Being The Church For The Unchurched
Mark 6:7-12
For the past several weeks off an on, we have studied the Unchurched. We have looked at their attitudes about religion, about God, about Christians, about the Bible.......about church.
The statistics are staggering. It should be enough to burden our heart. We know now that there are Stats: 160 Million Unchurched in USA. The question is now what do we do about it. To know that there are needs, to really feel compassion towards the lost, and unchurched is to try and do something about it !
The Five Faith Stages
U5: Antagonistic and hostile to the Gospel 5%
U4: Resistant, but not antagonistic (“So what…”) 21%
U3: Neutral, no signs of interest, yet perhaps open to discussion 36%
U2: Receptive to learning more about the Gospel 27%
U1: Highly Responsive to hearing and believing the Gospel 11 %
I want The Rock to be the Church For The Unchurched. I want them to know that we care.......
Stirring worship music won’t attract them because worship isn’t even on their radar screen. More comfortable pews cannot compete with the easy chair or the bed that already serve the unchurched person well. Church events cannot effectively compete with what the world has to offer. The only thing the Church can provide that no one else has is a life-changing, practical encounter – and on-going relationship – with the living God and with people transformed by similar encounters. Until such a connection is made, focusing on features, programs and benefits other than such a life-shaping encounter is more likely to lose ground than to gain it.”
Saying: The world will not care how much we know until they know how much we care !
I want people to know that they are welcome here regardless of what kind of mess their lives are in......regardless of their past.........their present situation. I want them to know that we are a people of "unconditional love" ! I want us to pray........I would like for each of you to pray before or when or both before you come through the doors on Sun. morning that this church will be a place of welcome relief to the lost, and unchurched who might come !
We don’t have to compromise the message.......we don’t have to dumb down our convictions to do that.......we simply need to love the lost as Christ did.
Illust. Jackie Hyles
The Lord has laid on my heart what I believe to be some essentials if we are to reach the lost, and unchurched !
I. We Need To Locate The Unchurched !
Everyday they pass me by I can see it in their eye Empty people filled with care Headed who knows where On they go through private pain Living fear to fear Laughter hides the silent cries Only Jesus hears Chorus: People need the Lord People need the Lord At the end of broken dreams He¡̅s the open door People need the Lord People need the Lord When will we realize People need the Lord We are called to take His light To a world where wrong seems right What could be too great a cost For sharing life with one who¡̅s lost Through His love our hearts can feel All the grief they bear They must hear the words of life Only we can share -Steve Green
Being that there are 160 million, this shouldn’t be a problem. If stats prove true, over 50 % of the people in our area are unchurched. They never set foot inside the church except on special occassions.
Some of these people are hostile........some are hurt. But all need to be reached. Some of the unchurched are antagonistic........some are neutral........some are open.......some are on the verge of making a committment......but few of them will unless we reach out to them !
Listen to these powerful verses.....Romans 10:13-14
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed ? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard ? and how shall they hear without a preacher ?
We know some of the 160 million........the 50 % that do not attend church. They are our family member........neighbors.........friends.......acquaintances......co-workers...........classmates.
They are lost, they are unchurched. We need to reach them.
Visualize who they are........identify them. See their needs.
II. We Need To Learn The Unchurched.
A man was converted and baptized at the age of twenty-seven. When he was thirty-one years of age he taught a class of Intermediate boys in Sunday school. At that time he had never enrolled in Training Union. It had not occurred to him that he could win a lost soul or that he was even obligated to win others. He did not even know who the lost in his class were. One day a class member, a fine boy fourteen years of age, was killed by lightning. In the home just a few minutes before the funeral the teacher asked the father of the boy, "Are you a Christian?" The father answered: "Not a very good one. I was a member of a church before moving here six years ago, but haven’t joined a church here." Then the teacher asked, "Was your boy a Christian?" The question startled the father and he answered, "I don’t know. Do you know?" The teacher was startled, too, and answered, "No, I do not."
Listen to me tonight.........this is key. If the unchurched are to be reached..........they tell us themselves through the project conducted by Thom Ranier that is must be done by those who know them........it is up to their friends, and family to do it !
