Thom Rainer had a great post this morning on the reasons why we’re not really reaching the unchurched. He starts with five reasons, and promises five more soon… here are the first five:
1. Spiritual Lethargy
One of the main reasons many Christians do not share their faith is simply explained by the word disobedience. Spiritual lethargy takes place when we fail to obey Him.
2. Growing Inclusivism
There is a subtle but growing belief among many Christians that somehow “good” followers will make it to heaven outside of a true Christian conversion. Our message will fall on deaf ears if this belief persists and grows.
3. Growing Disbelief in Hell
Those who truly have a desire to reach the unchurched have a burden to see people in the eternity of heaven, but they also desire to see them escape the wrath of an eternal hell. Denying the existence of hell undermines the urgency of placing one’s faith in Christ.
4. Busyness
We can be deluded into complacency about the lostness of humanity around us. The unchurched are waiting for you to tell them about Jesus.
5. Fear of Refjection
In research on this subject, I found that only one in four unchurched persons we be resistant to faith discussions. But nearly four out of ten of the unchurched will be receptive to your concern for their eternity, and more than one out three will simply be neutral to your attempts. Simply stated, fear of rejection is unfounded.
What do you think? What would you add to the list?
How is your church doing in reaching the unchurched? Are any of these five really holding you back?
Todd
6. Too much time spent creating websites that determine who is a Calvinist, and who isn’t.
Sorry… I just had to.
I think we often find God for ourselves and then somewhat keep Him in a personal box as though He was a gift that we open only for our own well being. We need inspiration, take Him out of the box, we need comfort, take Him out of the box, we give thanks, open the box and put it in. You get the idea.
“become like us” is not really attractional is it?
I think unchurched have a far better idea and alignment of their theology in theory and their theology in practice, than churched people.
I can listen to great teaching via the Internet, I can sing my heart out in the shower and I get really great care from good friends at my gym – so I should come to a church for ? What reason?
I actually think that churches are extremely unpastoral at present and this was a primary part of the early church. What do u think?
Pride: We think we deserve being where we are and others don’t. Call it the Elder brother syndrome.
Idolatry: We love ourselves too much and ‘fear’ God too little. When I find myself not witnessing it is because I am thinking too much about myself. Idolatry is the true source of our fear of rejection which proves we fear God too little.
6. The unchurched aren’t buying the exclusivity argument anymore that if you don’t think like I do you will go to hell.
7. We aren’t offering people a way out of the hell they are already in. We are offering a club when they are looking for life abundant.