Originally this was just going to be a comment on Dana’s husband’s blog but four paragraphs later I realized it was actually a follow-up to my January 10th post called The Relatioinship Factor. So here you go, I turned it into a post instead of a comment.
Although we may reach someone from time to time by giving them a pamphlet or sending out fliers to siminars, the truth is we will reach very few folks – not that they are still not important, but we will have very little impact and it allows us to withdraw or disengage from the process. The truth is we MUST reach out through relationships. Don’t get me wrong, you can’t just act good and have people “fall at Christ’s feet”. Without the realtionship you will have less impact and less interest in hearing what you have to say. With a relationship, people will know you more and be more open to discuss what you believve than they might be otherwise. That does not mean that you never talk about Christ unless you first form a realtionship; it means that we should be in the relationship building business and open to sharing what we believe with or without the relationship. But, far too often churches and people fall for the discomforting notion that witnessing is pounding on doors, or handing out pamphlets or mailing lists.
That was never the example that Christ set. I would also like to point out that a relationship is not necessarily being someone’s “BFF”. Do you have a relationship with your co-workers? You may not go out and hang out after work, but you do have a “relationship” with that person. Maybe the important question is what type of relatiohsip do we have with that person.
God brought the israelites up out of Egypt and anointed them a kingdon of priests and a holy nation (Exodus 19:5). He wanted them to be “God” to those around them. Christ raised up 12 people to go out after him and to be christ to those around them, to do what he did here on earth. Our mandate is no different than it was for the disciples or the Israelites and all of us have been called up out of “our” own Egypt of pain and suffering to minister to those around us living in “their” Egypt.
There has been study’s on the subject of new church converts and the retention rate. What has been discovered is that the single most important factor in new church converts remaining in the church at the end of one year is directly tied to the number of friends (relationships) they have in the church. Now I’m not talking about interesting statistics, I am talking about “bet your money” type odds. Human beings crave human intereaction; we were created with a social fiber woven through our DNA – God created us as social beings, beings in need of a relationship; a relationship with each other and a realtionship with our Creator.
God IS in the relationship business and we have been called to join him in the family business.
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Hey babe – I commented over there. GO read it and come argue with me. Well, tomorrow. I feel like doo-doo today.
I totally agree….on most levels. It won’t stop me from going to the Mall and handing out stuff because I still believe there to be value in that.
But I agree that our influence on those around us (coworkers, family, those we run into on a continuous basis) are going to be MORE impacted by Christ’s presence DAILY in our lives.
I do understand what you say….but wait…Hyman Appleman was one of the greatest preachers of his time, he reached more people for Christ than just about anyone of his day. He was saved because someone gave him a tract at a train station. I think you’re underestimating the MIGHTY name of JESUS and what that name can do. What if a chance encounter is all someone is gonna get to hear the Gospel, there will not be enough time to establish a relationship with someone you will not see again, but give them the name of Jesus on a tract and the name alone has saving power !!
I don’t think Jesus would believe anyone giving His name looks foolish