If you want to evaluate how outwardly-focused you are, try this simple exercise for yourself. Pastors: Perhaps even with your congregation.
FOR THE SAKE OF THIS PRACTICE, TRY TO DO THE EXERCISES STEP-BY-STEP BEFORE PROCEEDING TO THE NEXT STEP.
Step 1. Take a sheet of paper or type on your phone, and list the names of 10 believers with whom you are close enough you could share a prayer concern with them today. Take the time now to list these names, and thank God for each of them.
Step 2. On that same sheet of paper or your phone, now list the names of 10 non-believers (as far as you know) with whom you are close enough you could share the gospel with them today:
What do you learn from this exercise?
In most cases, here’s the result: many believers can’t list 10 non-believers with whom they have a strong relationship (with the exception of believers whose family members are not yet saved). Here’s my conclusion, in fact: the longer a person is a believer, and the higher a person goes up the leadership ladder of a church, the less likely it is he/she will know well 10 non-believers.
The implications are clear.
A congregation that really does not know lost people won’t win many lost people to Christ. And, that issue begins with church folks who themselves are disconnected from non-believers. Evangelism seldom happens when we live inside the Christian bubble.
This article originally appeared here.
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