A Common Problem With Christian “Witnessing”


Often the problem with our witness as Christians is that we don’t love the people we’re witnessing to.

My wife shared with me how as she and our son were leaving Walmart they were approached by two people saying, “What church do you attend?” And, after saying a bit more they handed her a flyer and invited them to their church.

She called me immediately after and said, “I guess they were well meaning, but why does it bother me so bad?”

I submit because there was no love.

Part of love is honor. And, honor is an acknowledgement of worth.

The spirit of this particular approach my wife experienced was, “You lack something that you need me to give to you.” It’s presumptuous, accusatory and dishonoring.

Now what would this encounter look like if it were someone I actually honored? What if it were Warren Buffett or Jeff Bezos I were talking to?

Now if this were Warren Buffett of Jeff Bezos, my approach would be one of honor and accommodation. I’d go to them rather than expect them to come to me. I’d clear my calendar and would make room for them whenever they could grace me with their presence in hope of just being in their company and getting some small shred of insight into how I might attain the wealth that they have.

For believers Jesus is our treasure. Ephesians 4:8 says “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men”. He distributed this heavenly wealth as precious expressions of His person to the redeemed, giving to some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors, some teachers… (Ephesians 4:11-12)

The point being that there’s a potential of some insight into the unsearchable riches of Christ available through every person you meet that you won’t get any other way! Oh, what tremendous value and worth that person represents!

It would transform our ministry if we approached people in excited anticipation of what glimpse of Christ we may glean through them.

But first, we have to address that our values are misplaced and repent. A lack of honor is a dead give-away that we perceive a person lacks worth.

Jesus said our treasure should not be on earth but that when we value what He value and honor those He loves with even a cup of cold water, we’ll have treasure in heaven. Jesus thought that person you are talking to at any given moment was worth the cross.

Engage accordingly.

Honor all people. (1 Peter 2:17)

And for the record, I’m also preaching to me.

Beware Cultural Christianity

Paul Luckett | Brainflurry.com Unity Is Not Conformity

Cultural Christianity is the reduction of Christianity to an identity.

Cultural Christians share language, conventions, and practices around Christian themes but do not recognize the deity of Christ nor submit to His authority as evidenced by their dissimilarity to His Biblical account.

The key characteristic of Cultural Christianity is the preeminence of the group. Cultural Christians prioritize membership to the group above submission to Christ.

Being a Cultural Christian does not require regeneration, belief or any lifestyle change besides participating in group-sanctioned activities that signal their affiliation. Membership is granted on the basis of conformity to the group.

Cultural Christianity adds members largely through cultural assimilation: the often unconscious adoption of the positions and behaviors of others whose acceptance is desired. It seeks cultural belonging and influence, not the Kingdom.

Beware #CulturalChristianity

Until I Get My Life Right

lost-places-1646374_1920

What I hear more than anything as I encounter people who consider themselves “unchurched”, is a reluctance to come to worship “until I get my life right.” Surprisingly, there is an element of this that is good theology and demonstrates a knowledge of God that many “churched” folks have lost as a result of their religion: God is holy and I must be holy or in “right standing” to enter into His presence. That’s truth.

But, here’s the good news (the gospel): God loves you so much and is so committed to being with you, that even before the beginning, He architected an ingenious Way for you to be in His presence without compromising His holiness. He provided a Savior able to pay the debt required for our sin and thereby making us able to be in right-standing (righteous). Not only that, but when we believe Christ, we’re given a new heart, HIS heart, a seed that grows unto a new spiritual man and empowers us to put to death our former, godless appetites. And, as we undergo the process of being re-made to look more and more like a Son of the Father (sanctification), we enter the presence of God by the blood (the work and person) of Christ. As a result, when God sees you, He sees His Son in whom He is well pleased so that you can dwell boldly in His presence. Hallelujah! #TheDoorOfTheChurchIsOpen

In loving memory of the greatest teacher of grace I’ve ever known, my mentor and friend, Dr. Gregory Wilson Jones.