How Many Non-Christians Do Christians Know?

One of the benefits of working for a Christian organization is that part of my job is reading interesting articles. I got a very thought provoking one today. The article covered many points, but the one that stuck out to me is the church’s failure to reach out is not necessarily through failure in the church programs, but in the individual’s failure to live outside of the church. Christians have a tendency to spend a lot of time at the church or with churchy people. There are two ways we typically evangelize. One is through relationships, however if you don’t know or spend any time with non-Christians how do you build relationships? That leaves the second type…evangelizing strangers. I am a Christian and I have been offended time and again by the door to door knockers, hateful street preachers, and childish hellfire pamphlets I have received. I’ve always been appalled at what people who are “not in the club” might think. In my book, that is just not an acceptable way to reach people…ok, it’s the worst possible way to reach people.

So how do we as a church fulfill Jesus’ to-do list of introducing Him around and helping to change lives? I believe it’s mostly through relationships. In fact, I’ve seen it happen myself. I have a friend who I met and instantly clicked with. However, she and her husband were not Christians. I spent a lot of time praying for them, but honestly I spent more time getting to know her and having fun with her. We have talked about the specifics of religion maybe once. I’m not the person she needs to hear it from, I’m the person that she enjoys spending time with, that tries (and fails a lot) to model Christ’s changes in my heart, and who tries to be there practically for her both as a friend and as an obligated slave of Christ reaching out to someone who needs something (sometimes easy and sometimes…not). She and her husband are Christians today and are raising their child to love Jesus. I honestly didn’t have a lot to do with that. I just did what Christ did. I reached out and loved. I enjoy her. Our friendship was never based around her coming to salvation and me adding another tick on my list of people I’ve “saved.” She is like a sister to me and now I just happen to be lucky enough to have her as a sister in Christ. Seeking out a relationship rather than seeking out a salvation has been pretty effective for me.

That long story said, I felt pretty good about myself. Then I thought about it. How many other non-Christian friends do I have…? Umm…. I’m reaching here. Surely I have more?! Nope, not really. Oh sure, I have excuses. I work at mainly Christian workplaces so I don’t really meet people at work. That’s a pretty good excuse, yet…I have a feeling not good enough. I’m reaching out to other really hurting Christians. Doesn’t that count? Not quite.

Maybe I need to make a greater effort to get outside of my Christian bubble. I have nothing against non-Christians, but I just never meet them. Yeah, that’s a bad excuse. Should I be knocking door to door or meeting neighbors just to bring them to Christ? Heck no! But maybe I can be more intentional about placing myself in situations to be more “in the world.” Maybe I can find a way to work in the secular realm. Maybe I need to join secular mom play groups, not MOPS. Maybe this new job will work out and I’ll be doing music in the community rather than at a church. All in all, a lot to think about.