This the fifth and final consecutive post from Gary Miller’s book Reaching America: God’s message has not changed – but our culture has. I strongly suggest you absorb them in order to fully assimilate their value for understanding Gary’s heart for living and building the Kingdom Today. The prior post of Chapter Four concluded with my hope you’d be prompted to purchase your own copy, and then share it with friends who share your passion for reaching America.
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It was not supposed to be this way. David had led King Saul’s men to victory in battle and enjoyed the thrill of returning home to the cheers of the admiring crowds. Besides, he knew God had specifically chosen him to be king. David had experienced God working through him in marvelous ways. Yet Saul had now turned against him, and he was in hiding. As David looked around that dim and dirty cave, he must have experienced major doubt. The Bible says he was captain of four hundred men, a puny match for Saul’s military might. But perhaps most discouraging of all, was the men David had attracted. “And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him…” This was hardly what David had visualized when Samuel had anointed him to be king.
We can imagine some thoughts that might have gone through his mind, “Surely I am meant for better things than this! How does God expect me to usher in a new day in Israel with this motley crew? Where are all the stable, well-adjusted, and contented men – the ones who consistently pay their bills on time and are good managers?”
The answer was simple. They were still back home, faithfully farming their land and minding their stores. Men who are content do not typically risk losing what they have to go search for something better. Maybe there is a lesson here for us today.
If you and your congregation have been actively attempting to reach out here in America, you already understand that seekers tend to come with difficulties, and they usually disrupt our normal, predictable way of life. They “intrude” into our well-scheduled, well-structured communities and ask awkward questions, bringing up topics we would rather not address. On a Sunday we talk as if we want seekers, but many times when they appear, we find their presence inconvenient. At times, dealing with the consequences of their past infringes upon precious family time (Gary does tell it the way it is! mle).
Although the following categories are admittedly too simplistic, I am going to divide today’s seekers into three basic types.
Manny Ishues
Let’s call the first seeker type Manny Ishues. He typically comes with a host of problems from his past. It might be financial challenges, marriage issues, or difficulty with interpersonal relationships. In short, Manny has many similarities to the men who sought out David in the cave of Adullam. But as he observes your structured lives, your nice homes, and your cars that always start, he knows he has found just what he has been looking for. To Manny, your church community looks like a well-oiled machine, so unlike the chaos in his past. Although he wonders if could ever be totally accepted or actually belong , something within him craves what he sees.
Many of the Manny Ishues out there feel like life has dealt them a rough hand. Like the men in David’s cave, Manny comes hoping you will listen to him, walk with him, and help him find a better life. Manny has been subconsciously taught from his youth that others are to blame for his circumstances. He has grown up listening to stories about selfish landlords, lousy bosses, and wealthy people who oppress the common person. While you may have been taught that hard work is how people get ahead, Manny Ishues has learned the only way to rise is to win the lottery, enroll in a good government program, or find a generous person (like you) to attach himself to. Remember, contented people do not usually go seeking, and depending on your zip code, you may find the majority of seekers are people like Manny Ishues. The time may come when you wonder you ever opened the door when Manny first knocked!
Seekun Trooth
The second individual I want to introduce is Seekun Trooth. Seekun comes from a church down the road and is looking for more. He has found Jesus and has a powerful testimony. He is looking doctrinal correctness and less hypocrisy, a church fellowship that is serious about following Jesus. Seekun loves his Bible and spends much time in prayer. He has tried multiple churches and found them wanting. He tends to be organized, serious, and intent on walking closer to God. Seekun Trooth is very different from Manny Ishues. He is on a spiritual quest, and when he found you he was certain he had found what he was looking for: a group practicing the doctrines the others have neglected, and likeminded people on a quest to be closer to God.
But before long Seekun Trooth begins to cause unrest. He spots inconsistencies in your congregation, and since he is serious honesty and assumes you are too, he starts asking difficult questions. “Why are your people so serious about nonresistance but seem to have little interest in Jesus’ teachings regarding the accumulation of wealth?” Or, “I like the fact that your sisters wear the head veiling, and that is partly why I am here, but why the disparaging remarks about churches like the one I came from? Even though they don’t wear a veiling they were the ones who cared enough to reach out to me.”
