Tag: Evangelism

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Reaching a post-christian generation

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It’s probably been a little over a decade ago now, but I can still remember a man on Christian radio talking about how America was a post-Christian nation. The comment rubbed a lot of Christians the wrong way, but even then, I could understand the sentiment. Any “Christian” country is always a generation away from becoming post-Christian. Europe, particularly England, has served the United States for many years now as an example of what happens when the transition is made.

In doing so, church planters and missionaries to England provide American pastors a template to follow as pastors attempt to reach the next generation on American soil. Perhaps you are one that still doesn’t like that term post-Christian. No problem-let’s just substitute the words “biblically illiterate.” To reach this biblically illiterate generation, you’re going to have to start playing the long game. What I mean by the long game is that it is not only going to take longer for Gen Z to accept Christ into their lives, it is also going to take longer for Gen Z to visit your physical church. That phenomenon was taking place pre-Covid and those who have been working with the next generation for a while can verify the fact.

Playing the long game may or may not be your cup of tea. However, an afternoon with a cuppa (that’s how they say it in England) of tea in one hand and a scone or a crumpet in the other hand is going to require a sit-down occasion with some conversation tossed in. Evangelists in America have long promoted the value of having spiritual conversations with others while at Starbucks. It just happens to be that we prefer coffee and cinnamon rolls on this side of the ocean.

The point is someone is more likely to visit your physical church if they have first attended your neighborhood small group or created an ongoing relationship with you through frequent visits, encounters, and stops at Starbucks. I think the Starbucks dining table is where the sketched diagram of the gospel on a napkin became popular. I am sure you have heard of 3 Circles. Starbucks creates a sense of community and this is what the next generation craves most.

But you already knew all of that! Perhaps what you don’t know, however, is that since so many people in England have never been to a church or may not even know where one is, a strategy called “Bible-talks” has arisen. Call it “God-talks”, “Jesus-talks”, “Faith-talks”, or whatever you like, the key principle is that a group of young people are exposed to stories found in the Bible before they are invited to church.

I have been thinking a lot about what this approach might look like in America. If the screen door to your church is your church’s website or social media feed (where one can first watch the worship service virtually) and your front door is defined as either your physical gathering/worship service(s) on Sunday morning or an in-person small group that meets somewhere throughout the week, then perhaps the step taken in-between the two doors needs to be some kind of digital discipleship group.

I am not referring to a digital discipleship group for believers perse, but rather a digital discipleship group for the unchurched (which includes both Christians and non-Christians). This once-a-week or once-a-month or even once-a-quarter online meeting could be designed to accomplish various goals. One group might meet weekly and discuss a chapter they read out of the book of John. Another larger-sized group might meet once-a-month where a facilitator leads a discussion on topics related to how Christians are perceived by the unchurched (Barna’s list includes “hypocritical, get saved, antihomosexual, sheltered, too political, judgmental”). Finally, a once-a-quarter group meeting could be something as simple as hosting a vocational seminar on Zoom or Facebook where your church brings in Christians from various sectors to speak on work as worship. Gen Z is dying to know how faith and life relates to their work. Talks like these offered by the church, led by a Christian leader, and offered to the next generation can go a long way in breaking down the barriers held between our faith and culture.

Having then tasted some of the Holy Spirit and Christian love coming out of these groups and talks, some of the de-churched, unchurched, and never-churched may just be willing to give your virtual and finally your physical church’s worship service a try. Baseball fans in America know the season is upon them (that is, if MLB doesn’t strike). However, they also know the season and the games themselves are long. New rules have been implemented to speed up the game, but clearing 30 minutes of a 4-hour game isn’t exactly pushing it.

If you like slow and are willing to be patient, you and your church may find yourself soon reaping a large harvest out of the next generation. To stay in the game, you need to remind yourself that God’s Word never returns void and that God himself is longsuffering, not wishing that any should perish (Isaiah 55:11; 2 Peter 3:9). Godspeed and Play Ball!

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Need of the Hour

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In recent posts, I discussed an urgent need of the Church. I stated the Church needs to recommit itself to soul-winning and I even gave an evangelistic method that I think works well in our day and time.

