Pastor Ricky Powell

Should Our Church Be Willing To Do Whatever It Takes To Reach People Far From God?

The Barna Research Group just released a study of the top 100 post-Christian cities in America. Sadly, Jacksonville made the list at number 74. Barna introduces the results of their survey this way:

It may come as no surprise that the influence of Christianity in the United States is waning. Rates of church attendance, religious affiliation, belief in God, prayer and Bible-reading have all been dropping for decades. By consequence, the role of religion in public life has been slowly diminishing, and the church no longer functions with the cultural authority it held in times past. These are unique days for the church in America as it learns what it means to flourish in a new “Post-Christian” era. https://www.barna.com/research/post-christian-cities-america-2017/

Does this break your heart? It does mine. While the results are heartbreaking, they are not surprising. I have noticed for quite some time that the rates of church attendance in our city are on the decline, along with religious affiliation, belief in prayer and Bible reading. This is all the more startling when you realize we are located in the proverbial Bible-Belt. Yet even to the casual observer our community is more unchurched and post-Christian than ever before.

I agree with Barna in that our church must learn what it means to flourish in a new post-Christian era. We cannot put our heads in the sand and assume that what worked in the past will work today. We must be willing to step back and recommit ourselves to the unchanging Gospel of Jesus Christ and the mission of taking that message to the world. But we must not allow man-made methods or personal preferences to get in the way of communicating the Gospel to our community in a way they will understand.

Before the world was post-Christian, it was pre-Christian, and the early church went out with the Gospel message in the power of the Holy Spirit, and turned their world upside down for Jesus. I believe our church can be a part of a new revival among God’s people, and a new outpouring of God’s grace upon sinners who turn from their sin and believe in Jesus. I do not believe we need to give up on our city. Instead we must love our city enough to do whatever it takes to claim it for Jesus Christ! Many of the decisions we have made as a church that shape how we do things here have been influenced by our desire to reach a new generation with the gospel of Jesus. I’m going to ask you to join me in body, mind, and soul in doing whatever it takes, short of sinning, to reach one more person for Jesus! We must have the mindset of a missionary. America is one of the largest mission fields in the world. And like the

Many of the decisions we have made as a church that shape how we do things here have been influenced by our desire to reach a new generation with the gospel of Jesus. I’m going to ask you to join me in body, mind, and soul in doing whatever it takes, short of sinning, to reach one more person for Jesus! We must have the mindset of a missionary. America is one of the largest mission fields in the world. Like the Apostle Paul, we are going to use whatever methods we have to in order to relate the Gospel to people who are far from God in a way that they will understand. This will include everything from music styles, attire, church structure, and communication methods. 

Before you push back on my suggestion, please consider what the apostle Paul did in his own ministry.

For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings. (1 Corinthians 9:19 – 23)

Paul meant that he was willing to change methods to reach different groups of people for Jesus. He was willing to do what ever it took, short of sinning, to reach people for Jesus. May we be willing to do the same!

What are some ways Jesus related to different types of people with the message of God's love? What are some of the ways Paul adjusted his missionary methods to reach different groups of people? What are some ways missionaries like Lottie Moon or J. Hudson Taylor sought to be relevant to the people they were trying to reach? Leave me a comment below. I would love to hear from you.

Why I Am Saying "No" to Mission Trips

¹⁹ Although I am a free man and not anyone’s slave, I have made myself a slave to everyone, in order to win more people. ²⁰ To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win Jews; to those under the law, like one under the law—though I myself am not under the law —to win those under the law. ²¹ To those who are without that law, like one without the law—not being without God’s law but within Christ’s law—to win those without the law. ²² To the weak I became weak, in order to win the weak. I have become all things to all people, so that I may by every possible means save some. ²³ Now I do all this because of the gospel, so I may become a partner in its benefits.  1 Corinthians 9:19–23 (HCSB)

