In Dan Kimball’s book, They Like Jesus, But Not The Church, he has this great question - If Jesus sent us on a mission to be his salt and light to others, why is it that we have basically set up our church systems and subcultures to remove maturing people from relationships with people outside the church?
Love it! Love it! Love it! And, I even feel convicted by it, so I’m not railing against anyone. I know that after 7 years on a church staff, I have way fewer, WAY FEWER, relationships with non-believers and the unchurched than I did years ago. Now, I would argue culturally that church folks aren’t unlike everyone else in this regard - we naturally gravitate towards those who share similar values and interests. But, in my post from months ago, “The Responsibility That Comes With Our Tribe”, I mentioned that as Christians we really aren’t afforded the opportunity to just sit back and surround ourselves with everyone who agrees with us. We have to go out. But the great thing about Dan’s question is that is recognizes that in most churches, the “spiritually mature” are sequestered in church business meetings, elders meetings, Christian education classes, etc. They’re not often on the front lines in close proximity to very folks Jesus hung out with. And most of the “spiritually mature” get very angry and defensive when they get within 10 feet of someone who doesn’t profess Jesus as Lord. Heck, all they really need is a handed down story to condemn someone as “that poor lost sinner”. Makes you wonder how “spiritually mature” they really are?
Anyway, I’m looking at my hobbies and interests as a way to fight back and get closer to those outside the Church. I’m playing softball again. In a city league, not a church league. I’m thinking about some photography classes to accompany my new digital SLR, and my wife’s an artist, so we have great opportunities there. For those of you buried in church staffs and activities, I hope you too will think of ways to intentionally put yourself in situations where you can make friendships with those outside the church. It will be so rewarding.
Hi, I'm Scott and this is my bio attempt. God has a sense of humor... I work at a church. That's not the path I figured coming out of grad school, but when He called, thankfully I didn't try to win a battle of merits between my plan and His. So, how'd that play out? Well, in 2001 I left commercial real estate and went on staff at North Point Community Church in Alpharetta, GA. This place captured my heart the first time I walked in the doors. God, thanks for letting me do this for as long as you let me do it!
Hey Scott! I could not agree more. The best thing I’ve done over the last few years is join an adult soccer league. I got to do something I love, and I got to build a whole bunch of relationships with people who don’t go to church. People I never would have met if I did not get intentional about finding them. Now, my family has joined the Y to meet people. We’re intentional about being outside to build relationships with neighbors. And soon my daughter will join a sports team or some type of group, and we’ll build relationships that way. It takes work and intentionality, and it is easier to talk about it than do it. But it is so rewarding.
That’s why I do the coffee shops. I also attract runners because I’m a runner. I agree that this is the key to evangelism today.
Hey Bro!
You know I work in the secular world, so I see all kinds here. I has able to reach out to one of my customers that was really hurting. I told her I would pray for her and He really put her on my heart. We were doing a Hell’s Flames thing at church so the whole cast prayed for her that night. I bought a video to give her next time she came in. She came in that next week and told me she had gone to church with a friend after talking to me and turned her life over to Christ that night! It gave me cold chills (why are we always so surprised?!) Anyway I gave the video to her and she told me next visit that her daughter and son-in-law, who are living with her and causing a lot of her heart ache, sat down and watched it with her. She said nothing had changed yet, but I told her to give it time to grow, she was planting seeds!