Non-church people - unconference
Notes from the unconference session on Reaching Non-Church People (Session #1)
Jon wants two things:
- activities outside of Sunday morning that Christ-followers and non-church or anti-church people can do together
- get all groups, from LTGs to small groups to mom’s groups etc., looking outward
Kevin’s challenges:
- Non-church people have different reasons for not coming to church.
- For example, many people do not want to go to people who have all the answers. It’s not safe.
- Isn’t it odd to have a bunch of Christians sitting in a circle deciding on what non-Christians want?
Is Sunday morning evangelism?
Instead of asking why people don’t come to church, is it helpful to learn why people do come to church?
Had some discussion on types of evangelism we have stopped engaging in.
Healthy evangelism is closely linked to hospitality — especially around food.
Jon’s parting challenge:
My friends have changed from “Christians suck” to “Christians suck, in general, but Jon is an exception.” Solo evangelism may never get beyond this point. They need to see that I am not an exception but part of a community — so we need to partner in our evangelism.
sunday am evangelism
I am firmly convinced that relationships (and food) are where it’s at with evangelism. I used to think it was cool how the Journey did Sunday AM as a type of outreach but now I don’t see that as being very effective. I met more of all types of people and made more relationships by landscaping and working in my yard that I ever did in any church. Church for me serves a different purpose. It is a community of faith.
from one to more than one
Jon,
I think that the way to go from “just Jon is cool” to beyond- is to include other cool christians in your activities with those friends.
One hand in and one hand out
The Journey has welcomed a large number of spiritual seekers over the years… it has been a place of evangelism. Even this past Sunday we had 15-20 new people… 4 or 5 that I had deeper conversations with would not describe themselves as ‘Christians.’ I love it that our doubt discussion was so large… a place where people could open discuss doubt and discuss that (sounds like evangelism to me).
Without question I agree the BEST evangelism is friendship… it starts there… but our Sunday mornings definitley have been effective as part of the evangelistic efforts of Christians who are using gatherings for people to come to… Jon has some friends how won’t come to Sunday … so we need to utilize other efforts for them…) but for MANY coming to a Journey Sunday AM has been an effective evangelistic step.
The 20-30 people I personally have invited after developing friendship with them… have been very appreciative of the environment and message they have received at our church.
I believe Sundays need to continue having a high value placed on the ‘evangelistic side.’
I also believe we all can / must do more direct connection and friendship building - that’s where it all starts.
Re: Non-church people - unconference
“Isn’t it odd to have a bunch of Christians sitting in a circle deciding on what non-Christians want?”
it is odd. i would challenge regular Christians to invite non-Christians to the journey and ask them what they think. or even better ask non-Christians that come to the journey what they like and don’t like. as it has been stated before: the journey needs to decide whether they would like to follow a more traditional “churchy” format (at the risk of frightening off non-Christians) or developing a new more open format geared toward the anti-church (and seriously risk losing more traditional Christians)
its a choice the journey will have to make- and figure out what aspects of the church can contribute to their overall purpose.
ps. in my opinion the journey is pretty “churchy” already
Re: Non-church people - unconference
I don’t like the us and them approach to reaching out to people who are seeking God. Even though, as Christians, we are adopted into Christs family, none of us have “arrived”. We all need more of God. We all need each other. We all need to offer what God has given us back to Him, and to others. On one hand, I don’t like being so “Churchy” that people from the outside (Christians or not) feel out of place, but on the other hand, we must not neglect equipping and encouraging others of all levels of faith to the challenge of growing closer to God. Is it easy? No. But I have the hope that it is possible. Sometimes.
sounds like alot lf church talk to me
i dont want to try to divide between christians and nonchristians, but you have to recognize there is a big difference. while many believers enjoy extended singing time and feel they connect in that manner to god. but many non christians are not going to feel the importance in 30 min of singing church songs. i agree its hard, and i would say nearly impossible. because if the focus of the service is singing or telling christians what some passage means- its not applicable to my life- and probably the lives of others that are not christians
-rebecca jean
church talk
just curious…what is applicable to your life, rebecca?
—brandi
what is applicable
making a different in our area and in the world
becoming better people
discussing important things in our world- politics, religion etc
-rebecca jean