tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23191203.post114581267344758533..comments2023-09-25T04:24:45.407-05:00Comments on The M Blog: What does each baptized convert cost?J. Guy Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17751691713410311094noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23191203.post-1146182880803102612006-04-27T19:08:00.000-05:002006-04-27T19:08:00.000-05:00great post Guy, absolute dollars are a little misl...great post Guy, absolute dollars are a little misleading. %annual salary of convert might be an interesting and more useful statistic. <BR/>God is good<BR/>jpuJohn Umlandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06403644529498645914noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23191203.post-1146017024846043782006-04-25T21:03:00.000-05:002006-04-25T21:03:00.000-05:00David,Thanks for the thoughtful comment. "Megashif...David,<BR/><BR/>Thanks for the thoughtful comment. "Megashifts" by James Rutz (where this info comes from) does a good job documenting the many astounding statements and stories he reports going on around the world. It is an amazing book. I too am stretched to believe the high figure, but since he only footnotes where the information comes from, I guess one would have to get hold of the original source by Barrett and Johnson and read their conclusions in their work "World Christian Trends". <BR/><BR/>In fairness to Rutz, his point is to show that instead of appropriating the vast American Institutional Church resources into winning the world, the majority have been invested back into ourselves. We spend "God's money" on ourselves and all the machinery that accompanies today's institutionalized church. When the value of all the church buildings, ministries, salaries, Christian media, maintenance, tithes/offerings, etc. are brought into the equation (as I suspect they are), it shouldn't surprise anyone that each of our baptisms cost as much as the authors claim. <BR/><BR/>Granted, reaching Muslims will cost more than Latin Americans, but certainly not as much as it costs to win a North American due to our choices as North American Christians. To me, all of this says more about our values of convenience, education, comfort, lifestyle, and expectations than it does about our overall committment to reaching a lost world for Christ.<BR/><BR/>What I conclude from all this is simply the fact that planting new 'simple' house-style churches is the best all-around way to win people to Christ and fulfill the Great Commission. It isn't through established work with all the overhead, but through new work that the biggest impact is being made upon worldwide lostness.J. Guy Musehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17751691713410311094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23191203.post-1145868210412642112006-04-24T03:43:00.000-05:002006-04-24T03:43:00.000-05:00In the interest of our responsibility to be good s...In the interest of our responsibility to be good stewards with the resources, gifts, and talents God entrusts us with, this is very important and disturbing information.<BR/><BR/>Having said that, here are few additional observations...<BR/><BR/>The figure of $1,551,466 seems incredible to me. I would be interested to know a little more about what calculations were used to arrive at this figure.<BR/><BR/>Also, although I think we are responsible to be good stewards with all that God entrusts us, we can get on very shaky ground when we try to measure God's work with a calculator. I'm sure the amount of resources per baptized convert poured into reaching Muslims is a good bit higher than that poured into reaching Latin Americans. Does this mean we should cut down our spending for reaching Muslims? Sometimes, I think, God does not use neat ledger-line economics.<BR/><BR/>In any case, I agree with you that this information is very interesting, and that we should not just bury our heads in the sand, as if it were not so. One day, God will hold us accountable for our investment and use of the resources he entrusts to us.David Rogershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11701934251748260267noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23191203.post-1145856324404281192006-04-24T00:25:00.000-05:002006-04-24T00:25:00.000-05:00Wow. Scary.Wow. Scary.RMchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04759669746380872778noreply@blogger.com