If you are a Pastor, a good place to start for emphasizing the importance of evangelism and for helping your congregation to rediscover a passion for such would be the book of Acts. Most pastors know this as common knowledge. However, what many pastors often miss is that the early church, along with its earliest apostles, were disobedient to the Lord’s command to take the gospel to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the Uttermost parts of the world. As Jews, the apostles and the multitude of disciples were perfectly comfortable with staying home and taking the gospel to Jerusalem. After all, they didn’t have to move (We like our couches). But Samaria??? To those Gentiles???

It was only under persecution (after Stephen was martyred for his faith) that the church was forced to scatter, that Jesus’ disciples became obedient to task of worldwide evangelism. Evangelism is so much more than telling only those you like about Jesus or than telling only those who look and sound like you about Jesus. The narrative in the book of Acts that many pastors either miss or skip over is the narrative that the early churches (read the rest of the NT letters) instantaneously became multi-ethnic congregations because the disciples in Acts finally got on with being Jesus’ witnesses outside of Jerusalem.

To every degree possible, churches should strive to be multi-ethnic, multi-class, and multi-generational. This is what it means to be the church and more importantly, this is what it means to be “in Christ.” Those barriers that used to divide us and those barriers that still divide those “of the world” have been overcome by Jesus. This is what led Peter, who was once a racist himself, to declare that Christians of all color (The Church!) “are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession.” And why? “that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9). Thus, evangelism isn’t a call for one ethnicity to share Jesus with one’s own ethnicity. Rather, sharing Jesus with others (Evangelism) is for all ethnicities to share with all other ethnicities.

Besides rooting out racism and building multiethnic churches, the church has many more needs this hour. At this moment, I will only delineate on a few, and of which I think are most prominent. Having written to pastors, let me now share a word with next generation pastors, leaders, etc. It should come as no surprise to you when you see a surge in gender dysphoria and transgenderism within our nation and church’s children and youth. What are you to do about it?

Just as I encouraged Pastors in this post to start with the book of Acts for highlighting the ministry of evangelism in their churches, I want to encourage you to start with the book of Ephesians for teaching “Identity in Christ” to your students. I am convinced the first thing churches need to teach new believers is what their new identity in Christ is all about. There are many resources available for such an undertaking. However, I want to share a particular resource because it comes at this subject from an angle that most resources do not. In Building a Multiethnic Church, Dr. Derwin Gray approaches “Identity in Christ” from a church perspective and not just an individualistic perspective. Thus, when teaching about how identity in Christ applies to the multiethnic local churches in Ephesus, Dr. Gray says, “We”, not “I”. And this interpretation would have been exactly what Paul had in mind when he wrote to the church of Ephesus (Ephesians 1:1):

-WE ARE SAINTS (EPHESIANS 1:1-2)

-WE ARE BLESSED (EPEHSIANS 1:3)

-WE ARE CHOSEN (EPHESIANS 1:4)

-WE ARE HOLY AND BLAMELESS (EPHESIANS 1:4)

-WE ARE LOVED (EPHESIANS 1:5)

-WE ARE ADOPTED SONS AND DAUGHTERS (EPHESIANS 1:5)

-WE ARE A PEOPLE OF PRAISE (EPHESIANS 1:6)

-WE ARE REDEEMED (EPHESIANS 1:7)

-WE ARE FORGIVEN (EPHESIANS 1:7-10)

-WE HAVE AN INHERITANCE (EPHESIANS 1:11-12)

-WE ARE SEALED AND FILLED WITH GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT (EPHESIANS 1:13-14; 5:18)

-WE ARE POWERFUL IN CHRIST (EPHESIANS 1:15-22)

-WE ARE ALIVE (EPHESIANS 2:1-5)

-WE ARE TROPHIES OF GRACE SEATED IN HEAVEN (EPHESIANS 2:6-7)

-WE ARE GRACED (EPHESIANS 2:8-9)

-WE ARE GOD’S WORKMANSHIP (EPHESIANS 2:10)

-WE ARE BROUGHT NEAR TO CHRIST (EPHESIANS 2:11-13)

-WE ARE A NEW HUMANITY (EPHESIANS 2:14-16)

-WE ARE CITIZENS AND MEMBERS OF GOD’S HOUSEHOLD (EPHESIANS 2:18-20)

-WE ARE GOD’S NEW TEMPLE (EPHESIANS 2:20-22)

Yes, We Are! And may I remind you the “WE” is people of every nation, tribe, and ethnicity, according to the book of Revelation. Peter got it! And Paul, the one formerly known as Saul who overlooked and approved of Stephen’s death, got it! With God’s help, Peter and Paul discovered their new identity. And so too can your students!

