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| FIRST PERSON -- A DOM Responds to Connect, Barna Study |
| Release Date: 02/03/2005 |
by Janus Jones, director of missions, South Union - Mount Zion Association
 WILLIAMSBURG, Ky. -- "Kentucky Baptists Connect" is now the official theme for Kentucky Baptists. We have voted to connect churches and individuals to reach the unchurched in Kentucky.
The Barna Study introduced a new term to me - "de-churched." The de-churched are those who once attended church, but no longer attend. There are a large number of these in Kentucky. Because Baptists are the largest denomination in the state, a large number of the de-churched are Baptists.
I like to play with numbers, and I was fascinated with the study. They identified de-churched as those who have not attended in the last six months except for Easter. The percentage, as you would guess, was huge. I had a variety of responses as I listened to those who where being interviewed. I was shocked. I was angry. I was concerned. I was sympathetic. I was moved almost to tears.
What did I learn from this very expensive study? I learned that people are not ‘turned off by the Gospel or by the church. There is a very real reason for the feelings that they were expressing against the church and against Christians. "The god of this world (Satan) has blinded the eyes of those who do not believe."
I learned that those outside the church do not know what they want. The results contradicted themselves over and over. I learned that they are not coming to us, we must go to them. I learned that we must meet them where they are in their spiritual condition, and not label them what we think they are.
They are "Seekers, and not "Lost", and I learned that it is going to take all kinds of churches to reach them, not one kind. There are those who are attracted to large churches and big programs, but there are more who like little churches.
There are those who are attracted to contemporary music, and praise and worship, but there are more that are attracted to old fashioned hymn singing. I learned that they are all looking for sermons that speak to the needs of today. If it is text preaching, topic preaching, or expository preaching, it must speak to the needs of people today.
Some of the things I already knew, but the studies proved what I thought were true. We must pray for the lost by name. They used a new term for something as old as the church, evangelistic prayer.
I learned that we must intentionally try to reach youth and children. I used to say "reach children to reach their parents’, but I now say "reach children whether we ever reach their parents or not."
We must accept the fact that churches that reach people will look different. There will be crayon marks on the walls and stains on the carpet. There will be people wearing clothing like we have never seen before, and with body piercings and rings ins strange places. When you vote yourself a dress code you vote out your future. Let the Holy Spirit and God do the changing and not the church.
We must give priority to children and youth. This includes teaching the children in a language they understand. (That is Spanish, French, Russian, American Sign, or just plain English)
We must teach parents to lead their children to Christ when they begin to ask questions.
We must never settle for good when God calls for great. |
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