Dead Evangelism Vs. Making Disciples

Intro

Last week we discussed Paul’s target for Christians that he preached the gospel: faithfulness. Paul was not looking to add names to his roster to impress the convention, or get more baptism numbers so he did not feel like his ministry was dying. He wasn’t trying to convince people to raise their hand or pray a prayer. Paul was trying to produce faithfulness, that was his target.

Recall what Paul said in 1 Thess. 3:8 “For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord.” Paul did not say, “if your church is growing,” or “if you’re getting more baptism,” or “if you’re meeting people’s needs,”

In way of introduction, I want to present to you something that I call dead evangelism. There’s a few things about dead evangelism that you need to know.

The target for dead evangelism is getting people to make decisions.

Dead evangelism may present a faithful gospel, or it may repackage it to make it more palatable. Either way, dead evangelism’s main target is getting people to make decisions. It does not matter if the decisions are legitimate or not as long as more numbers get credited to the evangelist’s account. The dead evangelist will confidently rely on gimmicks and emotional manipulation because the number one thing is someone to make a decision.

2. The result is not faithfulness.

Microwave evangelism gets several decisions. After these people fall away, never come to church again, and a real evangelist comes along to talk to them, guess what happens? They say, “yeah, I already made that decision, I was already baptized, I’m good to go.” They base all their assurance on that one time they prayed a prayer or that one time they were baptized. The Bible NEVER tells you to base your salvation on some initial decision. Do you know where the Bible tells you to base your assurance? Read 1 John. Do you love God? Do you love fellow Christians? Do you obey what God says? Do you believe what God says? The Bible does not demand perfection for these things, but calls us to examine our lifestyle. Does the general style of our life reflect that we can affirm these questions? That’s where the Bible bases our assurance in Christ.

3. The effect on the sheep is starvation

What about the believers who attend churches that regularly practice dead evangelism? I know some churches that have Wednesday night as their “believer’s service.” That is, they intend their Sunday morning worship for unbelievers. Why? Because if it’s more comfortable for unbelievers, you get more people in the door. If you get more people in the door, you get more decisions. But what about the sheep already in the doors of these services constantly getting milk? They starve. You can’t be a baby Christian forever. You can’t live on Christian milk your whole life, one day we all have to grow up!

I want to suggest something radical to you, something that goes against our mainstream Christian culture. Paul’s ministry goal from beginning to end was never getting people to make decisions, it was always to produce faithfulness.

From Paul’s initial conversations with people to the very end, Paul wanted people to be faithful to Jesus Christ. Does this require people to make an initial decision to follow Jesus? Yes, of course. But, that initial decision was NEVER Paul’s target. But somewhere along the line it has become our main target.

Get people in the door! Make them feel comfortable! Get them in the baptismal pool! All the while our sheep are starving and suffering. Woe to you, pastor! You’ve got a girl in your church struggling with doubt. You’ve got a man in your church suffering with a debilitating depression. You’ve got a lady in your church hurting with loneliness feeling numb every time she enters the church’s doors. And you’re going to focus all your efforts on getting people to make fake, manipulated decisions which they will never keep? Jesus said, “Feed my sheep, not starve them to misery!

Listen to Paul’s words. Hear his heart for his disciples:

1 Thess. 3:9-10 “For what thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God, as we pray most earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith?”

This is a really long question, but you can feel what Paul felt toward these converts.

Notice the first and main part of the question: “For what thanksgiving can we return to God for you. . .”

. Thankfulness is an important quality. Paul will soon tell us in this very letter 1 Thess. 5:18 “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” Because was the opposite of gratitude? Ungratefulness, which is marked by spitefulness, self-reliance, rudeness, and being unloving.

Leviticus 7 outlines laws for thanksgiving offerings. We are supposed to be thankful in all circumstances; however, if the people were especially grateful to God for something they could offer and thanksgiving sacrifice. They would give up something they rely upon just to show God their gratitude.

Psalm 50:22-23 ““Mark this, then, you who forget God, lest I tear you apart, and there be none to deliver! The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!””

Paul asks, “What thanksgiving can we give back to God for you. . .?” What Paul is saying is that he is so abundantly and overly thankful to God because the Thessalonians remained faithful, that he has no adequate way to show God gratitude. Every way that Paul can think of to thank God falls short of the thankfulness he feels in his heart.

Paul further says, “for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God.” Paul is not being disingenuous. He’s not using flattery to manipulate them. Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, is genuinely expressing how he and his compatriots feel toward the Thessalonians.

