intentional about having relationships with non-Christians.
- Evangelism is an intentional effort.
- Inviting people to church should not be the totality of our personal evangelism strategy.
- Evangelism is not solely the role of pastors and church staff. It is the role of all Christians.
- The problem of unregenerate membership is significant in our churches.
- It is a sin to be good when God has called us to be great.
The main reasons Christians do not evangelize are:
- Christians have no sense of urgency to reach lost people.
- Many Christians and church members do not befriend and spend time with lost persons.
- Many Christians and church members are lazy and apathetic.
- We are more known for what we are against than what we are for.
- Our churches have an ineffective evangelistic strategy of “you come” rather than “we go.”
- Many church members think that evangelism is the role of the pastor and paid staff.
- Church membership today is more about getting my needs met rather than reaching the lost.
- Church members are in a retreat mode as culture becomes more worldly and unbiblical.
- Many church members don’t really believe that Christ is the only way of salvation.
- Our churches are no longer houses of prayer equipped to reach the lost.
- Churches have lost their focus on making disciples who will thus be equipped and motivated to reach the lost.
- Christians do not want to share the truth of the gospel for fear they will offend others. Political correctness is too commonplace even among Christians.
- Most churches have unregenerate members who have not received Christ themselves.
- Our churches have too many activities; they are too busy to do the things that really matter.
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Nice insights.
I personally believe that pastors who intentionally lead by example (# 1) will demonstrate a passion for the lost that should catch on within their flocks. I let my church know that I go to the local gym and play basketball so that I can get to know the unchurched as well as other believers. The believers huddle afterwards and invite everyone to pray (with no strings attached).
We love on these guys and attempt to demonstrate Christ to them even though they don’t always participate in our ‘religious activities.’ I recently discovered that when I suffered my ‘widow maker’ heart attack (2/24/15) several of these men joined my brothers in intercessory prayer for me as the ambulance rushed me to the ER. God can even use a near fatal cardiac episode for His glory.
Our time is short so we need to remember why we are here and why we have new life in Christ!
Thanks so much, Sunny.
Hi… Evangelistically gifted person here…
This is REALLY easy to diagnose the problem… but VERY hard to convince the leaders of the SBC… especially when your friendly church growth guru and Rick Warren have been instructing churches ALL OVER America to escort certain “types” of people out the back door.
It just so happens those types happen to be your most active Evangelists… who were untrained and didn’t know how to handle their gifting.
Basically… these folks would answer your entire list… except for #12. The answer to #12 are the Calvinists… and they don’t really count.
If you’re serious about changing things… call me.
You hit a lot of nails on the head, here.
#11 is so hugely important. Solving that would solve other problems, like the impression many have that there’s something ELSE they need to know to share Christ, in views of the multiplicity of “programs” we have to do that. If we’d all just realize that living happily as believers, telling others why we’re happy, is not only a key to abundant life, but also a great way to evangelize.
Maybe the best.
Evangelism in our church is a thing the pastor does. The echo reverberates. Because this biblical command is a factor of proof the person is true to their call. I find the further we look the less is found of a real believer. Our pastor is driven by discipleship and we have a small class being trained to learn how to share their faith and apply what has been learned to others. Many have left because the call to obedience is what they were not willing to be part of the great commission is a call to selflessness.
How does a pastor or layperson keep a burden for the lost? I’ve heard the same advice given by numerous different pastors, evangelists, and church growth experts: WITNESS!!! I know it sounds simplistic, but after 20 years in the pastorate, I’ve found them to be correct. When I get negligent about personal soul-winning, my burden for the lost grows cold. When I get out and make myself witness to people, that burden for the lost invariably comes back.
With respect to Billy Graham’s quote about 50% unregenerate church membership you need to remember when he said it. You correctly observe in your 8th point that the culture has turned away from Christianity and that has affected church membership trends. Gone are the days where church attendance was widely accepted (or even expected). In that context – the context Graham likely made his comment – a much larger percentage of church attendance was cultural rather than regenerate. The cultural shift away from Christianity is a wind that has largely driven the tares out from the wheat.
Graham was likely right to say what he did in his context but that context no longer exists.
Dave,
I hope I did not misinterpret what you were saying. If anything is true since Graham’s comment about 50% of church membership being lost, that number has grown as opposed to been reduced. “The cultural shift away from Christianity is a wind that has largely driven the tares out from the wheat.” I am afraid that cultural wind has blown MORE tares into the wheat than the reverse, at least in the Bible belt where I have lived all my life. I understand the reality that church is no longer the socially accepted norm but the influence of a world that has become increasingly more self-serving has also affected those who are in the church and their priorities as well. Our world and our churches now have a spectator mentality flavored with a whats in it for me focus that has weakened the “wheat” tremendously.
I have found also difficult to find a church where the members show compassion with people outside of its walls. I have attended small to larger churches and felt alone. I do know of one local church which the pastor is a recovered alcoholic. He ministers to the broken people in the community. He puts his foot outside and reaches out. The congregation are recovering addicts and alcoholics. Homeless people as well going out on the streets spreading the gospel. The county sheriff also refers people to the church and works with the pastor. BTW the sheriff is a Christian. This church has several sober living houses. They feed, clothe, and give the gospel to the homeless. Just like Jesus would do.
I think burdens are sovereignly assigned by God, but I also don’t think we should operate from “burdens” where God hasn’t given you one.
The issue is obedience. And the importance to the faith to each of us. If something’s really important to me, rest assured I’m going to share that with everyone who might be affected by it. Would that our faith were that important to us all.
There’s also the fact that there are many “programs” on how to share faith. Evangelism Explosion, Continuing Witness Training, Four Spiritual Laws, F.A.I.T.H., etc. People can get the impression that there’s something else they need to know before they can share the faith.
I’m of the opinion that God holds us responsible for what we know. If we know that man is sinful and separated from God, but if he’ll repent of that sin and turn in faith to Jesus for salvation, He’ll save us … if that’s what we know, then that’s what we should share. And if we won’t, why would God want to reveal anything else to us. Kind of like if the SBC Churches are neglecting the people God has sent to us, why would He send us more?
I’ve often asked people about their homes. They’ll tell me how many bedrooms, bathrooms, it’s brick, has a porch, etc. Then I ask how many bricks are on it, how many board feet of lumber, how many nails or shingles, etc. When they don’t know, I point out that didn’t keep them from telling me what they DID know.
That ought to be our attitude about Jesus and salvation. If we tell what we DO know, maybe God will entrust us with some more revelation about Him. After all, it’s about revelation, not education.
Good, and needed, article.
I’d just like to pass on another way to help spread the gospel and it’s simply this:-
Include a link to an online gospel tract (e.g. http://www.freecartoontract.com/animation) as part of your email signature.
An email signature is a piece of customizable HTML or text that most email programs will allow you to add to all your outgoing emails. For example, it commonly contains name and contact details – but it could also (of course) contain a link to a gospel tract.
For example, it might say something like, “p.s. you might like this gospel cartoon …” or “p.s. have you seen this?”.