INVEST in the future church by investing in those who aren’t even part of it Yet) yet

Stuart Allen invested in the future church. He invested time and prayer to see people come to know Jesus. Even it meant traveling an hour each week (at age 83) making sandwich board signs and giving away Ovaltine.

This passion for investing in people lines up with the heart of Jesus.

The first words of Jesus to His disciples

Matthew 4:18-20 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon and Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.

Matthew 4:19 “Come, follow Me”, Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”

Matthew 9:36-38 “When He saw the crowds He had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

Matthew 9:36-38 “When He saw the crowds He had compassion on them splagchnizomai = to have the bowels yearn

Then He said to His disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest field.”

Over the past 10 years, while the overall church attendance has remained stable with a slight decline, the USA population has grown by 51 million people. People living longer may account for the stability, but that means a massive drop is coming as they die off.

Choluteca River Bridge after Hurricane Mitch, Honduras, 1998

Pastors are creepy

This shift has forced us to rethink how we invest energy and invest time. And rethink what values are most important to us as we serve on mission in today’s world.

In the past we invested into denominational identity and in our historical church culture.

1950

Baptist

PresbyterianPresbyterian

Presbyterian Lutheran

Baptist Presbyterian Lutheran Methodist 7 th Day Adventist Methodist 7 th Day Adventist

Baptist Presbyterian Lutheran Catholic Methodist 7 th Day Adventist Methodist 7 th Day Adventist

Baptist Presbyterian Lutheran Methodist Catholic Agnostic

Baptist Presbyterian LutheranLutheran Catholic Agnostic Others Atheist Others Methodist 7 th Day Adventist Methodist 7 th Day Adventist

2010

Christian

Spiritual But Not Religious

Christian Spiritual But Not Religious Atheist Buddhist

Christian Spiritual But Not Religious Atheist Buddhist Muslim

Christian Spiritual But Not Religious Atheist Buddhist Hindu Jewish Universalist Muslim

Christian Spiritual But Not Religious Atheist Buddhist Hindu Wiccan Scientology Jewish Unitarians Muslim

Christian Spiritual But Not Religious Atheist Buddhist Hindu Wiccan Scientology Jewish Unitarians Muslim

Christian Spiritual But Not Religious Atheist Buddhist Hindu Wiccan Scientology Jewish Unitarians Taoism New Age Shinto Animism Mormon Jehovah Witness Mormon Jehovah Witness Muslim

This biggest investment we need to make in today’s culture is to invest into training the people of our churches to see themselves as local missionaries every day.

As we think of the word “missionary” we generally think of those going to other countries and cultures.

While the missionaries serve overseas, here in the USA we do “evangelism”.

Evangelism

Southwold Evangelist

What if we really viewed our local town or city as a “mission field” in the same way we do other countries? What would you do different?

The longer we are Christians The # of non-Christians we hang out with

We would change how we invest our money on our buildings and what we use them for during the week.

It would change how we invest our time throughout the week. We would see ourselves leading a church on mission rather than a church having a “missions department”.

It would change how we invest our thinking about young adult ministry and youth ministry.

It would change what we invest our energy arguing about and protecting. A church on mission sees the mission be the decision- maker not the programs or tradition. If tradition gets in the way of mission, it is sin.

"I am no music scholar, but I feel I know appropriate church music when I hear it. Last Sunday's new hymn - if you can call it that - sounded like a sentimental love ballad one would expect to hear crooned in a saloon. If you insist on exposing us to rubbish like this - in God's house! - don't be surprised if many of the faithful look for a new place to worship. The hymns we grew up with are all we need."

- This letter was written in 1863 and the song they were concerned about was the hymn "Just As I Am".

"What is wrong with the inspiring hymns with which we grew up? When I go to church, it is to worship God, not to be distracted with learning a new hymn. Last Sunday's was particularly unnerving. The tune was un-singable and the new harmonies were quite distorting." ---This letter was written in 1890 and about the hymn "What A Friend We Have In Jesus".

How do you as a leader spend your time through the week as a lead missionary trainer? How does your church specifically design itself around mission?

Not everyone may be gifted in “evangelism” but everyone can serve as a missionary using the gifts God gave them. Just as they do overseas.

Matthew 9:36-38 “When He saw the crowds He had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.