Home Outreach Leaders Articles for Outreach & Missions Powerful Outreach Lessons from an Atheist Pastor

Powerful Outreach Lessons from an Atheist Pastor

But what if these things aren’t evidences of a lack of truth? What if they don’t disprove God (which by the way, I don’t believe they do)? What if, instead, they were evidences that we are somehow missing the point or that our strategies simply aren’t working that well?

What if we’re unknowingly serving a church structure and/or a Christian culture that no longer values, teaches, or holds to the example Jesus gave us? What if the lack of these kinds of fruit is the result of a misguided approach to tilling, planting, feeding, pruning, and harvesting?

I’m certain the problem isn’t with God or with truth. The problem is with us. And since God is sovereign, I think He’s definitely up to something. I just hope we don’t miss it.

How long are we going to put up with an empty faith? How long will we tolerate a seemingly powerless church? How many Bible studies and worship services must we personally attend while staying the same day-after-day-after-day? How long? (Note: I’m a huge fan of worship and Bible study…I just believe it should change us and how we view God).

We need to take this more seriously, or eventually our powerless faith will turn to doubt. At bare minimum, we’ll fall prey to self-condemnation, insecurity, and spiritual anxiety (ring a bell or two?). If we do not seek and find the real Jesus, filled with grace, truth, and power…it’s only a matter of time. We can no longer ride the fence. We can no longer settle and expect not to suffer the consequences. Our post-modern world and post-Christian culture is not set up to hold our spiritual hands anymore. We won’t hold the line just because someone else tells us we’re supposed to.

And neither will our “neighbors.”

The good news is that Jesus didn’t call us to a powerless faith. He called us to an incredibly full faith, which results in peace, joy, and purpose. And He gave us some direct insight as to how that happens. He redefined what it meant to be a disciple in Matthew 5 where He outlines what selflessness looks like. He literally challenged us to stop thinking about things that served us and to start thinking about ways to serve others. He even promised some pretty awesome provision for each step along the way.

It’s time we owned this, people. Someone else cannot make the decision for us.