Reaching people far from God requires a different type of ministry than one that connects with mature Christians.

These groups do not start from the same convictions, morals, or goals.

I appreciate Churches that start each week with a “thus saith the Lord” approach to their program. They read the Bible a lot and assume everyone in the room knows what they are talking about. Often the preacher picks a book to preach through and spends week after week working through those texts.   

It is different when you are reaching non-Christians. You have to start where their life is at that moment. They may be struggling in their marriage, parenting, or work environment. They may be feeling the disillusionment that comes with success. They may feel the pain of losing someone they love or the joy of a newfound love. You must start there and tell them how God speaks into their life in that situation. 

When you do, you have to take the time to define what an Ephesian is and why they should care about them. You must explain the background of the people speaking and why their story is essential. There must be a contextualization that helps everyone understand why these ideas matter to them and the people they love.   

If you attend the Church I lead or one like it, you will hear some of the same things explained weekly. These explanations are repeated in the simplest way possible. I assume that people have no Church background or Bible knowledge. There will be illustrations from people trying to live out their faith today. My professor used to say, “Put the cookies on the low shelf so that everyone can enjoy them.” 

There are many different Churches and ways to do ministry, and most have different starting points. This is important to know when you choose a Church to attend and invite the non-believers in your life to join you.