Dear Sir,
As Christians we all know that there is a dire need to bring more people into the fold of Christ. However, the question is: what are the most God-honouring and effective ways to achieve this? I am concerned that some Christian groups are going about this the wrong way.
It goes without saying that we need to do something to tackle the ongoing challenge of how to attract families and the younger age range of people into the churches. However, it seems there are outreach groups who, desperate to be seen to be doing something, are badly losing the plot.
How? Well, none more so than by making Good Friday into a ‘fun day’ played out in shopping malls and market areas. What would a ‘fun day’ for Good Friday comprise? It would invariably include such things as face-painting, lost sheep games, mime and surveys.
Since when has crucifixion ever been a ‘fun’ event, particularly for those being crucified like our Lord?
The idea of a ‘fun day’ is of course purely secular. Fun activities only pander to the materialistic desire for amusement. These trivial events invariably end up in a clutch of photographs. But what has actually been achieved? How is this honouring to the living God? Here we are merely in the entertainment business. Activities such as face painting are simply devoid of any real evangelical content.
It all sadly undervalues people’s intelligence – particularly the sharp intelligence of children. And if ‘fun day’ type activities are neither communicating the gospel nor God honouring, where do we go from here?
Today in Britain, true evangelical Christians are a remnant. While we should reach out to the lost, we should not fall into the all-too-inviting trap of gospel dilution. To do so can only weaken Christ’s church and result in our losing our spiritual bearings. Rather it is our prime business to watch, wait, witness and pray. If we cave in to secular attitudes, we ultimately risk losing everything.
Yours sincerely,
