Thoughts

If you have any thoughts/ideas/topics of your own you would like to air please use the Feedback Form on the Home Page. The following are supplied by Dudley Wheeler.

A CHANGED APPROACH : PERSUADE NOT TELL

Introduction.
This note attempts to offer a Changed Approach in trying to persuade non-believers to become Christians. To my mind, the Church has not been successful in converting non-believers because it fails to answer the question ‘What is going to make the non-believers believe’? Instead the Church relies on telling the non-believers what it considers they are missing or ignoring (e.g. Christ died as a ransom for the sins of mankind). This old approach concentrates on what the Church wants the non-believers to hear rather than considering what the non-believers really want to hear.

First, an observation.
I have two neighbours, one a regular Church goer and the other a non-believer. It is extremely difficult for anyone to tell which is which. There is no obvious benefit from being a Christian. Therein lies the problem for the Church.

Overcoming the Problem
To overcome this problem, Christianity has to show the non-believers that there are benefits or advantages, here and now, that impact on their everyday lives and not just at some time in the future. I feel this type of persuasion with non-believers is not being implemented in any meaningful way by the Church at the present time.

What are the benefits in our everyday lives?
What would make belief possible?
This is where I would appreciate help from you, the reader, because you are perhaps more closely involved in observing the benefits of Christianity and the reasons for not believing than I am.

I will offer some thoughts to get you started.

1. Ask the non-believer what would make them believe.
Their answers may include things like

(a) if I could see it made a difference

(b) a miracle

(d) if they had a religious experience

(e) if they met with someone else who had a religious experience

(f) if their immediate friends became believers

(g) if they could find the time to consider the question properly

(h) an Alpha-type course

(i) what else?

All of these objections can be answered or satisfied, but different age groups may differ markedly in their willingness to consider them. Some will want ‘instant solutions’ whereas others may be prepared to devote more time and effort.

2 Crime, drugs and violence can be eliminated.
If you were to say to non-believers that you could wave a magic wand and all crime, drugs and violence would cease, I am sure they would urge you to wave it. This would be a real worthwhile benefit in their daily lives. But the non-believers need to be told that this benefit can be achieved without the need for a magic wand. Just by following Jesus 2^nd great commandment -- love your neighbour, they would achieve the results they wanted. It seems to me that the Church is missing a very big opportunity by not stressing this aspect of Jesus teaching as a major benefit.

Perhaps the image of the Church should be changed to emphasise that it is about the giving and receiving of good thoughts, good words and good actions (i.e. blessings, prayers and deeds, but non-believers would probably not immediately welcome these terms). People are perhaps better able to associate the words ‘good thoughts, good words and good actions’ with aspects of their everyday lives rather than the Church being promoted as a place of prayer.

3. Help in times of stress
Most people lead stressful lives. Some may be taking pills or medicines to help their problems. Christians have an alternative, which is praying to God. This is what some have said about the results:

* My son found God first, I could not believe how God changed his outlook and values. My
son now had something that I wanted to get for myself.

* Knowing He’s there watching over me gives me peace of mind

* He gives me an inner strength to overcome my difficult times. He listens to me and I trust
him, whatever the outcome

* God makes me do things that I may not otherwise have the courage or desire to do

* I ask God for help in going into difficult meetings and He always helps me get a good
result

* God works on you and makes you a better person

* I have a close relationship with God and just feel compelled to serve Him in the best way
I can

* Others came and showed me love and understanding

Many people find that their lives change for the better ( i.e. their attitudes towards work and people) after they start believing in God. Others find they can ‘talk to Him’ and it helps them to keep calm and get through the day better than they could before.

God allows awe and wonder to come into people’s lives. He concentrates on things that we all have from an early age ( compassion, charity, love), which cannot be bought or acquired through text books. He wants us to learn how to use these feelings in preference to others like hate and selfishness. More happiness can be found through using these feelings than can be found in having lots of money. Whilst it is true that money is needed for comfort and survival, true happiness comes from being able to relate to others (and God). A life on your own (with or without a TV) is likely to be a miserable one.

