Jesus and the Unchurched
The denominational world, in an effort to construct a new religion that is acceptable to everyone, calls it a community church. The thrust of said community churches is to reach the “unchurched”. In a book about a purpose driven life the author said they began by taking a survey of the community. If the person was going to church or had any church affiliation, then they would be left alone. When they found individuals who did not go to church anywhere they would ask them what they were looking for in a church. These “unchurched” people would be asked for their wisdom about how to build a church.
As with most denominational teaching it will find its way into the church of our Lord in due time. Those churches who have left the doctrine of Christ want to speak about evangelism. What you have to be careful about in such discussions is to find out what they mean by evangelism. It is that which arises from the religious world. People who go to church, any at all, are already saved. The only ones we need to teach are the “unchurched”. So from a gospel that Jesus intended to be offered to the world has become some kind of hybrid product that can never offer salvation (Mark 16:15,16).
Years back, it was argument about “gospel and doctrine”. It was said we can be united on the gospel and it is doctrine that divides us. That foolishness ran its course as alerted brethren appealed to the Scriptures to stop the mouth of the gainsayers. It could be shown that a person becoming a Christian was a result of obeying from the heart that form of doctrine (Romans 6:17). It was obedience to that doctrine that set men from free from sin. At any rate, the false doctrine fell under the weight of truth. A short time later there began to be “unity meetings” with certain individuals representing the Lord’s people and the Christian Church. Those meetings were not successful because once more alerted brethren went back to the scriptures to show the error.
Some churches of Christ have gone to “contemporary” and “traditional” worship. The origin of such foolishness is nothing more than the old arguments being dressed up and passed off as though we have found something new. Now we can quit being concerned about our neighbors and friends in denominational bodies because we now finally understand “grace”. Those who preach such never seem to produce a meaning when the Lord said that if the Father had not planted it, it would be rooted up (Matthew 15:13).
Why not take time and find out about the unchurched? Stephen, in preaching the sermon which lead to his death, spoke about Moses (Acts 7:37). Stephen said that Moses was in that church in the wilderness (verse 38). All faithful Jews to the law of Moses then were in the church in the wilderness. When Jesus, therefore, began His work to whom did He go? What about the rich young ruler of Matthew 19? The ruler said he had kept the commandments from his youth up (Matthew 19:20). Well, he certainly was not an “unchurched” person. Why did Jesus waste time on him? Could it be that Jesus was working to save all men from their sins?
What about Nicodemus in John 3? Sorry to tell you, but he was a part of that church of the wilderness and, hence, he was not an unchurched person. What about the eunuch in Acts 8? He had been to Jerusalem to worship. He was not an unchurched person. When Jesus used a parable about two men going up to the temple to pray, would they qualify as unchurched? Break down the numbers brethren and you will find the bulk of what Jesus was doing was appealing to all men to come to Him (Matthew 11:28-30). What is the connection for our time? All those who have not obeyed the gospel will be lost (II Thessalonians 1:8,9). Would that not include the denominational world which offers a false Christ through a false doctrine?
The “unchurched” is a man made word foreign to Scripture which has been invented to cover up the unwillingness of individuals to abide in the doctrine of Christ (John 15:1-7). Evangelism is trying to save as many as we can from the fires of hell. We do so by teaching them the gospel of Christ. It does not matter if they have been “going to church all of their lives” or if they have never been in a place of worship. Our job is to seek and save the lost where ever or who ever they may be.