THE LAST RIVER MILE

What ultimately draws a person to become a follower of Jesus?

In my lifetime I’ve witnessed two extreme approaches. In the faith tribe of my childhood church folks assumed that people would be drawn to churches by a “loving influence.” Somehow just being good, kind people would be enough. The name of Jesus was rarely mentioned and a specific invitation to him was never given. At the other end of the spectrum was the “in your face” approach. It was a barrage of “If you died right now, where would you spend eternity?”, delivered at used-car salesman pressure and intensity. The Christian did all the talking, and the non-Christian did all the listening. I see neither method having much success, as the number of self-identifying Christians in North America continues to decline. So what is missing, at any point on this “evangelizing” continuum?

I may be over-simplifying it, but I think it’s blindingly obvious. People will not be drawn to Jesus by force. That just creates an assembly of Pavlov’s dogs. They will not be drawn by threat of judgment. People live in a sea of endless judgment already. They will not be drawn by biblical or theological correctness. I know plenty of Christians who are “right”, and I want nothing to do with them. Jesus himself made it clear: “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:35.) This is not just any love. This is the core love that is the very definition of God. This is the sacrificing love willing to endure the horror and the weight of the cross for the sake of the ones loved. This is inviting, welcoming, life-changing, liberating love, now and forever.

And it is a chosen, active love. It is not laying back with some sort of benign “loving influence” presumption within the false security of church walls, then wondering why new people don’t show up. Nor is it a verbal, sign-on-the-dotted-line hard sell, just to run the numbers up. Words without complimentary actions are worse than meaningless.

My wife Elaine and I are fortunate enough to be in a church striving to be Jesus-love with skin on it. Weekly our pastor keeps us focused on the primary mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. He challenges us to know that this mission cannot be kept inside a church building on Sunday mornings only. The destination is not the church; the destination is the mission field around us and those whom God deeply loves within it. Last Sunday after worship he led 114 people from our congregation out into hands-on service projects throughout our community, demonstrating and speaking of the love which is Jesus. We’re not a perfect church by any means. But the vision of being known by Jesus’ love is clear.

Most things that are genuine and which last are more caught than taught. It’s the same with following Jesus.

I’ll see you around the next bend in the river.