Contemporary surveys suggest that between two-thirds and three-fourths of those we encounter daily are essentially unchurched, connected only casually or nominally with a church or faith community. This does not mean that they are not spiritual, or even religious, but only that they are not practicing that faith in the context of a Christian religious group. One must distinguish between
the strength of a connection to a church, and the strength of an accepted belief system. I have met people who did not attend church at all or were only minimally connected to a faith community who would argue vehemently for a certain doctrinal position which had been part of their upbringing or the faith system of their parents or family.
Given the current cultural situation, the way in which we approach evangelism must shift, away from attempts to bring people to Jesus based on purely mental factors, toward bringing people into the Christian community holistically—taking into account the teaching of Scripture, relationships, and practical lifestyle issues. This is doubly important, given our society’s post-modern relativism that fails to identify objective truth as either possible or relevant. As a result, the way in which we are going to touch others with the gospel is changed.
Without ceasing to recognize the importance of the word of God as our guide, both in Bible classes and preaching, we must seek to understand where and why the gospel is relevant in lives of our friends and neighbors, given the nature of the world in which we live. We must redouble our efforts to touch people outside normal “religious” contexts. We must seek and establish social relationships and friendship bridges which can serve as conduits for gospel conversations (initially, not studies, but conversations).
This new reality calls the church to rethink its life—what we do in worship, in our classes (so those classes are accepting of visitors and capable of assimilating ‘outsiders’), in our fellowship, through small groups, specialty classes, “come and see” events, and a host of other things that the church might do in its effort to be the genuine church and to reach out to a lost world.
May God help us as we do this kind of “missional” thinking!
[See more on this at Christian Groups and Evangelism.]