WHY BRIDGEBUILDERS?

BY STEVE DUNN

We live in a church culture that is enamored with programs and prescriptions. What’s the sure-fire program to bring people to Jesus Christ? What three simple things can we do to achieve our responsibility to share the faith (and maybe make a few new Christians). This seminar is built on the premise that people are more important than programs in the process of evangelism. People living a Christ-like life committed to helping others to be transformed by Christ are the most valuable resource in evangelism after the work of the Holy Spirit.

Three observations have prompted this seminar. Three reflections, which I believe are grounded in God’s Word, form the foundation of its message.

(1) Many times traditional churches engage in evangelism because of survival issues. They equate evangelism with church growth. True evangelism is committed to growing the Kingdom of God.

(2) Still others are drawn to evangelism to make a better community. We downplay that people are lost without Jesus Christ. True evangelism seeks to transform lives.

(3) And too many churches want to engage in evangelism without leaving their comfort zone. To quote BIll Hybels, “God does his best work in the zone of the unknown.” True evangelism requires us to enter someone else’s world, not to expect them to meet us in ours.

Bridgebuilders was conceived out of my personal encounter with the writings of four men: Bill Hybels, Walt Mueller, Dan Kimball, and Leslie Newbiggin. You will see their influence in this material and I am indebted to them.

Bill Hybels is perhaps the most familiar to many for his teaching at Willow Creek and particularly his evangelism training Becoming a Contagious Christian. Bill is the first person to ignite in me the profound realization that “Lost people matter to God. Lost people should matter to God’s people.”

Walt Mueller is the head of the Center for Parent and Youth Understanding. His excellent work Inside the Mind of Youth Culture helped me grasp how truly different the world is today and the major issues involved in passing along the Faith to people who have been shaped by the postmodern mind.

Dan Kimball serves the interesting Southern Baptist congregation called Vintage Church. His work on They Like Jesus, But Not the Church helped me understand the challenge of mobilizing the traditional church to genuine evangelism and the terrible dilemma the world finds itself in because too many authentic Christians chose to live within “the Christian bubble.”

Early in my evangelism training I encountered Leslie Newbiggin, the great missiologist who wrote Foolishness to the Greeks. Newbiggin has written convincingly of the mission field that is the United States and the need to exegete the culture as would any good missionary who desires to be faithful and fruitful for the Kingdom.

It is my privilege to share this material with you. I passionately hope that it will help the traditional church live out its calling and privilege of being the body of Christ. For I believe in the church—in all its forms—because it is the bearer of Christ Jesus. Or as Paul would say, “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” – Ephesians 1.27

His and yours, living in His amazing grace,

Steve Dunn

Landisville, Pennsylvania

September 2010

15 SIGNS YOUR CHURCH IS IN TROUBLE

From Perry Noble comes these important reminders and issues churches who will be engaged in Bridgebuilding MUST guard against.- STEVE

 BY Perry Noble

1. When excuses are made about the way things are instead of embracing a willingness to roll up the sleeves and fix the problem.

2. When the church becomes content with merely receiving people that come rather than actually going out and finding them…in other words, they lose their passion for evangelism!

3. The focus of the church is to build a great church (complete with the pastor’s picture…and his wife’s…on everything) and not the Kingdom of God.

4. The leadership begins to settle for the natural rather than rely on the supernatural.

5. The church begins to view success/failure in regards to how they are viewed in the church world rather than whether or not they are actually fulfilling the Great Commission!

6. The leaders within the church cease to be coachable.

7. There is a loss of a sense of urgency! (Hell is no longer hot, sin is no longer wrong, and the cross is no longer important!)

8. Scripture isn’t central in every decision that is made!

9. The church is reactive rather than proactive.

10. The people in the church lose sight of the next generation and refuse to fund ministry simply because they don’t understand “those young people.”

11. The goal of the church is to simply maintain the way things are…to NOT rock the boat and/or upset anyone…especially the big givers!

12. The church is no longer willing to take steps of faith because “there is just too much to lose.”

13. The church simply does not care about the obvious and immediate needs that exist in the community.

14. The people learn how to depend on one man to minister to everyone rather than everyone embracing their role in the body, thus allowing the body to care for itself.

15. When the leaders/staff refuse to go the extra mile in leading and serving because of how “inconvenient” doing so would be.

UPCOMING BRIDGEBUILDERS EVENTS

The early part of this year I was on sabbatical, and the past few weeks I have been getting back up to speed at church and getting ready for Easter, now four days away.  Thank you for your patience.  You can begin looking for this blog on at least a weekly basis now.  Time for a little update.

Saturday, April 28, 2012 is the next Bridgebuilders Seminar.  It is a multichurch event being hosted by the Germantown Church of God near Cascade, Maryland.  Mark Hosler is the host pastor. To learn about the host church and get directions go to their website GERMANTOWN.  The Seminar is being sponsored by the Commission on Evangelism of the Eastern Region Conference of the Churches of God. Cost is $15 per person or $50 total for four or more from the same church.  To register go to the Commission’s website, EVANGELISM PLUS.  Registration deadline is April 23.

Two more multi-church events are planned for September 22 in the Cumberland County area of Pennsylvania and October27 in the Harrisburg area.

AN OPEN MIND

One of my passions is evangelism.  I know it’s the dreaded “E-Word” in many church circles, a rouser-of-hostility in parts of the broader culture.  But evangelism is the “Good News of the Kingdom.”  It is the awesome and life-transforming proclamation that our Holy God chooses mercy over judgment, loves us enough to take the penalty of our sin, and give is new life as part of His Kingdom of love, wholeness, and peace.  It’s the Good News that we are destined for joy!

