I was thinking about some things and wrote this short article. I really would like to have some discussion on this topic. I think it's something many have to deal with, certainly if you are in the United States. Also, I know some of you out there have some wisdom in this area. Please comment.
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Being a Christian in a church soaked nation is like trying to be a frog in salt water. It may seem like a good place to be, but it can be fatal. It would appear that if so many people were “churched” and were knowledgeable in some things it would help the Christian bring sinners to Christ. Yet this doesn’t seem to be the case. When a person gets a flu shot, they get filled with dead flu cells. The body sees this as a minor attack and then takes inventory to never allow it in again. Now, when a live flu cell comes in contact with the body, the body is ready to reject it. So it is with many today concerning the Gospel. Let us take courage that when a “different strain” comes along a person can still “catch it.”

We are surely in a church inoculated nation. Most have no problem coming in contact with dead religion but when a wholly new and living Christ is manifest among them, it’s a whole different story. A choice has to then be made. When I say “new,” I’m not speaking of something truly new because He is the Ancient of Days. What I mean is a manifestation that is new to the unconverted. When this happens the unconverted truly have a decision to make. Christ must evidently be set forth, crucified among them. How do we have that? What are some of the motives of a soul-winner? What are some things to avoid?

There is a vanity I have seen in my days and that is of church boasting. We assume that if our church has the right program it will draw sinners in and they will be converted. Christ never said that if he was lifted up all men would be drawn to buildings to hear great preachers, no, he said that they would be drawn to Himself. But many have this mindset when witnessing. How many of us when talking to the unconverted have said things such as, “Well, our church has a great…” “Our preacher really is a man of God.” “We aren’t like other churches.” Let’s think for a moment. Why would you say such things? They may be 100% true, but are they what Christ has called us to testify about? My contention isn’t with telling the unconverted those things or inviting people to your church. As I will discuss later this is not a bad thing, but in certain contexts it’s what is demanded. My contention is with the underlying supposition. And many times that is trying to persuade sinners of how great your church is, so they can hear your preacher, and hopefully he will preach the Gospel. Again, did Christ say he would draw all men to select preachers and those preachers would share the Gospel? Or did he say that men would be drawn to Him?

Many in the church place all there expectations on one man, the man called their pastor. Or if there is an evangelist coming through their hope may be shifted to him to see sinners saved. Why not believe God can use you? Why not just skip all the steps in talking people into coming to your church and just allow Christ to manifest himself right there, through you? There is no need to try to convince people how great you church is just so they can hear the Gospel. God has revealed himself to you, right? He has given you a tongue, right? Well, let him use that for his glory. I think a lot of this church growth mentality is backwards. Many believe that if the church grows, sinners will be converted when the truth is when sinners get converted, the church grows. Rather than trying to shuffle sinners to our churches, let’s show Christ to the world while we are in the world because that is one of the things you won’t be doing in heaven.

The scripture tells us that some profess to know God but in their works they deny him. So many today profess to know God but live in such gross sin. How do we deal with such a person? Do we tell them about how bad their church is and how lukewarm their pastor’s messages are? This may not be the best way to go about it. A false convert in a Baptist church won’t listen to a Pentecostal, nor will a false convert in a Pentecostal church listen to a Baptist; but if a person believes that the Bible is completely God’s word, you have a lot to work with. Show this person the truth laid out in the scriptures. Plant seeds of truth and make sure you have the reality of the truth you are speaking of. If you don’t have that reality of the truth, you are no different than them. They profess to have something, yet it’s obvious they don’t. You can’t be like them and win them to Christ at the same time. This point is very important. You do not merely want this person to come out of the “false church” and into yours. No, then you will just have a false convert in your church. You want them to turn to Christ and seek the truth. When they lay hold of truth, then they will feel uneasy around lies and come out. Where are they going to go? Probably to you, since you were the one who helped lead them to that truth. Again, sinners aren’t converted just because your church grows, but when sinners are converted your church will grow.

Am I saying that we should never invite people to our church? No, not at all. What I do believe is that no one should come to your church ignorant of the Gospel. The only reason they would be ignorant is because you haven’t told them or they have bluntly ignored you. When this is done, the unconverted doesn’t feel tricked, deceived, or fooled into coming. And then they know what your church is about because that is the very reason they are there. When someone is seeking the truth, by all means, invite them to come to your fellowship. Would it be better to have a church full of sinners or a church full of saints and seekers that go out and share the truth?

So, let’s consider some of these things and check ourselves. Are we relying on others to do what God has called us to do? Are we merely trying to build our church by adding to it from another? Some may have never heard or considered these things before, so I’m not out to condemn you but I just want to set you to thinking. 2Ti 2:7 Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.

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Josh Parsley

This pretty much sums it up for me.


1 Corinthians 3:5-8
5Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?

6I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.

7So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.

8Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.

I think it's important to ask yourself what brought you to Christ. Was it a certain person or the truth coming out of that person. If your thirsty are you more interested in the water or the glass that holds the water?

This is really good, it's called "A True Christian":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZHbg7_y3vk

I feel like I'm stuck on this thread and talking to myself he,he :-D.

Jesus said only a few people would find the narrow road. Jesus and all the prophets preached to alot of people just to win a few, that's sure encouraging to me. I witness alot at work and I'm just starting to get into preaching. The apostle Paul said you will reap if you don't faint, meaning that it is hard work! You do have to plant ALOT and water but don't get weary!!!

The Lord has been showing me that we give up on people too soon. The devil has told alot of lies to alot of christians. I feel like I need to expose some of these lies so bear with me. The truth is that it does take alot to win a soul to Christ. The reason it takes alot is not that the person you are preaching to finds it hard to come to Christ it's because not all will so you have to preach and witness to alot of people sometimes before you win one.

Jesus said only a few right? There are millions of people in the world and only a few will be saved. If you witness to one person the odds are that person may not get saved. So should we not witness because the odds are against us?

I find that it is important to pray that the Lord may bring that lost person to you. This is the other lie I believe the devil has told alot of christians is that prayer doesn't help. God can send to you that lost person. You need to know though that you may plant just a seed and you may think you have accomplished nothing but another comes along and waters.

It's God that gives the increase!

_________________
Christiaan

When I witness to others I think about first how I was drawn to Christ. I was brought up in church but never had the "born again" message of salvation witnessed to me. I wasn't drawn by any program or person. What drew me to Him was the message of a living savior who loved me and gave His life for me. I needed this life and I knew that it was that life, His life that was missing. I hated my sin and wanted to be free because I knew even though I was lost that this sinful life of mine was not what God had created me for.

I believed in God and I knew that the life I was living was not of God but I didn't know how to be free until someone told me. I heard the message of salvation on the radio by a pastor I had never met before. I don't remember the man but I remember the message.

It was the message that brought me to Him not the man.

This is my motivation in preaching the gosple. It's all about Jesus!

Jesus said to love your neighbor as yourself.

This is the second greatest commandment! Think about that for a moment. Is the way that you are reaching out to others the same way you would reach out to yourself. Think back to your own salvation experience. We need to be filled with the love of God when we go out. When you get filled with this kind of love which only God can give you than you can move mountains, mountains of unbelief in the lives of those who are lost. They will know that surely there is something in you that is of God and not of this world.

The kingdom of God is not in word only but in this power.

The pharasees had the word only, the law but no love.

These are just some things I ask myself when I go out to preach or witness to others. Today I am mostly home with family and I am praying that God sends someone who is lost to me today. Someone who was just like me 18 years ago, searching lost and without God. I believe in asking God to send these people to you. They may be people who have heard the gosple but never fully made that decision for whatever reason.