JR. Forasteros - September 22, 2013
Engaging the Unchurched
Once we're connected with those who are unchurched, how do we engage them with the Good News about Jesus in a way that's authentic and honest, rather than gimmicky? The answer we see in the scriptures is, "Come and see!"
From Series: "The Next Right Thing"
This year, Beavercreek Church of the Nazarene turns 60 years old. Over the last 60 years, we've made Jesus famous in our community by Bridging Church to Neighborhood. As Jesus has for us, we've gone into our neighborhoods, taking Jesus' love with us and showing our community in tangible, practical ways that Jesus loves them. Now it's time to take the Next Right Step. What will Beavercreek Nazarene look like in the next 60 years? What kind of church will we become? For the month of September, we explore our new vision, imagining together how it will shape our announcement of the Jesus' Good News in Beavercreek, Ohio. We want to become the Church that connects and engages the unchurched in our neighborhoods. What does that look like? Join us as we dream together!
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Last month, news broke that rock singer Chris Cornell had committed suicide in the middle of a Soundgarden tour. The news shook our culture, in part because Mr. Cornell seemed so happy. He had a wife and three children, and by all accounts was happily married. He gave no outward indication that he was struggling with depression.
I wrote a post on Facebook, reacting to the tragedy. The thrust of my post was that if even someone like Chris Cornell can struggle with depression, then if you are struggling too, it doesn’t make you weird or broken or a freak. It makes you pretty normal.
I put a plea at the end of my post – if anyone reading was considering doing something similar, would they please talk to someone first? I told them they could contact me if they wanted.
I didn’t expect what happened next – the post went viral. It was shared over 800 times, and over the next couple of days, I received a handful of private messages from people I’d never met who wanted to know if I was serious that they could reach out to me.
Over the next week or so, I had conversations with several people who were at various stages of considering suicide. Again and again, they said the same things.
“I don’t matter. No one cares about it. No one will miss me.”
I don’t matter.
There’s no point.
This sentiment is becoming more and more widespread in our culture.
It’s nothing new. There’s a story our culture has been telling for at least the last 100 years. We find it in philosophers like Nietzsche, who said “our existence has no meaning.” We find it in writers like H. P. Lovecraft who suggest that if there are gods, they are cruel and distant and couldn’t care less about humanity. We find it in scientists like Neil Degrasse Tyson, who tell us that the universe doesn’t have a purpose, but also suggests that the universe is trying hard to kill us.
It has become more and more difficult for our culture to believe that life has a purpose, that we are more than smart monkeys that are terrified of our own impending death.
Which is why we need to confess God as Creator. To say, “I believe in God the creator” is to announce that we believe life has meaning, that we have a purpose, that every single one of us matters.