And why does Paul feel such gratitude and joy? Because he hit the target he was aiming at: the Thessalonians are expressing faith and love and standing fast in the Lord Jesus.

What brings you more joy: When someone comes forward during the altar call then never shows up to church again; Or when a brother wades through the deep and numbingly cold waters of depression and comes out on the other side confessing, “the Lord Jesus was sovereign over my suffering;” Or when a sister loses her husband unexpectedly and confesses through her tears, “This is for God’s glory and I rest on his everlasting arms;” Or when a Christian youth endures ridicule at school for his faith and considers it gain for the Lord Jesus Christ.

Just like Paul,

We should rejoice in one another’s faithfulness to Jesus.

We shouldn’t just rejoice in our heart and keep it to ourselves, but like Paul we should communicate our gratitude.

Go up to someone in church, “I know you’re not feeling 100%, but it sure gives me joy that you are here in church to show faithfulness to Christ.”

Just this week one brother in our church was expressing some struggles he was feeling and another brother just stopped and prayed over him. It was such a blessing to be a part of that. I texted him and just told him I’m grateful for him.

So some practical things we can do in light of this text:

Look for people’s faithfulness

Be specific and express gratitude for that thankfulness

I mean goodness, do you know who does Sunday night church anymore? Next to no one. But here you all are looking, yearning to hear God’s word. That’s faithfulness. I’m grateful for all of you, casting scorn upon cultural trends and making time to be here.

Look at the next part of Paul’s question in 1 Thess 3:10 “as we pray most earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith?”

Paul and his companion’s rejoicing takes place in God’s presence. As he says in verse 9, “all the joy we feel for your sake before our God.” So after Paul received this report about the Thessalonians from Timothy, he was filled with gratitude and joy which brought him to God. Perhaps you know the feeling of being so grateful you sort of mutter under your breath, or perhaps say aloud, “thank you, Lord.” Sometimes my gratitude turns into an immediate request. When were grateful for something we want that thing to remain in place.

Paul is saying, “Thank you Lord for their faithfulness, please let them remain faithful.” And what Paul see as accomplishing this continued faithfulness? Paul believes being able to see them again face to face would increase their faithfulness. Not just their presence, like some sort of mystical thing. Paul does not just leave it at, “that we may see you face to face.” It’s not like we can just build a statue of Paul, and have his presence here and, I don’t know kiss his feet or something and grow and faithfulness. And it’s not like if we have some holy man here face to face with us we will magically grow in faithfulness.

Paul continues, “and supply what is lacking in your faith.” Now that’s something isn’t it? Paul is just commending them for their faith. He says in verse 7, “for this reason, brothers, in all our distress and affliction we have been comforted about you through your faith.” And now he’s saying he wants to be there face to face with them so he can supply what is lacking in their faith. What does this show for us?

We can always grow in our faith

We won’t reach perfection in this lifetime. We will always have some lack in our attitude, our desires, our beliefs that God is looking to supply. And God graciously gives us this supply.

What happens when we adopt the attitude, “I have no lack in my faith?” We become unteachable, right? We have the attitude that we can do no wrong.

When I think through this truth I feel that some may respond with a defeatist attitude, “If I will always be lacking in my faith, then why should I even try?” Why should you strive for the Christian life?

Growing in faithfulness is pleasing to God (1 Thess 4:3)

Fellowship with God should bring you joy; Increasing in faith brings closer fellowship with God

Decreasing in faith, or continuing in a lack of faith could be evidence that you do not truly know God through Jesus Christ.

Now how does Paul intend to supply their faith? Reading through the rest of the letter would supply our answer; however we could summarize it by looking at how Paul operates in his missionary journeys through the book of Acts.

In Cyprus:

Acts 13:5 “When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. And they had John to assist them.”

In Antioch

Acts 13:16 “So Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said: “Men of Israel and you who fear God, listen.”

Acts 13:44 “The next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord.”

In Iconium

Acts 14:3 “So they remained for a long time, speaking boldly for the Lord, who bore witness to the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.”

In Derbe

Acts 14:21 “When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch,”

There in Derbe he also established elders in all the churches. And what does Paul say is a primary responsibility for elders? 2 Tim. 4:1-2 “I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.”

And on and on we could go listing what Paul does throughout the book of Acts. In every town, he proclaims God’s word. Before moving on to another town (unless there’s dire circumstances) he establishes elders to proclaim God’s word.

