Want To Reach Unchurched People? Don’t Create A Sense Of Urgency, Fight Against It

People have enough stress in their lives. They’ve had goods and services sold to them through a false sense of urgency so often that there’s a built-in distrust of it. In western culture, the resistance to the church and the message of Jesus (not necessarily the same thing) is not primarily based on ignorance, anger or even stubbornness. It’s apathy. They’re not upset or worried, they just don’t care. The uncommitted person isn’t waiting for a cue that “this is the weekend to get the deal of a lifetime at your local church!” They’re not thinking about it at all. Not only is urgency not the antidote to apathy, it’s the enemy of importance. Of joy. Of community. And of curiosity. Urgency doesn’t pull new people in, it reminds them of why they’re staying away.

December 8, 2017

by Karl Vaters

In western culture, the resistance to the church and the message of Jesus (not necessarily the same thing) is not primarily based on ignorance, anger or even stubbornness. It’s apathy.

The uncommitted person isn’t waiting for a cue that “this is the weekend to get the deal of a lifetime at your local church!” They’re not thinking about it at all.

Not only is urgency not the antidote to apathy, it’s the enemy of importance. Of joy. Of community. And of curiosity.

Urgency doesn’t pull new people in, it reminds them of why they’re staying away.

Author

Karl Vaters

Karl produces resources for Helping Small Churches Thrive at KarlVaters.com.
He's the author of five books on church leadership, including his newest, De-Sizing the Church: How Church Growth Became a Science, Then an Obsession, and What's Next. His other books include The Grasshopper Myth and Small Church Essentials.
Karl also hosts a bi-weekly podcast,The Church Lobby: Conversations on Faith & Ministry, featuring in-depth interviews about topics that concern pastors, especially those who minister in a small church context.
Karl has served in small-church ministry for over 40 years, so he speaks and writes from decades of hands-on pastoral experience. He and his wife, Shelley have three children and two grandkids.

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