By Mark Kelly
I have never quite understood why some Christians think the Gospel is bad news. If a church is drawing large numbers of unbelievers, they think that somehow it must be watering down the truth to attract the unchurched.
Didn’t the angel tell the shepherd he was bringing “good news of great joy which will be for all the people”? (Luke 2:10 NASB, emphasis mine)
The Gospel is not, as some people seem to believe, “God hates sinners.” The Gospel is that God loves sinners and that Jesus died to set us sinners free from everything that keeps us from living the full, free, and forever life he created us to enjoy.
Rick Warren says that a clear, biblical message – delivered in terms unchurched people understand and in a tone that shows you respect and care about them – will attract unbelievers. They want to understand how the Bible’s message relates to their lives. “They are looking for solutions, not a scolding,” he says.
And he says you don’t have to choose between deep, authentic worship and a service that evangelizes: “A clear message coupled with genuine worship will not only attract unbelievers, it will open their hearts to the power of the Gospel. As they feel God’s presence and understand the message, they will walk away changed.”
In his column in this week’s edition of Rick Warren’s Ministry ToolBox, Pastor Rick explains how genuine worship can be a powerful witness. If you’ve heard a criticizer say that Saddleback Church compromises the eternal truth of God’s Word to attract a crowd, you need to read this article.
By the way, subscriptions to the ToolBox are free.