In quiet moments, Seekun will question why he left his original church. He came hoping for more, but sometimes he is not sure he achieved his goal. While he appreciates the doctrinal correctness, he wonders about the apathy. Seekun Trooth came assuming he was joining a group on a spiritual quest to get closer to God. But sometimes it feels like your fellowship isn’t actually on a journey. He gets the sense that you believe you have already arrived. And some of the questions he asks get really uncomfortable. Though you might not admit it, there are times you wonder why you ever picked up the phone when Seekum Trooth first called.
Indy Cided
The third individual you can’t avoid in our culture is Indy Cided. Indy comes from a growing group of people who loved to discuss all kinds of ideas, but are not quite ready to commit to any of them. Indy belongs to that group of people the sociologists call the Nones. She doesn’t come with a Biblical foundation and may not understand the need for a worldview grounded in anything more than her own inner feelings. Neither does she see a need to reach conclusions during your discussion. But there’s one thing Indy Cided will bring to your life – a host of questions!
Unhindered by a need to defend any one belief, Indy loves to throw out hard questions. She likes to speak of tolerance, of people’s right to their own conclusion, and of the importance of not judging others. There is a good chance she is carrying wounds from a bad experience with a Christ Follower. This person may have frustrated her by condescendingly providing simplistic answers to complex questions, hiding a lack g knowledge behind vague Christian cliches.
Debate will probably do little to persuade Indy, and an unwillingness to listen to her will simply hasten her down the path away from God. Gospel tracts once attempting to convert her into a committed believer in three pages will have little impact and likely will cause additional harm. If Indy Cided is going to take a fresh look at Christianity, she will need to be exposed to disquieting evidence. She will need people with a humble spirit and a genuine interest in her life. She will need a person who is an unapologetic follower of Jesus Christ, someone who will remain a friend even if she chooses to remain unconverted. Indy has probably never met a Christian quite like that, and it will take many hours of listening and caring before she shows much interest in your beliefs. In fact, if your idea of evangelism is telling, selling, and compelling the lost to an immediate commitment to Christ, you will likely only do more damage to Indy Cided! (OUCH indeed! mle)
Do We Really Want Them?
This overview of potential seekers in America today is over-generalized, and as you interact with people, many will not fit exactly into any of these three categories. But if you spent much time dialoguing with seekers, I suspect certain individuals came to mind as you read these summaries. And even though Manny Ishues, Seekun Trooth, and Indy Cided were different in many ways, all three had something in common: They came with baggage from their past (I suggest we all do, even if we visibly appear to fit the mold.. mle).
My goal isn’t to portray seekers in negative light or to discourage you from reaching out. But we must be realistic. Jesus said, “No man can come to me, except the Father which has sent me draw him” (John 6:44). God is actively calling, convicting, and drawing men to Himself. Our role is to care about the lost, and to individually and collectively demonstrate the character of God. We are to be praying for these people and preparing for the Lord to work.
Everyone Is Needed in the Field
Sometimes we don’t see immediate results. After declaring that the fields are white and ready to harvest to harvest, Jesus said, “One soweth, and another reapeth. I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labor: other men labored, ye are entered into their labors” (John 4:37-38). Jesus is saying that these who are planting might not see the harvest, and the harvesters may not have been involved in the planting. But the point is this: Every follower of Jesus Christ should be involved in planting, harvesting, or both. And because there isn’t an immediate harvest does not mean it is time to stop planting. We won’t always see results from our labor. But all of us are called to be working, and everyone is needed in the field.
