Dr. Larry Moyer – Are Evangelical Church Attendees Right or Wrong?

The Associated Press on Monday, June 23, 2008, released a statement that caught the attention of millions, Christians and non-Christians alike. The statement read, “Among the most startling numbers in the survey conducted last year by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life: 57% of evangelical church attendees said they believe many religions can lead to eternal life, in conflict with traditional evangelical teaching.”

Once again, the issue comes back to a very simple question. Is Jesus Christ the One He said He was? If He was, the evangelical church attendees could not be more wrong. If He wasn’t, anything evangelical church attendees say has as much authority and credibility as what He said.

He declared, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:26). If He was indeed the Son of God and the only one who can extend eternal life, then there is no other way to God except through Him. If He wasn’t the Son of God, what He said about being the only way to God is of no value whatsoever.

How do we know if He was who He said He was? The issue is bigger than the Bible. It’s the resurrection and the empty tomb the third day. That is the issue on which everything Christ said stand or falls. The Bible declares itself ot be the Word of God, without error or mistake (II Timothy 3:16, II Peter 1:20, 21). But the proof behind the empty tomb is far wider than the Bible. In fact the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the most attested fact of history. Thomas Arnold, who was author of a three volume history of Rome and appointed to the Chair of Modern History of Oxford said, “I know of no one fact in the history of mankind which is proved by letter and fuller evidence of every sort to the understanding of a fair inquirer than that Christ died and rose again from the dead.”

Therefore, before anyone, anywhere can say, “There are many religions that can lead to eternal life,” they must disprove the empty tomb of Christ. So far, nobody has. In fact, I personally do know of one person who objectively studied the evidence behind the empty tomb that did not become a believer. That means they came to God as sinners, recognized Jesus Christ paid for their sins on a cross and rose again, and trusted Christ alone as their only way to heaven.

Effective Evangelism through the Local Church

If the church does not use today to reach non-Christians, we are missing a prime opportunity. The one word written across the faces of many non-Christians is the word insecurity. They are insecure about their jobs, investments, health, safety and their marriages. This is the day to tell them of the One in whom a relationship is so secure no one or nothing can change it.

To impact non-Christians in 2008 through the local church, every message a pastor gives cannot be directed to non-Christians. If it were, he would have a church full of infant Christians – people who know how to enter the Christian life but have never learned how to live it. But at the same time, if believers have genuine relationships with non-Christians, unbelievers should be frequenting church services on a regular basis.

How does one appeal to lost people in a non-evangelistic setting such as a Sunday morning service where the message is directed towards believers, not unbelievers? Articles two through five in this series on “Effective Evangelism through the Local Church” offer several suggestions that pastors throughout the nation have found beneficial understanding that the sermon is not the only place to make the appeal to the lost.

Dr. Haddon W. Robinson on Relationships with Non-Christians

It has been said that it does not take new believers very long to distance themselves from their non-Christian friends and neighbors after their salvation experience. What a tremendous witnessing opportunity he or she is missing as a result of the misguided influence of self-righteous Christians. Are we supposed to be “set apart” and pursue holiness to the extreme that we miss the opportunity to tell of the same grace by which we were saved? No! By all means, convince a new believer that they are a missionary to those in their lives that are lost. Encourage them to take the Good News of their salvation to their friends, neighbors, and colleagues. Remind them to “make the most of every opportunity” (Col. 4:5). Realize that a new believer is instantly qualified for evangelism. He can share his testimony of the trust he is placing in Christ for his salvation. Or he can tell of the security he has of knowing that he will spend eternity in heaven.

Relationships with non-Christians should be maintained regardless of the amount of effort it may take. According to Dr. Haddon W. Robinson:

“Making a place in your life for non-Christian neighbors demands effort, thought, and at times risk. Bridges are harder to construct than walls. But that doesn’t alter this reality: Outsiders to faith are first drawn to Christians and then to Christ. Unfortunately, not all Christians attract. Like a turned magnet, some repel. Yet Christians, alive to God, loving, caring, laughing, sharing, involved at the point of people’s needs, present an undeniable witness for Christ in their society” (from the foreword of Aldrich’s “Lifestyle Evangelism”).