4. Church can be enjoyable ( can’t it?)
Going to Church can be an enjoyable and uplifting experience. A place to meet others.

In Brazil, a Roman Catholic priest (Father -or Padre-Marcelo, 31) has lured millions back to the church by throwing off his velvet robe during Mass to sing and dance by the altar, in the aisles, and among his faithful followers. With the exception of the Pope, no other catholic clergyman attracts larger crowds.

For big religious dates Padre Marcello has filled Sao Paulo’s Morumbi stadium with 150,000 fans. But what has really brought him renown are his televised Masses and daily radio shows which reach more than 100 million viewers and listeners. “It’s only now that we are using the power of the media to reach our flock – we are guaranteed success”, he says.

Is the Church of England really willing to make services more enjoyable to encourage the majority?

5. Science and Christianity
Are you concerned about the earth’s survival. If so, can the world survive without a meeting of minds between scientists and religious leaders? Hans Kung ( a catholic theologian) does not think so and this is why he is promoting a ‘Global Ethic’ to world leaders and the UN. Being associated with a religion is regarded as being important for the survival of the world by Hans Kung.

6. What Else?

7. Final Comments

This attempt to put down some thoughts is offered as a starting point for others to add their own views. It tries to put more emphasis on the ‘need to persuade’ and the need to look at the situation from the view-point of the non-believer. You will note that there has been little reference to or quotations from the Bible at this initial stage. That comes later.

Many non-believers have the feeling that they ought to belong to Christianity, but have not found the necessary motivation. Tom Finney and others have constantly pointed out that a desire to BELONG comes before BELIEVING. This note is concerned about persuading people why they should BELONG.

Please let me know whether you consider this changed emphasis has any merit. Or perhaps you have some other ideas? Any comments at all would be appreciated. Many thanks.

Dec 2000 Dudley Wheeler

As are these.

THERE ARE ANSWERS

Springboard is the initiative in evangelism of the Archbishops of Canterbury and York. It seeks to encourage, renew and mobilize the church in evangelism, working across denominations and church traditions.

It has carried out a survey into the decline in attendance at churches. The Revd Lynda Barley, Head of Research and Statistics for the Church of England, says, “The size of the sample of churches used for this study is – in statistical terms – significantly large, being nearly a quarter (24%) of the approx. 37,700 churches in England”.

Major Findings

Size Matters.
Most large churches are not growing and most growing churches are not large.

Through the whole size spectrum, the smaller the church the more likely it is to be g. But large churches can replicate the advantages of smallness by attending to relationships in a large congregation or by dividing into small groups.

A wide age mix is important.
Growing churches have people of all ages. Churches with no one under 45 years old, and those with no one over 45, usually decline. Churches can work towards a healthier spread of ages.

Youth Services work.
Churches with youth services are more likely to grow than They not only hold and attract young people, they also encourage parents and to belong to a church actively engaging with young people.

Process evangelism is good news.
Christian Research only had access to statistics of churches using Alpha, but other research suggests the same conclusions hold for other courses, such as Emmaus, Credo, etc. The impact on attendance trends only becomes significant when Alpha Courses have been run for at least three years. A one off has no discernible impact. Making such a course a part of the regular life church can build a steadily accumulating growth dynamic.

An ethnic mix stimulates growth.
Churches with an ethnic mix are more o grow than churches from a single ethnic background.

Church Planting brings rapid growth.
Churches and congregations set up since 1988 did not appear on that survey. However, other data on new churches shows that, on average, they more than doubled their size in their first four years.

Youth Services, Alpha, an Ethnic mix and Church Planting may well not just be important in themselves but may indicate a broader truth. Any church that
*      welcomes the participation of young people
*          takes steps to help people explore the faith
*      welcomes people from outside the dominant social group of the church
*          steps outside into the wider community

is more likely to be a growing church.

dhwheeler Apr 2001