While there are several inhibitors related to communicating the gospel, there are 2 major barriers today undermining the rapid spread of the gospel: 

BARRIERS TO CHRISTIANS

There are longstanding spiritual, cultural, and intellectual habits and/or traditions among most Christians that have become barriers to talking freely about Christ.

Why do Christians find it so incredibly difficult to share the gospel?  In part, because of:

  • MISUNDERSTANDINGS ABOUT SALVATION 

    For instance, many Christians have a shallow understanding about the severity of sin (‘I’m not that bad!’) and how radically it separates us from God, or what it cost God to save them (see Luke 7.36-50 and why the woman anoints Jesus’ feet).  Others are unsure about their salvation.  Many miss living in the overwhelming joy of being saved!  Still others are unaware of the power that dwells in them through the Holy Spirit.  And some falsely believe one’s salvation is a private affair between the individual and God.

  • FEAR 

    For most, the very thought of talking about Jesus causes a paralysis created by fear, inhibiting them for decades or a lifetime, from sharing the gospel with a neighbor or coworker (even Paul asked for prayer to not give in to fear – Ephesians 6.19 – 20).

     

  • LACK OF TRAINING 

    For many Christians, FEAR can be the result of simply having never been taught how to communicate the gospel, leading many to avoid sharing the news about Jesus or how He has impacted their life.

  • STARTING A GOSPEL CONVERSATION   

    The barrier of not knowing how to start a conversation with someone who doesn’t believe is often due to not being trained or having a lack of experience.

  • CHRISTIAN CULTURE “LITE”

    There are those were raised in a Christian culture where there was little Bible reading, teaching, prayer, and serving others.  Going to church once a week was sufficient.  Like seeds on rocky soil, the roots are shallow and people think they’re checking all the necessary boxes.

  • WORLDLINESS

    Unfortunately, there are many who give in to the enticements and distractions of the world, and are programmed by culture to pursue fun, pleasure, and entertainment, instead of developing the disciplines necessary to be a true disciple of Christ.

  • CULTURAL CHRISTIANS 

    These are people raised in a church, perhaps 3rd, 5th, or 8th generation ‘Christians’, who have been conditioned by a ‘church’ culture.  They like the people, appreciate a shared set of values, and have good times together.  Unfortunately, they don’t tend to grow in holiness and true discipleship, where their walk in Jesus is new and fresh every day, and where they can look back and see spiritual progress the last 6 months.  The Scriptures aren’t their ultimate authority and guide in life.  If they had been raised in Tehran, Iran, they would have been faithful Muslims; if in Chennai, India, faithful Hindus.  These are people who have a form of religion but don’t live in the power of it. 

BARRIERS TO NON-CHRISTIANS

There is an overlapping but different set of spiritual, cultural, and intellectual barriers non-Christians have, that keep them from hearing about, knowing, and trusting Christ. 

The person who is not connected to Christ has spiritual, cultural, and intellectual barriers that keep them from Christ, several of which are interrelated:

  • LOSS OF IDENTITY 

Because they don’t know Christ, they know (Romans 1) and at the same time don’t know (2 Corinthians 4.4):  

  • who they are 

  • where they have come from 

  • why they exist 

  • how to tell right from wrong, outside of their feelings 

  • where they are going when they die

  • SPIRITUAL LOSTNESS 

    While the unbeliever knows where he is physically, he/she is blind as to where they are at spiritually, as pertains to the lostness of his/her own soul (Luke 15; 19.10).  This is portrayed through metaphors in the Bible, such as being blind, deaf, dead, and lost. 

     

  • ‘DISCONNECT’ FROM ULTIMATE TRUTH 

    When people follow their own heart and not Jesus, they become disconnected from the truth of the gospel, like a ship untethered from its anchor and drifting helplessly at sea (Romans 1.18, 25; 1 John 2.4). 

     

  • LACK OF TEACHING 

    Sadly, many people in our country and throughout the world have not had fathers or mentors teach them the way of living in Jesus, and the only models in their lives were those who exhibited god-less lifestyles (Deuteronomy 6.5 – 9; Mark 7.7). 

     

  • MISUNDERSTANDINGS 

    Many people have basic misunderstandings about God, Jesus, the Bible, sin, why we need to be ‘saved’, how to be saved, the church. 

     

  • MORAL RELATIVISM 

    When there is a loss of identity, true spirituality, and truth, people lose the framework on which to discern right from wrong, good from bad, and light from darkness.  And because individuals and communities want to retain their own autonomy, they invent their own standards of right and wrong.  One of those standards is called ‘moral relativism’: the irrational belief that individuals can create their own standard and believe: What is true for you, may not be true for me.   

     

  • LOSS OF MEANING 

    Sadly, being outside of Christ creates a loss of true meaning and purpose in life, kin which each soul is adrift in a sea of meaninglessness and, as Francis Schaeffer said, ‘their feet firmly planted in midair’. 

What can we do?   

Understand the basic barriers lost people have… 

Overcome our own barriers, and…  

Do what Jesus told His disciples to do:  

 

Go and make disciples of all nations,

baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,

and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.

And look, I am with you…to the end.

Matthew 28 

How to overcome these barriers and restore the early church’s example is what Breaking the Barriers is all about.