In Ephesus (Acts 19), Paul preaches God’s word in a synagogue for three months before they kick him out. Then, he spends two years proclaiming God’s word to the disciples. Acts 19:10 “This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.”

He also established elders in the church of Ephesus to proclaim the Word. Paul is about to leave the region and he knows his life is at stake as he may be on trial soon. Notice something that he says to these elders in Acts 20:26-32 “Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all, for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears. And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.”

Now I pose the same question, “How do you suppose that Paul was going to supply their faith?”

True and faithful preaching of the Word supplies our faith.

I could stand before you and talk about many different things. I could start a series on how to have a happy marriage or how to get your finances in order or how to deal with conflict, how to become a better leader, on and on the list could go. And maybe if my target was to get you to join my church and become my disciple maybe I would do those things. But my target for you is faithfulness. And how can I supply your faith? The same way that Paul supplied faith: not shrinking back from declaring the whole counsel of God.

I spend my time going verse by verse through God’s word in order to supply your faith. I’m not perfect, I can have misunderstandings, I can sometimes get in the way of God’s word through my pride. But one thing I know beyond a shadow of doubt that will supply your faith and my faith is understanding what God is communicating in his Word.

Conclusion

Now, I want you to consider some things as we come to a close. I opened this sermon discussing “dead” evangelism, or you could call it microwave evangelism, or, I don’t know, bringing people through the McEvangelical drive-thru. Dead evangelism’s target is more decisions; more people. Do you want to know how to kill our faithfulness, stagnate our personal spiritual growth? It’s to make your ministry’s target decisions.

We have a lot of “ministers” in here: you could be a Sunday school teacher, a parent, a retiree, a choir member. No matter what life situation God has thrown your way that is your ministry. Has God put a desire in your heart to serve in the church someway? That could be your ministry one day, but even if it doesn’t happen, God has you, every single one of you in a ministry right now. God has called you to make disciples.

Maybe those disciples are your peers, maybe those disciples are your children or grandchildren, maybe those disciples are in this church. Paul presents a wonderful model in the church for older women to disciple younger women and older men to disciple younger men.

So let me be clear, you’re either making disciples or your disobeying. Now, what we learn from this text: what should you aim for when you make disciples? Faithfulness.

Thank about it. When you write cards or call people who missed Sunday school, how does that conversation usually go? “Hey, so-and-so, we really missed you in church. . .” and then conclude with, “Alright, well we love you and would love to have you back in church.”

What’s the target with that kind of language? More numbers in our building. Don’t you see how much we have turned upsidedown? Just listen to our languange, “we want you in church.”

No!

Don’t you see, if that man or woman who missed a service is in Christ, we don’t just want them in this building, he or she is the church! “What’s going on with your soul that would cause you to miss services for two weeks? How are you seeking to be faithful to our Lord apart from hearing his Word preached? Don’t you know how God creates faithfulness? Why would you spit in the Lord’s face by neglecting his ordained means of supplying your faith?”

Our target is not to corral people into a building for a service or Sunday School lesson. We’re to shepherd people’s souls. Shepherding souls demands sacrifice. It’s going to take a lot more than a five-minute phone call saying you miss someone. You’ll have to pour yourself out, give your self away for the eternal kingdom. Open yourself up to others, share your deepest struggles, point one another to the Word of God. Aim for faithfulness, not numbers. Who cares if we get 50 new members if the 200 we have will shrink back at the coming of our Lord Jesus? Who cares if we gain 10,000 members build a huge building, have an amazing budget, give all we have to the poor and on and on if our people don’t even know God’s word?

Yet sometimes were so busy corraling, lassoing people like cattle, that we forget to shepherd their souls. Look at what Paul says 1 Thess. 3:11-13 “Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.”

Now, we will expound this verse more fully at a later date, but look again at Paul’s concern, “so that he may establish your hearts blameless.” During a church greeting time you may say, “hey how are you?” and get the response, “good, how are you.” Or if you’re a little more “Christian” you might say “I’m blessed, how are you?” Are you getting to know people’s hearts in that moment? Do you know if their soul would stand blameless before God in those times of greeting? No.

And I’m not saying that we should make a greeting time into a tell-all moment where we air out all our dirty laundry. But what I will say is that if your ministry never gets to people’s hearts, if your discipleship never gets to their soul, then you’re not God’s shepherd, you’re just our local church’s cowboy. The church doesn’t need handlers lassoing people back into the fold. It needs sincere servants of Christ promoting faithfulness by pointing people to the God of the gospel through his holy Word.