Finally, both churches and youth groups need to allow more time for members and students alike to testify of the grace of God in and upon their own life. Testimony time doesn’t have to be just a time to share one’s salvation story. Testimonies can include what God is doing in and with you on a weekly basis!

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The Better Choice

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In yesterday’s post, I highlighted the importance of a church placing evangelism at the forefront of it’s ministries. When it comes to being an effective evangelistic church, research has proven there is no one-size-fits-all approach. However, there is one method of evangelism that remains at the top of all other evangelism methods and that is the method of personal evangelism. Word of mouth remains the best way to share Jesus with others.

In this post, I would like to share a personal evangelism approach that I created. However, before I get to that, I would like to give a brief history of evangelism in the church from a broad scale perspective — “the how”, if you will. The gospel message never changes, but methods of sharing the gospel always will.

In the 1970’s, bus ministry ruled the day. In the 1980’s, mass media in the form of radio and televised services took over. In the 1990’s, the worship service, with an ever-increasing focus on contemporary music, became the tool (don’t forget about the family life center). In the 2000’s, Sunday School and small groups became the front door of the church. In the 2010’s, a church’s website became the virtual screen door before one walked through the physical front door of the church. In the here and now—the 2020’s— your church better have a presence on social media.

Once again though, in all these changes, the gospel never did. Within the church and its evangelistic training circles, we went through just as many changes as described above. We went from memorizing the Romans Road to participating in training such as CWT, EE, Faith, Grow, Share Jesus without Fear, The Story, 3 Circles, and the list goes on.

All of these tools have merit and are worthy of use, — even today. However, as our culture changes by the day, we need to come up with more relevant tools. In many ways, our evangelism needs to become more apologetics-based. One reason this is so is because our nation has become much more religiously pluralistic.

Here is a strategy I recently came up with. For right now, I am calling it the “Jesus is better” approach. I think we have reached a place in our culture where we first need to help people expose their own idols and then help these same people begin to deconstruct the idols they have put before Creator God (Jesus).

Here’s how my approach works! I like to ask people what their favorite thing in the world is. If it was me answering the question, I would probably say, “watching college football” (good thing the season is almost here!). Then I would follow-up the person’s answer by first affirming their answer and then asking the person another question. For example, “Watching college football is great, but do you know there is something better?” It is at this point you need to genuinely listen to the person’s response. If it was me answering the question, I would probably catch on that the person asking me the question was a Christian and I would say, “Yes, I know there is something better. Knowing and serving Jesus is the best!” But if I was not a Christian and I was answering the question, I would probably respond by saying, “What?” is better. If you are the one asking the questions, this is primetime to say “Being a friend of God” is better.

There could be a range of responses from here, but one of the most frequent responses will be “How?” do you become a friend of God. This is where you BOOM—share the gospel! Share your own story of how God saved you and how you became His friend. Tell about how you were walking planet earth not giving any thought to God when . . . You can talk about prayer and Bible reading, as it relates to being God’s friend, but you must first share the gospel! If the person you are talking to happens to reveal that he or she is already a Christian, discussing quiet time habits and devotional times are totally appropriate. These practices relate to being a friend of God, but outside of Jesus initiating a saving relationship with us, it is impossible for us to be God’s friend. Romans 5:10 is clear that left to ourselves and to our sin, we are God’s enemy. Thankfully, Jesus went on to say in John 6:44 that His Father had the ability to draw sinners like us to Jesus so that we, his enemies, could be saved and thus become his friend! That’s the gospel and that’s what we share!

Here is another example of my “Jesus is better” approach. Say you are a woman and you are talking to another lady. You might say to her, “What is it in life that you like doing the most?” or “What do you value most in life?” She might respond with “shopping” or “family”. This is where you reaffirm her, saying “Shopping (or family) is great, but do you know there is something better?” Here again, you will need to gauge the responses, but if she says, “No, what?” is better, you are now ready to segue into the gospel by responding with “Having a relationship with God whereby you can talk to Him and He can talk to you” is better. Again, be ready to receive a range of responses here such as “I didn’t know that was possible”, “What are you talking about?”, or “Oh, I see where you are going with this” and again be ready to respond appropriately to each. This is no cookie-cutter strategy to sharing Jesus with others. You will need to think of possible scenarios that could come up yourself and you will likely already know how certain people will respond. Know that the Holy Spirit will help you and can give you words you didn’t know you had (Romans 8:26, Mark 13:11).

