Dn. Raphael Sears used to be the world’s largest retailer. They are still in business, but are like the old gray mare—they ain’t what they used to be.
Did Sears executives think the internet was a fad? Did they think people would always shop at malls? Who knows? One thing is clear. Instead of fighting for their supremacy, they sat on their legacy and lost an enormous market share.
What was their legacy? Ironically, Sears started out in the 1890s. They revolutionized retail sales in much the same way Amazon did in the 1990s: mail order.
Today’s Christians seem to be sitting at the same table with Sears. And like Sears, Christianity in North America is in decline.
Not all churches are doing badly. In some parts of the world Christianity is thriving. But like Sears, American churches are resting on a legacy of incredible growth in the 20th century.
Polling companies such as Gallup abound, but statistics vary and are confusing to me. Three things are clear:
• Throughout the middle and late 20th century 73% of Americans identified as Christians. A poll in 2019 says that number is now 47%.
• Twenty years ago, one out of four Americans called themselves Roman Catholic. Today 25% of Americans call themselves Nones. They are unaffiliated with any religious group. Most were raised in churches. Many like to say they are spiritual but not religious. This is the fastest growing segment of religion, if you can call it religion.
• Unlike most Christian denominations in America, Eastern Orthodox Churches are growing. But at four tenths of a percent. In fact, Orthodoxy has never done well in North America. Less than half a percent of Christians in America are Eastern Orthodox. The late Fr. Peter Gilquist was Chairman of Missions and Evangelism of the Antiochian Church. He used to joke, “The Orthodox Church is the best kept secret in America.” But it’s no joke, it’s a statement about how weak we are at evangelism.
In the first century, the Church of Antioch—our church— was a powerhouse of evangelism. Our forefathers sent out the likes of the Apostles Paul, Barnabas, and Silas. They established strong Churches throughout the Roman Empire, a government that persecuted Christians.
I sometimes wonder if Orthodoxy’s lackluster evangelism isn’t from centuries of living under persecution of Islam and communism. You survived if you kept quiet about your faith. Or maybe not… I recently read an article that if Christianity in China continues to grow at it’s current rate, China will be a Christian nation by the year 2030… and their government persecutes Christians.
Jesus told his disciples to tell everyone, everywhere about Him and make them disciples. We call it the Great Commission. This calling is for all followers of Christ.
We have to do better. We must improve. That’s why I organized Evangelist Basic Training (EBT). If you will let me, I want to make us good at it and set us on a path to fulfilling Jesus’ command at every Orthodox Church. I want you to join me.
I’m not talking about sending anyone to another country. Your mission field is your zip code. If you’ve avoided evangelism because you don’t know what to say, this training is for you. If you ever had a heart for evangelism but it turned cold, this is for you.
I’m inviting you to join me. We will evangelize together. It won’t be difficult or time consuming. I’ll teach you when to speak up and when to keep quiet. What to say and how to say it. Click here to sign up.