Even though the world now frowns at the idea of people being lost in sin and trespasses, yet that is a plain truth of the scripture. While some believed that all humanity are children of God, yet the truth is that many are lost in the world and far from God. A classic example is the story of the prodigal son who left his father, lived anyhow and later retracted his steps back to his father’s house. (Luke 15:11-24). The father rejoiced greatly because his lost son was found. So also the heaven rejoices when lost sinners are found and brought home to the father. That is the whole heart and essence of church growth teachings. Healthy churches regularly find the lost for the Father. Without finding the lost regularly, there is no true health in the church.
A. SCRIPTURAL FOUNDATION Luke 15:32; 19:10; Gen. 3:9
God asked the first question, Adam where art thou? Why? Because he was lost! To be lost is not to be where God has placed you. To be doing what He did not command you; and to get away from His watchful eyes and live in disobedience and rebellion.
- Adam was lost God had to find him Gen. 3:9
- Moses was lost – God called him back – Exod. 3:1-6
- Jacob was lost – God found him – Gen. 28:10-17
- The prodigal son was lost-Luke 15:32
- Jesus came to seek and save the lost Matt. 18:11; Luke 15:4; 19:10
The lostness nature of man is a reoccurring theme of the scripture. Man is a sinner estranged from his God (Jer. 50:6; Ezek. 34:6; Matt. 9:36; Matt. 18:12; 1 Peter 2:25). The call and commission of every Christian and church in every generation is to seek and find the lost for God (Luke 19:10; Acts 1:8; Matt. 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:47-48. Every healthy church must:
- Focus on Jesus.
- Find the lost.
- Fold them into the church.
- Fight the enemy of souls.
- Friend to sinners.
- Feed them with balanced diet.
- Feel them for gifts and graces.
- Field them back to find.
Call it soul winning, evangelism, outreach or discipleship process, every healthy church must find a way to reach the lost in our generation and world. That is why we do church.
B. REACHING THE LOST INSIDE THE CHURCH – Isaiah 58:1-2; Jer. 2:13, 8; Isaiah 1:2, 10-19.
To really reach the lost today, we have to start from the church. It is on record that 60% of professing Christians are still lost. They are in church but not in Christ; religious but lost. Israel as a Nation was lost. Shepherds were lost-Jer. 5:26, 31.
- Hypocrisy and carnal attitudes.
- Immoral living and fleshly desires. Stealing and money mongering.
- Lies, deceit and corruption.
- Infighting, wrangling and hatred.
- Disloyalty, double-tongued and unfaithfulness.
All these and many more are the clear evidences of sinners in holy places today. It will take visitation from God; godly examples by preachers and genuine intercession; powerful working of the Holy Spirit and undiluted preaching of the word of God to reach nominal Christians inside churches today. Until the lost inside churches are reached, the lost in the community will not be reached for Christ. Any lost that come into a lost church will remain lost!
C. REACHING THE LOST IN OUR COMMUNITIES – Prov. 24:11-12; Ezek. 3:17-20
There are numerous lost people in our communities. The church must reach out to them. We must not only expect them to come, but we must go out to them out there. Every church must woo and win at least 25% of her community population to Christ.
- Be a good example of Christ’s disciples.
- Have good and godly image in your community.
- Have a community-relation committee.
- Reach out to your community with good works.
- Evolve strategies to reach your community such as men, youth, women.
- Study your community and strategize on your outreach.
- Do warfare and destroy the strongman over your community.
Every year must find your church reaching more people in your immediate community. While your eyes must be in the world, your feet must be strong in your community (Acts 1:8). We drive away the lost we could have reached because of unfriendly church members; unclean children area; poor signage; dirty facilities; boring or bad worship service; scandals inside churches; internal gang up and lack of proper information about the church.
Recommended Reading
UNDERSTANDING CHURCH GROWTH: Seasons In Church Growth
The Habit of Generosity—Why Giving is Essential in a Christian’s Life
From Shame to Honor: Top Ten Lessons From The Life Of Rahab – New!
D. REACHING THE LOST IN OUR WORLD-Mark 16:15
Every local church must be mission minded and mission active. Presently, the population of the world is 7.3 billion:
- Christianity 2.4 billion-growing at 1.35% every year.
- Muslim 1.7 billion growing at 1.88% every year.
There has been reduction of missionaries, mission giving and evangelism fervour among Christians today. We must catch the vision of mission anew! We must give, go, pray and release people for church planting and mission. The vision of a lost world must not be blurred but burning brighter in the heart of a healthy church.
- Discipleship process a must in the church.
- Spiritual growth of every believer.
- Raising ministers through quality training and resources.
- Investing in future generation of leaders.
- Having a very strong Children and Youth church and outreach.
- Strategic church planting and mission outreach.
- Marshalling resources towards mission, not ephemerals.
To reach the lost today, we must pay the price of renewed vision for the lost, intensive prayers for divine refreshing; holiness of heart and life; self- denial, rededication to the heartbeat of God and spending for the task. It is then we can have souls inhabiting those houses that Jesus has gone to build-John 14:1-3.