Conversion isn't my focal point...it is making disciples...there are a lot of "converts" out there that aren't disciples at all, nor has anyone ever challenged them to become disciples(so were they ever really converts?) It isn't that I don't think "conversion" is important, but before we get more "converts" we better take a look at things and:
a. know and understand what exactly it is that they are converting to...Is it churchianity? religiosity? following Jesus?
b. know what to do with them when they get there on their journey
c. in the words of Rob Bell, "are we smokin' what we're sellin'?"
...otherwise we're just creating more consumers. Of course all of my relationships with people that don't yet follow Jesus are a means for me to introduce them to Jesus and show them what it looks like to follow him(planting seeds that only the Spirit can make grow). So although I'm less concerned(or consumed) with "closing the deal" than I used to be, I am completely committed to showing them what it means to follow Jesus. Getting someone to "pray the sinners prayer" as a point of conversion is a man made practice. I'm still sorting out what conversion looks like and when someone has "converted" because I think it is more a process with some people and less a "crisis" moment than I used to think. I will point out again the example of Zacheous. After spending some time with Jesus he decided to make right all the cheating he had done as a tax collector. What was Jesus' response? "Salvation has come to this house." Did Jesus pray the sinners prayer with him? Did he agree to take the class "discipleship 101"? Did he sign up for sunday school? Did he get "plugged into" a small group?
Of course we can only speculate, but I think he just came to the realization that Jesus was who he said he was and that he was going to "follow" him as much as he could understand how. If we are really following Jesus then people will take note of our lives as we plant seeds(the kingdom or gospel) in the soils of their hearts. The spirit may cause those seeds to grow, but there is nothing we can do to make them grow. We can only sow the seed, add a little water(continue to show folks what the kingdom of god looks like), and harvest...the growing is out of our hands. We also need to remember that only 1 out of the 4 soils in the parable that do end up allowing the seed to grow will actually yield a plant that produces fruit itself. Not all converts will produce fruit...which begs the question I asked earlier, are they really a convert? Not up to me to decide...(analogy courtesy of Neil Cole)
Jesus also outlines for us in Matthew 25 what the measuring stick will be when the sheep and goats are separated.
Are the hungry, thirsty, sick, prisoners, and naked being cared for? Those are the things that mark the life of a follower of Jesus.