Doable

The current stat that has held steady for decades – that only 3% of the attendees of even the most evangelistic churches will even one time share their faith in Jesus with anyone outside of their own immediate family, in their lifetimes…

this stat will fall to pieces in the next decade.

I may be an inaccurate forecaster, but I fully believe that that percentage will rise to above 50% – perhaps closer to 70% in many cases.
Imagine for a moment.

Fully 70% of your people – not once – but regularly sharing their love for Jesus – their faith in Jesus with not-yet-believers.

Magical Thinking

Many factors are drawing the Church of Jesus to this point, but a huge one is a demand that we as leaders drop the “magic thinking” that has existed for decades around evangelism.  I know of what I speak.  I thought this way for a long time.

“One day someone – an inspired soul – is going to get the perfect way to share Jesus… Boy oh boy, watch out then!  We are really going to be effective then.”

I call that the “Big Boom” mindset.  Waiting until we get it just right.  Or waiting until the next “program comes out.
All the while, the simple, childlike model (never a program) is right under our noses that runs throughout the scriptures.

“Oh God, lift the veil from our eyes that we can see the simple way you ushered the kingdom to the Earth!”

“Anyone can do this stuff!  Where have I been all this time?  How is it that I have been dilly-dallying around with my life when I could have been seeing people change for the good for years?”  As modeled and defined by the 3.5 Church, extending the kingdom is entirely possible.  In fact, the more you live in this lifestyle, the more passionate, the more empowered you walk.

I hear and read these words many times a week and have for years.
At first, these words were gratifying to hear/read.  Now I am almost tortured at them.  Why?  Because I see around me so much energy being invested in maintenance activity in what people have come to call “Church.”

Ministry or Maintenance?

Yet a cursory reading of the scriptures makes it so crystal clear that Jesus launched a catalytic movement with no hint of maintenance in his model or words.

We aren’t the laughing stock of the media because the “world” is opposed to us.  We are our own enemy.

To quote Pogo’s comic line, “We have met the enemy and he is us.”

We are the theoretical army with no bullets and with an aversion to loud noises – if, heaven forbid, someone were to actually fire a shot.

Jesus’ and the Twelve’s approach to changing the world was only slightly oriented toward planning.  It was more or less, “Plan on your way to do…”

That approach is soon to return.

Those hungry for spiritual reality have about had it with the “Ready, Aim, Ready, Aim” but never “Fire” approach to maintenance church (yes, that deserves a small “c”).