Searcy: big days reach new people

As we just discussed, the biggest reason to do a big day is to cooperate with God in reaching the most people possible for the kingdom while we still can. That’s the big picture. But let’s bring that down to where we live every day. Stop for a minute and think about the city or town that is buzzing just outside your door. People are dying every day—dying small daily deaths of frustration, fear, addiction, and depression and dying physical deaths that will separate them from God eternally.

We have a responsibility to do as much as we can to bring these dying people to Christ, point them to new life, and grow them up into spiritual maturity. Isn’t that why we do what we do? But reaching our communities is not going to happen without some intentional effort on our part. We can’t just walk through status quo days and assume that the people who are already in our churches are going to be filled with a passion to reach others for Jesus. We have to make a concerted decision to put time and energy into influencing those countless people beyond our doors. They need us. That’s where the vision for a big day begins—with a heart for the community and a heart to reach new people before God’s final big day.

On a side note, let me commend you for walking this path. Deciding to move through a growth barrier and reach a new level through a big day is a tremendous act of unselfishness. Can I be honest with you? It’s all too easy for church leaders to stagnate. It’s easy to hang out in the comfort zone, keep the bills paid, preach to the same crowd every week, and just let things roll on. But that is selfish. When you land in that place, what you are saying to the community around you is, “I don’t care about you. I am comfortable with things just as they are.” The truth is, who is going to touch the people in your area if not you?

To get serious about doing a big day means breaking out of selfish strongholds. It means realizing that church is not about you and yours but rather about God’s purpose for the people you’ve been called to reach. We all know that Jesus said, “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you” (Matt. 28:19–20). Why then is it so easy for us to get caught in maintenance mode and leave that commission to someone else? By investing your time in learning to ignite your church for healthy growth, you are choosing to unselfishly follow the calling. Thank you for that.

Henson, J. D., & Searcy, N. (2009). Ignite: how to spark immediate growth in your church. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker.