Rules of Negotiation and Why they Fail in Church

One of the first rules you learn in negotiation is to find common ground with the other party.  Find areas where you agree and discuss your mutual objectives.  Then move the discussion to areas where the other party does not have a strongly held opinion and build on those areas.  You lose the person when you move into areas where they have firm opinions opposite from yours.  They shut down and stop hearing you.  In secular day to day negotiations and even political negotiations this is a good and solid way to do business, but it does not belong in the church.  There is no negotiations at the foot of the cross.

All Must Come to the Cross

You can not negotiate someone to faith and the saving power of Jesus Christ.  Real conversion requires repentance, real repentance only comes from conviction of your sins.  Thus, from a rules of negotiation stand point, only the Holy Spirit's influence can change the heart of a sinner comfortable in his own sin.

That is largely why the wide gate, seeker friendly churches have exploded in a spectacular bang of nothing.  This final church spoken of in Revelation 3 is the Laodicean, "Entertain Me" church which wears the face of Christianity but fails miserably in actual disciples created.  There is no conviction of sin, no repentance of sin, and no place for the changed heart and the changed man.

Turn away from those false churches, confess your sins, ask for forgiveness, and come to authentic live saving faith in Christ.