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“Spreading the Gospel in the Twenty-First Century by Justin Guin”
Are we organized around a mission or are we organized around an antiquated ministry model inherited from a previous generation? Please understand I'm not being critical of previous methods of evangelism. This question comes from a study of great preachers and missionaries of the past in the Lord's church. One characteristic I noticed from this study was their willingness to effectively preach the gospel in their current generation/culture. Whether it was abroad or stateside, any resource available at the time was put to use. Souls were saved and the borders of the kingdom were spread.
What about us in the twenty-first century? Culture has changed, as it always does, and so we must evaluate our methodology in reaching our world today. Again, understand that I am not talking about altering the message. Under no circumstance do we have the authority to weaken or change the the gospel to make it more palatable. As a matter of fact, it has been proven our postmodern culture rejects a watered-down gospel. What are some things we need to consider as we strive to reach the lost?
- We need to be careful about promoting “event” based Christianity. Yes, we have several events every year. These are wonderful tools to grow and edify the congregation. But, if we are not careful our mission strategy becomes more about the event and not the gospel. An event (i.e., gospel meetings, VBS, ladies’ day) may get someone here initially but follow up is the key. This leads to me my next point.
- We need to focus on relationships. We are relationship driven. If a person is not connected to at least five people, they will not be faithful to worship and will not participate in the work of the church. Do we realize that Paul recognized this in the first-century? Titus 2:1-2 instructs the older to mentor the younger. We need more of this in the church.
- We must utilize the power of technology and social media. I’m not a fan of most social media platforms. However, it is part of our world and can be an effective tool. If you have noticed our world, both old and young, are tuned into social media. Are we using it effectively in the mission of the church? I know I could do a better job.
Whatever methodology we use to preach the gospel, we need to utilize it effectively. God has given us the treasure of the gospel in an earthen vessel (2 Cor. 4:7). We are challenged to be faithful stewards of the everlasting gospel (1 Cor. 4:1-2).