 Question: What motivates my decisions and leadership as your pastor? Answer: I want to bring glory to God through a Gospel-centered ministry whereby we live as missionaries in our community and world. Living as a missionary in your community and through your church means you are willing to put aside your preferences in order to take the Gospel to the culture you are in. A few years ago I had the privilege of traveling to Cochabamba, Bolivia in order to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to encourage missionaries. During my visit in the city, as well as my travels in the Amazonian jungle, I tried to show sensitivity to the culture I was in and to the people I was trying to reach. I ate local food. I "tried" to learn the language. I adapted my attire to fit the people I was trying to reach. I used the local musical style and instruments in worship. I had a translator with me to communicate the Gospel in the heart-language of the people. I even adapted my sermons to the culture because I quickly discovered that many of my "tried and true" illustrations or jokes would not translate well in Bolivia. I have used similar missionary methods in Brazil and Haiti. My only caveat was I would not compromise Scripture in adjusting my methods. I am flexible in my preferences, but I have no right to disregard God's precepts. I must confess that some of the changes from my usual way of doing things were uncomfortable. I was out of my "comfort zone". Sometimes I felt silly, frustrated, exhausted, afraid, lonely, disoriented, and homesick. But I kept reminding myself that every sacrifice on my part was worth it if I could just reach one person with the Gospel. Besides, any sacrifice I made was not worthy to compare with the sacrifice the Lord Jesus Christ made when He stepped out of eternity into time and went to a bloody cross. How could I grumble to my crucified Saviour about being out of my comfort zone? He endured all the sin and suffering of this world in order to save me. As His follower He calls me to take up my cross, deny myself, and follow Him. There is no comfort zone for the Christ-follower except the peace that comes from obedience to Him.

A few days after I returned home from the mission trip to Bolivia I had the opportunity to share my experiences with our congregation. My fellow believers endured the requisite slide show. They laughed at my self-described bumblings in a foreign land. They wept with me as I recounted the stories of witnessing to indigenous peoples in the jungle, preaching to young people in the city, and sharing the Gospel with a wealthy Englishman at the pre-Inca ruins of Tiahuanaco. And when the last image from my slide show faded from the screen the people stood and applauded my efforts and sacrifices. It was a moving moment that signaled the completion of the trip. Now it was time to get back to "normal"; the normal routine...the normal way of doing church.

Over the last few years God has been working into my heart a holy discontent with my understanding of "missions". For too long, I viewed missions as something we do in "other" places. I was proud of how our church supported missionaries through our generous giving. I was proud of how our church went on "mission trips" to other parts of the world (Bolivia, Brazil, Australia, Wales, Mexico, Belarus, Italy, Haiti, the Dominican Republic) or to other parts of America. A haunting question, however, kept echoing in my mind: Why are we not living like missionaries right here at home? After all, God had only one Son, and He made Him a missionary. And Jesus calls us to be missionaries, too! He said that just as His Father sent Him into the world He was sending us (John 20:21). We are to be on mission in our everyday lives with the goal of sharing the Gospel as we go (Matthew 28:18-20). Missions is not just about crossing the sea with the Gospel. It is also about crossing the street with the Gospel. Living as missionaries in our community and through the church is to be the normal way of doing things. 

A warning is due at this point. It is not always comfortable or easy to adapt missionary methods here at home. Try changing the way you do things in your church and you will discover what I am talking about. Adapt the music to best communicate the Gospel in a language this culture understands, and get ready for a little discomfort. Adjust the church schedule and get ready for some pain. Adapt your attire to the people you are trying to reach, and prepare to be uncomfortable. As I have made changes in my ministry methods I have discovered that those same feelings of fear, frustration, loneliness, and homesickness that I experienced in a foreign land followed me home. They resurface every time I get out of my comfort zone. To adapt my methods of doing church or sharing the Gospel is to invite that uneasiness. Even I don't like some of the changes I've made! This discomfort is not a bad thing. First, it reminds me to check God's Word lest I go beyond what Scripture allows. Second, it reminds me to be sensitive, loving, and patient with other believers who also might be struggling with change. Third, getting out of my comfort zone reminds me of the sacrifices our Saviour made when He came to save us. 

