Thom Rainer, newly elected President of Lifeway finds his typically optimistic heart deeply challenged by the evangelistic anemia that characterizes most evangelical churches in America. According to his research, it takes 86 American church members one year to reach one person for Christ. His research further suggests some reasons for this:
- Doctrinal ineffectiveness, by which he means that major doctrines of the Bible are often avoided by churches. Repentance, hell, regenerate church membership and church discipline are disappearing from the life and ministry of many churches.
- Church leaders are becoming less evangelistic. A recent survey of pastors discovered that 53% of them had not made an attempt in the past 6 months to engage one lost person evangelistically.
- Minor issues often distract Christians from focusing on evangelism.
Rainer concludes: “The numerical evidence seems clear. The American church is dying.” Coming from an optimist, these are sobering words. Rainer’s opinion is not that different from the assessment that many have been making for decades, however, in the midst of of much evangelical self-congratulatory celebration. Maybe if his and other voices continue to join the chorus, more evangelicals will stop boasting long enough to engage in some much needed self-evaluation.
One final note–Rainer wisely does not try to blame the spread of Calvinism for the decay of American Christianity. It is obvious that 53% of American evangelical pastors are not Calvinistic. Calvinism is not the culprit. But it may indeed be the antidote. As the doctrines of God’s sovereign grace continue to spread throughout churches in our country the prospect of revival and reformation increases. Apart from such spiritual renewal sent by God, Rainer’s prophecy will sadly come true.
We need to heed the wisdom of the great Southern Baptist leader from the early 20th century, J. B. Gambrell. He recognized that the great need of his day was a renewal of the preaching of the doctrines of grace. This is what he said:
We may invigorate our faith and renew our courage by reflecting that divine power has always attended the preaching of doctrine, when done in the true spirit of preaching. Great revivals have accompanied the heroic preaching of the doctrines of grace, predestination, election, and that whole lofty mountain range of doctrines upon which Jehovah sits enthroned, sovereign in grace a in all things else. God honors the preaching that honors him. There is entirely too much milk-sop preaching nowadays trying to cajole sinners to enter upon a truce with their Maker quit sinning and join the church. The situation does not call for a truce, but for a surrender. Let us bring out the heavy artillery of heaven, and thunder away at this stuck-up age as Whitefield, Edwards, Spurgeon, and Paul did and there will be many slain in the Lord raised up to walk in newness of life (quoted in Tom Nettles’ By His Grace, For His Glory, 216).
Pray for ongoing reformation in our day!
