I Can't Stop Thinking About This Quote!

In an earlier post, I wrote a few thoughts about Dave & Jon Ferguson's book, Exponential. If you read my review, you can tell that I really like this book! (Click here to read my review)

There is one line that I have not been able to forget, though.  It is just so good!  In the process of welcoming new people to church, they try to (Are you ready, now?  Here comes a great quote!) "Treat everyone like a Christian until they realize they are not."  This has occupied my mind for weeks!

Dave and Jon Ferguson rightly describe following Jesus (being a Christian) as a lifestyle more than a label.  In chapter 3, they talk about the word discipleship and they talk about how they prefer to use the word apprentice instead, as it helps to give Jesus-followers an active sense of what it means to follow and obey Jesus.

When they describe the process of bringing others to faith in Jesus, they talk in terms of a process, or a series of steps taken over time, rather than a one-time decision.

As evangelicals, we have often called people to a decision - to that moment in which they repent from their sins and trust in Jesus.  Psychologically, we know that it is helpful to be able to remember a specific moment when we experienced something, so that we can mentally revisit the decision associated with the experience, and in a sense, re-experience our decision.  We often liken it to a wedding ceremony.  I know I am married because I remember my wedding.  But what about the person who knows they are following Jesus with everything in them, but who cannot identify a moment in which they decided to do so?  Can  conversion be a gradual process or a series of small steps taken over time?  The Ferguson's think so.

Whether they are right or not, their guidance is still good advice.  Even if we believe and insist on that remembered/datable "born again" experience, we can still admit that people rarely listen when we tell them (especially in a personal conversation) that they are not really Christians.  What if we just treated people like they were already Christians and allowed God to show them that they are not?  They Dave and Jon recognize that so many Americans believe that since they are good people they must be okay with God, and that if they attend a Christian church, then they must be Christians.  If it is the Holy Spirit's job to convict people of sin, they will recognize their non-Christian state only as much as they listen to him!  At that point, they will be ready to really hear the good news of Jesus and salvation by grace through faith!

What does this mean practically?  It means we invite everyone to join us on the journey of discipleship/apprenticeship of Jesus.  And when we see sinful behavior, we confront it as sinful behavior.  When we see immaturity, we confront it with a call to maturity.  When we see hurt and pain, we console.  When we see discouragement, we encourage!  And when the time is right, conversion will happen as our friends allow God to convert them.

Let's try it!  Let's treat everyone like Christians until they realize they are not.