It’s Never Been Easy
Think back to the people who came to Jesus. It seems a high percentage were the poor, the down and out, and even individuals known to be immoral. There were exceptions, but many seemed to be people like Manny Ishues. Yet they felt safe coming to Jesus for help. Move on to the time of the apostles, and we see a similar pattern. Corinth was a wealthy city, but notice Paul’s description of those who responded to the Gospel: “For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty” (I Cor 1:26,27). James seems to go further, insinuating that God is predisposed to the lower levels of society: “Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?” (James 2:5).
This is not to say that the rich and socially elite are excluded. But it does mean that we shouldn’t be surprised if seekers come with problems. While some, like Nicodemus, were in the upper echelons of power, many of Jesus’ most devoted followers were individuals living on the margins and came with deep issues. They came as military officers, greedy tax collectors, and immoral prostitutes. It was not usually the upstanding citizen, yet Jesus took time for them, and their lives were transformed by the Gospel. Today, there are stable, passionate and gifted members in our congregations who originally came too with major issues. Yet someone was willing to invest in their lives and help them find the ultimate source of healing.
The work is rarely easy. Manny Ishues may threaten to divide your congregation when members have differing opinions on how to respond. Indy Cided will probably ask difficult questions that you never thought of and don’t feel qualified to answer. Others, like Seekun Trooth, will reveal inconsistencies we may never have considered prior. He will make us realize we have more baggage of our own than we had thought. It takes a lot of humility to honestly confront our own hypocrisies and realize we have more to learn. But I encourage you to labor on. It won’t be easy, but rest assured – when you reach out to the lost, you are laboring with God.
merlin now: I believe as it was in Jesus’ day, so it is today, for only the sick who realize their needy condition may actually ever search for the Great Physician. But always remember, we Christ Followers do possess and are to radiate His Hope and Light to attract even the most unsuspecting sinner in their paralyzing darkness, whether momentarily high in their giddy wickedness, or perhaps, so low they are contemplating how to commit suicide.
FYI, Now About Christian Aid Ministries (CAM)
merlin again: I tend to think CAM is the real deal! Yes, they are human. Yes, they too make mistakes. And if they do, they admit so and seek restoration while unswervingly focusing all their adoration, allegiance & assets in such as people, time, energy & money to the Trinity: God our Father, Jesus Christ his only begotten Son, and Holy Spirit whom resides in us empowering us as already resurrected in His kingdom here on planet earth until our mission here is completed.
CAM was founded in 1981 as a nonprofit, tax exempt 501© (3) organization. Its primary purpose to provide a trustworthy and efficient channel for Amish, Mennonite, and other conservative Anabaptist groups and individuals to minister to physical and spiritual needs around the world. This in response to the command to “… do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith” (Galatians 6:10).
Each year, CAM supporters provide 15-20 million pounds of food, clothing, medicines, seeds, Bibles, Bible story books, and other Christian literature for needy people. Most of the aid goes to orphans and Christian families. Supporters’ funds also help clean up and rebuild for natural disaster victims, put up Gospel billboards in the U.S., support several church-planting efforts, operate two medical clinics, and provide resources for needy families to make their own living. CAM’s main purposes for providing aid to help and encourage God’s people and bring the Gospel to a lost and dying world.
CAM has staff, warehouses, and distribution networks in Romania, Moldova, Ukraine, Haiti, Nicaragua, Liberia, Israel, and Kenya. Aside from management, supervisory personnel, and bookkeeping operations, volunteers do most of the work at CAM locations. Each year, volunteers do most of the work at CAM locations. Each year, volunteers at our warehouses, field bases, Disaster Response Services projects, and other locations donate over 200,000 hours of work.
CAM ultimate purpose is to glorify God and help enlarge His kingdom. “… whatsoever you do, do all to the glory of God” (I Cor. 10:31).
If you wish to communicate with author Gary Miller, email kingdomfinance@camoh.org or write CAM, PO Box 360, Berlin, OH.44610. To order Reaching America ($14.99) and other literature, go to www.tgsinternational.org
Accept His Love. Share His Love. Live His Joy. Grow His Fruit. Embrace His Peace. Share His Hope. Refute Satan’s Evil!! merlin