Engaging Secular People with the Gospel

People Resistant to the Gospel

  There exists “resistant” people -- those seemingly not open to the Gospel, church attendance or spiritual things.  Such must not be written off nor must the faith sharer wait for the “perfect method.”  Neither should resistant people be swamped with Christians, teaching tapes or books.  Instead, they should be offered the “mission of presence”: serving them in any way possible, building bridges, plowing and planting for later harvest.  The faith sharer must be credible for secular people -- then perhaps they will eventually be receptive.

   The faith sharer's approach must not be theological, but basic, in context with the person's experience, culture and language.  Most of all, the testimony must engage human needs.  Thus no single method is universal but every method used must be geared to the audience: secular people need to hear the Gospel on their own terms.

 

The Secular Age

   Secularity (worldliness) is the result of a process known sociologically as “secularization”: “the withdrawal of whole areas of life and thought from control or influence of the church.”  The term originated in the middle ages, when monarchs such as Henry VIII succeeded in stealing the church's property.  The contemporaneous legal term was “to secularize” the property.

   More recently, since the rise of capitalism, the perception of the “money ethic” has been so radically transformed that nobody can pretend any longer that the church has any influence in economic matters at all.  For the dynamic of capitalism is not thrift but greed, “and greedy people now exhaust the earth's resources faster than the earth can replenish them.”  Areas of life that have been secularized include science, literature, education, government, art, architecture, community life, morality, holy days and seasons and the Sabbath.  As an example: Does the reader recall studying the religious aspects of any of these subjects in school?

   Europe has experienced “utter secularity” -- God, church, and religion are utterly ignored in daily routine and public policy.  The United States has a “controlled secularity,” also known as civil religion.  The symbols of Christianity have been maintained but now have pagan meanings and are used for pagan ends.  The United States is not a Christian nation and as long as faith sharers speak to a nation that no longer exists, they will fail in their efforts to enlarge Messiah’s Kingdom.

 

Secular People

   are generally not influenced by Christianity but by a combination of religious thought, philosophies, paganism, life-styles, and unfounded assumptions.  This is known as the “secularization of influence.”  Additionally, secular people thus do not know the meaning of such basic Christian “technical terms” as sin, justification, heaven, kingdom....  This is known as the “secularization of vocabulary.” 

   Furthermore, secular people do not contemplate God or spiritual things, but television personalities, movie and music stars, video games, and romance novels.  This is known as the “secularization of consciousness.”  The extent to which people in the United States and Europe are secularized tends to be shocking and unbelievable to the serious, contemplative Christian.

   Yet secular people are still religious people who have an inherent need for religion “to help explain the meaning of life in ultimate terms,” including those experiences that their secular influence cannot define (such as death, suffering, ecstasy).  People need to be “right with reality,” whatever that means: There are so many options today, including secular and social religions, mysticism, agnosticism, personal definition of religion, nazism, etc.  There is a need for some supernatural explanation to life's liminal experiences, and the sense of cosmic backing for peoples' actions.  The objects upon which secular people confer such authority are idols.

 

Secularization Causes Changes in People

   According to Lord Soper, late British radio personality and evangelist:

1) Secular people are completely ignorant of Christian matters.  At best, a Christian is thought to be “a good person” or a non-smoker, non-drinker.  At worst, an other-worldly deviant fraught with hallucinations and other mental problems (á la Hollywood).

2) Secular people are life oriented rather than death oriented. Until recent times, the life expectancy was only about 35 years. Every sickness was possibly unto death.  Today, people live a long time, and expect the medical trade to insure longetivity.  Sickness no longer equals crisis.  When death comes, it is disguised by the skill of the mortician.  So people want to know how to cope with life; they are not much interested in “going to heaven.”

3)  Secular people who do believe in god do not believe in a forgiving god because they have moved from feeling guilty to feeling doubtful.  Soper believes that one day this era will be named “the age of dubiety.”  “Guilt is the tinder that blazes when the spark of emotion is applied.”  If people do not feel a sense of guilt then evangelization takes longer: it must often consist of a chipping away rather than a simple, one-time transaction.

4)  Although secular people are ignorant of Christianity, they are curious about it.  They perceive the need for a real god, but society no longer provides the answer for the need, therefore secular people are seeking as Yahweh is seeking.  Their curiosity includes questions such as, “Do Christians really live by what they believe?”  “Does religion make a difference in their lives?”  “Could Christianity really change the world somehow?”

5)  Secular people feel no belonging - they are alienated from

a) nature - separated from the soil, rhythm of life, non-human beings,

b) political power - most are powerless living in a quasi welfare state with no legal representation,

c) neighbors - children are taught never to converse with strangers, but to run or “just say no.”

