Evangelism Strategy?

News out of Pew Research has folks in a tizzy. The number of "Christians" in America continues to decline and the number of "nones"--people who are willing to publicly claim no religion--continues to rise. Each succeeding generation shows less connection to the church.

Those of us who work in churches already know this.

"Evangelism requires a strategy" we hear. And I suppose it does. The definition of strategy, "a plan of action or policy designed to achieve a major or overall aim" makes one think that if we could just come up with a plan we could all follow it, and we could be done with this decline.

Problem one: WE. The work of salvation is God's work. It is work in which we are invited to participate. But there is really little we can say or do to "save" someone. That becomes increasing clear as we:

• give our "threat speech" which invites people to burn in hell if they are not "saved," 
• give our "good citizen" speech, 
• stutter incoherently because we really can't articulate why anyone should follow Jesus.
• stand confused when people don't respond to our invitation
• or cringe if they come and visit church with us and aren't greeted, are judged and condemned by the preacher, or are completely lost and confused by the worship ritual (which, of course, we cannot explain to them).

Problem two: PLAN. Remember when contemporary worship was a plan? Remember "seeker services"--services that didn't mention Jesus or God and didn't have prayer, confession or creeds? Remember "worshipping communities?" Remember the five steps to salvation? Starting classes with contemporary social concerns and bringing scripture in at the end? 

IMHO the only thing a "plan" does is depress the people when it doesn't work. Then more people leave the church because clearly God is either absent or doesn't care if the plan is not working.

So what do we do?: Pray. Witness.

By prayer, I don't mean the individual think-about-God-and-wish-people-would-come-so-the-church-would-have-enough-money-and-members-to-look-good-and-function-well. I mean a people of God called together in community who join together to converse with God about this issue. It's uncomfortable for many of us to even think about it. It's not in our control. We cannot measure the outcome of any given prayer event. But prayer changes us into the people God intends us to be. And that, perhaps, is the best starting place to invite other in...if we are moving toward who we are supposed to be. 

Witness. A relationship with the Triune God who creates, rules, sustains, and transforms all things and all people gives purpose and meaning to our lives. Significant purpose and meaning. If we can't articulate that purpose and meaning, we need to listen more carefully to God and to our fellow travelers on the Way. I think it is the purpose and meaning, the living love of God and neighbor that is compelling. And we cannot "prove" the benefit; we cannot "convince" the masses. We can only witness to the transformation it has brought in our lives and our communities.

Is that a plan? a strategy? Don't know. I'm not clear about the "aim." Church membership is often the stated goal...but we had great church membership in the middle part of the 20th century and that only got us where we are today--the decline of Christianity in America. I have no idea where this choice will take me, no idea who will be touched, no clue if it will happen in my lifetime or happen at all. But I know God's church will not cease to exist. God's people will not cease to exist. God's transformative work will not cease to exist.

I will pray and witness. 

And trust.

And God will accomplish God's purposes.