Reaching the Unchurched 1

     Have you given up hope for your spouse, son, daughter, neighbor, boss or co-worker coming to Christ? Did you realize that God hasn’t given up on people? “He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come unto repentance.” There never has been anyone yet that God didn’t love and couldn’t change and transform. It bothers me when I ignore someone’s destiny and eternity. I must never get so busy that I forget that everyone in life will spend their eternity somewhere. Not everybody is going to that place called Heaven. And yes, there really is a physical place called Hell. Do we care? Are we concerned? Do we have a sense of Urgency?

Tom Rainer wrote a book that places the Unchurched into five categories.

·           The U5 is highly resistant to the gospel, antagonistic attitude. (5% of America)

·           The U4 is resistant to the gospel but not an antagonistic attitude.(21% of America)

·           The U3 is neutral, perhaps open to discussion. (36% of America)

·           The U2 is receptive to the gospel and to the church. (27% of America)

·           The U1 is highly receptive to the gospel. (11% of America)

The fact is that 74% of Americans are open to hearing and perhaps receiving Christ as their Lord. The sad statistic according to the Rainer Study is that only 21% of the church ever invites anyone to church. The big question is, “WHY?” Have we become complacent, unconcerned and uncompassionate? Have we gotten so busy with life that we have forgotten we are called to take the Gospel to the lost?

 I don’t want to be like the Priest or Levite, too busy with my own life, with no time to stop and help someone in a crisis. Most people come to the Lord during a crisis. Have we been intimidated by the 26 % who have no interest in the Lord? I’m not saying that the 26% of America is “hopeless” but let’s not use them as an EXCUSE for not taking the Gospel of Christ to those who are open.Yet, 82% indicated that they would be at least “somewhat likely” to attend church if invited.  Have you invited anyone lately?

I encourage you to take a hard look at what is standing in your way of reaching out to those who could be in that 74% who are open and receptive to the Gospel. Say with me today, “I refuse to be part of the nearly 80% of the church who never invites anyone to the House of God”.

God has commissioned each of us to be a "LIGHT of HOPE". Who do you know today that is a U1, highly receptive? A U2 who is also receptive to hearing the news that He is the hope in their darkness? Let this be the year that you become an instrument in His hand to share that the same Jesus who changed and transformed your life can do the same for anyone, anywhere, and anytime.

Reaching the Unchurched - video message