See Successful Revivals In Scripture and The Methods Used (Below) Rick Warren says .. "It is my deep conviction that anybody anybody can be won to Christ if you discover the felt needs to his or her heart. That key to each person's heart is unique so it is sometimes difficult to discover. It may take some time to identify it. But the most likely place to start is with the person's felt needs. As I pointed out earlier, this was the approach Jesus used." (The Purpose Driven Church, pg. 219)
And Today “preaching to felt needs” is scorned and criticized in some circles as a cheapening of the gospel and a sell-out to consumerism. I want to state this in the clearest way possible: Beginning a message with people’s felt needs is not some modern approach invented by 20th century marketing! It’s the way Jesus always preached. It’s based on the theological fact that God chooses to reveal himself to man according to our needs! Both the Old and New Testaments are filled with many examples of this." (Learning to Preach Like Jesus. www.pastors.com/RWMT/?id=39&artid=1433&expand=1. Link is now obsolete)
So let's examine the New Testament to see if this is the "way Jesus always preached"
In Luke 4:25-29 Jesus came to Nazareth (where he had been brought up) and taught in the synagogue. "But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land; But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow. And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian. And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong,". (Emphasis Added)
Apparently the people did not consider what He said a very 'friendly' or sensitive' message considering that they were "filled with wrath" and all too ready to throw Him down a hill .. In Luke 14:25-28 "great multitudes" are said to be following Jesus. According to Seeker Sensitive churches this is a crucial time to be sensitive and preach sermons that will not drive seekers away: So what did Jesus say to them and how did he address their felt needs? "And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them, If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, doth not first sit down and count the cost, whether he have wherewith to complete it? "
In Mark chapter 10 we have the perfect example of how Jesus talked to an honest seeker... The rich young ruler. "And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?" Mark 10:17.
Jesus’ reply to this man’s honest question does not even faintly resemble what the seeker sensitive gurus teach: "Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me," Mark 10:21.
Take a closer look at what Jesus actually said.. While Jesus loved the rich young man, He was not easy on him. Jesus made it clear that being one of his followers is not easy (take up the cross, and follow me). He pointed out the one thing that the young man lacked which was that his treasure was in earthly possessions, thereby zeroing in on one sin. He confronted the ruler’s covetousness by telling him to give away all he had.
And then... The rich young ruler left sad, and Jesus let him go. In fact, throughout the New Testament, the hard sayings of the gospel are emphasized as much, if not more, than anything else. In Matthew 3 The message of John the Baptist didn't seem particularly friendly.. Scripture records him as taking one look at the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism and calling them "offspring of vipers".. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism and he said unto them, Ye offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruit worthy of repentance: Mat 3: 7, 8.
In Mark 6:12 When Jesus first sent out his disciples, what did they do? Did they gather the people to the local amphitheater and play the popular songs of the day? No, scripture says that, "And they went out, and preached that men should repent," . Can you believe that? They actually told men that they needed to repent--how offensive could they be? That is no way to attract the unchurched, is it? In Acts 2:37- 41.. On the day of Pentecost Peter rises up to speak to this vast crowd of unbelievers. What did Peter say to them? "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ." ... Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit... Act 2:40 And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, "Be saved from this crooked generation."
And the reaction of this vast crowd to this preaching? "Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?... Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls,"
(How is a sinner going know that they need a savior unless you point this out to them with scripture?) In Acts 3 After Peter had healed a lame man at the temple gate called Beautiful a big crowd of people gathered around them at Solomon's Porch. Here is part of what Peter said to the crowd... Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord... And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people," Acts 3:13-13, 19, 23.
Paul too was also quick to point out the punishment unbelievers will face (2 Thessalonians 1:7-10), arguing that the unsaved are spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:1-2) under God's wrath (Ephesians 2:3), and subject to the control of sin and Satan (2 Timothy 2:26; Romans 6:16-17). Additionally Jesus commanded those who would follow Him to ... deny themselves (Luke 9:23-24), be willing to die for His sake as they chose to hate this world because of their love for Him (Matthew 10:37-39).
He also preached some very inflexible messages saying that ... those who do iniquity would spend eternity in the fiery furnace (Matthew 13: 37-42) where the worm never dies (Mark 9:48).