What I love most about this approach is its conversational nature. The conversation is bound to go in a number of directions. People are tired of hearing us preach to them in the form of gospel presentations. What they really want to know is do we care. Do we care enough to discover where they are at in life and then are we willing to lovingly lead them to take the next step.

“If you’re not fishing, you’re not following.”

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Fields (and fields) of Corn

Field of Dreams game to return to Iowa in 2022 | FOX 2

A few weeks ago, in a cornfield out in Iowa, Major League Baseball put on a real Field of Dreams game between the New York Yankees and the Chicago White Sox. The game lived up to its billing, providing three home runs in the last inning, not to mention a walk-off home run that gave the White Sox the victory. Fantasy became reality as a movie came to life.   

Jesus once spoke about fields, but he didn’t have baseball in mind. Jesus talked to his disciples about the fields being ripe for harvest (Matthew 9:35-38). Now, a cornfield is getting closer to the picture Jesus had in mind. The only difference is the corn would have represented people. If you plant corn, you know you have to wait and pray, hoping the corn seed you planted will be met with the right conditions so that one day you can pick real corn off the stalk. 

In the Parable of the Sower, Jesus talked about sowing seed and the different types of soil that the seed falls on. Jesus said the seed was the Word of God (Matthew 13:1-23). If we are not careful, I think we might confuse these two different accounts. In the latter account, Jesus is talking about people’s reactions to the gospel seeds that we sow. Some people will receive the gospel and some people will not.

But Matthew 9:35-38 is different. Jesus is saying that the fields are ALWAYS ripe for harvest. There are people right now who are ready to receive the gospel, if only we will share. It is true that we will sow gospel seeds and sometimes have wait to wait many years before we see the fruit of it in people’s lives. But it is equally true that sometimes we will sow gospel seeds and see immediate fruit. Not everyone receives the gospel the first time they hear, but some do. At the same time, sometimes we reap what others sow. You may share the gospel with someone who has heard it a thousand times, and you just happen to be the one who leads that person to the Lord. That’s what Jesus is saying in this account: Look up, There is always corn ready to be picked!

Many denominations and churches have lost their way. They wonder why their numbers are plummeting. The answer is rather quite simple. They’ve stopped harvesting. A church or denomination that stops winning people to the Lord will eventually die in the same way that a crop will die without water. We must share the gospel with everyone everywhere everyday so that all the gospel seeds that have been planted by us or others will continued to be watered. 

Most church leaders agree that the church has at least five purposes, which are mandated from Scripture. Though given different names by different leaders, those five purposes are Worship, Ministry, Discipleship, Fellowship, and Evangelism. I would add Prayer to that list. However, of those five, I would consider one to be essential or primary. You might think it to be Worship because after all, didn’t John Piper say that missions exists because worship doesn’t. Piper’s analysis is correct, but glorifying God is the end-result. Without people being won to to the Lord, Worship, Ministry, Discipleship, and Fellowship simply cannot happen. 

My dream is that struggling churches would return to following Jesus by being “fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19). That Jesus would open their eyes so that they would see corn as far as their eyes can see (a trip to Iowa in the middle of harvest season might be a good place to start). That they would once again “seek and save that which is lost” (Luke 19:10).

If I was a lost person, the last place I would want to go is to church. I would have no desire and would feel out of place (kind of like a fish out of water). But, if I had just come to know the Lord, the first place I would want to go is to church. I would crave the exhortation, edification, and encouragement from being with other like-minded brothers and sisters in Christ. The culture we live in has changed. The church needs to stop inviting people to church and start inviting people to Jesus. Cultivate relationships with lost people on their field. We’re the road team now. Go to their homes and do things with them that they enjoy doing. It might be going to a ballgame. Then, initiate gospel conversations. If you are then able to pick some corn, don’t leave them out to dry. The first thing you should do is invite them to attend church with you. After all, you’re already friends. 

