I have found in my 25+ years of full-time ministry service that this time of year is a busy year for people and families that are "church-goers" to find a church home. When school is out the number will continue to grow through the summer and often peak in August. I have said this to say the following. We have been in a sermon series on "faith" and some needed components in our lives to get the most out of our faith. During the musical portion of the worship time we read as a congregation the following passage of scripture: Acts 26: 17 "'I'm sending you off 18 to open the eyes of the outsiders so they can see the difference between dark and light, and choose light, see the difference between Satan and God, and choose God. I'm sending you off to present my offer of sins forgiven, and a place in the family, inviting them into the company of those who begin real living by believing in me.'(The Message)
Let's remember that I am not a theologian of the highest education possible - more along the lines, I try to be a student of scripture and always open to letting the Holy Spirit play a discerning role in my spiritual walk. I love conversing/reading with others and gleaning their thoughts and discernment of scripture. Yesterday following one of the services, a couple (guests in our services) approached me and was talking of how they wanted a church family that was willing to reach out in sharing and propagating the Gospel - specifically in such a way that people chose this spiritual life based on the positives it brings not just because it got them out of hell. The scripture above is from the chapter where Paul is talking to King Agrippa specifically about his conversion and purpose.
I know that I am really putting myself out there on this one but I would like your thoughts about this and not just an email but right here on the sight. I have close friends on both sides of this issue. Some believe the best method is a frank, often confrontational approach to the spiritual conversion and others to the more, often much more subtle "life-style" spreading of the Gospel. I think most of you will know my preference here and I will share later. OK - let's get after it!!
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Oh... this will be FUN!!! :o) I'm going to jump out of the gate with the "you have to have balance" opinion. I've been on both sides of the argument. In high school, I used to knock on stranger's doors and say, "Do you know if you died today that you would go to heaven?" and I've fully espoused the "let them watch how I live and get results that way". The fact of the matter is, even JESUS had to talk about it and He did and it was often confrontational. I think a fuller understanding of what Scriptures means when it says "some sow, some water, and some harvest, but GOD gives the increase" gives us patience and purpose in every opportunity to speak about the Savior whether or not there are immediate results.
When my Uncle John became a believer, he told my dad that he would go to hell when he died. My dad answered, "so". "Don't you care that you're going to hell?" "No." and he said from that moment on, he did nothing BUT care about it until Uncle Wally led him to Christ a few days later. We really have to have a big picture view of soul-winning and recognize our part may be small or large, but we have to play it which most often means we have to say it - at least something.
In my opinion,
lisa
Amen! Balance is vital in this area and so many others!
I think there are two key points in evangelism: authenticity and congruence.
My evangelism style should fit my personality and my lifestyle should reflect that I believe what I’m saying. People encounter people everyday who they feel do not really live what they believe.
This makes them watch even more closely because we all want something real.
It scares me a little that we are softening the message just enough that we often lean toward not mentioning the “s” word. As tipitee says, Jesus didn’t mince words about sin.
That being said, I cringe a little when I’m in a service where I hear an invitation that seems “tacked on” at the end, so everyone has a chance to escape hell as if we’re afraid if we forget, they might die today and we’ll be responsible for their souls.
I’m fundamentally uncomfortable when evangelism occurs in that way.
Howard Hendricks once preached a message on how a person who has had the time to process the real message of the cross and arrive at a decision for Christ that includes his intellect and not just his emotions (guilt, fear) often will be the person who reaches the most people for Christ through his own life.
I guess I feel I can speak best from my personal experience, which was about 8 years that include a compilation of individual encounters (the planting and watering you speak of) until I was faced with my heart’s dirtiness and wanted to know how to be changed. Every single one of those encounters was important.
Great thought starters, Eric.
Good question, Eric.
My preference is friendship evangelism, but I am convinced there is no one way to do it. Balance and sensitivity are key.
I do take exception when I hear a Christian espouse the approach of only letting his lifestyle speak for him or her. I try to gently remind him that while that is vital, we must also learn to, at least. share our testimony of what God has done for and in us. I have met some very "good" and "moral" people who had no relationship with Christ. A silent witness just is not enough in and of itself.
We as believers need to learn to be able to simply share how we came to Christ and how the lost person can come to Christ,...even when we feel scared to do so. We also need to learn to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit's leading.
I like what William Fay says, "Witnessing is the one thing that a Christian cannot fail at, because God will use our obedience in sharing Christ."
E, yesterday my pastor/boss and I discussed that you had posted this question. He mentioned that he came to know Jesus for himself in front of his bathroom mirror after a long period of discussions with the people he worked for. He noted that even in their imperfections, God used their words to get through to his heart. Thank God that the Holy Spirit does this work and whether we're the seed planter or the waterer - He causes the growth. Wow!
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