Being a ministry leader on campus is exciting, draining, fulfilling and discouraging all at the same time. Someone new comes to Bible study, I'm thrilled! Someone stops showing up to weekly worship, I sense the loss. However, each year it gets more and more difficult to reach out...to connect with non-believers who have never entered the church environment before. And in this generation, I think that is one of the biggest challenges of ministry.
I'm not surprised or hurt when non-believers show a lack of interest or outright disdain for church events. In fact, most of the time, I can easily understand their reasons. While I believe some churches are biblically sound, welcoming newcomers and preaching solid, life-giving sermons, others are stuck in the rut of blind tradition. They are stuck in a belief that church brings salvation and that forgiveness only goes to those who deserve it. These churches are the first impression that most non-believers have experienced because they are often the ones our families attended when our generation was at a young age.
They experienced monotonous, repetitive ceremonies that are often performed without thought.
They experienced worship focused on the band rather than on the One deserving our worship.
They experienced discomfort when they entered the church filled with segregated groups.
They experienced shame when they couldn't find the passage the pastor asked them to turn to.
They experienced panic during communion because they didn't understand what it was for.
They experienced self-consciousness as they realized they dressed differently than others.
They experienced tension when the row they sat in was never occupied by others.
They experienced all of these things, not because all churches or the people in them are bad, but because church is intimidating.
I think as Bible-believing, Jesus-loving Christians, we ought to recognize that. Perhaps it's time to start building the uncomfortable relationships. The ones with a straggler who enters church ten minutes late or with the "mean" girl we would rather not interact with. The relationships that give us the opportunity to breathe life into a dark place, that will make church a safe place, not a scary one.
To any non-believers, you can know with certainty that if you are searching for somewhere to feel loved and accepted, God will not ignore your desire. If you ask Him to, He will bring people into your life who will show you what true love is, what true fulfillment is. Believers are still human, we definitely sin, so we may not always get it right, but God always does. He will never let you down because He knows you and refuses to stop pursuing you with love. You don't have to fear because He will be right by your side the whole way to that scary church, cheering you on with the enthusiasm of a proud father watching his child run for a touchdown.
It breaks my heart that there are judgmental, cliquey, unwelcoming groups out there that turn people away from God instead of drawing them to God. But they are out there. And they probably won't be changing anytime soon. The good news is that there are so many churches that have changed, that have seen the hurt that believers have caused and are reaching out with open arms of unconditional love. There are many people who have experienced grace in such a profound way who now offer it to others so beautifully, and I hope those are the people that non-believers encounter.
Those are people that look like Jesus. The ones who have been broken and redeemed. And those people are filling the churches that are making a difference in the world. There is hope for those who fear church or Christians in general. There are people in the world who will truly love you for you, and who can't wait to welcome you to worship with them (or even just to explore this whole Christianity thing) every Sunday morning. So I challenge you to take a step of courage and go. You may be surprised at what God has in store for you.
