Becoming all things to all men

This past Sunday evening I led a discussion from 1 Corinthians 9:19-23. I wanted to provide some of the insights from this discussion for all of you to enjoy.

We began with the question "is there anything we should NOT do in order to win people to Jesus?" We decided that short of compromising the Gospel message, violating Scripture in some way, or falling into some sin...there is nothing that we should NOT do if we know that it is going to win people to Christ.

The next question was - "should we change ourselves in an effort to win people to Jesus?" The answer was "yes". We should be willing to change things about ourselves in order to win a lost world to Jesus. Paul said "I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some".

Isn't it interesting that we will go on a mission trip to a foreign country and will change the way we talk, act, eat, and dress in order to reach people for Christ but we don't want to do that right here, where we live and work everyday! Isn't this our primary mission field? If we will do everything possible to be relevant to another culture in another country why cant we do that here in our own hometown and in our own church! Why cant I change my preferences and my methods in order to engage my culture with the Gospel. After all, it is not sin to change the way I dress...it is not compromising the Gospel if I change the format of my Sunday School Class, I am not compromising the Gospel if I change my worship service a little bit to make it more visitor friendly.

The point is this - our message is sacred...not our methods. This world is constantly changing and we must change with it if we are to win people to Christ. Not that I am going to change the message...that never changes. But our methods must always be changing and evolving.

Many churches will be ready and prepared for ministry if the 1950's ever come around again!
We must be willing to sacrifice some of the things that "worked" in order to find what truly "works" in reaching a new world for Christ.

Paul was a master at understanding culture. He knew the culture of all the places he went and he did all he could to relate to them in a way that would lead them to Christ. He was so serious about this that he would change things about himself in order to engage people with the Gospel. He said "to the Jew I became like a Jew...to those without the law I became like one without the law". He was willing to adapt and to adjust who he was in order to be relevant to the people he ministered to.

I wonder how we need to change, as individuals and as a church, in order to more effectively engage and relate to the culture around us so that we can be relevant?

What do we need to "become" in order to "win some". What "means" do we need to embrace in order to be effective at sharing the Gospel with the un-churched?

I know what some of you are thinking...."we don't need to adapt to culture...they need to adapt to us! We just need to preach the Word!" Paul went so far in this passage to say that he makes himself a "slave" to everyone. Was he talking about the other Apostles and other believers when he said "everyone"...or was he talking about people that did not know Christ? Obviously, he meant that he makes himself a slave to lost people...meaning that he is willing to serve them and also to change himself in order to "win some".

I don't know about you...but this passage makes me a little uncomfortable. Don't you hate it when the Word of God does that!