Is Our Gospel Relevant?

I have begun studying the book of Mark again. It's a great Gospel to read when one wants to feel the fire of action. It's also a concise summary of what Jesus did when He walked on the Earth, for though it is the shortest Gospel, it contains the most recordings of Jesus' miracles. As I was reading through chapter 1, I was struck by something very interesting, as found in these two sets of verses:

And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. - Mark 1:4-5, NIV

Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: "See that you don't tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them." Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere. - Mark 1:43-45, NIV

In both cases the people were willing to go to a remote area for what it is they were seeking. In John the Baptist they were looking for repentance and forgiveness. In Jesus, at least initially, they were looking for healing from their physical ailments. However, Jesus' teaching (God's love and forgiveness comes with repentance) also attracted many, until He laid out how hard a road it was to follow His teachings (John 6). Traveling out to the wilderness surely wasn't easy or enjoyable, yet people did it in search of John the Baptist and Jesus.

That makes me think about today. I've seen the numbers on church attendance. And I've seen with my own eyes the struggle of a small church, as my family currently serves at one. By and large people aren't coming to church. George Barna's research says 47% of American adults attend church in a typical weekend. That's a 2005 number. However, when you consider that most surveys are answered by the people themselves, there's nothing stopping someone from claiming church attendance when they actually don't. Just because I say I go to church on some survey doesn't mean I actually do. And because of that tendency, some would estimate the number of American adults attending as being in the 30% range. So what does this tell us? It tells us that the majority of Americans aren't coming to church (even if you want to use Barna's numbers).

Churches don't tend to be located in out of the way places. Most neighborhoods have a church nearby. For many, getting to a church service isn't a terrible hardship. So why are the numbers so low? Quite simply, we're not meeting people's expectations. We're not providing them with something they want or need which causes them to get to church on Sunday morning. How very different we are from the examples of our Savior and His herald!

What are we missing? What is it people want? Some churches think the answer is to have more programs, more facilities, and just more "stuff." But a person could join a gym, go down to the local community center, or find an on-line community for any of those sorts of things. Those things don't make a church. What is it that John the Baptist had, that Jesus had, that we don't? They had an answer for the greatest need of all: God's forgiveness and acceptance.

We don't like confrontation so we don't "push our faith." We camoflauge ourselves so we don't stand out from the rest of the world because that means we take flak. But that's exactly what John the Baptist did before Christ's coming. And that was certainly true of Christ's ministry the whole time. Both were willing to take hits to tell people how to meet the need they felt within their hearts. We have the answer to that greatest need: the Gospel of Jesus Christ. But we're reticent to share it, to give it to those who need it so much.

Be encouraged, for that Gospel is what sets a man free. Be encouraged, for that Gospel promises eternity with God. Be encouraged, for though you give the gift of the Gospel to another, it will never be less abundant in you. Rather, the opposite is often true. Be encouraged, and provide the answer to the need so many around us have today.