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Jesus Talk

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Over the past half-century, talk has really taken off on all media platforms. When we used to think of talk shows, we thought of late-night television show hosts such as Jay Leno or David Letterman or daytime tv talk show hosts such as Jerry Springer or Oprah. But now, it seems every sector in culture and society has a talk show. You can listen to news talk, sports talk, or weather talk if you would like and with a seemingly different show and host every hour on the hour on any given day. When you get bored with all of that, you can listen to some food talk and then proceed to your kitchen and cook up that new recipe.

Besides the increase of talk, there has also been an increase in the amount of media platforms that you can listen to your favorite talk shows on (social media, podcasts, smartTV, etc.) But we’re doing more than listening to more talk than we used to. We’re also talking more ourselves. Today, it seems everyone has a voice that is heard, whether that be on their own website, blog, channel, account, feed, etc.

Freedom of speech is a good thing and being allowed to express yourself and your views on multiple platforms all at the same time is also a good thing. However, all this talk begs one question. What would Jesus say? If you were talking to Jesus face to face, what would he talk about? We know he would talk about repentance and the Kingdom of God, but what else? For those of us who know him, I think he would ask us a rather direct question: Are you talking about me as much as you’re talking about all these other topics?

In the day and hour in which we live, we must realize there are some people around us that are more willing and open to talk about Jesus than they ever have been before. There are some hurting individuals who need and want you to talk to them about Jesus. They are seeking hope, love, joy, and peace. You have the answer. Will you offer it to them?

With all of the executive orders President Biden signed in his first week on the job, I see some devastating consequences that could come our nation’s way. I don’t want to come across as a pessimist, but I do see a coming increase in crime, anger, and poverty. When people get angry enough with one another, wars are bound to happen whether they be foreign or domestic. No one wants WW III or another Civil War until they do. As followers of Christ, we are not only to pray for peace in and our city, state, nation, and world. We are to make peace and to offer peace to those around us who are seeking to find it.

The rhetoric from all sides needs to be toned down, but neither rhetoric nor tone is the primary problem today. The issue at stake is the issue of first being able to sit down at a table with people who hold different views than you do and have civil discourse. Until we can talk and listen to one another, headway cannot be made.

We talk to each other about weather, sports, and politics. We talk to each other about love, relationships, and food. At times, we’ll even talk to each other about race, religion, and creed. Yet the question remains: Will you talk to people about Jesus?

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Some good news

Catholic in Brooklyn: The Message of Ascension Thursday

Scripture teaches us that churches have five ministries or functions given to them by Jesus, the Head of the Church. Pastor Rick Warrren called these ministries the five purposes and wrote books that taught both churches and the lives of individual believers should be driven by Fellowship, Missions, Worship, Discipleship, and Evangelism.

COVID-19 disrupted church life as we know it in 2020. Fellowship was handicapped when events, classes, and meetings were postponed or cancelled. Missions or service to others was limited when people were mandated to stay-at-home. Due to state regulations and guidelines, Worship capacity in our facilities and buildings were capped at a percentile that drove down attendance and required us to physically distance ourselves from one another. Discipleship turned digital, unfortunately causing the discipleship ball to be dropped in locations that had not previously readied themselves in and for the coming digital revolution. Likewise, as human contact decreased, Evangelism took on new forms.

The ministries of the church have been hurt by the pandemic, but in more subtle ways, the ministries of the church have also been helped. Churches have been able to become stronger in ministry areas they were weaker in because well, they were forced to. One ministry area the church desperately needs to capitalize on in this time of crisis is Evangelism. Currently, medical companies are sending out vaccines to defeat the evil coronavirus. Are we being evangelistic and letting the world know that Jesus has already defeated sin, death, and hell?

Are we sharing The Story: creation, fall, rescue, and restoration? Are we sharing the grand narrative of the gospel story that takes the stories of our lives and begins to make sense out of them?

Creation: This world was a beautiful place at its inception. It was virus-free!

Fall: Due to man’s original sin in the garden, creation itself now suffers and we have to deal with viruses such as Covid-19.

Rescue: Thankfully, Jesus came to heal us from all our sins and one day . . .

Restoration: . . . We won’t have to worry about the virus called sin that infects us all or sickness such as the coronavirus!

