For the last few weeks I’ve been following some blogs from staff members of my former church home. Much as I’ve wanted to, I’ve tried not to respond to too many of them. You see, I’ve found a new (well new, old) church home. My wife and I find it much more suited to us and our daughter. And I’ve never wanted to appear as having any ill feelings toward my former church. Though I may not agree much with the direction they seem to be headed, I did give many years in service there and I pray that God continues to use them to reach people. But something recently really struck a chord with me and I just wanted to offer my opinion. I’m doing it here so as not to take up a bunch of space on someone else’s blog (what, me get wordy?) And in case you’re wondering, I did put a link to this post in the response section of the other blog. I would never think to write behind someone’s back.
Anyway, the blog I refer to is http://www.churchrequel.com/. It is written by Mark Pierce, the Executive Pastor at Crossroads Community Church in Mansfield. It is a terrific insight into the daily workings and struggles of a “mega-church” and contains many nuggets from his own personal walk with God as well. And Mark is a gifted writer. I find myself quite drawn into the stories he weaves and I find it all very entertaining to read. But as I said, one recent post just touched a chord in me and I had to respond.
The blog starts out with this line, “The email came through Friday morning, ‘Pastor Tim will be extending an invitation for people to begin their faith journey with Christ. He wants to offer the 'New Believer Gifts.’'" My first thought was that it seemed odd that something like an invitation to follow Christ (or an alter call for you traditionalists) would warrant such a staff notification. It’s almost as if this was not something that was done regularly. But then, it is a very large church and there is much coordination that goes on for even the smallest event, so I dismissed that thought.
I continued reading about what exactly goes into these “New Believer Gifts” and the process by which they are put together. It’s quite an impressive package, and one I think a lot of churches would do well to replicate. But here’s where it turned a little sour for me. Towards the end, Mark made this statement, “Occasionally, we will have someone ask for the New Believer's Gift for ‘someone they know who has just become a believer.’ We politely tell them that we have a limited number of gifts and that they are only for those who have just become a Christ follower in the service. Most people understand. But some leave displeased.”
First of all, if I read all blog accounts from this weekend correctly, there seems to be no vast shortage of these gifts. But even at that, I can almost see the church’s position. In a church that size, something like that does have the potential to get out of hand. But at least make a compromise. Why not make it available in cases like that at cost? Anything other than letting someone leave your building disappointed, wondering how a church of all places can refuse a bible to someone who needs it. But for as taken back by that statement as I was, I wasn’t ready for the next paragraph.
He said, “One other question comes up sometimes. Why don't we do this every weekend? Simple. It would lose its specialness if we did. I know that different churches may disagree with us on this point, but it seems to us that if we extended an invitation every time the church doors were open, then the unique, incredible, amazing, beyond belief that requires belief offer of Christ would just become another standard fare part of the church service. So we're strategic about it, usually making the invitation and the gifts available once per sermon series.” Lose its specialness?!?!? Strategic?!?!? Am I mistaken or are we not talking about salvation here? I have heard this reasoning used before. In fact, I just finished a new member’s class at the church I now attend. It was explained that they only take communion once a month for this very reason. But that’s communion. It is not a requirement of salvation, and I can certainly see in that case where the weekly taking of communion could begin to lose its luster. But we’re talking about salvation here. Who knows who is going to be in your building on any given Sunday? Who knows if someone might be reached simply by extending that invitation? I believe that God is divine and that people can come to Him anywhere at any time. But who are we to think we know when the right time to offer that to people is? I admit I have been in churches where the “invitation” felt a little forced and it seemed as though it was always the same people going forward every week. But again, who’s to say that there isn’t that one person who needs to hear that invitation? And isn’t that one person worth it? After all, Jesus said He would leave the ninety-nine to find the one. Now that’s a strategy. And that’s how important salvation is. Without salvation, there is nothing else. Nothing but an eternity apart from God that is. Again, Jesus said that it is not the healthy who need a doctor but the sick. I know that the church exists in large part for the “healthy”, so that we may grow and fellowship with other believers. But our first priority has to be the sick. And who are we to say that the sick will only be healed once per series? I remember being in Crossroads years ago and on a very regular basis the Elders and Pastor were always available in the front for anyone that needed to talk. Then it just kind of stopped. I really can’t even remember the last time I saw it. And when my wife and I went back recently (her for the first time) I can’t say that in the two or three series we went for, I remember an invitation. I can only hope and pray that that is changing. That there is a new focus on people’s eternity and giving them that opportunity to spend it with God. And I hope that they will at least give pause to consider this “strategy.” Salvation will never lose its specialness and should never be strategic.
