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Where are the Evangelist?

NeoPatriarch

NeoPatriarch

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I have an intense interest in Evangelism. I have been studying Way of the Master material for years, along with other Open Air Preachers on the Youtube. Studying the Bible tells me that this was the primary method of spreading the Gospel.

I love apologetics, I study evidential apologetics with the Please Convince Me Podcast, and recently began studying Presuppositional Apologetics.
Anyone know who Sye Ten Bruggencate is? I hope to by his film, How to Answer the Fool, soon.

Right now though I am interested, Are you sharing your faith? Do you do open air evangelism?

I would love to see us become more active in the area of Evangelism. Please share your stories and encouragement.

(P.S. I am not interested in turning this into a debate, so if you are anti-evangelism please just ignore this thread. Feel free to start another thread if you wish to be discourage evangelism.)
 
I think the primary tool for communication in this digital age is ... well, digital. But I think polygamists have done themselves a disservice keeping their light hidden. Yes, I know there's the threat of the law, but it's more than that. They fear "casting pearls before swine", I think.

I miss people just saying what they want to express. There's something deeply moving about conviction. It can't be faked. I would like to see more evanglists, too.
 
In 1984 my family moved into Atlanta. The homosexuals were starting to come out. A guy might walk up to you, shake your hand, and say something like, "My name is Bill. I'm gay." Look how successful that was...

Now Christians are in the closet. How effective would it be if we started just by letting people know. "My name is Robert. I am a Christian."

That should start a witness encounter or two.

P.S. Use your own name. :p
 
" Hi. My name is Cecil. I'm straight, solvent, healthy, unafraid of commitment, available, and a polygamist. Oh yeah, a kinda Sufi Pentecostal Taoist Amish Objectivist Seventh-day Adventist Christian. And kids, dogs, and little old ladies like me."

Other person faints dead away. :lol: :lol: :lol:

But your point is well taken Robert.
 
Waiter? I'll have what he's having.

Actually, I've been feeling called to teach (as opposed to preach) ever since I've been freed from some of my "church" doctrines. But I know I have a lot to learn still. But, it still starts with simply introducing yourself to someone as who you are. Maybe even a family member or that friend of yours that may not even know you're a Christian. I know I have a few of those... Which is a pretty sad example of how I've been living till recently. If your own friends don't know what you stand for, do you really stand for anything? Now I do. And now they will know.
 
You know what, all my friends know I'm a Christian. It's one of the first things I say. It comes along the lines of: I have a husband, four kids, and I'm following God. It's just a part of my life. Church is a part of my life. I end up talking about this stuff.
I don't go out and preach on the street, it's not my thing. I am a stay at home mum, I preach to my kiddies lol. And I join groups of other mums, letting them know about God in my day to day life.
 
NeoPatriarch said:
In 1984 my family moved into Atlanta. The homosexuals were starting to come out. A guy might walk up to you, shake your hand, and say something like, "My name is Bill. I'm gay." Look how successful that was...

Now Christians are in the closet. How effective would it be if we started just by letting people know. "My name is Robert. I am a Christian."

That should start a witness encounter or two.

P.S. Use your own name. :p
Click to expand...

Absolutely agree. Most Christians are in apostasy.
 
I think our time may be better spent mending the fence of an elderly neighbor with joy than shaking hands and telling them what we think we are.
 
Courting4Life said:
I think our time may be better spent mending the fence of an elderly neighbor with joy than shaking hands and telling them what we :shock: :shock: think we are.
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Instead how about we mend the fence AND tell them who Jesus is? To make a great friend, yet fail to share Christ with them is the most hateful thing a Christian can do.
 
NeoPatriarch said:
Gulliver said:
Absolutely agree. Most Christians are in apostasy.
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Unfortunately, most Christians think most Christians are in apostasy...
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NeoPatriarch: Completely agree. We are here to preach salvation by grace through faith to the lost. It's pretty simple. Instead, and I am as guilty of this as anyone, we spend much of our time disputing with fellow Christians over the details, some of which may be important in their own way, but none of which really matter at all compared to evangelism. I am trying to get better, but it's hard.
 
NeoPatriarch said:
Courting4Life said:
I think our time may be better spent mending the fence of an elderly neighbor with joy than shaking hands and telling them what we :shock: :shock: think we are.
Click to expand...