In a world full of bad news, people are dying to hear some good news. Will you be the one that shares it with them?

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Great Commission

2017: What are you scared of?

I am beaming with excitement for the year 2017!  I have waited in great anticipation for a book that comes out this year entitled Share Jesus Without Freaking Out by Alvin Reid.  I plan to buy copies of this book to share with all the leaders and students in my next generation ministry. And I would encourage you too to purchase this book as well.

Dr. Reid or Doc as I call him (we are good friends) has often told me the #1 fear in America is public speaking and the #2 fear is snakes. As a middle school student, I loved snakes and wanted to become a herpetologist.  Now, I’m glad I’ve changed my professional aspirations! In middle school, I got nervous speaking, but now I rather enjoy it.  The point I’m making is our fears tend to change over time, but I can understand if you still hate snakes and making speeches (most of America does).

I have other fears though, fears of which will probably make you laugh. When I walk into a post office, I feel like a lost puppy. I don’t know what to do. Tax work scares me. I feel awkward at banks, can’t relate to tellers, and though I like the sound of the drive thru tube, just give me the ATM. I still hate heights, won’t ride a roller coaster, and though I don’t mind flying, airports aren’t my thing.

Maybe you feel right at home while walking in or working at a bank, post office, or airport, while it scares me to death.  Our differences are what makes the world go around.  And as you can see, we often fear different things.

Fear or no fear, Christians are not sharing the gospel like they need to. I think sharing Jesus has become the Christian’s #1 fear. How many Christians do you know of that don’t even say the name of Jesus at home. You don’t have to tell the next generation that you’re scared to tell others about Jesus.  They already know. They are your kids, your grandkids and they’ve been watching you for all the years you’ve been alive.  When you don’t talk about Jesus at home, you’re sure not going to talk about him in the world.

Go ahead, say it…Jesus…there—you did it!…and don’t just say it at church by finishing the hymn out…the sweetest name I know. If his name is really that sweet, you need to get used to saying it wherever you go…at school…at work…to your neighbor…at the lunch table…and the list goes on.  It’s not a duty, it’s a privilege.  You talk about that which you love the most, that which you are most passionate about, but the church has made sharing Jesus sound so complicated, that no one feels capable of doing it or that it’s even possible of being done.

You don’t have to rehearse a perfect gospel presentation or go to a twelve-week training program on evangelism before you start telling others about what Jesus has done for you. All you have to do is open your mouth! The Holy Spirit is pretty good at giving you words too! The outlines, the canned presentations, etc. aren’t bad and can assist you in this endeavor. But why not start with a natural conversation as opposed to an awkward presentation. This way, both you and your hearer will feel more comfortable.

People have always needed to know about hell, but if that’s all they hear you screaming, I’d be running the other way too! We’re not supposed to be hollering madmen scaring away those we’re trying to win to Christ. It’s often the scared man who begins to open his mouth and proclaim Christ that finds success. It’s because this timid soul comes across as someone who doesn’t have it all together. Oh…you mean, they’re just like you and me? Now, I can listen to a guy like that!

Don’t freak out! Just be yourself. When you come across as that person who doesn’t have all the answers, I think you’ll find people are more willing to listen to what you do have to say.  And guess what, they’ll probably ask you more questions and you will probably have some questions for them…funny how that works. Need a resolution for the New Year? How about sharing Jesus without freaking out!

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Great Commission

When is the best time to reach the next generation?

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I have shared with you the what, where, how, and why’s for reaching the next generation. To reiterate “the why,” I will just say because soul-winning is the most important thing, because hell is real. If Tom Petty, who has a great voice and sang the lyrics, “you can stand me up at the gates of hell and I won’t back down” could stand at the gates and feel the heat from hell, I do not think he would back down. I think he would try to back up. The only problem is that the time for backing up would be too late.

Today, I want to share with you the “when?” When is the best time (age-range) to reach the next generation? It is always a good time to share the gospel and sharing the gospel with any age-group is good, but I have become convinced that churches and families must make a concerted effort to evangelize children. It was revealed in the 2015 Bridge Preteen Conference by George Barna that a “child’s moral foundations are set by age 9. A child’s worldview, theological foundation, beliefs, and religious practices are in place by 13. Only one-third of preteens have accepted Christ.”

