I am with you Jack, let us all rebuild the system. We must convict individuals that they are permanently spiritually separated from birth, with the good news as the only way forward. Do that and hearts will change. Our modern Laodicean Churchianity will be vomited out, we had better be ready.
"But even my own experience reveals it’s just not true. People often don’t ask why we’re different because we aren’t noticeably different." This is an excellent point and reminds me of 1 Peter 3:15 which suggests that Jesus shines through our lives to such an extent that people ask us about it.
I politely disagree. I believe all believers are evangelists, but to different extents. Everyone has different Spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit. Preachers certainly evangelize on a different level than regular congregants. But, they still are duty bound to explain the Gospel to the lost. It is not about keeping score. The actual task of conversion is the work of the Holy Spirit, not us. "Paul planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase'-1 Corinthians 3:6. We are merely workers on God's wonderful farm. We all have a role to play. But actual growth is not within our limited power or domain.
We don't use Christ's method of recruiting followers to Him, like He did. He told them what the cost would be! His emphasis was not on numbers, but on deep, sincere quality. It seems to me, in my experience, that we spend a lot of time on "baptism", at the expense of repentance. I am afraid we have not made disciples as much as we have just got them wet, We don't even have programs really set up to "make disciples." After baptism, the new convert is basically left on their own. Sad!
Jack, I think I'm picking up what you're puttin down here. It's not that we shouldn't all evangelize, after all the great commission was a commandment to everyone. This "that's not my talent" stuff has never been right. But what I hear you saying is that if we are truly different from the world, that difference ITSELF will cause people to ask questions and produce evangelistic opportunities. I absolutely agree, we aren't different enough from the world. That said, I think what folks like H2H are doing with their school of evangelism is vital. Sometimes I think we focus to much on "hard targets". It ain't easy to convert a "hard-determinism Calvinist," for example. Good article, brother.
I am with you Jack, let us all rebuild the system. We must convict individuals that they are permanently spiritually separated from birth, with the good news as the only way forward. Do that and hearts will change. Our modern Laodicean Churchianity will be vomited out, we had better be ready.
This was very well written! I love the football comparison - so easy to understand and apply. Thanks for your thoughts to make us think deeper.
WOW! Preach it brother.
Outstanding! Romans 8:39 simms it up. Thanks!
I agree. The football example makes your point very clear. As you have also said repeatedly evangelism begins in the home.
"But even my own experience reveals it’s just not true. People often don’t ask why we’re different because we aren’t noticeably different." This is an excellent point and reminds me of 1 Peter 3:15 which suggests that Jesus shines through our lives to such an extent that people ask us about it.
I politely disagree. I believe all believers are evangelists, but to different extents. Everyone has different Spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit. Preachers certainly evangelize on a different level than regular congregants. But, they still are duty bound to explain the Gospel to the lost. It is not about keeping score. The actual task of conversion is the work of the Holy Spirit, not us. "Paul planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase'-1 Corinthians 3:6. We are merely workers on God's wonderful farm. We all have a role to play. But actual growth is not within our limited power or domain.
We don't use Christ's method of recruiting followers to Him, like He did. He told them what the cost would be! His emphasis was not on numbers, but on deep, sincere quality. It seems to me, in my experience, that we spend a lot of time on "baptism", at the expense of repentance. I am afraid we have not made disciples as much as we have just got them wet, We don't even have programs really set up to "make disciples." After baptism, the new convert is basically left on their own. Sad!
Jack, I think I'm picking up what you're puttin down here. It's not that we shouldn't all evangelize, after all the great commission was a commandment to everyone. This "that's not my talent" stuff has never been right. But what I hear you saying is that if we are truly different from the world, that difference ITSELF will cause people to ask questions and produce evangelistic opportunities. I absolutely agree, we aren't different enough from the world. That said, I think what folks like H2H are doing with their school of evangelism is vital. Sometimes I think we focus to much on "hard targets". It ain't easy to convert a "hard-determinism Calvinist," for example. Good article, brother.
This is exactly right.