Yesterday I presented what I think is the first main reason “Bring a Friend to Church” events usually fail to achieve the intended purpose for the event. Today, I am going to present what I think is the second main reason for the ineffectiveness of these special Sundays.
The other main reason “Bring a Friend to Church” events don’t work as intended is because most church members are not gifted in evangelism. Not only are most church members not gifted in evangelism, most church members are not even particularly outgoing. Many of the people who attend church regularly come to church to make friends and see friends; not bring friends. It is much more difficult for the typical believer to make friends and form meaningful relationships outside of church.
Since evangelism is a spiritual gift that most believers don’t receive, and since most people would rather make new friends at church, it is very misguided for church leaders to continue to send believers out attempting to make new friends and then invite them to church. The typical person who is not a church leader knows how manipulative and uncomfortable it feels to invite anyone other than a close friend or family member to their own church. Therefore, church leaders are actually discouraging members and hurting true evangelism by pressuring the members to bring someone new to church with them.
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2 comments:
I could have an earful for you on this one. I agree, these things DON'T work!!! It is just another plea to make non-believers have to conform to us. We are a bunch of hypocrites! We are telling them, that in order for Christ to change their life, they have to come to a place--NOT! WE are the church! Jesus went TO the people! This is where I diagree with you. We are called to be embassadors (2 Cor. 5:19-20)for Christ. If we are ambassadors, we are his liasons here on earth and we should be "making friends" with everyone. If that includes inviting them to church, we should. But more than anything, we should be SHOWING Christ to them! There is no need for fancy evangelical outlines or tracks. Just you and your testimony! We should be praying for, caring for them and sharing Him.
I didn't complete my thought in the first line of my comment to the first part of this subject. "Pack a Pew" evangelism rarely works because it is not the gospel. The good news is that in Jesus Christ our sins have been paid for, the Father's just and righteous demands for payment for sin have been satisfied in Jesus. The gospel is not come to church! If someone does come into the gathering of the body, they are to be met with a welcome that befits the love shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit as believers in Jesus Christ and, then, with a meeting that glorifies Him because we KNOW Him as displayed in our sense of community, our study and understanding of the Scriptures, our sharing in the communion of our Lord, and our heart felt prayers for one another to know the wonders that are ours as heirs of the grace of God through Jesus Christ.
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