 

Strategies for Communicating the Gospel to Secular People

   1)  Life-oriented people are asking, “What does it mean to be human and what is the purpose for life?”  The answer might be, in various terms, “In Jesus and his mission through the church on can find meaning in living.  Christ is the clue to finding purpose in life.”

   2)  People alienated from God need to know that Christ not only provides fellowship and unity, but the assurance that each special person in known and loved by Yahweh.  As Augustine wrote, “Christ loves each one of us as though there was only one to love.”

   3)  People alienated from power need to know that there are causes to which they can give their lives that will make a difference in the world -- such causes are the “essence of the Kingdom of God.”

   Christ has a special purpose for each human being, and that purpose is to be played out in conjunction with other persons of like mind.  People united in Christ yet diverse in talents and gifts can do more to improve the world than the sum total of their abilities for Jesus is alive and energizes the process.  Secular people may find such needs as described above fulfilled in great measure by taking part in Kingdom-style activities and fellowships.  This is the basis of the “inductive missions model” of evangelism described in a previous chapter.

 

The Grand Strategy of Evangelism: Discover Receptive People

   1) Receptive people are people who are now open and ready to really consider the Christian possibilities for their lives.  Yahweh prepares certain “harvests” of people and desires to send faith sharers into these harvests.

Luke 10:2 Jesus said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, hut the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

Some of the soil is promised to be receptive to the seed, having ears to hear the message.

Mark 4:95 And Jesus said, “Let anyone with ears to hear listen:”

Others will not be receptive at the time of their visitation.

Luke 9:4,5 “Whatever house you enter, stay there, and leave from there. Wherever they do not welcome you, as you are leaving that town shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.”

Why are some receptive?  Because events or circumstance for a person (or a people) opens doors for previously screened-out messages, and the Holy Spirit works through events or circumstances of peoples’ lives to “warm hearts.”

John 6:44 No one can come to me unless drawn by the Father who sent me; and I will raise that person up.

The major strategy the faith sharer must employ is to locate those whom the Father is drawing to himself.

   2)  There is an urgency!  Donald McGavran believes that the world and each society is a mosaic of peoples, cultures, and subcultures.  At any one time, some tiles in the colored mosaic are “warm” to some facet of the Gospel, others are resistant or “cool.”  Others are degrees of one or the other.  The tiles do not remain the same color forever, but fluctuate.  Receptivity waxes and wanes, is in and out like the tide, yet no one can guarantee any piece will again become warm after cooling.  Faith sharers must identify warm tiles!

   3)  And the method employed in sharing the Gospel must fit the audience, for “responsiveness is related to approach.”  If the church is friendly, it will find responsive people.  If it is cold and indifferent, the people in its ministry area will also be cold.  Factors that inform the right approach include

a) genuine friendliness that is interested and affirming,

b) assimilation of persons into worship, group life, leadership,

c) preaching and teaching at the appropriate level and in the vernacular -- that faith in Christ is good news, not propaganda,

d) the message and ministry engage the deep needs of the people,

e) there must be no class or socioeconomic intimidation -- one's economic or political philosophy must not be important to fellowship,

f) who reaches out in important – best results are obtained from friends, relatives, acquaintances, and neighbors (F.R.A.N. plan), and

g) the more receptivity is revealed, the more one should visit and reinforce it.

   4)  Some Christians are intentionally placed by our Heavenly Father among the resistant.  If so, the faith sharer's ministry must be a one of presence, service, seed sowing.  Never swamp or badger.  Presence is important, for if and when one does become receptive, it must be discerned as quickly as possible.

   5)  Indicators of people turning to faith include

a) dissatisfaction with selves; one's needs are unmet or some new satisfaction is desired,

b) when culture is changing, people look for new foundations -- currently, marriage and family, politics, and general American culture is changing rapidly,

c) individual stress forces new ways to cope,

d) “the masses are responsive to the classes,”

e) when people look to non-Christian religions, they are “warm” to the Gospel.

   6)  Guidelines to discovering receptive Americans include: 

a) The leading of the Holy Spirit through prayer.  One never “coincidentally” discovers receptive persons, but those receptive to the gospel are drawn by the grace of God as a moth is drawn to a candle, 

b) People who attend church are receptive, or they wouldn't be there.  But they are often overlooked.  “One may not see the trees for the forest.” 

c) People who have lost faith in something (those who are “between idols”) are usually receptive.

d) If any church, philosophy, or religion is growing, the church should reach out and make discipleship an option.  Hunter recounts a dialog with a young Hare Krishna devotee at an airport.

