Here is a great resource for growing in loving the lost and proclaiming Christ boldly!



We will be starting this course in our small groups this month!

Thanks Proclaim Course friends!!

A Plea to Be Bold

Thom Rainer's book, "The Unchurched Next Door" addresses our need to be unashamed of the gospel and to build bridges of genuine friendship. Check out this plea to be unashamed from a recent convert.(see my previous post to understand the U4 designation.)

Hey Thom, I just finished reading the material on the U4’s. Boy, could I identify with those people. I was probably aU4 just about five years ago. I never was antagonistic toward the church and Christians, but I was resistant to anyone trying to convert me.

I look back on those years, and the best way I can describe it was that it was a time of fog. I didn’t think or see much clearly in those days. Most of the time religious matters were not at the top of my agenda, but they were kind of hanging in my conscience. I guess the Holy Spirit was trying to get my attention.

The most amazing thing about that period is that I can’t recall one person over several years who ever said anything to me about Jesus or even the church. I had Christian neighbors who never opened their mouths. I had Christian coworkers just two offices down from mine. Never a word from them.

Looking back now, I think I would have welcomed a word from a Christian. I didn’t know it at the time, but I was hurting deep inside. And I probably would have put on some act of bravado to let people know I didn’t need God as a crutch. But I still would have loved to have heard something from a Christian.

I guess I moved to a more neutral position, what you call a U3, after watching a Billy Graham crusade on television. I bet if someone invited me to church then I would have gone. You know the rest of the story. I finally visited a dynamic church in town and became even more receptive to the gospel. Finally someone from the church asked me to lunch. Mike, who is now my best friend, shared with me how to accept Christ. A few months later I did pray to receive Christ.

But do hear what I am saying. I had to go to a church before someone talked to me one-on-one! For the first 42 years of my life, on one witnessed to me or invited me to church. I pray that I will never make that mistake. You know, the mistake of keeping my mouth shut. No, it’s more than a mistake, it’s a sin.

Thom, I pray that your next book will be used of god to open some mouths that are sinfully shut. If I had to depend on most Christians in America for hearing the good news, I guess I would still be hell bound. Please let your readers know that most of the unchurched people out there would welcome a word from a Christian. Please tell them before it’s too late.

May God fill us with love for Christ and others that overcomes our fear! God grant us your boldness and wisdom to share!

Afraid of the Unchurched?

Thom Rainer has written a number of very helpful and encouraging books. One that is impacting my life is "The Unchurched Next Door". In this book Thom categorizes unchurched folks in five categories, U1-U5, depending on their receptivity to things of Christ. They conducted 306 interviews with folks from diverse backgrounds. Here is the breakdown:

Level	Attitude Towards Christianity	Percentage
U5	"Antagonistic"	5%
U4	"Resistant"	21%
U3	"Neutral"	36%
U2	"Friendly"	27%
U1	"Very Friendly"	11%

One key result was that of all the folks interviewed 82% said they would visit church if a friend invited them. Wow! I often see it the other way around, thinking 82% of folks would refuse to be my friend anymore if I invited them to church. Have you ever thought that way? I think we need help!

Christ and Culture

I listened to a message by Tim Keller entitled "Being the Church in Our Culture." I was very blessed and encouraged by Tim's understanding and heart to be the church and influence the culture for the kingdom of God. Drawing from Matthew 5:16 he urged us to be fully engaged in our culture modeling the life of Christ and his kingdom through our vocations, gifts, friendships and entire lifestyle. Certainly we are called to do this for the glory of Christ, for our joy in Him and for the good of the church. But living under the King in all aspects of life and culture also has a profound evangelistic effect. Check out Dr. Keller's quote:

"Non Christians need to see Christians who so inhabit their city and so inhabit their neighborhood and so inhabit their profession so that by looking at them they have a picture of what they would be like if they were Christians. ..... They want to see people who are smart as they are, as saavy as they are and yet different, really different, a lot happier, a lot more thoughtful, a lot less selfish, see, they've got to see themselves and yet not see themselves. In other words the Christian church has got to be a dynamic counter culture, it's got to be an alternate city, it's got to show the rest of the city what they would look like if Jesus were Lord." - Tim Keller

May we so live by the gospel and so appeal to the lost that they see in us what it looks like to be a follower of Christ in their world and are compelled to follow too!

What is Witnessing?

(This is the 2nd part in a series on King of Grace's mission statement.)

Our mission is as a church to be:

Wholeheartedly loving God and one another
by Worshiping, Witnessing and Walking in
the good news of Jesus Christ for all of life.

I want to talk a little about "witnessing". Witnessing is the simple act of "telling it as it is", that is, telling it as you have seen it and experienced it. As Christians we are to simply and humble witness to the joyful reality of Jesus Christ as our all sufficient Savior from sin and all its repercussions as well as our all worthy Lord over all our lives and all of creation.

We believe that witnessing to Jesus Christ in our lives is a natural overflow to our experience. We all witness to something. Usually that something is what is most important to us. A proud father witnesses to his son's achievments. A enthusiastic fan witnesses to the exploits of her sports heroes. Similarly, for the Christian, we testify to the blessings of the good news of Jesus Christ.

This involves demonstrating to others the lifestyle of following Christ as well as explaining & declaring the truth behind it. Demonstration and declaration are two key elements to being effective witnesses to anything. We are instructed this way in scripture: Romans 1:16 (ESV) says, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes..." and in Matthew 5:16 (ESV) Jesus says, "In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." And Jesus also says in John 13:34-35 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."

And so, at King of Grace Church we seek to witness to the reality of Jesus Christ in how we live, how we love and what we say. We seek to do this in every arena of life in which we live that we might shine his light and see many others come to know, enjoy and worship the King and Savior who will one day soon come back to complete his reign over all of creation.

In pursuing this call to witness we affirm the following points:

• We affirm that a right approach to witnessing springs from a gospel-motivated grace-empowered joy-filled engagement with the our families, our friends, our community and our culture.


• We pursue a multi-faceted, relationally based, church-wide ministry of outreach.


• We pursue a church-wide culture of mission with the equippers equipping, the ministers ministering.


• We believe in a deep and broad community and cultural engagement.


• We pursue a love for and involvement with our communities, not isolation from nor abandonment of the culture.


• We exist to be a church-planting church.

That is what we mean by witnessing. We invite you to come and witness with us to the wonderful news and experience of Jesus Christ, Savior and Lord.

God Bless, Paul