God may use your relationship with that person to draw your friend to Himself. God may use you to share the gospel with your friend. If He did provide that opportunity, would you be prepared? If not, visit Evangelism.net and EvanTell.org for resources and training to help you overcome any obstacles that would render you ineffective if an opportunity to share the gospel comes your way.

Cultivate Meaningful Relationships with Non-Christians

Start thinking of non-Christians you know, even though you may have no meaningful contact with them. Then, considering a few at a time, and think of ways you can cultivate a meaningful relationship with each one. Be realistic. You don’t have little if any time to give, so forget about taking time out of your schedule. Instead consider ways to work them into your schedule. A Friday night ball game at a local high school could be just as easily enjoyed with the company of an unbeliever. A non-Christian homemaker might welcome a ride to the mall. Bear in mind that even an hour together now might lead to an afternoon together later—and a superb opportunity to explain the grace of God proven on the cross.

Do you like to play tennis? Play it with a non-Christian. A man who was led to Christ by a friend on the tennis court once said, “The good news is that I was led to Christ; the bad news is my tennis game is messed up.” When asked the obvious question, “Why?” He replied, “The man God used to get me thinking about spiritual things prefers to play tennis with unbelievers, so I’ll have to find a new tennis partner!” The new believer respected his friend for that. He said, “I understand. Frankly, I’d like to see him play tennis with as many non-Christians as possible, so he can have the impact on them that he had on me.”

Ask God to Restore Your Concern For Non-Christians

Is God who He says He is or isn’t He? Of course He is! If so, then we can speak to God as simply, humbly, and sincerely about our lack of concern for the lost as we speak about our temptations, financial struggles, employment hassles, or marital difficulties. The Scriptures exhort us, “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:16). That being the case, I can come to Him and say, “God, You’re easy to talk to, but what I want to tell You is not easy to talk about. I really don’t share Your compassion for the lost. Quite frankly, non-Christians don’t concern me that much. But if You will help me change, then I’m willing and I’d like to start today. Would You help me develop the same kind of heart that You have—one that cares for those who don’t know You? I’ve seen You answer my other prayers. Would You kindly answer this one?” Or we can say, “I get my priorities so messed up, but if You will show me how, I want to move lost people up on my list of priorities.”

One word of caution: If we sincerely mean what we pray, we need to stand back and get ready. God will answer. He has an abundant supply of compassion for those who ask Him for it. First John 5:14–15 assures, “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.” There is no question that such a prayer is according to His will, so when we pray for a heart like His we may expect an answer.

How Humility Impacts Non-Christians

There is something different and attractive about Christians who view themselves as number two and others as number one. What strikes you about many people is not their humility - it’s their conceit. Will Rogers made the statement, “I always like to hear a man talk about himself, because then I never hear anything but good.”

In Philippians 2, Paul addresses the unity that needs to exist among believers. But he makes it clear that the basis for unity is not a method, it’s a mindset. He exhorts, “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit.” Selfish ambition and conceit typify a person whose desire is to promote himself. People with selfish ambition and conceit lose friends instead of making friends. What’s the cure? After describing the problem, Paul gives the preventative. He says, “But in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.” In one word, the answer is humility. The kind of humility that considers others more important than yourself. In your mind, others are number one and you are number two.

How does that spirit of humility impact non-Christians? You must understand that some non-Christians already feel believers are conceited. Non-Christians sometimes say, “Christians act like they are related to God Himself.” Of course we do, because we are! Non-Christians sometimes say, “Christians have the audacity to think they are certain they are going to heaven.” Of course we do, because we are! But if accompanying that justifiable confidence we have a humility that focuses on them, not on ourselves, that presents a contrast to most others they meet. We are saying, “You matter to me.” There is something different and attractive about Christians who view themselves as number two and others as number one.

People who are contagious are not the ones who concentrate on building a statue to themselves, but on building a statue to others. Ask God to cause the importance of others to increase in your mind and your importance to decrease. Ask God to give you an opportunity today to tell somebody how important he or she is to you.