Ridgell's Originals

 Let me start off by being honest.  This is another post about evangelism.  Growing a church.  Finding the one sheep that is lost.  Being active in equipping members to fulfill the call to partner with God and Jesus in the ministry of reconciliation.

I don't think most churches object to the theory of evangelism.  I just don't think most practice it.

I am not going to try and convince anyone that reaching the lost is important.  That is a much harder job than one blog post.  I am going to try and help us process why our practice does not line up with what Jesus seems to see as our purpose.

We are all quick to say the church is not the building, but that is where we have asked people to givethe most money for.  One of the most common statement I hear from churches is that they are really going to invest in missions as soon as they pay off the building note.  Priorities defined by practice.

We actually don't go to church.  We are the church.  Yet an enormous amount of time, energy, and moneyis devoted to the worship assembly.  

Most churches don't hire any evangelists.  They hire pastors, ministers, preachers, youth ministers, involvement ministers, educational ministers, children's ministers, counselors, support and admin staff, and maintenance people.  

We cater to the flock.  Even our equipping and training is all about us.  Better marriages, be better parents, youth program with lots of activities, family nights, financial stewardship.  And there is nothing wrong with any of these.  But they grow us.  They do not grow the Kingdom.

But they could. What if we did these as outreach to a lost world?  I know we all say outsiders are welcome, but how many really show up?  And how many of our members realize they are expected to ask non-believers?

Elders should spend their time shepherding the flock.  Teaching.  Growing new disciples.  Going into the wilderness to try and bring back the sheep that wandered away.  How many elders do you know that spend their time doing this?  Or do they wear themselves out over budgets, buildings, staff, and listening to people upset that their agendas are not being met?

Now for true confession.

Some of this is frustration.  The older I get, the more I am driven to do what is really important for the Kingdom.  People are lost and going to spend eternity in hell away from God.  I get that many churches don't believe this.  But I do.  

I think about the fact that most of the apostle's lost their lives because they were confronting lost people for Jesus.

Outward focused churches thrive.  They grow in number but also in spiritual ways.

Inward churches do not survive.  Not in the long run. 

So maybe we can think about what we really believe.  

What we say is not nearly as telling as what we do.  

# posted by Steve @ 5:00 AM