Instead how about we mend the fence AND tell them who Jesus is? To make a great friend, yet fail to share Christ with them is the most hateful thing a Christian can do.
Click to expand...

Firstly, I'm requesting that you not present a quote from me with your modifications within the quote. Secondly, I did not say to make friends and fail to share Christ. 1 John 3:18 "Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth" was the intended concept.
 
Courting4Life said:
NeoPatriarch said:
Courting4Life said:
I think our time may be better spent mending the fence of an elderly neighbor with joy than shaking hands and telling them what we :shock: :shock: think we are.
Click to expand...

Instead how about we mend the fence AND tell them who Jesus is? To make a great friend, yet fail to share Christ with them is the most hateful thing a Christian can do.
Click to expand...

Firstly, I'm requesting that you not present a quote from me with your modifications within the quote. Secondly, I did not say to make friends and fail to share Christ. 1 John 3:18 "Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth" was the intended concept.
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I plead innocent of the charges you've made. I see the faces but I didn't mess with your quote. Nevertheless all your words were presented.

You did not mention sharing your faith in Jesus. So you post needed more details.

John 3:18 is not about evangelism.

It's still still great verse.
 
I suppose that would depend on your definition of evangelism, a word not found in the Bible. I define it as the profound concern for others and find that all Godly direction for interacting with others is fully applicable. So, I've shared my encouragement, anyone else?
 
Evangelism is a very scriptural word with a clear definition. It is an anglicised form of New Testament Greek. From memory, so forgive minor spelling errors, eu means "good" and angelion means "message" (hence an angel is a messenger). Note that the u becomes a v when the word is anglicised. The euangelion is the good message, translated gospel or good news. An evangelist is someone who teaches the good message. Evangelism is the work of an evangelist. Variations on this word occur throughout the New Testament - anywhere you read "Gospel", "Good News", "do the work of an evangelist" etc.

So good deeds are not evangelism, that specifically relates to teaching people about Christ. However they provide a very good opportunity for evangelism, so both should tend to go together.
 
Skipping past the semantics issues?

The fence is fixed, the sun is going down, and he is as hell bound as ever. When will you share Jesus with this guy you're helping to mend his fence? When will you explain his condition before God?
 
I think the only issue here is semantics. C4L seems quite aware that we need to both help the neighbour and spread the gospel to him. The issue is only whether you call the whole thing evangelism or just the gospel part. You're still describing doing the same thing, just arguing about what to call it. Don't have a fight about this, it's not worth it.

Maybe go tell a neighbour about Christ instead of writing your next post. :D
 
Neo - Yes, I was referring to the faces. As for not specifying that in the process of joyfully helping them the Gospel may be shared you have my apologies. I, in error, thought it evident. As for skipping semantics, if you would like we may pursue them further. My intent was to maintain your request "I would love to see us become more active in the area of Evangelism. Please share your stories and encouragement" in my responses.

My understanding was that you were looking for experiential encouragement. My experience has been that love through action has resulted in the most effective communication. Yes, words are a part of it. Yes, I've spoken with my family, neighbors, and strangers. From my experience with downtown street ministry and soup kitchens, to tent and television evangelical meetings, all the way to missions in India I consistently find that connecting through relationship has resulted in a greater number of conversions (specifically, those that remain in the fold). Don't confuse my encouragement to help those in need and develop relationship as being ashamed or avoidance of proclaiming the Gospel.

FollowingHim, you said "We are here to preach salvation by grace through faith to the lost." I agree. Would you agree that faith without works is dead?

James 2:14 What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? 17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.

If you truly love me you look for a need and meet it. If your actions don't match your speech, your words are empty. If you speak to me as a stranger, your words are viewed in light of my past experience with others. If you speak to me as a friend, your words are viewed in light of your actions. I am all for proclaiming the Gospel, while simultaneously building relationship, just as He desires to be in relationship with us.
 
Courting4Life said:
FollowingHim, you said "We are here to preach salvation by grace through faith to the lost." I agree. Would you agree that faith without works is dead?
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Fully agree also.

This is a classic example of a conversation where if we were talking in person we'd work out within 2 minutes that we were all saying essentially the same thing, but online end up talking at cross purposes, slowly, over several days. This is why going to retreats and meeting in person is so important!
 
Agreed. Let me know when the New Zealand conference is on... I have friends there I miss! Turns out they've had a good run with their vineyards and don't often come state side.
 
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