THE END OF CHURCH AS WE KNOW IT

Posted on March 26, 2009
In case you haven't noticed, the young, restless and tattooed have all but abandoned Christianity in America.
 
The 20 and 30 year olds are conspicuous, by their absence in church, compared to the over 40 age groups.  It is most likely true at your church as it is with the mostly older audiences you see on TV, in the churches of such popular pastors as Osteen, Stanley, Hayford, etc.
 
Barring a wide-spread spiritual awakening, I predict the end of church as we in America know it, to be within 20 years.  It already has occurred in Europe.
 
No longer will gatherings be filled with traditional pew-occupiers, who are just as wrapped up in conspicuous consumption and amusements as the culture at large is.  There will instead be mostly smaller groups of whole-hearted believers, gathering and worshiping in an assortment of various settings.
 
These whole-hearted ones will co-exist with co-workers and neighbors who often scoff at Christianity.  But these faithful will be devoted to the difficult, but welcome, mandate of living a God-filled life of service, sacrifice and witness (Ephesians 4:12-16).
 
Rather than being driven to purchase the newest gadgets and kuzinkas, there will be heart-felt yearnings to spread the grace of Christ through acts of kindness.  Rather than an ESPN habit, there will be a practice of solitude, and of deep-spirited friendships, in order to go deeper with God.  With this group of radically loving agents of Christ, spiritual discussions will replace constant trivial chatter about March Madness, Super Bowl, and other amusements.
 
These few will be perceived as "over-the-top" to the dominant secular culture, but they also will be known for their love of one another.  They will possess a mind-set of forgiveness that acquaintances will have to admit as being something highly unusual, since forgiveness is an unnatural trait.
 
The immediate question is:
How do we connect with these cynical, soul-searching and restless ones?
 
They don't:
 
See how God can be loving, when so much suffering exists.
See Jesus as the only path to God.
See anyone's worldview being any truer than that of another.

The future is "one-on-one" ministry.  No longer do large strictly "come-to-Jesus" services (i.e. Billy Graham) attract young crowds.  We instead have to be active in our neighborhoods and work places where, if we're paying attention, God provides opportunities to come alongside hurting and searching people.  Their lives often are messy and a wreck.  They suspect everyone to have self-serving motives, but they will respond to someone they think they can trust.
 
God uses our lives to sacrificially show, a neighbor or a fellow worker, our own radical life change because of His kindness (Romans 2:4).  The key word here is sacrificial.  Read my 3/26/09 blog about how guitar lessons provided a "one-on-one" opportunity.  (I'd like to hear of others.  gary@menwhowin.com)
 
Sacrificial doesn't mean cheesy smiles and easy answers.  Phony is out.  Real is in.  People will respond to genuine concern - to acts of kindness - when nothing in return is ever expected.  Your kindness may not seem to have much of an effect right this very minute, but seeds that are planted today will sprout in the future, and the watering will be done by another brother or sister.  And you'll not know about it until you get to the other side.
 
www.menwhowin.com -- listen to my radio shows that compare the major religions so that you can better know where others are coming from.  Click: Comparing Religions.

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JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF ONE-ON-ONE MINISTRY
by Gary Chester
 
As I predicted in my 3/26/09 newsletter, one-on-one ministry will be the future of Christianity as large come-to-Jesus services have become a thing of the past.  It's now  -- and really always has been -- all about relationships.   Relationships are how God uses his followers to change lives through sacrifice and service.
 
I learned of an obvious example of an one-on-one scenario in Memphis where I have a young relative whose mother and I have been lifting up for years.
 
A son of my relative has become fascinated with the guitar, and read more

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