Missionaries have always been willing to get out of their comfort zones to reach the lost. Lottie Moon, the great Southern Baptist missionary to China was willing to do whatever it took, short of sinning, to reach the Chinese. She moved to China, adapted to their customs, wore their clothing, ate their food, lived in homes like theirs, learned their language, and used their musical styles and instruments. We rightly celebrate her life and ministry to this day. Millions of Chinese Christians today owe a debt of gratitude to her legacy. Shouldn't we be willing to follow her example right here in our own setting? Americans without Jesus are just as lost and Hell-bound as anyone else! Lottie was only doing what the Apostle Paul did in his lifetime. He adapted his missionary methods to the culture he was trying to reach. He was willing to do whatever it took, short of sinning, to reach people with the Gospel (1 Cor. 9:19-23). May we be found just as faithful! I call on every member of our church to accept God's call upon your life as a missionary. No more mission "trips," just mission living! Let's join together and reach this community world with the unchanging message of Jesus Christ! Our methods will change from time to time, but our message never will!

The Lottie Moon Christmas Offering (Partnering With Our Missionaries)

"The needs of these people press upon my soul, and I cannot be silent. It is grievous to think of these human souls going down to death without even one opportunity of hearing the name of Jesus. People talk vaguely about the heathen, picturing them as scarcely human, or at best, as ignorant barbarians. If they could live among them as I do, they would find in the men much to respect and admire; in the women and girls they would see many sweet and loving traits of character. They would feel, pressing upon their heart and conscience, the duty of giving the gospel to them. It does seem strange that when men and women can be found willing to risk life—or, at least, health and strength—in order that these people may hear the gospel, that Christians withhold the means to send them. Once more I urge upon the consciences of my Christian brethren and sisters the claims of these people among whom I dwell. Here I am working alone in a city of many 11 thousand inhabitants, with numberless villages clustered around or stretching away in the illuminate distance: how many can I reach?"

Lottie Moon was appointed a missionary to China July 7, 1873. She gave her life and love in devotion to her beloved Chinese people. She died December 24, 1912. This letter was published in the January 1888 Foreign Mission Journal. In it she calls for support as she and others seek to carry the Gospel to those who need Jesus. Will you prayerfully give to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering?

What Would Lottie Do?

We have begun a new message series for the month of December titled, "WWLD? (What Would Lottie Do?). In this series we will consider what it means to be a missional church by learning from the example of Lottie Moon. Here is the link to the first sermon manuscript titled, "Me? A Missionary?" You can learn a little more about this legendary Southern Baptist Missionary by reading the sermon or by visiting the International Mission Board website. I hope you will join us each Sunday morning for worship!

Fort Caroline Baptist Church Set Another Record For Missions Giving!

Praise God from whom all blessings flow! In 2008 the members of Fort Caroline Baptist Church gave $148,028.10 to our mission causes. This is a record amount for our congregation. This includes 10% of undesignated receipts given through the Cooperative Program, plus our Jacksonville Baptist Association support, Arlington Community Services, Benevolence ministries, our Brazil Church Plant Partnership, Lottie Moon offering, Annie Armstrong offering, Baptist Children's Home offering, AWANA Adopt-A-Club, and the Maguire State Missions offering. You have demonstrated once again that Christian stewardship is not just a matter of finances; it is a matter of faith. You placed your faith in the Lord and you gave to His Kingdom's work. In total, you gave $1,027,839.33 to God's work in and through Fort Caroline Baptist Church! Thank you.

We cannot rest on our laurels, however. This new year promises to be a challenging year for our nation financially. I know that many of you are feeling the effects of the economic downturn. The answer to our problem is not in ignoring God or putting Him last in our lives. So let each of us resolve to make His Kingdom the priority as reflected in our giving. After all, the world still needs Jesus! Thank you for your partnership in sharing His Gospel around the world.

Lottie Moon: A Life of Significance