Love the Assembly, Hate the Sinner?

So, I'm not the best at blogging regularly, but when God wakes me up in the morning with ideas and thoughts I tend to listen and write.

Perhaps part of my thoughts come from various books I have been reading and my consistent time in Scripture as God speaks. In the Christ Centered Exposition Commentary on 1 Timothy, the author reveals that "Out of the seven billion people in the world, only one-third claim to be Christian. That leaves us with 4.7 billion people in the world today who are on a road that leads to an eternal hell. And two billion of those 4.7 billion unbelievers have no access to the gospel." (111) I suppose this reality stuck with me because I was left to ask why. The commentary was focused on how affluence can negatively affect our view of sharing Christ. I, however, wonder if we actually love our church community (The Assembly) more than we do the unbeliever(The Sinner)?

Thom Rainer, who has authored many books and created a program to help churches revitalize states that once a church becomes inwardly focused it loses it's mission. His blog post states the following,

"But churches can lose their outward focus and become preoccupied with the perceived needs and desires of the members. The dollars spent and the time expended can quickly become focused on the demands of those inside the congregation. When that takes place the church has become inwardly obsessed. It is no longer a Great Commission congregation."

Of course and inward focus is vital to the flourishing of the church too, but how does too much inward focus happen and what are the results?

Program trumps Spirit
Evangelistic efforts of a church must be programed in many ways. Churches must focus their efforts in a particular mission field- community, state, nation, and world- that would require planning and effort of program. In addition, learning ways to share the gospel with people that follow a particular program carries great benefit as well. However, I fear in our culture that loves to compartmentalize we miss the fact that we are called to be on mission at all times. Our Great Commission found in Matthew 28:18-20 reveals that Jesus tells His disciples to "go". The idea is better understood, "as you go" meaning continuously practicing. Have we in the church programmed so well, that we have taught our people that you can only "go" when you go on a particular mission trip or "outreach" event of the church? In addition to program we must teach that we develop a spirit, a mindset, of "as you go." Each and every opportunity in the workplace, at school, in our neighborhoods, in the store, etc. should be embraced with a spirit of reaching others for Christ.

We've Been Hurt By People
All of us experience hurt by other people both believer's and non-believers in Jesus, but I wonder if that leads to a hardened heart against those who don't know Jesus. I once knew a teenager who experienced hurt from a person at his school. He knew that the other student was not a believer and was destined for a place separated from God eternally. Because of the hurt received he decided in his mind not to share the gospel with the student because the other student, "deserved to go to hell."Whoa!! Thankfully, by God's grace, the Spirit convicted this young man and I was able to walk him through that. But, can we indirectly do the same as we either get hurt from others or when we attempt to share the gospel and are ridiculed we step back? We may step back in fear, but maybe secretly we simply write someone off and just accept they will go to hell. Even in rejection we should still pray for those who hurt us, we are called to love those who persecute us for the means of that person possibly coming to know Jesus as Lord and Savior.

We've Grown Spiritually Fat
Inward focused churches and people love discipleship and fellowship. I know, cause I can get that way. Discipleship and fellowship in many ways are for the church to encourage and lift up one another in Christ, but in their full purpose is to actually bring people to a saving knowledge of Jesus. Acts 2:42-47 reveals church life of the inward focus. Prior to these verse Peter has preached and reached out to people through his message. At the end of the chapter, the apostles and disciples have devoted themselves to one another in discipleship, fellowship, and service. It was sacrificial, counter-cultural, and full of life. The result, "And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved." Discipleship was intended to train believers for the purpose of reaching out. Fellowship and service in the church should be something so different from the rest of the culture it is reaching out. In fact, we should be finding ways to invite "outsiders" into our fellowship to experience the life and Spirit of Christ in our relationships with one another. The acts/processes of discipleship, fellowship, and service were never an end in of themselves. They are a means to reach in and out. Instead, many in the American church simply consume in these acts/processes and continue to grow spiritually fat never exercising their faith in Jesus to reach others.

We've Starved Ourselves Spiritually
As a believer we are in a continual state of growth (2 Pet. 3:18; Eph. 3:17-19; 1 Pet. 2:2; 1 Tim. 4:15; Eph. 2:10) or at least we should be. However, when we fail to grow in Christ (which is an oxymoron) it effects how we view others, our world, the mission of the church, and our ability to share Christ. Study in the Word, theology, perhaps sociology, our culture, and from Christian leaders all aid in our growth. The Word is first and foremost in the growth of the believer and the others simply help. If we are not learning what Jesus has called us to, how to put it into practice, and take the next steps in growth we starve spiritually. The result is a shallow believer (maybe even not a believer at all) who has no understanding of how to share Christ. Even more, we can starve ourselves by not practicing our faith too. No matter where we are in our growth-infantile or mature- we are called to practice it because it brings more growth too. When we are challenged by someone, we should study and search for answers to give. When we are challenged we should love the other person no matter how their challenged was presented and how much we disagree. Thus, we grow instead of staying starved, plus we fulfill the commission we were given.

You may be asking, how does all this really equal hating someone? Several years ago a video surfaced of the comedian and atheist Penn Gillette who was touched by someone giving him a Bible. His words resonate still today as he equates a lack of sharing to hatred toward another. The fact remains that we show the greatest act of love by introducing them to the One who can save them, bring them new life, and change their heart. Even more, to believe that someone is destined to a place that separates them from God eternally, a place that is for punishment of sin, then our hearts must be inclined to share. Please note I said share, not save. Salvation belongs to Jesus as He works in the person's heart, but our call is to share the good news.