If the challenge of our world is indifference, the opportunity is to embody a radiant, convictional, relational, Christ-centered presence in the community life of the church, one that people cannot ignore because it looks and loves like Jesus.

 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.

1 Peter 2:11–12

The Scriptures give us both a name and a mission. We are sojourners and exiles, and we are called to live visibly and compellingly for the glory of God among those who do not yet believe.

Our identity of exiles begins to frame the ministry moment we are in, but we also need to understand the mission field God has placed us in so that we may enter it wisely, humbly and confidently.

In a recent podcast, church researcher Sam Rainer mentioned recent studies showing that the primary barrier to reaching the unchurched today is not hostility, but indifference. People are not avoiding church because they are angry. In most cases, they are simply not thinking about church or faith at all.

Second, although many say they are “too busy,” we know this is not the real issue. People make time for what they value. So we are not facing a scheduling problem. We are facing a value problem, because church is not seen as necessary or beneficial.

So what does this mean for us? We must remember that we cannot argue people out of apathy. Only the Holy Spirit can awaken the heart. Our calling, then, is to show the beauty and relevance of the gospel through presence, love, and relationship.

So the question before us as believers is this: How do we minister fruitfully in a culture that simply does not care?

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