Devotee: All the handsome gentlemen are wearing carnations today.  May I give you one?

Hunter: Yes, you may.  But look - you're into this now – but it will leave you hollow later.  When that happens, call me collect any time.  (He gives her a business card.)

Devotee: (trembling) Thank you, Mr. Hunter.  I just might do that .

Hunter sensed that the girl was already aware of that “hollowness,” but had no alternative at the time.

e) Likes attract likes -- the “homogenous units” in the church will attract others of similar homogenous units.  People who have the same basic backgrounds, lifestyles, and economic and social status will draw similar types of receptive people through the cumulative effect of repeated contacts, 

f) Receptive people have needs.  Identify needs that the church can fulfill.  People who perceive that the church is fulfilling needs better than other organizations will be attracted to the church.  People who are helped should be incorporated into ministries that help. 

g) Identify target areas for new ministries. Most churches develop a “specialty” in ministry.  As Robert Schuler has learned, “The secret to success is to find a need and fill it.” 

h) Reach out within the social network of active Christians and new converts - make “bridges of God.”  Non-Christians are more receptive to kin and friends than strangers.  Church growth begins by reaching cross-culturally into previously unreached territory then church growth accelerates as new Christians reach out to friends, neighbors, acquaintances, and relatives.

i) Reach out to persons in transition.  Transitions include adolescence, college attendance, armed forces, first or new job, marriage, new child, empty nest syndrome, moving, termination at work, job advancement, separation, divorce, remarriage, bereavement.  The strategy behind reaching the receptive is to “reach out to the undiscipled in proportion to their relative receptivity.” 

   There are 5 classes of undiscipled in the community:

1) receptive

2) interested

3) indifferent

4) resistant

5) hosti1e.

Classify each prospect, then visit

1) the receptive every 2 weeks

2) the interested every 4 weeks

3) the indifferent every 6 weeks

4) the resistant every 2 months

5) the hostile every season.

As peoples' receptivity changes, reclassify them.

Pulling It All Together

   Effective continuing outreach and growth can only take place through organizing the congregation for that purpose.  Criteria for effectiveness must Include at least the following three:

a) All essential tasks in the total outreach enterprise must be defined,

b) Members must be matched according to perceived gifts and graces,

c) the result must be growth of new disciples joining the church from the world.

Any system that “ought to work” but doesn't must be discarded.

   Wait to Receive Power; then, if you dare:

1) Make a discipleship survey, going door-to-door in target areas -- “Are you currently attending any Christian congregation or group in this community?”  If the answer is no, file name and address in “prospects file.”  Such canvassing is the first step in getting new evangelists involved in further evangelism.

 

2) Begin record-keeping using a card file and database.  Add receptivity index later, as well as geographic target area.

 

3) Begin training session for evangelism, 

a) Use scripture and theological principles,

 

b) model a local church engaged in the same process (see Richard Armstrong's The Oak Lane Story),

 

c) the method of evangelism to be employed must be consistent with the theological tradition of the church, and must continue only if it is effective.

 

d) Practice and use role-playing techniques and observation.  The object is to make as many new friends as possible.

  

4) Establish evangelism support groups, because evangelism is threatening and risky work: meet as a group before going out then again immediately after.

 

5) Pray for empowerment. Evangelism is primarily the work of the Holy Spirit and is only secondarily the work of the church. 

 

Go Into Your World to achieve presence - the purpose is to get to know people, be known by people, identify with people, demonstrate care, build friendships and bridges of God.

 

   6) Telephone ministry is the least threatening form of “going.”  Telephone people who have birthdays and who have been visitors.  Phone shut-ins, both to minister and to be ministered unto.

 

   7) Door-to-door friendly visits establish credibility, trust and friendship, and help the evangelist to discover needs.

 

   8) Offering the services of the church to people will meet needs.  Start new ministries as needed -- day care, mother's night out, meals-on-wheels, parent effectiveness programs, special groups, or as, “how can we help you?”

 

   9) Visit those who have visited church -- such are the most receptive of people. Telephone them the afternoon of the visit, visit their homes during the week, then regularly afterward.

 

  10) Call on inactive members -- they are worth re-activating, although they may be the most resistant because they often feel “the church left them. . . . “

 

Note 2007:  Since writing this chapter, I have learned that emailing new "warm" acquaintances or passing along a website is very effective, too.  If electronic resources are engaging to a secular person (even if religion is not), then there is a chance that the stone will become warmer.

 

Source:

George Hunter, The Contagious Congregation, Abingdon Press, 1982.