1. What Are We Willing To Do To
Reach The Lost for Christ?
I Corinthians 9:19-23
Greg Heath
May 27, 2012

2. I Corinthians 9:19—23
• 19 Though I am free and belong to no man, I make
myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as
possible. 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win
the Jews. To those under the law I became like
one under the law (though I myself am not under
the law), so as to win those under the law. 21 To
those not having the law I became like one not
having the law (though I am not free from God’s
law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those
not having the law.

3. I Corinthians 9:19—23
• 22 Tothe weak I became weak, to win the
weak. I have become all things to all men so
that by all possible means I might save
some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel,
that I may share in its blessings

4. What does this passage tell us about
Paul and his ministry?
• Nothing was more important to Paul than
reaching the lost for Christ.
• Paul knew that it was necessary for him to
adapt his ministry to his audience.
• Paul was willing to place the needs of others
over his own needs.
• Paul demonstrated humility.

5. Sobering Statistics
• 88% of the children raised in evangelical homes
leave church at age 18. Most never return.
• A similar study conducted by Lifeway Research in
2007 reached similar conclusions
• The divorce rate among evangelical Christians is
roughly the same as the rest of the population.
• 2/3 of the members of Southern Baptists
churches attend church only sporadically.
Source: Southern Baptist Conventions Family Life Council, 2002

6. Sobering Statistics
• The majority of children and teens in America
spend less than 10 minutes in “significant and
meaningful conversation” with their parents
each week.
• If you remove time spent with the mother, the
number plunges to a few seconds.
Source: Southern Baptist Conventions Family Life Council, 2002

7. Sobering Statistics
• 70% of Protestants ages 18-23 who attended
church in high school quit by age 23.
Among those who stayed in church…
• Only 51% viewed the church members as
caring.
• Only 48% viewed them as welcoming.
• Only 42% viewed them as authentic.
Source: Lifeway Research, 2007

8. Other Reasons
• According to a 2011 Barna Group study, the #2
reason for teens and young adults leaving
church was that their experience at church
was shallow.
• 24% agreed with the statement that “The
Bible is not taught clearly or often enough.”
• 23% agreed with the statement that “God
seems missing from my experience at church.”
Source: The Barna Group of Ventura, California, www.barna.org 2011

9. “This is sobering news that the
church needs to change the way it
does ministry.”
—Ed Stetzer, Director of Lifeway Research

10. Current Trends
• The emergence of new and various forms of
worship and bible study are redefining
corporate worship.
• The growth of “house churches”, “marketplace
ministries”, and “cyberchurches” is redefining
the meaning of “church participation”.
Source: The Barna Group of Ventura, California, www.barna.org 2008

11. Church Attendance
• 56% have attended a conventional church
service within the past month.
• Nearly 1/4 of all adults have never attended a
church of any kind in their entire life.
• 15% of adults attend church at least once each
year, but not in the last month.
• 3% have attended a “house church” but never
a conventional church.
Source: The Barna Group of Ventura, California, www.barna.org 2008

12. Conclusions of the
2008 Barna Group Study
• The best way convince today’s adults to
attend church is if someone they know and
trust invites them to attend and accompanies
them to church.
• They have to have a reason to believe that the
church event will address one of the needs
they are struggling with.

13. New Avenues of Worship
During the last month…
• 15% had either had an experience with God or
expressed their faith in God through a faith-oriented
website.
• 7% had experienced a real-time worship event on the
internet.
• 13% had an experience with God or had expressed
their faith in God through a ministry that met in the
marketplace.
• Over 1/2 had experience with God through a religious
television or radio program.
• Only 17% professed to be a “born again” Christian who
have made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ.
Source: The Barna Group of Ventura, California, www.barna.org 2008

14. Youth and Technology
• 63% of all teens exchange text messages every
day with friends, family and parents. (Source:
Pew Internet and American Life Project, 2012)
• The average teen sends/receives 96 texts each
day. (Source: The Nielson Company, 2009)
• 1/5 of all 3rd graders have a cell phone.
• Teens use their mobile devices to text, make
phone calls, access the internet, access social
networking sites, take and share pictures, and
download, record and share videos.

15. “Today’s American teens live in a world
enveloped by communications
technologies; the internet and cell
phones have become a central force
that fuels the rhythm of daily life.”—
Pew Internet and American Life Project,
2007
http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2005/Teens-and-Technology.aspx

16. What does all this mean?
• We should not reach the conclusion that a
younger generation is shallow.
• Overall, teens and young adults seem to be
struggling with how to live a Christian life in a
world that is often at odds with what they are
taught at church.
• They are longing to follow Jesus in way that
connects them to the world around them.

17. What does all this mean?
• We have our work cut our for us.
• A rapidly changing society and culture means
that we are presented with constantly
changing challenges on how to reach a new
generation for Christ.
• The trends in society will have a profound
impact on how we chose to reach a new
generation for Christ.

18. What are the Answers?
• We are going have to seek God’s guidance for
how we are going to meet the ministry
challenges that face us in the 21st century.
• In order to reach anyone for Christ we need to
be able to connect with them.
• In order to connect, we need to understand.
• We have to have a deep Christ-like love for
others, and a passion to reach the lost for
Christ.

19. What are we willing to do
to reach the lost for Christ?
Is there anything more
important?