One of the things I teach is a discipline known as apologetics, explaining the faith to people.  It is sometimes called defending the faith, but it is my experience that what I do best is to re-present the faith so that people discover the Good News that God loves them and wants them to be a part of the awesome thing He is doing to bring abundant and eternal life to humankind.

The Apostle Peter challenged us: “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.”  I do not believe that means it is my job to persuade men to agree with me, but to help men see the truth and agree with God. When I have a reason that can be articulated intelligently and lovingly, the Holy Spirit finds fertile ground for life transformation.

Austin Farrar once wrote:  “Rational argument does not create belief, but it maintains a climate in which belief may flourish.”

Ravi  Zacharias has  that the purpose of apologetics “is not to get someone to change their mind, but to open their mind.”

The apostle Paul said that the ultimate process of becoming a disciple requires a renewing of our mind (Romans 12:1).

So an open mind—which is an honest mind—is a mind that is receptive to the Truth—the One who sets us free.

So it is my prayer each day that I will say or do something that helps people open their minds to the great Good News that God loves them and wants to make them New.

© 2012 by Stephen L. Dunn

DO YOU WANT TO REACH YOUR UNCHURCHED NEIGHBORS?

Who are your neighbors?

Increasingly traditional churches cannot answer that question with any specificity.  Some congregations are reverse commuters, returning Sundays and perhaps Wednesdays to gather and worship in a community in which they no longer live.  Other churches live in a bubble of doctrinal isolation (i.e., we do not want to tainted by the world and therefore have little contact) or inward-focused fellowship, spending almost 100% of their time with other church people.  Some congregations are even afraid of their neighbors.  As a result no attempt is made to reach those unchurched neighbors except the billboard or sign out front.

Who are our neighbors?  The scriptures make it very plain – they are the people for whom Christ died and who Christ loves.  Some of them are connected to churches, some are not.  Some are Christians, some are not.  Some are church drop-outs.  Some have absolutely no Christian roots and have barely a clue as to what you do behind closed doors on Sunday morning.

If we think of those neighbors at all, we generalize them as the lost and then act as if they’re not really lost by largely ignoring them.

Do you want to reach your unchurched neighbors?  That is an essential question for every congregation that claims to be an obedient and faithful part of the Body of Christ.

If you truly want to reach your unchurched neighbors, then there some realities you must come to grips with.

1. They are not your enemies, nuisances, nor your project.  These are three perceptions that will drive your neighbors away or create barriers across which they will never pass.  They may not like your faith nor approve of it, but if you see them as your enemies and approach them as such, they will fight back.  They are not persons who get in the way of your ministry. They are people who need your ministry.  Reaching them is far more important than all the church suppers, small group Bible studies, and projects your church may pour its energy into.  They are not a project, a number to be counted, a victory to be one.  They are people, created in the image of God, loved and respected because Christ died for them.  They are people who need a relationship with Jesus Christ and with you, the Body.

2. They have needs that you must first understand and then respond to in the name of Christ.  Too many of us do not know our neighbors well enough to know their needs, let alone address those needs.  We often assume we know them, but that usually leads to assuming they are like us and just need to be persuaded to behave as such.  If you don’t build relationships, listen, and seek to understand–you will not reach your neighbors effectively.

3.  They are have values and dreams.  You may think those values to be sinful or their dreams to be shallow; but you do not build a redemptive relationship with people who you do not respect in some way.

There’s more to be said on this subject, but for now; know that if you want to reach your unchurched neighbors, you will have to begin thinking in new ways.

(C) 2011 by Stephen L Dunn

UPCOMING TEACHING EVENTS

Steve has two BRIDGEBUILDERS SEMINARS remaining in 2011.  One is this Saturday, November 5th  at the Linglestown Church of God on the northeast side of Harrisburg PA.  You can still register by calling Patty at 717-898-8144.

Last Saturday’s event at the Germantown Church of God near Cascade MD was postponed due to a snowstorm. It is being rescheduled between now and Christmas.  Watch this blog or the BRIDGEBUILDERS SEMINARS Facebook Page.

December 1 and 3 Steve is offering a special four-hour workshop called THE SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE OF BLOGGING. This is a practical workshop on how to use a blog as a tool of ministry. It includes: identifying a purpose, choosing a blog engine, designing a blog, how to write for a blog, and how to publicize and syndicate you blog. Cost is $15 per person and includes a notebook called THE SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE OF BLOGGING. Register by clicking “attend” or by calling Patty at 717-898-8144. Deadline to register is November 28, 2011.

GRACE OVER KARMA

Bono, the lead singer of U2 is not a Christian by his statement. He is, however, a friendly critic of Christianity and an admirer of the best elements of our faith. Here is an excerpt from his recent book (written along with Michka Assayas:

Assayas: I think I am beginning to understand religion because I have started acting and thinking like a father. What do you make of that?

Bono: Yes, I think that’s normal. It’s a mind-blowing concept that the God who created the universe might be looking for company, a real relationship with people, but the thing that keeps me on my knees is the difference between Grace and Karma.

Assayas: I haven’t heard you talk about that.

Bono: I really believe we’ve moved out of the realm of Karma into one of Grace.

Assayas: Well, that doesn’t make it clearer for me.

Bono: You see, at the center of all religions is the idea of Karma. You know, what you put out comes back to you: an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, or in physics; in physical laws every action is met by an equal or an opposite one. It’s clear to me that Karma is at the very heart of the universe. I’m absolutely sure of it. And yet, along comes this idea called Grace to upend all that “as you reap, so you will sow” stuff. Grace defies reason and logic. Love interrupts, if you like, the consequences of your actions, which in my case is very good news indeed, because I’ve done a lot of stupid stuff.

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