Why Anagkazo is Important For Church Growth
by Pastor Dag Heward-MIlls
In the fourteenth chapter of Luke, we read a familiar story where Jesus told of an important person who held a party for his friends. I want you to read this whole portion of Scripture so that you will be familiar with the story.
Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.
And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.
And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.
So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room.
And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel [anagkazo] them to come in, that my house may be filled. For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.
Luke 14:16-24
This man had the unfortunate experience of spending a lot of money on a big party, inviting important people, only to find out that most of them wouldn’t come. This man was very surprised about their rejection of his invitation. He became angry as he listened to the excuses of those he had invited. In his anger, he decided to invite anybody he found on the street.
Imagine having a party with people you don’t even know!
Unfortunately, at that time of the night, there were not so many people around. Even after inviting those on the street, his party was relatively unattended. He then decided to invite the sick, the blind and the handicapped. Imagine that! What an unusual selection of partygoers! His party was full of the nonentities and the down-and-outs of society.
Growth through Anagkazo
I believe this story is symbolic of the Lord Jesus sending us out to invite people to Him. It is also symbolic of pastors sending out their members to evangelize the world. I have discovered that every time I embark on evangelizing the world (inviting many people to a great supper), I encounter the same things that this man encountered. However, I believe this man was a success. In spite of everything, he had his party and his house was full of guests. It might not have turned out the way he initially wanted, but he had his party anyway.
You see, God is sending out His church to invite the whole world to know Christ. Unfortunately, many of those who are invited do not respond. The Jews were the first to be invited to know the Lord. But they rejected Christ and the Gospel moved on to the Gentiles.
Many of the elite, who live in large urban centres, hear the Gospel on television and in church. However, they do not receive the message but rather criticize preachers. Again, the Gospel is passed on to the poor and non-elite in villages. They willingly receive the Word because they have no other hope but God.
1. Anagkazo is important because only a certain type of evangelism will lead to church growth.
People are not going to be convinced or compelled to know God through our little church games. Our “Mickey Mouse” church programmes and bazaars will not go very far in today’s world. We must go out there and drive them to God.
2. Anagkazo is important because the people that will fill our empty churches are not in places where they can receive bourgeoisie invitation cards.
If people are going to be touched with the Gospel, a new strategy of going to the gutters, highways and the bushes must be employed. Sitting in church and inviting people has long been an unworkable strategy for church growth.
3. Dear pastor, without anagkazo, your church is going to be empty.
Please remember that if this man had not employed the strategy of anagkazo he would have had an empty house. Remember this, “A pastor without anagkazo will have an empty church.”
4. Without anagkazo, many churches are going to die a natural death.
What you must realize is that the membership of a church is very fluid. Many people come and many people leave. If you don’t have more people coming in than those you are losing, your church will begin to die. If you don’t want your church to close down, you must do what Jesus instructed – go out and practise anagkazo.
5. Life is becoming more hectic and people are becoming more busy in the twenty-first century.
Busy working people are going to have more and more excuses. The strategy of anagkazo will help you to overcome these excuses. Through your new driving and forceful attitude you will bring many people to Christ and to church.
In the fourteenth chapter of Luke, we read a familiar story where Jesus told of an important person who held a party for his friends. I want you to read this whole portion of Scripture so that you will be familiar with the story.
Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.
And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.
And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.
So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room.
And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel [anagkazo] them to come in, that my house may be filled. For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.
Luke 14:16-24
This man had the unfortunate experience of spending a lot of money on a big party, inviting important people, only to find out that most of them wouldn’t come. This man was very surprised about their rejection of his invitation. He became angry as he listened to the excuses of those he had invited. In his anger, he decided to invite anybody he found on the street.
Imagine having a party with people you don’t even know!
Unfortunately, at that time of the night, there were not so many people around. Even after inviting those on the street, his party was relatively unattended. He then decided to invite the sick, the blind and the handicapped. Imagine that! What an unusual selection of partygoers! His party was full of the nonentities and the down-and-outs of society.
Growth through Anagkazo
I believe this story is symbolic of the Lord Jesus sending us out to invite people to Him. It is also symbolic of pastors sending out their members to evangelize the world. I have discovered that every time I embark on evangelizing the world (inviting many people to a great supper), I encounter the same things that this man encountered. However, I believe this man was a success. In spite of everything, he had his party and his house was full of guests. It might not have turned out the way he initially wanted, but he had his party anyway.
You see, God is sending out His church to invite the whole world to know Christ. Unfortunately, many of those who are invited do not respond. The Jews were the first to be invited to know the Lord. But they rejected Christ and the Gospel moved on to the Gentiles.
Many of the elite, who live in large urban centres, hear the Gospel on television and in church. However, they do not receive the message but rather criticize preachers. Again, the Gospel is passed on to the poor and non-elite in villages. They willingly receive the Word because they have no other hope but God.
1. Anagkazo is important because only a certain type of evangelism will lead to church growth.
People are not going to be convinced or compelled to know God through our little church games. Our “Mickey Mouse” church programmes and bazaars will not go very far in today’s world. We must go out there and drive them to God.
2. Anagkazo is important because the people that will fill our empty churches are not in places where they can receive bourgeoisie invitation cards.
If people are going to be touched with the Gospel, a new strategy of going to the gutters, highways and the bushes must be employed. Sitting in church and inviting people has long been an unworkable strategy for church growth.
3. Dear pastor, without anagkazo, your church is going to be empty.
Please remember that if this man had not employed the strategy of anagkazo he would have had an empty house. Remember this, “A pastor without anagkazo will have an empty church.”
4. Without anagkazo, many churches are going to die a natural death.
What you must realize is that the membership of a church is very fluid. Many people come and many people leave. If you don’t have more people coming in than those you are losing, your church will begin to die. If you don’t want your church to close down, you must do what Jesus instructed – go out and practise anagkazo.
5. Life is becoming more hectic and people are becoming more busy in the twenty-first century.
Busy working people are going to have more and more excuses. The strategy of anagkazo will help you to overcome these excuses. Through your new driving and forceful attitude you will bring many people to Christ and to church.
