Today while meeting with my Pastor and Sunday School director, we observed that our church is not good at welcoming new faces. At times, people visit us and they do not feel welcome.
I suggested this is a symptom of not having a heart for the lost. When by the grace of God a lost person shows up at our church, every member should be concerned for the soul of that visitor. That concern should reveal itself in many ways, none of which result in the person feeling unwelcome.
Focusing on developing a heart for the lost is a far better focus that training people in kindness. Not only will this help make disciples of those that enter our church, but will help us have a heart for the whole world. Our hearts must be broken for the lost so that we can become a great commission church.
I’d like to open up the comments here to hear what you think a church should do help their members develop a heart for the lost.
-Jason Smathers
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I think part of it begins with how lost people are talked about by church leaders, especially in the pastor’s preaching. If lost people are continually talked about as “the problem”, “the people who don’t get it and are ruining our great country,” or are insulted in order to get more amens in sermons, we shouldn’t be surprised if the people in the pew catch that more than any exhortations we give on other days to love them.
That’s just one thing. I’m looking forward to seeing some of the other ideas!
.-= Josh C´s last blog ..“Justification and Variegated Nomism” =-.
In lots of churches I’ve been in, those churches are mostly populated by people who’ve never moved, who’ve always lived in that particular community, and have attended that church. They don’t understand what it’s like to be a new person, and we all often forget what it was like to be lost.
I think our pastor does a good job of often reminding believers that we were once blind but by God’s grace we see. We are reminded often that 50k people live within five minutes of our church, and that most of them are probably not believers. However, I think we might have a tendency to see a lost person as a project rather than a person. People don’t walk into church with a lost sign over them, and we need to take time to develop relationships first.
i think developing a heart for the lost starts with developing a heart for God, a heart to seek Him and His ways and his revealed plans for the church and for those who would follow after Christ. since God loves the world and pursues the lost, following Him seems like the right way to develop a heart for the lost.
the danger with my suggestion, though, is that sometimes we try to get the vertical relationship right without putting enough effort into the horizontal relationships, i.e. other human beings.
good topic
.-= mike´s last blog ..some archaeological updates =-.
I echo Mike, while adding that developing a heart for God at some point MUST include loving the nations as he loves them.
Great topic.
My church is having the same conversation and sadly I didn’t even think to look at the deeper issue!
It starts at the top. The Pastor, the staff, and the lay leadership have to exhibit the desire for the lost, rather than a desire to do programs designed to reach the lost.
Second, it comes from educating the congregation. Congregations, for the most part, have been trained only to jump in and help during outreach campaigns and/or major programs, yet they have no clue how to engage their neighbor, their coworker, fellow student, etc. which is where churches are meeting the new people. Congregations have to be trained and expectations have to be placed on them.
Lastly, methods. Doing things the same way that were done twenty to forty years and expecting different results is the height of lunacy. Notice that I did not say message, just methods ought to be changed and/or updated. I would say streamline the weekly list of events and eliminate or expand whatever programs need this attention. And do these things with excellence, don’t integrate media into your worship service and trust savvy high school kids to do it, go out and hire someone and do it right the first time. Do all things with excellence, not just with good intentions. Less headaches this way.
There must be a burden for the lost, a broken heart for their dark and dead condition. We need as the hymn says to weep over the lost. Not many agonize for lost souls and for the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. My prayer is that God would lay some souls on our hearts tonight and put us in agony for they’re salvation. Also we need an agony for the cause of our Lord Jesus as He is much dishonored today even by we who want to represent Him in truth (I say this with a sense of grief for my own failures to be as concerned for His glory and the good of souls as I should be). God help all of us to fall on our knees and our faces before the throne of grace and cry out in desperation for Divine help in our witnessing. Sooner or later, the anointing, the help, must come. Then, and only then, will we begin to see this society change for the better.
.-= Dr. James Willingham´s last blog ..The Climax of the Reformation =-.
Jason,
I believe a church can develop a heart for the lost in numerous ways:
The pastor needs to often preach salvation and the need to reach the lost.
Preaching and teaching should include how to share the plan of salvation to the lost. I still like the Roman Road (Romans 3:23; 6:23; 5:8; 10:9-10, 13).
Tracts can be made available that present the plan of salvation. Explain ways to use these tracts.
If you use LifeWay Sunday School literature, point out how each Sunday School book includes the plan of salvation so they can learn it and share it with others. Each issue of my state paper, the Southern Baptist Texan, includes the plan of salvation.
The preacher should preach on Heaven; he should also preach on Hell.
Drive home the fact that even “good” people go to Hell; the only way of salvation is personal faith in Jesus.
The pastor, staff, deacons, and church leaders can model a concern for the lost by living a witnessing, soul-winning lifestyle.
Praise those who win souls, invite and bring folks to church, and welcome visitors.
Give to missions.
The pastor and Sunday School teachers need to regularly share the gospel in their preaching and teaching. Assume there are lost folks in your audience.
Make it a big deal when someone gets saved. After all, it is a big deal.
David R. Brumbelow
.-= David R. Brumbelow´s last blog ..Squanto, an American Joseph: A Thankgiving Story =-.
Thanks for all the good ideas everyone. I have come up with a few action items for myself:
1) Before every Sunday School lesson, share my witnessing encounters from the week with the class. Ask others to also share, keeping a log of people we can add to a visitation list and think up other ways to reach out to those in the lives of my class members.
2) Begin participating in the efforts of The Las Vegas Outreach Team and encouraging others in my church to come along. After doing this several times, consider forming a similar ministry closer to home (Las Vegas is 2 hours away).
3) Prayer. Include the lost in public prayer more often. Being specific with people God has laid on my heart.
.-= Jason Smathers´s last blog ..Children’s Catechism Lesson: Creation =-.
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