We are seeing examples of desperate attempts to get people into the CRC, even if that means compromising the gospel. I cite one more example of a similar nature: The synod of 87 adopted a proposal by the Board of Home Missions “which would prayerfully aim at a total membership in the CRC of 400,000 by the year 2000.” The aim of getting the gospel out to more and more people is laudable, but is this the way to do it? One delegate at synod warned about getting caught up in “the numbers game.” Another asked, “Where is the Holy Spirit in all of this?” We ought to listen again to the late Dr. Eldersveld:

I’m afraid that our preaching is not going to be like that of those early followers of the Way if we are thinking only about those whom we hope to win. This modern concern about the number of converts can have a disastrous effect upon evangelism. Are we being caught up and swept along by the spirit of the age in which everything is measured by statistics? Are we merely trying to popularize the gospel, to make it more acceptable, so that we can get more people in the church? What are we preaching for? Only fo r decisions? . . . .

You can’t help wondering about the whole idea of setting up a goal like that: let’s get a million souls for Jesus Christ! Is evangelism first of all a matter of arithmetic? Is it geared to a policy of numerical success?. . . . What does the number have to do with the real purpose of evangelism?

Not only do we set the number, but we also like to tell the Lord what kind of converts we would like: there has to be a proper proportion of “third world ethnic” peoples. The Board of Home Missions decided in ‘86 “to seek to increase especially the number of Asian, Black, and Hispanic new church development ministries.” We also need a certain amount of these people in leadership roles in the denomination. Talk about “reverse discrimination”! As the editor of this magazine wrote recently: “The Lord’s gospel does not have a race label and we have no right to stick such labels on it.” A recent survey of CRC membership by the Inter-Agency Advisory Council of the CRC revealed that almost 98 percent of the respondents were white. “Given the fact that the CRC in recent years has tried to make itself more multi–racial, this was a disconcerting finding, said Schreuder” (quoted in Chr. Renewal) . So we’re going to tell the Lord how many members we want, but also of what race they have to be! I find the whole affair quite disconcerting and unworthy of the gospel. As if we can decide who shall and who shall not belong to the church. One would not expect this from a Reformed church. As one respondent (in the above-mentioned survey) put it: “It seems to be that the CRC of late is more interested in appealing to all people and views than in maintaining the integrity of the Word.” Well said.

What is revealing about this whole matter is that it comes precisely at the time when we as a church are becoming less distinctive and more worldly and are more and more letting the world squeeze us into its mold (to use Philips’ translation of Rom. 12). In the words of one of those surveyed, “we are making very little impact on today’s Sodom-sick generation.” Is that perhaps because the “salt” is losing its power? Think of the synodical decisions in recent years regarding entertainment (movie attendance, dance) and women in office (feminism). Look at what’s happening to Sunday observance and attendance at the second service, and the lack of leadership in this regard from our official church paper and leaders.

Has the Christian Way become too much like our modern highways? . . . . I’m all for them, and I suppose you are too. But is real Christianity a superhighway in this. world? Perhaps one reason why we are not being persecuted is that our Christianity is not the kind that would ever provoke any persecution. Is it possible that nobody bothers us because we never bother them? Do we just go along with the world in all its evils, just keep still, and probably even find pious arguments to justify our silence? It’s a lot easier that way, but is it Christianity? (Eldersveld) I’m reminded of the words of the song:

What you are speaks so loud that the world can’t hear what you say; they’re looking at your walk, not listening to your talk, they’re judging by your actions every day. They’ll accept what they see and know you to be; they’ll judge from your life alone.

That fits in with what the Bible says too: “that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 5:16; 7:21; cf. also Q. & A. 86 of the H . Catechism).

Some years ago the Rev. Alvin Hoksbergen wrote a couple of articles in The Banner under the title, “Dangerous Trends in Evangelism.”

Some of the things he said then bear repetition today:

Our denomination’s concern about its declining membership is not in itself wrong, but what is questionable is the direction we are taking in our concern. We hear very little about self-examination to discover if we are faithful and true to the Head of the Church as we witness to Him. Instead, we hear much about a declining membership and a low figure in our evangelism statistics . . . .

We have adopted the approach taken by the American industrial complex and applied that to the church and its ministry. Accountability and goal-setting become the big words. We need growth, and if we do not get it, we must consider ourselves as less than healthy . . . . This is the direction we are taking, a direction that makes sense for a business venture in the North American structure of economics, but a direction that is totally out of step with the biblical principles that are to govern the life of the church . . . .

During a period of declining numbers, the first priority of the church is not an attempt to reverse the trends, but rather a serious examination of its ministry . . . . . But regardless of the response, a faithful church will work daily to remain faithful and it will wait patiently and expectantly upon the Lord to “add to their number day by day those who-are being saved.”

In the words of the Rev.Schlissel, it’s not a matter of evangelism or defending the faith: it is both. If, while the ship of the church is rescuing lost sailors at sea, there is danger that the ship gets torpedoed, we better be concerned. For if the ship gets hit, she goes down herself and she won’t rescue anyone else either.