Being Orthodox as a Church, but also Outward-Moving

In Sheffield Presbyterian Church, we are currently in the middle of a missions fortnight. We do not feel that we have the answers, but it is important that a church is not only committed to sound doctrine, and sound worship. Every church should also be outward looking and considering how to reach the lost. In fact I would contend, that to claim to be orthodox in church doctrine and yet not outward-moving to lost people is not to be orthodox at all. Luke 19:10 "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Unfortunately, church's sometimes try to reach out to the lost and capitulate on common sense by attempting to lure the world with worldly methods. The Lord Jesus Christ never did this and neither should we. I question the using of magic tricks, gimmicks and dramas as an entertaining method. No, the world is lost and in darkness, and they need to be invited to church to hear the message of salvation preached. The church in its public worship and message is always to be entirely unworldly, other-worldly should I say as we present the claims of the eternal God.

However, here is a challenge. Yesterday, we as a church (and let me make it clear that I am certainly not putting our church forward as a model for what I writing), we went out yesterday to invite people to our church by knocking on doors. We had a quality church leaflet printed, we trained people before we went out and off we went. We knocked on doors in two areas we had planned to cover, but three things struck me at the end of the day.

1. How weak the church is in the United Kingdom.
2. How little the church is doing (including ourselves in Sheffield Presbyterian Church and our own denomination EPCEW) to invite people to our churches.
3. How low the Christian knowledge is among non-Christians in the UK.

The response was overwhelmingly positive with much positive interest. Our aim was simply to invite people to church. Of course we encountered people as in the parable of the wedding feast in Matthew 22:1-14 where they had excuses, but it is clear that the church in the UK are holding back in being bold to invite people in appropriate ways to come to church.

1. Please pray for us in Sheffield Presbyterian Church as we seek to be persistent and consistent in the years ahead to invite people to Hill Top Chapel where we meet (www.sheffieldpres.org.uk)

2. Please pray for your own church, for wise, sensitive and bold ways to be outward-moving without resorting to worldly methods.