"Larry, I know our church is not that evangelistic but I've come to accept it. To be honest, I don't think most of our people know how to lead a person to Christ anyway. Outreaches take too much effort and money so we just don't get involved."

"Every church needs to find their niche. Outreaches to the lost are good, don't get me wrong, but they're more for young people and new believers. We're more into expositional preaching so we leave the elementary stuff to less mature congregations."

"God predestines those He wants to save and damns those He doesn't. We're all running toward eternal damnation, but He mysteriously and mercifully elects some to be saved from His wrath and sovereignly pulls them out of the crowd. Why waste time wandering around some event full of lost people—it's not a wise investment of time."

"Why lend support to these area wide evangelistic initiatives? If anyone really does get saved, and I doubt if it's genuine to begin with, they're probably not going to get plugged into our church even if we manage to get their name on a card. It's not worth our effort."

"But when He saw the crowds, He was moved with compassion for them, because they fainted and were scattered, like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest, that He will send out laborers into His harvest." (Matt.9:36-38).

Here's the deal: While many shy away from evangelistic opportunities that pose challenges, take planning and require sacrifice, God calls us as His "ambassadors" to reach the lost, deceived and broken ones for whom He died.

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