The Church Cannot Save the Lost

I had a bit of an epiphany last week which I would like to share. Background: I attend a pretty good little church which is doing many things right. However, the people with whom I share my Sunday mornings are mostly refugees from other churches; very few are new converts brought to Christ through the ministries of our church. My pastor and I have been having an ongoing discussion for several years about how to improve our outreach into the community of lost souls in our neighborhood. We have read several books and considered different programs, but nothing has come of our discussion.

Last week something occured to me as I was meditating and praying about the problem: the church, meaning the corporate body, was not tasked with reaching the lost. After His resurrection, Jesus sent His disciples back to Jerusalem to wait for the Holy Spirit’s coming so that they would become His empowered witnesses (Acts 1:8). He did not say they should go form a body that would win the lost; He said “you,” plural, will be my witnesses. Likewise, the Great Commission is to a plural “you” to make disciples (Matthew 28:19-20). The apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers Christ gave to the church are supposed to equip the saints (plural) to do the work of the ministry (Ephesians 4:11-12).

While it is true that the actions of the corporate church may attract some unbelievers who eventually become Christ-followers, I think that is a secondary result. The primary purpose of the church is to gather the members of Christ’s body for fellowship, teaching, breaking bread and prayer. (Acts 2:42). I suspect the idea of inviting unbelievers to “church” would have been foreign to first century Christians. In fact, during the early years of the church, meetings had to be kept secret because of violent persecution. The idea of catechism grew out of the practice of the early church teaching seekers the truths of the gospel before they could be considered members.

I think this explains why there is nothing in the New Testament describing programs the church operated to reach the lost. Individuals shared their faith in the context of daily life. This squares with the language of the Great Commission which begins with the word, “going.” It might be translated, “whenever and wherever you go, make disciples.” Once a disciple is “made,” he or she is baptized into a body for continued teaching, fellowship and all the many one-another aspects that flood the New Testament instructions about body life.

I am not opposed to children’s church or VBS or services for the poor and needy. These are legitimate ways a church can program opportunities for the lost to come to Christ. I believe, however, that even in these contexts, it will be individual contact and relationships that ultimately bring the greatest harvest. And I don’t think individual believers should be waiting around for the next program. The “program” that Jesus instituted is for every believer to live out his or her faith in front of a watching world. Those whom the Father is calling to Himself will see the Savior through the lives of His followers.

If you are having a hard time imagining how you would become that kind of disciple-maker, I can recommend a few resources to help. I am just finishing a book called Lead a Horse to Water which you will find on Amazon very soon (Lord willing). Another great book to get you started is God Space by Doug Pollock. Many people have found Tim Stebbins’ Friendship Evangelism by the Book helpful. If you want a more psychological/academic approach, Joseph Aldrich’s Life-style Evangelism is interesting; however, I would only recommend this book to mature believers who are well-grounded in sound doctrine as Aldrich’s assumptions and suggestions can be taken to unbiblical extremes.

You don’t need special training or a degree in evangelism to be a witness for Christ. If you are a believer you have a life to live and a story to tell. You also have a command to obey. If you are not living your life in a way that makes people ask for your story, maybe you need to reconsider your level of obedience. After all, the church cannot save the lost; only you can.