[The] men of Issachar, who understood the times and knew what Israel should do (1 Chron 12:32)

It is no secret that our nation has economic, cultural and spiritual problems of enormous magnitude. Identifying problems is easy. Until we understand what brought us to this point, we will not know what we should do. Oh, if we could be like the “men of Issacar, who understood the times and knew what Israel should do” (1 Chron. 12:32). I say it is time for the Church to plan and plant (PNP); it is time for the Church to re-evaluate the “graft and go” (GNG) method of evangelism.

GNG, as I am labeling it, is a means of evangelizing people, and then incorporating (grafting) them into a local church congregation. Go has two meanings. One meaning is, the church then goes to find another convert. Another meaning of go is that once a person has made the most important decision of his life, is saved and taken into the fold, he is heaven bound, ready to go. Grafting into Christ is fine; but if we graft into a congregation, but fail to graft into Christ we have failed. Besides, much of the church growth movement and the Emergent Church movement is about finding out what sinners like and then providing it for them in the church, so to speak. One problem with using worldly methods to attract people to the congregation is that it often means the same worldly methods have to be used to retain them (and their offerings).

The GNG mentality is very evident by the heavy emphasis upon the alter call, the moment of intense emotional appeal by the pastor for the unsaved to respond and come forward and accept Jesus. I believe pastors are sincere. I believe this is the moment of salvation for many that produces results that last for eternity. I also believe it is an emotional moment for many others, but is NOT life changing. I won’t debate whether or not these people are saved; only God knows that. However we do have plenty of information available that says many young people, who have been raised in the church, fall away from and renounce their Christianity a few years after they leave home. More about that later.

One of the characteristics of the GNG is counting decisions for Christ. This of course means how many people have professed to receive Jesus as their savior. Numbers of decisions then becomes a way of measuring success of the church. I remind anyone who wishes to check the Scriptures that Jesus also put emphasis on making disciples.

Another characteristic of the GNG church is “programs” to attract people to come to the church (building) and plug in or graft on. It is billed as “relating to the culture.” It may be something as simple as visitors’ day, a Christmas special where you are asked to invite a friend, or a special music concert aimed at getting teens to come, be entertained, hear the Gospel and accept Jesus. That’s fine if it produces lasting fruit.

Studies is recent years have shown that about 90 percent of high school students raised in the churches where their parents attend do not continue to claim Christianity four to five years after they graduate from high school. (i.e. no lasting fruit) Barna Research Group is one source of this type information. Other alarming facts come from information found in studies by Nehemiah Institute (nehemiahinstitute.com). They tested 60,000 students during a 20-year period and discovered that our young people are, year after year, sliding more toward humanist and socialist worldviews. In fact, this is even true for most students who have attended traditional Christian schools. Let me emphasize that if the results show a decline in Christian worldview scores over 20 years, it is a teaching problem. We adults must accept responsibility for that decline.

There is good news, however. The Nehemiah Institute found that some Christian schools and certain homeschoolers had a decidedly stronger Christian worldview if they had a curriculum with that emphasis. Such students were much better prepared. Prepared for what? Know what you believe and why you believe it. If you have a solid understanding of the real thing, you can easily spot a counterfeit.

We find ourselves in challenging times. We live in a post Christian nation with a large percentage of our young people who lack a Christian worldview. For whatever success the American churches have had in the past, it should be obvious that present methods, on the whole, are failing. God and His written Word have not changed; our nation has, including the people group collectively called Christians. I suggest we put a major thrust toward teaching our children in ways like our nation has not witnessed in our lifetime. The rapid growth of the homeschool movement is evidence that some have seen the handwriting on the wall. I suggest other parents do the same. I also suggest that churches focus on plan and plant.

How should we plan and plant? Consider this: suppose your church congregation has 300 families, and there are 450 kids from infant to high school senior age. Using today’s statists and knowledge we can predict that about 400 of those children raised in your church will reject Christianity after they leave home. Why not focus on those 450 young minds to plan for planting the seeds of God’s Word? Those 450 young minds can be properly trained in reading, writing, and arithmetic. At the same time, in the same teaching/learning environment, they can learn the Scriptures, the basic principles of Christianity, the competing worldviews, and gradually be discipled to our Lord Jesus Christ. This schooling can take place in the homes of some; the rest via private Christian schools.

Let me be so bold as to say your church’s top priority should be discipleship of your own children, not decisions for Christ for those people outside the church congregation. Church congregations would do well to focus practically all their attention (AND MONEY) on training young people five days a week during the time we traditionally think of the school week. Show me where I error with this suggestion. Perhaps some think a more comfortable church pew for the adults is more important. I’m a sheepherder. You cannot feed ewes and their lambs in the same grain trough because the ewes push, shove and crowd out the lambs. Now, I'll let you figure out how that relates to church-goers and their children in any manner you like, as in who hogs up the resources.

This is not an issue of money; it is an issue of priorities. The church began to abandon the educating of her children by turning them over to the state about 150 years ago, and unfortunately liked the idea of being relieved of that expense. It’s time to reclaim our children, and we do it by giving them a Christian education that is biblically based and not a copycat of public school. (Read: with a strong Christian worldview emphasis).

It is fine to share Jesus Christ to the lost souls out there who have lived 15-50 years in a polluted culture with worldviews contrary to the Christian worldview, but why not put a greater emphasis on training the young army that is already in your camp, an army waiting for your instructions? After all, the prognosis is that 90 percent of those in your camp now will be in the enemy camp shortly after they leave your congregation.

Yes, I am convinced, that we must re-evaluate the GNG. I don’t suggest we totally quit GNG, but our priority should be the PNP. What a noble and challenging opportunity we have to focus on our children, a heritage from the Lord, giving them proper Christian worldview training, helping them “understand the times so they will know what to do.”