Unconventional Weddings

In most large U.S. cities, 25 percent to 45 percent of all the weddings occur outside the church. Leading Outreach editor Drew Dyck recently published an article "Wedding Crashers" by Bill Yaccino. In the article Yaccino encourages pastors to perform wedding ceremonies for non-Christians as a form of outreach.

Aren't pastors supposed to perform ceremonies only for Christian couples? Isn't performing a wedding placing a stamp of approval on the union? In the article Yaccino relays letters from non-Christian couples whose lives he has touched just by agreeing to perform their wedding ceremonies.

This article isn't just a challenge for pastors. It raises a crucial question we must all consider: what unconventional practices are we willing to employ to reach those outside the fold?

Thinking Outside the Flocks

Too often churches focus on its discipleship needs to the exclusion of outreach. While the Great Commandment is an essential component of Jesus’ mandate to the church, it would seem that churches need to place as much emphasis on the Great Commission and to think outside of the flocks.

What makes this so important is that the church in America is losing its influence. 3,500 to 4,000 churches are closing each year while, according to George Barna, the number of unchurched adults has increased by 92%. Ed Stetzer, in his book “Comeback Churches”, said that churches that are growing are doing so through evangelism.

When I pastored a small rural church in 1988, I honestly didn’t know how to do outreach. The fellowship I served had been birthed out of the Charismatic renewal and great emphasis was placed on the teaching ministry and revelation of the Word of God. Young Christians grew quickly and many went off to bible school and into the ministry.

What didn’t happen was evangelism. Like so many pastors, I encouraged the congregation to invite unsaved friends, but provided little training in relationship evangelism. Services were designed with the believer in mind. Outreach, although often a part of the vision statement, was not practiced locally.

Thank God things are changing. More resources are being made available. Men like Steve Sjogren have shown us that small acts of kindness draw people with God’s love. Bill Hybels of Willow Creek modeled friendship evangelism. Nick Kinn has trained hundreds of soul winners and has led hundreds of thousands to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ on the streets of our community.

As the return of Our Lord nears, pastors and church leaders are realizing that it takes more than just building a church and preaching a wonderful sermon. It takes thinking outside of the flocks.