Church-Growth Rick Warren has also been quoted as saying... "I've read it over and over, studying it with 'church-growth eyes,' searching for principles, patterns, and procedures. The New Testament is the greatest church-growth book ever written. For the things that really matter, you can't improve on it. It's the owner's manual for the church...The secret of effective evangelism is to not only share Christ's message but to follow his methodology. I believe Jesus gave us not only what to say but also how to share it. He gave us a strategy. He modeled timeless principles of evangelism that still work today if we'll apply them." (The Purpose Driven Church: Pages 18 and 186).
In John 6:53-66, In the beginning of his ministry Jesus had a lot of people following Him, What kind of message did Jesus preach to this big group? Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live for ever." He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum. On hearing it, many of his disciples said, "This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?" Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, "Does this offend you? What if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. Yet there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. He went on to say, "This is why I told you that no-one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him." From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. Then Jesus said to the twelve, "Do you also want to go away?"
No felt needs sermon. No polls to determine what to preach? Did he keep it light? No watered down message to avoid offending unchurched Harry and Mary? Apparently Jesus was not "hip" to the pragmatic methods of modern preachers. Perhaps He had not yet read the Purpose Driven Church, because it certainly appears that at times He went out of his way to offend people and not build a mega following. Paul didn't do any better... He failed to build a big following at the council of the Areopagus: Acts 17:33-34 At that, Paul left the Council. A few men became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others.
Since only a "few" became followers, Paul's method apparently was not working. Conclusion None of the declarations quoted above can possible be labeled seeker-friendly. Neither Christ, nor His apostles, watered-down the message for the sake of cultural relevancy or for fear of offending anyone. There is simply NO evidence that Jesus had any kind of strategy other than telling people the pure unvarnished truth. There is no evidence that He ever eased anyone into the Gospel nor that He was particularly concerned with numbers. In fact, at times, Jesus literally repulsed large crowds of seekers by being as blunt as any man as has ever been. So what Bible Warren was reading when he stated that "The New Testament is the greatest church-growth book ever written" is intriguing to say the least. Perhaps the key lies in his statement "I've read it over and over, studying it with 'church-growth eyes,' searching for principles, patterns, and procedures". It seems a classic case of someone going to the Scripture with an agenda.. looking for anything that can be twisted to prove what they have already decided to believe.
Successful Revivals In Scripture and The Methods Used
Revival 1. Ninevah The greatest revival in recorded history was Jonah preaching to Nineveh, since the entire city repented... So what did Jonah preach in order to get such amazing results. Did he gather everybody and put on a play, or see what music the Ninevites liked and incorporate that into his sermon? Perhaps he spoke to their felt needs? Was Jonah sensitive to the unchurched's hang-ups and not mention sin and destruction? Did Jonah gather together the experts from Nineveh and get their advice on how to better reach the young people? The answer in a resounding NO! This is what Jonah preached, "Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown. So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them," (Jonah 3:4-5). Jonah did not even want them to repent, he wanted them destroyed because Nineveh was a wicked and cruel nation. That underscores my point further, if you preach the Word, God will honor it. It is not in man's wisdom, power, or might, (Zechariah 4:6). God adds to the church (Acts 2:47).
Revival 2. Israel in The Days of Ezra
Another great revival can be found in the book of Nehemiah in chapters 8 and 9. What was done by the leaders that brought this great revival to fruition? Did they ask the unchurched for their opinion on how a church service should be? Did they take a poll of the unchurched and ask them why they were not attending worship services? Let's see what caused this tremendous revival: "So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading. And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshathac , and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law," Nehemiah 8:8-9.
The leaders preached the word and it caused the people to weep! No entertainment, gimmicks, dramas, worldly music, etc. They simply taught God's Holy Word which has been found effectual in the eternal salvation of millions and millions of people. Revival 3. Peter on Pentecost On the day of Pentecost Peter rises up to speak to this vast crowd of unbelievers. What did Peter say to them? "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ." ... Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit... Act 2:40 And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, "Be saved from this crooked generation."
And the reaction of this vast crowd to this preaching? "Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?... Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls,"
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