If we are to reach the lost, and unchurched, we must develop, and build relationships with them. We must learn their names, their faces, their families, their needs ! And we must learn what we can do to help ! We must show them that we are real.......geuine.....that we can be trusted.
Notice what Christ did in his ministry........Mt 9:10 And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners ? But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.
III. We Must Love The Unchurched !
An old man whose face was hardened and eyes bloodshot by the life of drink came to the rescue mission for a meal and a place to sleep. He was turned away, but then the minister’s conscience bothered him and he went in search of the man, finding him on a cold park bench. The minister told the man he loved him and God loves him. A tear fell down his crusty cheek and he said, "No one has ever told me that since my daughter died, and I turned to drinking."
1 Cor 13:8 Love never fails........V13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
Some churches are comfortable just where they are. They don’t want to be bothered. They are disinterested in reaching the lost, the unchurched. What is wrong........it is because they do not love people !
If we do not have a love for people.......a love for the lost, and unchurched, then our relationship with God is on life support !
Romans 5:5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
It was a bitter cold evening in northern Virginia many years ago. The old man’s beard was glazed by winter’s frost while he waited for a ride across the river. The wait seemed endless. His body became numb and stiff from the frigid north wind.
He heard the faint, steady rhythm of approaching hooves galloping along the frozen path. Anxiously, he watched as several horsemen rounded the bend. He let the first one pass by without an effort to get his attention. Then another passed by, and another. Finally, the last rider neared the spot where the old man sat like a snow statue. As this one drew near, the old man caught the rider’s eye and said, "Sir, would you mind giving an old man a ride to the other side? There doesn’t appear to be a passageway by foot."
Reining his horse, the rider replied, "Sure thing. Hop aboard." Seeing the old man was unable to lift his half-frozen body from the ground, the horseman dismounted and helped the old man onto the horse. The horseman took the old man not just across the river, but to his destination, which were just a few miles away.
As they neared the tiny but cozy cottage, the horseman’s curiosity caused him to inquire, "Sir, I notice that you let several other riders pass by without making an effort to secure a ride. Then I came up and you immediately asked me for a ride. Then I came up and you immediately asked me for a ride. I’m curious why, on such a bitter winter night, you would wait and ask the last rider. What if I had refused and left you there?"
The old man lowered himself slowly down from the horse, looked the rider straight in the eyes, and replied, "I’ve been around these here parts for some time. I reckon I know people pretty good." The old-timer continued, "I looked into the eyes of the other riders and immediately saw there was no concern for my situation. It would have been useless even to ask them for a ride. But when I looked into your eyes, kindness and compassion were evident. I knew, then and there, that your gentle spirit would welcome the opportunity to give me assistance in my time of need."
Those heartwarming comments touched the horseman deeply. "I’m most grateful for what you have said," he told the old man. "May I never get too busy in my own affairs that I fail to respond to the needs of others with kindness and compassion."
With that, Thomas Jefferson turned his horse around and made his way back to the White House.
IV. We Must Lift-Up The Unchurched !
I Timothy 2:1-4, "I exhort therefore, that first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth
To really reach out........we must lift-up !
The music can be right........the preaching can be good. The facilities can be beautiful.........we can have all the programs.......but w/o prayer......we will not be able to reach the unchurched. The lost will not be reached without us lifting them up in prayer
Stirring worship music won’t attract them because worship isn’t even on their radar screen. More comfortable pews cannot compete with the easy chair or the bed that already serve the unchurched person well. Church events cannot effectively compete with what the world has to offer. The only thing the Church can provide that no one else has is a life-changing, practical encounter – and on-going relationship – with the living God and with people transformed by similar encounters. Until such a connection is made, focusing on features, programs and benefits other than such a life-shaping encounter is more likely to lose ground than to gain it.” -Barna Research
Here’s a challenge for you tonight...........
Determine, develop, and be dedicated to a specific time of prayer for the lost ! Specific time of the day........where we ask God lay the lost, and unchurched upon our heart !
Illust. Preaching at the Seafarer’s Center in Mobile Ala.
V. We Must Lead The Unchurched !
John 4
Christ went to where the lost, and unchurched were at. He carried his message to them. He has commissioned we the church to do the same.
