The Great Commission Resurgence in the Home
Were you raised in a Christian home? If so, did your parents ever talk with you about the importance of reaching your neighbors with the gospel?
I asked that question in most of my classes the past few years. Not a scientific study to be sure, but the responses have been telling nevertheless. After asking perhaps a thousand students this question, no more than two or three dozen indicated this happened in their homes. Most classes where I ask this have about 90% of the students indicating they were raised in a Christian home, but no one raised a hand saying they ever as a family even mentioned the need to reach lost neighbors.
We claim to be a convention committed to the Great Commission. Yet in our homes does the subject come up? Have we so relegated the gospel to the institutional church we do not even consider that vital in a Christian home?
I get no greater delight than assisting my former students in their present ministries. One of the greatest examples of this joy comes from Texas, where SEBTS grad Brad Bunting leads student evangelism for the Southern Baptist of Texas Convention. Last fall Brad asked me to teach a series to be videotaped. I agreed, and although I have a face made for radio did so at the great Sagemont Church in Houston (it is still being edited before release sometime in 08).
The series is called Inheritance. The goal for the series: to help Christian parents raise children who will not merely stand strong in the godless culture, but children who will become adults who love and share the gospel, and who raise their children to do the same thing. It seems to me believers tend to focus far more on preservation than proclamation when it comes to our children.
I hardly consider myself an expert on parenting, but my wife Michelle and I have tried to live and teach and pray in such a way that our children not only “hold the fort” for Christ, but who are ambassadors for Him. Both of our children have led people to Christ. Both have been involved in sharing Christ with our neighbors. Both, we can say with confidence, love the gospel.
As I prepared to teach the study I made an interesting discovery. As far as I could see the many wonderful seminars and series on Christian families and parenting fail to emphasis the place of the gospel or the need to raise children who are capable of and active in sharing their faith. So, I felt I was starting from scratch.
Maybe I just don’t know much about our resources. That is likely the case. But I am troubled that a convention given to much rhetoric about both the Great Commission and family values seems at least on the surface to have a very hard time pulling the two together. My focus in Inheritance, which I based on Deuteronomy 6:4-9, was that homes where Christ is exalted should be marked by parents who share the gospel with their children and who help their children learn to share the gospel as well.
If you are a pastor, try this. Ask your congregation how many grew up in a Christian home? Then ask how many of those who raised their hands can recall their parents leading a discussion ever about reaching your neighbors. Then, ask how many remember the family ever doing anything specifically to get the gospel to their neighbors.
At the risk of sounding super spiritual, which I am not, here is what we have done. First, we moved a few years ago into a neighborhood with many who do not know Christ. These neighbors have become our friends. They are a delight. But most do not know Jesus in a personal, life-changing way. In some cases they are better neighbors than some Christians we have known, but that is a story for another day! Over the past three years we have had many conversations about the gospel. We have seen God at work. We now see several families in our church on Sunday. We have some who know not Christ asking many questions. What have we done?
First, we actually got to know them. We really like our neighbors! As some moved into their home we bought them dinner the night of the move. What an impact that made.
Second, every Christmas Michelle, who is great with crafts, makes a gift for our neighbors. The first year she made a Christmas ball with each house painted on it. What an impression that made! A neighbor this year said the first ornament they put on their tree is that one.
Third, we have participated in neighborhood events from New Years Eve parties to a block party in the cul-de-sac. Again, we like our neighbors. They are a lot of fun to be around! We just want them to know Jesus like we do.
Fourth, we have invited them to our church services, and some have come.
Fifth, we pray for them. Pretty much every time I drive up my street I do so, for instance.
Sixth, at least once a year I make it a point to knock on every door on our street and speak to them.
Finally, we have looked for and taken advantage of opportunities to share Christ whenever possible. We don’t preach at them (I don’t like neighbors preaching at me either), but we do talk to them.
What if every family who claims to know and love Christ made it a priority to teach their children to love and share Christ? What if each family saw their neighborhood as their Jerusalem (Acts 1:8)? What if over the life of raising a family they saw only one person come to Christ? The impact could be amazing.
We desperately need a Great Commission Resurgence in the Southern Baptist Convention. Perhaps it should not start in the church house. Maybe it should start in our house.
Note: In the coming days I plan to write a series of posts related to my president Dr. Danny Akin’s call for a Great Commission Resurgence. I personally believe this call is as prophetic and necessary as the call for a Conservative Resurgence regarding the inerrancy of Scripture. This post regards the need for such a resurgence in Christian families.