Seeking His Lost Sheep

[BlessedMan]

I have been re-reading an old book that I was given approximately 23 years ago. At the time, it was highly coveted reading material for anyone who wanted to work in evangelism, and in particular, to reach out to "backsliders," as they were called back then. I think the "woke" terminology for that would be "inactive members," but I am not sure. But at least you will get the picture now. We can start with a quote from the book:

Quote

 

"When you obtain the name of a backslider, do not give up trying to locate him. Even though the address may be uncertain. We have inquired of the police, the fire department, water, electric, and gas companies, post office, corner grocery, and telephone company in our search for a missing person. The dividends are rich and rewarding.

If the address is correct, but the individual is not at home, go to the neighbors to ascertain the time he is usally home. Be as persistent as the FBI..." [Seeking His Lost Sheep, (taken from pg 65, chapter called "Suggestions for approaching Backsliders"), book was written in 1965 by Fordyce W Detamore. ]

 

Some Questions That Came To Mind: When I read the above, short excerpt, a lot of questions seemed to pop into my mind at once. It seemed like a veritable flood of ideas, and sharp memories that seemed to cut deeper, the longer I dwelt on them.

1/ Why is the word "him" used so deftly to describe "the backslider?"

2/ Why wasnt this kind of effort being proposed to just keep people at church; rather than just running around with the backslider blindfolds on?

3/ What might happen today would one of us were to go seeking "the lost" like this? Would it even be legal?

4/ Is there a better way to "seek the lost?"

5/ What can we do differently today, to just keep people at church so that we don't have to go running all over the countryside "searching" for a "backslider?

6/ Is it possible that we, the church, are responsible for at least some, if not all of the people leaving the church?

7/ What is the "remedy" for doing church better? IS there a right way to do church? Was/Is the way we personally did/do church right?

8/ What is the best way to do "evangelism" according to Jesus?

In starting this topic, I am not expecting any one person to answer all of the above questions. I am hoping people will perhaps just respond to the one that they feel strongly about, or that has affected them personally.

In a future post, I will comment more from the above mentioned book "Seeking His Lost Sheep."

For this post, in closing, I have a suggestion for question number eight:

Quote

"And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." (John 12:32)

My opinions and practices regarding "evangelism" have certainly changed from 23 years ago. But for now, John 12:32 seems like the best spring board for helping people to find some interest in our Lord.  I ran into this quote while researching this topic:

Quote

Assurances Of Success In Soul-Winning: "If the lay members of the church will arouse to do the work that they can do, going on a warfare at their own charges, each seeing how much he can accomplish in winning souls to Jesus, we shall see many leaving the ranks of Satan to stand under the banner of Christ. If our people will act upon the light that is given in these few words of instruction, we shall surely see of the salvation of God. Wonderful revivals will follow. Sinners will be converted, and many souls will be added to the church.--Testimonies, vol. 8, p. 246.  {ChS 184.1}" (taken from Lift Him Up, printed 1951, by The Department Of Lay Activities, SDA GC, 1951)

The Bible seems quite clear:

"But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry." (2 Tim 4:5)

What is or should be "the work of an evangelist?"

AND what should be that "PROOF" mentioned in this text? (2 Tim 4:5)

 

[B/W Photodude]

9 minutes ago, BlessedMan said:

5/ What can we do differently today, to just keep people at church so that we don't have to go running all over the countryside "searching" for a "backslider?

6/ Is it possible that we, the church, are responsible for at least some, if not all of the people leaving the church?

In my church many years before I came here, many members of the church left in mass.* I have asked why we don't go looking for these people and invite them back. So far, no one is even interested. Not sure how it would work to invite them back to a church that didn't care that they were gone.

I did read an article one time that discussed people who left the church. One thing that bothered a lot of the "backsliders" was that no one came looking for them.

 

*The reasons seem to be complex and I am not sure that I understand it or should understand what happened.

[BlessedMan]

6 minutes ago, B/W Photodude said:

I did read an article one time that discussed people who left the church. One thing that bothered a lot of the "backsliders" was that no one came looking for them.

I think you understand the topic very well. I had a period of several years where thats all I did was visit inactive members. I usually ran with about a 75% "success" rate, but there came a day when I was really embarrassed to invite people to church anymore. There was a great flurry of "witnessing" going on re "spiritual warfare,"  (think Neil T Andersen) and "confessing all the dirtiest things one ever did to the "coordinator."

Edited January 4, 2020 by BlessedMan

[B/W Photodude]

1 minute ago, BlessedMan said:

 and "confessing all the dirtiest things one ever did to the "coordinator."

Sounds like the thing that got a lot of priests in trouble listening to those things in the confessional. I know we are supposed to confess to each other, but there are limits to what you should confess! Reminds me of a lot of testimonials I used to hear in college. Someone could get up and go on forever it seemed about how sinful they were (seemingly enjoying the telling) and at the very end for a few seconds it was, "oh yeah, then I got saved!"

[BlessedMan]

1 minute ago, B/W Photodude said:

but there are limits to what you should confess!

I think it can be easily shown in scripture & SOP that we ARE to confess our "faults" to one another, NOT our sins. Of course, there is a "translation" for just about every flavor of that issue!