I grew up hearing a lot about evangelizing the lost. Almost every church service and Sunday school class was a focus on "Winning the Lost to Christ".
In the first place, every talk, sermon and prayer meeting was an evangelistic meeting. I remember when my parents went to a meeting of Deacons, Teachers and Ministers but there was an altar call that followed and talk on "Ye must be born again".
A lot of the talks told stories about people in the church for decades that were not really saved. That was followed by an urgent and intense call to examine ourselves to see if we were truly born again.
Despite the talks, Bible studies, sermons and exhortations, few new people came to Christ from outside the church fellowship. Why?
It was all talk and little walk. All we knew how to do was preach at people. We did not know how to chat with friends and family and open the door to discuss the need for Christ.
Second, our churches did not really want anyone coming to faith in Christ if they were real sinners. It was like telling kids not to go near the water until they knew how to swim. We had a hidden belief system that said, "Jesus saves people that have already stopped sinning."
Don't go near the water
Til you know how to swim
Don't let a sinner come
Until they look like Him!
Gary Sweeten
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