No Response to the Gospel: What do you do?

What do you do when there is no or little response to your efforts in evangelism or church planting? 

First lets consider what it is not:

1) We know that the problem is not with God's mission. He is drawing mankind to himself (John 6:44), He is sending workers into the harvest (John 4:37-38) and the harvest is ripe! (John 4:34)

2) We know that the problem is not with God's Spirit. He is convicting the world. (John 16:8-10)

3) We know that the problem is not with God's message.  The gospel is the power of God. (Romans 1:16) The gospel message is clear. (I Cor 15:3-4)

So what do you do when there is no spiritual fruit?  Charles Brock, in his classic work The Principles and Practice of Indigenous Church Planting (Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1981), offeres the following list of items for us to carefully examine: the seed, the sower, the soil, the method and the weeds.  One of my mentors, Bob Logan, developed and expanded Brock's principles with the following questions to help missional leaders probe the matter even further.

• The seed -- Is the appropriate scripture being used - stories which the people can relate to? Has the gospel been diluted?
• The sower -- Is the messenger or church planter the right person for the place? What are their expectations? Too high, too low? Are they boldly proclaiming the gospel? Does the church planter have faith for the work?
• The soil -- Is the right area being targeted? Would another ministry focus group in the area respond quicker?
• The method -- Is the message being proclaimed in a culturally appropriate manner? Are there other creative ways to give the message? Is the gospel being proclaimed in a simple, easy to understand way?
• The weeds -- Is there spiritual warfare which needs to be waged? W

What do you do when you are seeing little fruit in your evangelism or church planting efforts?

• The seed -- Protect the purity of the gospel (Galatians 1:6-8) and embrace the centrality of the gospel in your life. (Romans 1:16-17) 
• The sower -- Do a gut check or a rigorous spiritual inventory. (Ps. 139:23-24; Joshua 3:5)
• The soil -- Pray for men and women of peace to come along your path. (Luke 10:1-23)
• The method -- Embody the gospel and it will flow out of your methods. (Titus 2:11-14; 3:4-8)
• The weeds -- Understand the fight and fight with the weapons God has given us. (Ephesians 6:10-17)

Andrew Murray's words bring challenge and hope to this subject: "Revival must be asked and received direct from God Himself. An extraordinary spirit of prayer, constraining believers to much secret and united prayer, pressing them to 'labor fervently' in their supplications, will be one of the surest signs of approaching floods of blessing. If there is to be a mighty divine awakening it will be born in the whole-heartedness of our prayer and faith for it. Let no believer think himself too weak to help, or imagine his prayers are not needed. Let every believer stir up the gift that is in him and begin to cry every day, 'Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?' Every revival has come as Pentecost came, as the fruit of united, continued prayer. It is in the closet, with the door shut, that the sound of abundance of rain will be heard. An increase of secret and united prayer with ministers and members will be a sure harbinger of blessing."

May the increase of secret and united prayer fall upon us!

Comments

[John Desaulniers, Jr.]

I think we may not rely on the Spirit's work - or lack - as we ought. While I agree wholeheartedly that there's no problem with the Spirit's convicting work, I don't know that Scripture presents that ministry as an ongoing one when it comes to the unconverted. Paul and his companions were PREVENTED by the Spirit for preaching in Galatia, yet it's obvious that at some point the Spirit brought conviction and salvation to that area of Asia Minor, since we have Paul's letter to them.

Henry Blackaby, in his work, Experiencing God, notes that the Bible teaches that no one inherently seeks after God (Romans 3) and that no one comes to the Father unless drawn by the Spirit. He argues that our priority needs to be our personal relationship with Christ, so that we are always attune to His leading. Then, if we face an apathetic or callous response, we can rest in the reality that at least at this time, the Holy Spirit is not drawing that person. Just as Paul (while Saul) was at first antagonistic to the Gospel and in hearty agreement with Stephen's death, only to be converted later, so, too, the one who has no interest in spiritual things now may be softened by the Holy Spirit later.

[Gary Reynolds]

Gary, thank you for getting us to reflect on the issue of little or no response.

I would add two thoughts:

1. Signs & markers. What do we know about the signals/signs of response in the setting/context? Do we know how to read response in that setting? We need to be sure that we read the right signs. There may be generational & cultural blockers within ourselves that obscure signs of response.

2. Proclamation elements and carriers. Are there non-propositional elements to our proclamation? Is there a rich non-verbal carrier for the proclamation, something that authenticates or models the import of the words?

Another Gary (Gary Reynolds, Schaumburg, IL)