Reality of Reaching the Lost

"The practice of evangelism involves making room for the Spirit to draw the sought into a saving encounter with the Seeker through Christ. The Church's job is not to save people but to shape the space in which God calls them to Himself." -- Earl Creps (Off-Road Disciplines)

I believe this is one of the most powerful statements that I have read concerning being missional. Jesus stated:

"No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him." John 6:44 (NIV)

"This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him." John 6:65 (NIV)

We know and understand that the Holy Spirit has to be at work in someone's spirit for them to come to conversion.

John 16:7-11 states, "Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. (NIV)

So let that be our intercession. We must pray that the Spirit would carry out this work in all those who have not come to committed faith. A person can never be found unless they are lost and a person and can never be forgiven of sin unless they recongize that they have sin. Yes, we are partners in this, but we can't be someone elses Holy Spirit. I believe that the Holy Spirit is qualified to build the Lord's church. But as I said before we are partners with Him, we are to be led by Him (Gal. 5:25), and we are to be His vessels used by Him.

We must get into our spirits that Jesus (the Seeker) wants the sought (the unbeliever) to be found reconciled to Himself more than we do.

One thing we can do in the words of Earl Creps, "The Church's job is not to save people but to shape the space in which God calls them to Himself."

We could dive so deep into this statement and belief and there is so much in me to say. I am passionate to see the church be innovative to reach the lost. One thing and the most important is that it is not about us but the sought.

Luke 19:10 states, "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost." NIV

What is happening in your church, workplace, or circle that is making this happen. To preach over people heads to be considered deep and prove maturity is not the answer. Do we need the deep teachings. YES! But is it what will shape the encounter with the unbelieving that they realize they need to encounter the Seeker. Whether its hymns from the hymnal or the contemporary from projectors it needs to bring the sought and the Seeker together. This is the most important measuring stick. Our lives need to be consumed with the encounter with the Seeker and maybe more important...the sought with the Seeker. I don't think there is a maybe about it.