Begin Where The Unchurched Are
BEGIN WHERE THE UNCHURCHED ARE by Ron D. Dempsey
The church has a responsibility to proclaim the Good News in the context of the worldview of the unchurched individual so that it becomes the central component of the unchurched's religiosity. You have to speak to them where they are at the moment
How to relate the Gospel to the Unchurched:
- Take a stand. Churches need to take a stand for Jesus Christ. The unchurched have turned off churches because they perceive churches have relativized Jesus watered down the Gospel and are wishy-washy about truth and conviction. Churches must return to preaching teaching and living biblical truths.
- Give a personal witness. The most effective means of evangelism is personal relationship witnessing. It is more effective than revivals visitation advertising or television. The church needs to train its members in telling their story to people in their sphere of influence.
- Realize that the unchurched are not uninformed. Most unchurched people are not heathens with no awareness of God whatsoever. Instead, most have an elementary understanding of God and sin and need help moving to the point of accepting Christ as Saviour. Most want to grow spiritually but lack the guidance and means.
- Offer classes that deal with the basics of the Christian faith and biblical knowledge. The teacher of this study should be trained in determining where people are in their religious development and sensitive to presenting the information at the appropriate levels.
- Provide a prescribed discipleship program. This should be for new members especially new Christians that will assist them in moving along in their religious development.
- Simplify everything. Be prepared to explain even the most accepted terms of the Christian faith in simple worldly terms.
- Offer video and audiotapes. They can be viewed by non-churchgoers at home so they can progress at their own pace.
- Instill the importance of religious practice. Offer seminars on prayer, scripture reading and personal devotions, teaching them the how-to's as well as the importance of the discipline to one's religious life.
- Remember the world is your competition. Develop a "market attitude" in order to compete against the world. Don't look at other denominations as your competitors.
- Develop a needs-based ministry. Seek to meet the needs of the individual in their own community.
- Be flexible in your organizational structure. Many churches become entrenched in the way they perform the work of the church and idolize the system rather than the Message. The church must be able to adapt in order to remain proactive and up-to-date in its presentation of the Gospel.
- Offer quality childcare. The majority of non-churchgoers will try to reconnect to the church during time when they have young children. They are looking for help in trying to establish in their children a set of values and morals and look to the church for help. Churches must make taking care of children a priority.
- Strive for quality. Churches must begin quality improvement strategies at once. Promotional materials should be of the finest quality programs should be well thought out and only qualified staff and volunteers should be used.
- Use time wisely. Churches must be concerned about the lives of the unchurched and of their own church members. Scheduling of church events must fit into their lives. The church does have a right to expect its members to be committed and to participate in church events but the church also must schedule events in a more economical manner. If an event can take 30 minutes why make it an hour? And above all hold meetings only if they are necessary and make sure that they are well run.
Ron D. Dempsey is assistant dean of Academic Affairs and assistant professor of Sociology at Presbyterian College in Clinton S.C. He works with the South Carolina Baptist Convention as a strategic church consultant.