A popular notion has arisen, a term originated by Dan Brewster, which has been labeled the “4/14 Window.” The notion is that 85% of all Christians in the USA and anywhere from 60-80% of all Christians in the world come to Christ between the ages of 4 and 14. The 85% statistic comes from a survey completed by the International Bible Society in the 90’s. Research compiled by Barna Group shows that children between the ages of 5 and 13 have a 32 percent probability of accepting Jesus. It has been said that the 10/40 Window and 40/70 Window are about where missionaries should go, and the 4/14 Window is about whom missionaries should focus on. Awana is an international evangelical organization directing such ministry efforts towards children. I happen to know the Regional Ministry Director for the Caribbean Islands and he himself would be considered a missionary. However, you can be a missionary to children right where you are!

I want to re-emphasize that all generations are important and that you should not neglect telling a person of any age about the love God has for him or her. But I do agree with Barna that churches and families should strategically target or prioritize evangelism efforts toward children (focusing even more on younger children). We cannot afford to lose a generation. If we do, we will follow the footsteps of generations found in Old Testament narratives such as the storied relationship between David and his son Absalom or the time in between the various judges who served the nation of Israel. Space does not permit me to write what Jesus or the New Testament has to say in reference to the generational transfer of faith. We just do not want to reach a point in time where a generation forgets what the Book of the Law is or where it may be found (remember Josiah).

I have been serving the next generation the last fifteen years of my life. I have coached eight years of middle school basketball (boys and girls) at four schools, ministered to students at five churches, taught students at three schools (public and private), and served as a counselor at three YMCA’s. In my early years of youth ministry, I would often hear about or read the expression, “Youth are not the church of tomorrow, they are the church of today.” The expression originated from Saddleback Youth Pastor Doug Fields at about the time his Pastor Rick Warren’s book Purpose Driven Life was gaining in popularity.

As much as I have always loved Doug’s expression, it is beginning to wear thin. Today, we must begin to verbalize a new expression, “If we don’t let students be the church of today, they won’t be in church tomorrow.” Whereas Doug’s mantra required a mind-set shift from the church in mental assent, the new mantra requires a missional mind-set shift from the church necessitating mobilization from students and resulting in action or service. Perhaps this is why servanthood-evangelism is gaining traction.

As we await the upcoming World Series, let me provide you with an example of children on mission by referring to the sport of baseball. How many children do you know of that play baseball? I, myself grew up playing Little League baseball and may have even batted against Jake Westbrook, a pitcher from my hometown who pitched in two World Series. What if we trained, equipped, and released children with missional mindsets to engage the culture, in this case, their baseball teams with the gospel rather than just hand children a trophy and hope they are happy. In other words, what would happen if we provided children a purpose and issued children a calling higher than the goal of obtaining a .300 batting average. We might not only witness a mind-shift, but a culture-shift! God, may we the church allow our children to be the church today so there will be a church tomorrow!

Categories
Great Commission

What can I do to reach the next generation for Christ?

talent

How can I reach the next generation for Christ? This is a personal question so each individual will answer this question differently. In previous posts, I have written extensively on some of the challenges in reaching the next generation and exhorted the church community to not give up on this task. I have also provided evangelistic methods that the church community can use and have gone as far as to include a series detailing the latest research and statistics concerning who the next generation is and how to reach them. However, doing all of the above is still not enough.

Each of us has an individual responsibility to carry out in reaching the next generation for Christ. To reach the next generation, we are going to have to reach them on every level and from every angle. As has been noted for many years now, we are going to have to play ball on their court. To reach not just the next generation but also the unchurched, we must pack our bags and hit the road. We must travel to them because they simply are not coming to us.

I reminisce on a scene from the movie Field of Dreams starring Kevin Costner where a voice says “if you build it, they will come.” Not anymore. We can build beautiful church edifices built in with the greatest technology and architectural structure, but this does not guarantee church growth in this day and time. Many churches have gone away from meeting in the traditional church house and are now meeting in coffee shops, schools, movie theatres, and shopping centers. But these alternatives do not guarantee church attendance either. I think we need to rewrite the script to say “if you go, they will come.” Church is not “come and see” which worked in the 1950’s but is “go and tell” which works all the time. Sure, there are exceptions such as Jeremiah the prophet sharing God’s message and not obtaining a single convert. But I find it hard to believe that same logic is at work today as there are over 7.5 billion people residing on the planet earth along with millions who have never heard the name of Christ. I am convinced that if we are faithful to share the good news, we will make disciples in, out, and of this generation!

