In my last post, I explored ways we can build relationships with non-believers and then engage them with the gospel.
Today we continue exploring what keeps us from modeling Paul’s activity in Athens — reach out, build relationships with folks, and then engage them with the gospel where they are on a daily basis.
4 Stumbling Blocks to Everyday Evangelism and How to Remove Them
(2) Our Idea of Christian Growth
It’s a common idea in the church community to equate growing in our knowledge of the Bible with Christian growth. Growing as a Christian, however, doesn’t just mean growing in biblical knowledge. It is that, but also much more. It involves us growing in our love for God and others. As well as it involves us growing in our ability and desire to serve others and spread the gospel.
Since we often equate Christian growth with growth in biblical knowledge, we fill our schedules with church events, Bible studies, and meetings with other Christians.
While those things are good and necessary, they can hinder everyday evangelism. You see, if we are always meeting with Christians, we aren’t going to have the relational capacity to meet non-believers, nor are we going to have the time.
Don’t Load Your Schedule with Church Activities
So one way to make some time is not to load our schedules with church activities. I, and the other teachers and leaders at my church, put a lot of effort into the things we do every week. As much as I want all these things to be well attended, I would rather a member say no to some of them so they will have time to hang out with a non-believer and build the gospel into their lives.
So if our schedule is so full of church activities that we don’t have time to meet any non-believers, or minister to them, then we need to pull back a little bit.
Being a disciple isn’t just about attending church, being a disciple is instead about making disciples.
Making disciples is what God has called us to do. If we have the opportunity to make disciples, then we need to take the opportunity given and skip the church activity.
Now, I have to be careful here because I don’t want to give you the impression I am advocating anyone quit attending church altogether, nor for you to start skipping church events so you can sit home in your recliner. We need to be involved in our churches. We need each other. We need Christian community. We need to learn God’s Word, so we shouldn’t completely blow church off. However, we shouldn’t let church activities consume our life so much so that we don’t have time to engage non-believers, build relationships, and speak the truth of the gospel into their lives.
Question for Reflection
- Do you agree that too much church can hinder us from making disciples?
- How do you find the balance between church activities and making disciples?
Resources
Post adapted from the sermon: Spread the Gospel – Growth Through Discipleship – Week 5
Christianity Matters 
“Making disciples is what God has called us to do. If we have the opportunity to make disciples, then we need to take the opportunity given and skip the church activity.”
Well said & sooo true!!!!
I’ve found the reality to be more sinister than this! Many churches deliberately have activity-laden weeks which flat out border on excessive.
And behind all the xtian speak..most are simply designed to:
(1) Ensnare Loyalty & maintain membership no’s (by reducing their exposure to other activities)…no life outside church means…….
(2) Some there are who erroneously collect offerings at every single meet/activity use these activities as fund raising drives!
(3) Sadly in my experience-i find Christians in such churches to be quite weak, the adverse effect being that they rarely have enough time to spend on their own personal walk/time with God…..& they are fed the lie that serving the church always = serving the Lord……
P.s
There was a massive impartation of gifts at the meet & that was also another eye opener to the tepid approach to church life for many. It was an awesome field meet..(God be praised)
Tx for the tip on gauging their temp..was very sound advice!
I am glad the advice helped.
Thanks for the encouragement on the post. I think your observations are good. While we need church and a community of believers often that takes the place of meeting the unchurched. We need to, as a community, work to meet unbelievers together and build into them. Our focus has to be external and not internal. That is hard, even for me, because we are the most comfortable in the church, but we have to move out and into the community.
Reblogged this on Pickering Post.
Thankfully we have a pastor who keeps this stumbling block in mind & maintains a fairly low amount of church activities in the weekly calendar. He’s always reminding us to get out into the world, out of the church building to engage with the world, with our workmates & neighbours in meaningful ways, building relationship & naturally sharing the Gospel in a respectful way, leaving the results to the Holy Spirit. It’s a healthy balanced approach.
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