What should we do about it? “Statistics” (who did that survey?) like this are often used to “motivate” (read: guilt) Christians into getting involved with evangelism. All I can think when I hear such statements is, “Why do we do anything but ask people if they can be sure they’ll go to heaven if they die tonight?” Why read a newspaper, why watch a movie, why take a walk with your wife, why play with your kids, why do homework, why prepare a sermon? In fact, why go to church, because for every minute you spend doing those things, 84 people are going to hell. The dilemma for those who believe that hell is real and that people who do not believe actually go there is what to do about it. I’ve got an answer, but I’m interested in what you think about this.
If more people would understand VOCATIO, this wouldn’t be an issue. Of course a proper understanding of vocatio means that groups like Zondervan and the Trinity Broadcast Network are going to lose hundreds of millions of dollars a year in their attempt to homogenize the missio Dei.
At the risk of sounding a little skeptical, I propose that most of these fear tactics are financially motivated.