ChurchVenture: What are we inviting people to?

Thursday, January 15, 2009

What are we inviting people to?

I just read a very challenging blog post by Ed Stetzer which opens with a gripping line "I continue to see movements gaining traction among Christians that do not seem to have many converts". Ouch! That line got me hooked to his challenging article. I am now asking myself if we have replaced the gospel with a way of doing church? And, are secondary issues (like spiritual gifts) taking place over primary issues (like sharing our faith)?

This subject is at the core of church planting and it is something I have been thinking about a lot in the past month. I recently blogged about church planting evangelism as I have found a fresh zeal for sharing my faith with people. Since Dec 19th I have shared my faith with 11 people and I have come to discover that there is nothing more exciting and worth celebrating than telling people about the amazing GRACE of Jesus and inviting them to follow him.

Please read Stetzers post if you want to be challenged.

2 comments:

Unknown said...: I'm an evangelist thinking through the same issues right now. I wrote a post this week titled, "Did Jesus die so that we would just invite people to an event?"

Check it out at: http://www.gulfchurch.com/blog; January 15, 2009 at 12:30 PM
Oliver said...: Heh. Here's my thoughts on what you said: http://www.plantingonfaith.com/2009/01/15/the-beginnings-of-a-church-plant-who-needs-saving/

Thanks for spurring me to think!; January 15, 2009 at 12:56 PM

North America needs more churches:

85% of churches are plateaued or declining ^[ref]
Each year 3,750 churches close. Only 1,300 start ^[ref]
80% of Americans are "Christian" ^[ref], only 21% relate to church ^[ref]
FACT: Not enough churches exist to reverse the current trend
Starting new churches was the strategy of Jesus' first followers ^[ref]
Studies show new churches are the most effective way to engage the unchurched & re-energize existing churches ^[ref]
More reasons for starting new churches [PDF article]

Churches worldwide are growing:

China went from 1.5 to 90 million Christians in the last 40 years ^[ref]
Christianity in Vietnam grew 600% over the last decade ^[ref]
In the last 100 years Korea went from 1% to 40% Christian ^[ref]
In the last 100 years Africa went from 9% to 55% Christian ^[ref]

Churches benefit society because:

Church volunteers give over $6 billion to charities each year ^[ref]
In the last 30 years church volunteers helped build houses for over 1 million low income people ^[ref]
Couples who consistently relate to a church have the lowest divorce risk ^[ref]. Kids raised inside marriage disproportionately have better health, education & suffer less from substance abuse & violence ^[ref]
Church volunteers helping prisoners complete faith programs dramatically reduces re-incarceration to 8%, vs. non-completes 36.3% ^[ref]
Youth with high church involvement have lower rates of serious crime than those from "good areas" ^[ref]
Churches support over 4,000 crisis pregnancy centers ^[ref]
Too many other things to mention

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Thursday, January 15, 2009

What are we inviting people to?

2 comments:

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North America needs more churches:

Churches worldwide are growing:

Churches benefit society because:

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