Finding the 'best' way to reach out to non-Christians has been hotly debated for a long time. Over the past 20 years, ministry fads and movements have come and gone. One of the biggest points of contention is where should the Church start? Some say that churches should develop the best programs and make their fellowships inviting to outsiders. Others say that we should not wait for the lost to come to us but should go to them. These two camps throw darts at each other making it seem as if both approaches cannot work together. Some chant, "Go! Go!" Others yell, "Grow! Grow!"
I doubt if either strategy can really work without the other. Most churches tend to focus well on one but not the other. Some churches evangelize thousands but never seem to move the people beyond the diaper stage. Others are full of ‘mature' Christians with closed hearts always looking inward and never outward.
Seekers and new Christians tend to add life and excitement just like a newborn baby does to a family. But at the same time a fellowship full of surface level Christians is as productive and peaceful as a room full of babies with stinky diapers and only a few adults to change them.
The question of where should the church put its focus is a complex one. Let's say that I have one free evening every week to dedicate to building the kingdom of God. Would it be better to serve as a leader in a church-based Royal Rangers ministry full of Christian boys or a local Boy Scout troop consisting of mainly non-churched boys from the community? There may be legitimate needs in both opportunities. Many in the church would likely pressure me to help out the church kids. Others may say that there is no set right answer it all depends on what I believe that God lays on my heart.
The Boy Scouts would provide me an opportunity to reach out to boys that may never ever enter a church. However, there may be limitations on what I can share during a typical meeting because the Boy Scouts tends to be more ‘tolerant' of all religious beliefs.
The most disturbing thought is that there may be little difference in the level of spiritual hunger between those youth in Rangers and Scouts. Sometimes it can be hard to distinguish Christian youth from those in the world. Is this because the world is not that bad or the churched kids are not that good?
Oddly, the youth in the Scouts may be more open to seek God because they may more readily recognize their need for something greater than themselves. Many 'Christian' kids think they are pretty good because they don't cuss, smoke or do other socially unacceptable sins. The boy or teen sunk in the mire of the world may be more willing to yield to the power of God because they are more broken. Pride can blind us to our need and cause even the most learned saint to depend on his own strength. Truth be told, Christians must never leave the foot of the cross. Apart from the mothership, we are powerless to counteract our own destructful nature or the enemy.
If we are aliens living on a planet that is not our home, what is the best way to colonize the Earth for Jesus? It seems like we need a base of operations (church fellowships) while exploration and contact teams go out to interact with the natives. We don't use ray guns to conquer the planet. Christians use the amazing power of God's love. Some may be tasked with building up the base and training the troops. Others may be explorers. Others may be ambassadors, part of the holy contact team.
Let the invasion begin!
