Still a Dirty Word?

Dear Pastors

Ed Stetzer¹ is a favourite writer and author of mine. In January this year he wrote a helpful article titled Why has Evangelism Declined? 7 Reasons.

Here They Are:

• There's been a bit of a backlash to past models that seemed reductionistic and mechanistic.
• Many believers don’t have confidence in the gospel.
• It's getting harder to share the gospel in a context where people are further away from what their parents or grandparents believed.
• A sort of spiritual replacement, replacing evangelism with another spiritual emphasis.
• Our lack of compassion for the lost around us.
• There’s a fear of not having the answers to questions people raise.
• Some people think their lives aren’t good enough for them to be witnesses.

It’s a great summary and captures why evangelism is at an all time low in NZ as it is in America and pretty much all of the Western world. Can I encourage you to read the full article and spend a little time reflecting.

I have nearly finished an updated look at the numbers across the whole church scene in NZ. It’s not easy getting hard data from everyone so some educated guess work is unavoidable. But I can tell you now it isn’t pretty…..but more about that a bit later this year.

From where I sit I think the heart of the problem is No.2 above. It’s one thing for everyday Christians to be a bit wobbly about gospel effectiveness but when Pastors, Youth and Children’s Pastors, Ministry Leaders and Elders (about 20% of regular church attending adult’s) have lost ‘confidence in the power of the gospel’ we are in deep trouble. I don’t hear, read or see evidence of Christian leaders passionate about the Gospel and praying and dreaming about how to win people to faith in Christ very much these days. That consumed me as a young pastor in the 80’s and 90’s. It seems that today pastors are far more concerned about being ‘good neighbours’. Others are busy re-defining Evangelism and re-interpreting The Great Commission.

I absolutely accept that our context in 2020 is harder as No 3 above says. Most everybody I talk to regardless if they are from the more traditional arm of the church or the charismatic/Pentecostal arm of the church says the same. That makes the evangelism task more demanding and challenging without a doubt. My own efforts are testament to that. However giving up or going soft is surely not an option?

New Zealanders STILL need the gospel like they always have. Jesus is STILL the answer for the world today.

Blessings

Alan

¹ Ed Stetzer is executive director of the Wheaton College Billy Graham Center, serves as a dean at Wheaton College, and publishes church leadership resources through Mission Group. The Exchange team helped with this article.

Alan Vink is currently the Executive Director for LeadershipWorx. Prior to this role he has been the Executive Director of Willow Creek Association NZ (WillowNZ), a Baptist pastor (23 years), Bible College teacher, and church consultant.