Anti-evangelism
photo: Institute of creation Science
Stick with me on this one.
Michael Faraday, 1791-1867, from England,
made a lot about discoveries about electromagnetism.
One of the interesting things about electromagnetic energy,
is that electricity can use certain devices (inductors) to create electromagnetic energy,
but then when the electrical current begins to change,
the electromagnetic energy field created by the electricity,
resists any change in the level of electricity that flows through the device.
The electromagnetic unit of that device attempts to sustain the electronic status-quo.
I suggest that every church has a vein of that same tendency.
Evangelism brings in people that don't like evangelism.
Evangelism creates anti-evangelists.
There are people that quietly resist evangelism because it would change church dynamics,
and those people sabotage evangelism programs for the same reason.
Like it or not, admit it or not:
1) There are pastors who don't want their church to grow beyond a certain size.
2) There are deacons who don't want their church to grow beyond a certain size.
3) There are ministry leaders who don't want their church to grow beyond a certain size.
4) There are member who don't want their church to grow beyond a certain size.
Why is this? I can think of a few reasons:
1) These leaders have a budgeted a certain amount of energy they intend to expend on ministry,
and they don't intend to do any more than that.
2) They covet the position which brings them authority, power and respect,
and can't imagine co-leading with anyone, and like Saul, don't want someone else
who might become more beloved in the eyes of the people.
3) Some regular lay-people are over-grow middle-schoolers
who believe they will be pushed out of their church-clique-positions if new people come in.
Ironically, this is often because we really make over new folks in church,
and we expect the regulars to pitch in and help new people feel welcome.
The reason these original folks stayed is partly because of the welcome they received,
but now they don't want to share that welcome with others.
Wow.
This is anti-evangelism, and it needs to be confronted, not pitied or babied.
Welcoming a new person to church is like bringing a new baby into the family.
The ex-youngest child gets less attention from the adults, and it can hurt.
but gains another person to be loved by.
So, is anti-evangelism just a form of sibling rivalry,
wanting to be special at the expense of the unsaved?
John said about Jesus:
"He must increase, I must decrease."
We must be willing to carry this same attitude toward church growth,
like Jonathan, making way for someone
that might be more capable and beloved than ourselves.
Ouch.