Ebenezer Baptist Church Search and Rescue Ebenezer Baptist Church 4.28.19

A Search and Rescue Success (Luke 15) Apparent Problem Recognizable Value Disposition to Work Eager Persistence Expectant Hope Shared Exuberance

Why is there A Gospel Problem in America? 61% of churchgoers have not shared their faith with anyone in the past 6 months. The statistical trend is in a free fall. 70% who attend 2 or 3 times a month never share their faith with a stranger.

Only 7% of church goers consistently spend time with non-christians for the purpose of sharing Christ with them. 56% of churchgoers don’t believe that sharing their faith is an essential obligation of their Christian life. Only 2% of church goers invited an unchurched person in the last year.

71% of unchurched say they are likely to accept and invitation from a family member, friend or neighbor to attend church. Over half of all Americans never attend church. 80% of unchurched are open to the gospel.

70% of unchurched have never been invited to church their whole lives. 45% of people who attend church regularly are not saved. 43% of Americans say they don’t pray every day. 50% of church goers are unsure if people know they are Christians.

Only 37% of Americans say they have had a born again experience Only 37% of Americans say they have had a born again experience. (That leaves approx. 200,000,000) Only 2% of an average church population has been saved during the last 5 years. 51% of church goers say they have never heard the “great commission”

The NONES (religiously unaffiliated) are now the 2nd largest group in the US after evangelicals, that’s ¼ of the adult population. Only 45% of millennial are confident God exists.

The Silent Generation: Born 1928-1945 (73-90 years old) Baby Boomers: Born 1946-1964 (54-72 years old) Generation X: Born 1965-1980 (38-53 years old) Millennials: Born 1981-1996 (22-37 years old) Post-Millennials: Born 1997-Present (0-21 years old)

62% of Millennials seldom or never go to church. 96 % of Millennials don’t have a biblical worldview. Almost 1/3 of evangelicals attend church out of obligation. Only 45% of Millennials are confident God exists.

40% of Millennials believe the Bible is simply a book composed of fables, legends and moral precepts. 70% of all young people who grow up in church leave the church by their 20’s. 62% of Millennials believe the church is hypocritical/judgmental.

59% of Millennials believe that pornography is morally acceptable. 25% of evangelicals are not certain that the physical resurrection of Jesus is a real historical event. 51% of Americans say the Bible was written for each person to interpret as he or she chooses.

46% of evangelicals agree that God accepts worship of all religions. 77% of Americans believe that personal salvation is a result of good works. 51% of evangelicals believe many religions can lead to eternal life, 65% “Christians”-multiple paths to heaven

30% of US adults believe in a cosmic force rather than the eternal God described in the Bible. 69% of church goers believe everyone will go to heaven. Only 55% of Americans believe in the devil.

49% of Americans don’t believe miracles happen today. 41% of Americans believe there is no God. 46% of Americans don’t believe hell exists. 1/3 of Americans believe God will give them a second chance after death

71% of Americans see nothing morally wrong with sex before marriage. 62% of American adults favor same sex marriage. 45% of young evangelicals(18-29) favor same sex marriage.

44% of U.S. adults say God plays no role whatsoever in their life. 2/3 of all American churches are experiencing (1) no growth or (2) decline in numbers. At least 2.3 million leave the church every year.

Exit from the Church and Decline in Conversions American Our waning concern over the lost. Perversion of the gospel with prosperity, word of faith etc. Lack of the power of God and Holy Spirit directed ministry in reaction to the perversion.

Foolish wrangling over differences, that have captured our time with debates, books and wasted time that could be spent on sharing the gospel. A sowing season in American history?

The Apparent Problem (Luke 15:8-9) The woman lost something It was obvious, no mistaking she had lost one of the coins from her wedding dowry headdress. Panic had set in…

Recognizable Value Lost the diamond setting from your wedding ring For women in biblical days this was part of her dowry and it was wealth to her in case something happened to the marriage. One coin was 12 hours wages.

Disposition To Work No doubt she began with prayer… “Oh dear God of our Fathers, please help me find the coin” She no doubt would have enlisted help from family or friends She moves all the furniture, brings out the search lights and sweeps

Eager Persistence She wasn’t giving up until she found it. She remained diligent, no matter what anyone else said. I can’t stop until I find it, it will shame me and cost me in the future.

Expectant Hope “until she finds it” not if she finds it “biblical hope is not just a desire for something good in the future, but rather, biblical hope is a confident expectation and desire for something good in the future.”

“Biblical hope not only desires something good for the future — it expects it to happen. And it not only expects it to happen — it is confident that it will happen. There is a moral certainty that the good we expect and desire will be done.”

Shared Exuberance (15:9) She called family, friends and neighbors for a great celebration, it was of that much value. She led the rejoicing There is likewise rejoicing in heaven when one sinner repents!