TITLE:  Why are we not reaching them?
TEXT:  Acts 9:31
PROPOSITION:  God expects the church to grow.
QUESTION:  Why?
KEY WORD:  Reasons
SCRIPTURE READING:  Same

 INTRODUCTION:

1. The early church grew.
2. 3,000 – Acts 2:41
3. Added daily – Acts 2:47
4. All Jerusalem knew – Acts 4:16
5. Believers added – Acts 5:14
6. Multiplied – Acts 9:31
7. Why did they grow? Why don’t we?
8. Research group did a study – 5 main reasons

 Leave to professional staff

1. “I am not trained.”
2. “I don’t know how to answer all the false doctrines.”
3. Elders, preacher = professional staff – we pay them to do it

 Not speaking the “peoples” language

1. We have our own terms
2. Specialized religious vocabulary
3. Repent, Baptism, Church, Saved
4. Holy, Sanctify, Confession
5. Gospel Meeting, Fellowship, tracts

 Assume most people believe the Bible

1. 98% claim a belief in God
2. 60% do NOT believe the Bible is inspired
3. Baptists argue this every year at convention
4. Major point of dispute – Methodists, Episcopal, Presbyterian, Lutheran
5. We often just start quoting scripture to “prove” our point

 Inadequate funds to do the work

1. Mission work takes money – travel, interpreters, materials, etc.
2. Local efforts – radio, TV, tapes, printed material, internet
3. Building sign out front – new, better lights

 Internal Strife

1. In the past – we debated every major denomination – doctrinal matters
2. In the past 40 years – debates were all internal
   1. Benevolence, orphan homes, help elderly
   2. Classes, cups, break bread, located preacher
   3. ICOC (Boston Movement), Liberal (Change Agents)
3. We spend a lot of time on – naval gazing
4. A large amount of church budget is spent on US, not THEM