Attracting Interest
Evangelical Christianity is now tragically below the New Testament standard. Worldliness is an accepted fact of our way of life. Our religious mood is social instead of spiritual. – A.W. Tozer
Is that not true in CCF and many of our fellowships? How often have we, on committee and as leaders, strained to devise worldly management strategies to attract and retain people and interest? Surely not all that CCF does is miguided in this way, but neither is it an uncommon thing.
We’ve made decisions about the shape of small groups, how to lay out Friday nights, what outreach activities to have, how to pep up announcements, how to have good worship night transitions and flow… even how to arrange the tables and chairs — to keep the interest of the people. Often this is the question. It ties into our goal of making Christ known, but we must be distinct on this point. That the goal is Christ and not people’s interest. That is, it is spiritual, not social.
To focus so heavily on attracting interest is Marketing. Of course, we need to be sensitive and connect to people where they are, but let us be clear on the goal: it is spiritual.
Jesus served people’s spiritual needs and physical needs. He was sensitive to both and cared for both. But His primary mission is clear. In John 6:1-13, Jesus miraculously fed 5000 hungry men, women and children. But He fed them after He preached, not before to attract their attention.
November 30th, 2009 at 9:52 pm
It’s a tragic fact. i feel it after i became a member of linan’s local church. love feast weekly, many outreach activities too, all these we do is mainly for attracting more people to join in our fellowship, giving birth to more lambs “artificially”, to enlarge the committee! It brings the seed of unfaithfulness.
But the problem which i worry most is how could we become qualified evangelists? when we proclaim gospel to others, which kind of people shoud be our “objects”. it could be easier to preach to those who themselves eagerly search for God,then we offer ourselves’ experiences as testmonies,or God’s words as guidance. But most people’s hearts are hard! maybe i am still too young?
November 30th, 2009 at 10:40 pm
Great insight, both! The temptation to put physical and the soul before the spirit is very real. During the forty days Jesus was tempted, satan tried to get Jesus to sin, but satan’s attempt to cause Jesus to be worldly failed. And throughout His ministry, Jesus always placed spiritual before the physical, mental, or emotional, … Seeking to pleasure God, His Father, above and beyond even Himself and His will.
Sadly worldiness has become a respectable, seldom mentioned sin. Adopted widely by many who are not discerning. Non thinking Christians who ought to know better, but … Alas, the cares of the world… That too is a form of worldiness and godlessness!
Let Jesus be our example, for we are in the world but not of the world! I pray that more people will realize how deadly worldiness is, and how it displeases God! That then they will repent and be godly instead.
The Biblical remedy for worldiness is trusting God. God does not lie, He will do as He promised: when we lift Jesus up (John 3) Jesus will draw all men/ people unto Himself!
We do not need to “market” Jesus, for He is able, by His word (the Bible), His Holy Spirit, His Body (true Christians everywhere), and His bride (the Church) to save the lost and dying world who so desperately NEED a Saviour…. They need Jesus, tho they may not know it yet.
They will, and it is our task to proclaim, preach, witness and do everything within our power to make Christ known, and having done that, trust God, instead if our own wisdom, understanding and strength. Jesus saves, this Is His battle, we need to trust Him with the results. God is able, and not willing that any perish.
Glory to God. Forever!
Amen
December 1st, 2009 at 6:35 pm
This is a topic thats argued everyday. its all about finding a balance to being “appealing” but at the same time not be “all fun no work”. Personally, simplicity is what really makes a fellowship spiritual. But is a BIG group. And you can’t simply, well, be simple. But thats also why its great that CCF has focused so much on small groups. I understand that getting to know everybody and community is amazing in itself, but the realization is that it can’t be possible for everybody.
With that said, from what i’ve seen since i left waterloo, CCF seems to be better than what it was: More simple. So is CCF more of a social gathering than a spiritual gathering? I’d say its more the spiritual gathering with a few sprinkles of people who want to just have fun.
Another thing is to not worry about IF ccf becomes too social. It could be just the people. Remember our first year? It was basically a whole season of Days of our Lives. Fast forward 3 years later, and the seed that God planted in each and every one of us has grown into a massive tree!
This brings me to another point: Christ never works in one uniform way. He loves every one of us, and if you, or we, or they, or him, or her, is “not so christian”, God WILL put his hand in make his glory true, regardless if its within CCF or without.
CCF is, like we’ve always known it to be, a place to build up Christians.
December 30th, 2009 at 7:22 pm
This is a fairly common complaint. But I’ll poke at this issue from another direction. It is fairly established that no member of CCF has theological training. Our Bible studies are prepared from a mish-mash of various reading, discussions and commentaries. Programs are generated based on the creativity of the PC. A few of us has been part of discussions of how we university students treat CCF…and how often it attempts to emulate a church VS simply a fellowship…
Alas, since we cannot emulate a church, perhaps the key for CCF isn’t so much to teach…but to trigger interest. Lets face it, the people that really grow in CCF are not people who gain profound insight into one 1 hour bible study a month…but the people who are challenged via discussions, and read on their own.
As such…would it be possible to point to spiritual discussions without drawing attention to CCF first? Perhaps. But only if you were looking for it. How do we point all the people who are not looking for spirituality (but think they are…the so-called ‘lukewarm Christian’) to be interested? Isn’t that the question that DLs over the years have attempted to answer? But I digress…
December 31st, 2009 at 1:31 am
Good comments, Bily. As I have been learning more in the last couple months, I am starting to believe that, in the planning and organization of a fellowship such as CCF, we very often lose sight of what should bring us together. A great community is very fun and enjoyable for all, but I am increasingly fearful that it has become the main attraction, and not Christ. CCF can, and does, satisfy the many various social and self-esteem needs that humans have. Is CCF adequately, intentionally, and directly getting at the spiritual need that humans have? Following Friday nights, how often do we talk with fellow brothers or sisters about the glory of God in our lives? Now, how often do we go play games? After the feeding of the 5000, as we find in John 6:26,
Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.”
Are people attracted to CCF because it provides them with loaves (community, laughter, enjoyment, religiosity), or because they see signs (Christ’s likeness and a separation from the world in its members)?
This past term, some have voiced concerns about a lack of ‘community.’ Now, I believe that, without God, you may or may not have strong ‘community.’ I’m sure the Muslim Students Association has a decently strong community. But, I believe if a group of people are living gospel-driven, truly born-again lives centred upon our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and his work on the cross, then a strong community of true believers will happen. So, if there is indeed a weakening community in CCF as a whole, maybe that is where we need to start.
And how does it start? I think one way is that the true believers must be more intentional. More intentional with sharing. More intentional with studying the word. More intentional with encouraging, exhorting, and rebuking. More intentional with becoming the image of Christ. From this, genuine God-honouring fellowship in Christ will come about. And, most of all, we need to pray for the power of the Holy Spirit to work in the hearts of CCF, to bring life.
In summary, I suppose what I mean to say is this: A true fellowship in Christ need not make efforts to appeal or hold the interest of its membership.
Just take a look at Acts 2:42-47. They “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” I certainly don’t think they had to come up with attractive marketing.
Finally, I think Colossians 3:16-17 can also give us some direction for fellowship,
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.