In the Parable of the Talents (Mat 25:14-30), Jesus says, “For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance” and in the Parable of the Faithful Servant (Luke 12:35-48), Jesus says, “Much will be required of everyone who has been given much. And even more will be expected of the one who has been entrusted with more.” We each have an obligation to use the talents, however many they are, that the Lord has given to us to influence the next generation toward the pursuit of a relationship with Christ.

Oftentimes, talents take time to develop. A few years ago, I decided to start a new hobby. I began sports-writing with the intention to spread the good news. I would blog articles and leave business cards or pass out business cards with the phrase, “John 3:16, God Loves You” strategically placed on the back of the card. I was taking my talent, developing my craft, and hitting the road. I have given these cards out in many places including Washington DC and I know people from as far as Boston and Philadelphia have walked away feeling thankful that someone cared enough to provide a gesture that impresses on them the feeling that they are loved by God. I did not approach these strangers as a professional pastor, prophet, apostle, or missionary. I simply developed a talent God had given me and then shared it with the world.

Talents multiply too! I started out sports-writing, evolved into sports-talk, and am now hosting a weekly football show at a local bar and grill (remember church, we are the visiting team now). The goal is to develop relationships with restaurant staff, customers, and the community in order to initiate gospel-centered conversations that will not only bring people to Jesus, but will also bring people in or back to church! This is a sidebar, but when you eat out at restaurant, leave a good tip (especially if you pray for the waiter/waitress, leave a track, or eat out on Sundays).

With that being said, what is your talent? What are you doing to develop your talent? And more importantly, how are you using your talent to couple it with The Story to win people to Christ or to bring them back to church? We are in the world and not of it (John 17:16). We are salt and light to the world (Mat 5:13-16). Don’t lose your flavor and don’t hide your light. Let your talent shine for the glory of God and watch as the next generation begins to flow back into church!

Categories
Great Commission Next Generation Ministry

Evangelistic Tools & Events to Reach the Next Generation

reid

I previously shared a three-part series http://next-generation-ministry.com/tag/millennials/ describing how ministry leaders and church members alike can reach and keep the next generation. I wanted to identify and define who the next generation is and provide suggestions based on solid research on how the church can reach and keep the next generation.

Statistics and suggestions are all well and good, but ministry leaders and church members should also be equipped with evangelistic tools to accomplish the Great Commission. I like what Alvin Reid, professor of evangelism and student ministry at SEBTS says concerning the state of evangelism in the church, “We don’t have a training problem, we have a trying problem. The door to door evangelistic method is better than using no method at all, which is what most of our people are doing.”

How can we reach and keep the next generation if we never tell the next generation who Jesus is and what he has done for them? The evangelistic tools (programs, techniques, etc.) are limitless. I know this is a truism but the first thing we must do (after prayer) is to pull an evangelistic tool out of our evangelism tool bag. We need to do relational evangelism but we also need to do intentional evangelism and whether we share Jesus in a formal presentation or a casual conversation, we need to be ready at all times to share the gospel.

Sometimes we are ready but not willing. When was the last time you told someone that Jesus loved them? Did they give you a blank stare or ask you who Jesus is? Rather than lament about how sinful our culture has become, let’s begin to share Jesus with others. My best guess is our culture has degraded to where it is today because at some point, God’s people stopped sharing the good news.

In our postmodern and post-Christian culture, we must begin by explaining creation. We live in Athens (Acts 17) and not Jerusalem (Acts 2) anymore. Since our society is biblically illiterate, we must continue our oral storytelling by illustrating the fall, rescue, and restoration of both man and creation as we discuss spiritual matters with people. We must walk with people from Genesis to Revelation and share the story in a way where they understand their life narrative fits within the metanarrative of Scripture.

My favorite tools are

Other evangelistic tools include

Evangelistic events also share a purpose and have a place in the church. See You at the Pole was just celebrated around the globe. Disciple Now Weekends occur in the fall and spring. Summer camps along with VBS have also produced positive results. Youth crusades or revivals and mission trips through the social media world are also effective.