Obstacles to Evangelism in the Local Church

Podcast Episode #108

I recently conducted an informal Twitter poll and asked what keeps Christians from evangelizing. The results were overwhelming and led to a blog post that generated quite a discussion. Today, we go deeper into that post and the comments that came from it.

Some highlights from today’s episode include:

• For those in ministry, you have to be intentional about having relationships with non-Christians.
• Evangelism is an intentional effort.
• Inviting people to church should not be the totality of our personal evangelism strategy.
• Evangelism is not solely the role of pastors and church staff. It is the role of all Christians.
• The problem of unregenerate membership is significant in our churches.
• It is a sin to be good when God has called us to be great.

The main reasons Christians do not evangelize are:

1. Christians have no sense of urgency to reach lost people.
2. Many Christians and church members do not befriend and spend time with lost persons.
3. Many Christians and church members are lazy and apathetic.
4. We are more known for what we are against than what we are for.
5. Our churches have an ineffective evangelistic strategy of “you come” rather than “we go.”
6. Many church members think that evangelism is the role of the pastor and paid staff.
7. Church membership today is more about getting my needs met rather than reaching the lost.
8. Church members are in a retreat mode as culture becomes more worldly and unbiblical.
9. Many church members don’t really believe that Christ is the only way of salvation.
10. Our churches are no longer houses of prayer equipped to reach the lost.
11. Churches have lost their focus on making disciples who will thus be equipped and motivated to reach the lost.
12. Christians do not want to share the truth of the gospel for fear they will offend others. Political correctness is too commonplace even among Christians.
13. Most churches have unregenerate members who have not received Christ themselves.
14. Our churches have too many activities; they are too busy to do the things that really matter.

Episode Sponsor

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Feedback

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Resources

• Evangelism in the Early Church
• Four Thoughts from Non-Christians about Christians
• Multiply