A favorite saying of salesman and corporate marketing types all over is, “let’s go after the low hanging fruit.” Why does everyone have to go for the low hanging fruit? What if we buck the trend and we go for the high hanging fruit instead? The whole concept of going after the low hanging fruit is so that you go after those sales that are easiest to obtain.
Why must we always take the easiest way out? Is it truly the way that we find the greatest reward? Sometimes we get the greatest gain by taking the time and the energy and putting forth the work necessary to get to the top of the tree. So what if we go after the high hanging fruit?
Let’s think about this in terms of the church. As the church in America I think too often we go for the low hanging fruit. We create programs that attract and draw in “church” people. For some churches they are so inward focused that they never reach outside their own four walls. Everything they do is about their own congregation and the people of their own church.
For other churches they speak the language of other believers. The programs and ministries within their church may bring in new people but at times it’s more about how our church is “cooler” than the one you go to now so you should switch.
Sure I could argue that if you’re not being fed or if a church is being ineffective than I guess it makes sense for people to move from church A to church B across town. But, you know those are really the low hanging fruit. What about the high hanging fruit.
What are we doing to reach the unreached? What are we doing to bring those who are far from God into our churches. Unless we pull out the ladder or drive in the boom truck, how can we even expect to reach the high hanging fruit?
I don’t pretend to have the answers. I look at our own church and as much as I love our people and what’s happening their…I know we need to continue to focus on reaching the lost and hurting people who are all over our community. Just about any city you travel to in America, you will find about 50% of the population never attend church. It is an epidemic of lost souls and it’s up to us to start reaching for those high hanging fruit.
Got some ideas? Maybe some success stories of how your church is reaching those that are far from God…I’d love to hear about it. Post up your comments here.
