Just ran across a blog by Joe Carter that discusses 10 harmful evangelism tools. They include:
The Alter Call, Witnessing, The Sinners Prayer and Chick Tracts.
Joe posits:
If you want to be a more effective "witness for Christ" then start by doing what Christ did and love other people. Start by loving the "unlovable" — the smelly, unbathed men down at the mission, the annoying kids at church, the bonehead who cuts you off in traffic. Yes, you need to tell people about the Gospel. But that is evangelism, not "witnessing." In the context of the Christian life, "witness" should be a noun more often than a verb.
Regarding Testimonies, he says:
Several years ago, during a job interview for a Christian organization, my prospective employer asked me to tell him my "testimony." The fact that I was a Christian apparently wasn't enough. I had to have a good conversion story to go along with my faith.
And Chick Tracts:
Chick Tracts are a tool of the devil. That fact–and yes it is a fact–is not changed just because you know a guy who knows a guy who heard testimony about a guy who said the Sinner' Prayer after finding "The Long Trip" on the floor of a truck stop restroom.
Gotta say, I agreed with a lot of what he said. Evangelism tools are often impressive among Christian Circles, but highly ineffective among everyone else.
I think that sums things up rather nicely.
And what did Christ do? He walked around living a life of service–I believe that included lots of preaching, teaching, correcting, rebuking, exorting, feeding, healing, suffering, dying, rising, exorting, sending out….
….anybody ever heard of the Great Commission?
What’s so great about it, and what are we commissioned to do?
“”Follow Me and I will make you a fisher of men“..sounds pretty proactive…
“Go into all the world and
live a good witness..er…love people..er..serve a meal at the mission… Preach the gospel to every creature under Heaven…”A lifestyle that honors Christ and is worthy of the calling should be a no brainer–as unworthy servants we should expect no brag rights for merely doing what is expected of us…and we should ‘walk’ in those works that He has created us for, including ‘telling others’ about the Blessed Hope we have. Yes, it can be embarrassing, awkward, humiliating, painful, even deadly…just like it was for Whom we are supposed to be following….:o)
Having this discussion on another board, Hungry …
The great commission was spoken by Jesus to the 11 … it says so in the Matthew 28 and Mark 16 accounts … so WHY is the great commission imputed to everyone when in context it was spoken just to the 11 apostles?
Case in point – the apostle comes to your town, preaches the gospel and the town converts … when the apostle leaves town, does your entire town evacuate and go with the apostle to carry out the ‘great commission’, or, do they remain in their town and simply live by the gospel?
Personally, I reject that the ‘great commission’ applies to me – however – that does not preclude me from sharing my testimony, when asked through relationship – see 1 Peter 3:15 …
Carry on.
‘Scrupe
Well, actually…:o)
“Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word.” (Acts 8:4)
“Now those who were scattered after the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to no one but the Jews only.” (Acts 11:19)
Just curious, who do you suppose is being addressed in the following verses?
“…Therefore do not fear them….Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:26-28)
“How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “ How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!†(Romans 10:14-15)
If these verses were just written to the disciples and the Romans, respectively, why did God see fit to include them in Scripture? Just wunerin’….:o)
Good luck with doing it all, kiddo … scripture is just ink on a page until the Spirit breathes life into it and makes it real to you …
There’s a tremendous problem in the church with the imputation of all scripture to all people … why, one might come to the conclusion that ol’ Paul was full of communion wafters when He suggested we weren’t all apostles, prophets, and expounded on that whole body analogy where each of us is different in terms of function and calling, but one in terms of unity …
Considering the diversity of all creation, it’s amazing how God reduced us to the religious equivalent of the Borg though scripture …
Go ye therefore and preach! Oh – OK Lord – could you let me stake out the corner by Starbucks?
Oh well … I tried …
So THAT’S what they are called CHICK tracts. I’m 23 and my whole life in church I had seen those cute cartoon tracts and I remember how entertaining but lame they were and still are lol.
Good thoughts, JJ. None of it applies to me. Sin boldly!
(The Spirit has quickened that one to me – among many others, and the gospel of course). Guess we gentiles have it now like the Jews handled gentile converts in the OT … it’s an opt-in proposition.
Some people ‘over opt’ I guess.
Hey Jennifer,
You’ll find Chick trax HERE.
The Death Cookie is extremely popular with the catholics, I hear.
‘Scrupe