QUESTION
The pastor wants every leader in our church to commit to attending a Sunday school class and weekly outreach to unchurched people. I agree with him, but I’m hearing grumbling. What should I say to the naysayers?
ANSWER
I agree leaders in the church should demonstrate the importance of faithful attendance and participation in church activities. However, people are also busy, and requiring them to attend “weekly outreach” might be a real stretch of their time. Perhaps your conversation does not need to be with the naysayers as much as with the pastor. Would weekly Sunday school attendance and once-a-month outreach attendance be acceptable? With all the demands on one’s time, and remembering that families are vitally important, perhaps your pastor would be willing to make an adjustment that would be seen as both feasible and reasonable.
QUESTION
My preacher says the longer we’ve been Christians, the harder it is to meet lost people. How do we get some lost people in our church?
ANSWER
Trust me, there is no shortage of lost people in the world! However, the longer a person is a believer, the more he or she will gravitate toward other Christians. Believers often find they have little in common with the unsaved, and feel more comfortable in the company of those who are more like themselves.
The way to meet and build relationships with non-believers is to look for opportunities to interact with them that don’t violate your moral values. Bowling leagues, softball teams, exercise classes, marathon running, motorcycle groups, fishing expos, golf outings, etc., all open the door to building friendships and sharing the gospel message. Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and try something new.
Pat Pajak is IBSA’s associate executive director for evangelism. Send questions for Pat to IllinoisBaptist@IBSA.org.