This will probably sound like the strangest comment/question I’ve ever posed … have you ever thought that your harvest field was the churched? Have you ever considered that the person sitting next to you in church may not be saved? In fact they may never have thought about salvation because it so rarely is preached in some churches. Plus, if they are a regular church goer, they may think that they are, that going to church is enough. Not.
The ‘churched’ attend church- yes. And they may give a tithe or offering, they are basically ‘good people’. They may even have been confirmed in a church in the far distant past. And/or they may also serve in some capacity of the church’s leadership. Actually, that doesn’t matter in the final analysis if they haven’t accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior. How can this be? While there are many verses that attest to this, I’m only going to provide a few examples since the focus of this is on saving the unsaved churched people… that could be your field to harvest.
“Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter his mother’s womb a second time and be born, can he?” Jesus answered, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot [ever] enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh [the physical is merely physical], and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be surprised that I have told you, ‘You must be born again [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified].’ [John 3: 4-7}
“This Jesus is the stone which was despised and rejected by you, the builders, but which became the chief Cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among people by which we must be saved [for God has provided the world no alternative for salvation].” [Acts 4:11-12]
These unsaved can be your family, your friend, your next door neighbor…
How do you know? Ask. Their (or yours) potential embarrassment or lack of understanding is too high a price to pay for assuming. Though it may not, this should end any discussion on being born again and how one is. Only basis to be saved. Only Savior. So what do you need to do to be born again, to enter into salvation, to know Whose you are and what this means:
“But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word [the message, the basis] of faith which we preach—because if you acknowledge and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord [recognizing His power, authority, and majesty as God], and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart a person believes [in Christ as Savior] resulting in his justification [that is, being made righteous—being freed of the guilt of sin and made acceptable to God]; and with the mouth he acknowledges and confesses [his faith openly], resulting in and confirming [his] salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him [whoever adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Him] will not be disappointed [in his expectations].” For there is no distinction between Jew and Gentile; for the same Lord is Lord over all [of us], and [He is] abounding in riches (blessings) for all who call on Him [in faith and prayer [Romans 10:8-12]
When you consider everything that awaits those who believe, do you really want to leave to ‘chance’ that a member of your family, or your neighbor, or a close friend may not know or know what’s available for those who confess Jesus as their Lord? A momentary embarrassment either yours or the person you are speaking to is a very small price to pay for eternal life.
