7-10-08

Who is Your Target?

One of the favorite questions being discussed by church planters and those interested in church planting is, “Who is your target?”  They want to know if the target of the church is a demographic target (a particular age group, ethnic community, or a special interest group) or a geographic target (a certain city, town, or neighborhood).

The answers to that question are almost as numerous as the churches being started.  Some will say they are targeting 18-30 year olds.  Some are trying to reach the middle aged.  Some churches are starting in senior citizens communities.  Others aim at bikers or cowboys or the art communities or athletes, and the list goes on and on.

All of these approaches are good, in that in each of these groups there are unbelievers who need Jesus.  Therefore, any attempt to reach them with the gospel of Jesus Christ is a valid endeavor.

However, it is somehow unacceptable to those who “know what they are talking about” to simply say that our target is those who are unsaved and/or unchurched.  Somehow, we must aim at a more specific bulls-eye or we will hit no one – or so they say.

If I understand what the Bible says about evangelism, the main method of reaching the lost is personal, intentional, and relational (John 4:1-26).  Believers are to intentionally and personally build relationships with unbelievers for the express purpose of earning the right to be heard.  Once that right has been established, the believer then begins to share the gospel and, with much prayer and persistence that unsaved one will come to Christ.

Even though I have been in vocational ministry for more than thirty years, I am new at starting a church.  I hope you understand that my questions are genuine and I am sincerely seeking a Biblical and practical answer. 

Is it insufficient to say that our church consists of people from a variety of backgrounds, with different economical situations, of different ages, with varied educational accomplishments, and different hobbies, therefore, our relationship building will include people from all of these categories and more?  Must we narrow the field or are we still supposed to “go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15)?

The benefit of focusing one’s aim certainly has merit and I understand that “if you aim at nothing you will hit it every time”.  The arguments of the church growth gurus are compelling and I have given them a great deal of thought and prayer.

If, for the sake of discussion, I am forced to narrow the scope of our evangelism and discipleship then, without question or hesitation, SouthPoint Church is aiming at men.  These 33 years of experience have taught me that, with few exceptions, if you reach the husband, you will reach the wife.  If you reach the father, you will reach the family.  If you reach the single man, you will prepare him to be the right kind of husband and father if he does marry.  It is my contention that discipleship must begin with men.

That is not to say that women, children, or teenagers should be neglected.  Nor have we forgotten about the single woman or single mothers.  However, as a Pastor, in addition to the tasks of preaching and teaching God’s Word, I spend much of my time intentionally building relationship with men for the purpose of evangelism and/or discipleship.

My ministry has always been driven by 2 Timothy 2:2, “And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also”.  At SouthPoint Church, we take this injunction seriously.

David Murrow, in his book, “Why Men Hate Going to Church” says, “In the natural world, fatherlessness is devastating to men.”  He goes on to say, “Fatherlessness is devastating in the spiritual world as well.  Why are our churches filled with spiritually immature men?  Because we are not fathering them.  We are teaching them things, but we are not raising them to maturity.  Few are becoming great men because there are few fathers to show them the way”.

It is amazing how eager men are to find a spiritual father, especially if their earthly father was not the spiritual leader of the home.  It seems so natural for me to bond with other men who experience the same difficulties and dangers I face each day.  It is so good to know that someone is praying for you and “has your back”.

Ladies, please do not think for one moment that we do not appreciate the role you play in our spiritual development or think that your prayer support is somehow less valuable than that of men.  We simply need the encouragement, the challenge, and the confrontation that one man brings to another in the Kingdom of God.

Please pause for just a moment and pray for the men of SouthPoint Church.  Pray that we will be the husbands and fathers God would have us be.  Pray that those who lead the Church will be men of integrity and purity.  Pray that God would grant us His wisdom as we guide and guard His Church.

Have a blessed day.

Pastor David