Battling Cultural Christianity

[BroOldTimer]

One of the key battles that we have to face (especially in the South) is the task of witnessing to folks who claim to be Christians, but in practice they deny him. I want to grow and be a strong solider in this army. I am burdened for my community and the lost folks in it. How do we evangelize and witness to our people? Do we visit house to house? Do we invite them to church? Do we pass out tracts?

Please share any ideas, or strategies to reach out to people. I know that first and foremost, we must cry out to God and ask him to soften hard hearts, to open ears, and to pour His spirit for conviction and drawing power.

Thank you.

 

[Iconoclast]

One of the key battles that we have to face (especially in the South) is the task of witnessing to folks who claim to be Christians, but in practice they deny him. I want to grow and be a strong solider in this army. I am burdened for my community and the lost folks in it. How do we evangelize and witness to our people? Do we visit house to house? Do we invite them to church? Do we pass out tracts?

Please share any ideas, or strategies to reach out to people. I know that first and foremost, we must cry out to God and ask him to soften hard hearts, to open ears, and to pour His spirit for conviction and drawing power.

Thank you.

Invite them into your home if possible. After some small talk introduce spiritual things, looking for a biblical response.
If you know of examples of such things have them ready to use as an illustration, quotes from a sermon, or study book.
Listen carefully to them as a doctor in the ER checks for a pulse.

 

[TCassidy]

Do we visit house to house? Do we invite them to church? Do we pass out tracts?

Yes.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

One of the key battles that we have to face (especially in the South) is the task of witnessing to folks who claim to be Christians, but in practice they deny him. I want to grow and be a strong solider in this army. I am burdened for my community and the lost folks in it. How do we evangelize and witness to our people? Do we visit house to house? Do we invite them to church? Do we pass out tracts?

Please share any ideas, or strategies to reach out to people. I know that first and foremost, we must cry out to God and ask him to soften hard hearts, to open ears, and to pour His spirit for conviction and drawing power.

Thank you.

I ask them how God is working in their lives and wait for an answer.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

I throw tracts into the garbage

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

Have you ever read or heard George Whitefield’s sermon, “ Method of Grace?”

 

[JonC]

I believe the key is taking a genuine interest in people - not just going door to door passing out tracts (as a new business may advertise its presence) but really caring about the people God puts in our path.

 

[BroOldTimer]

Have you ever read or heard George Whitefield’s sermon, “ Method of Grace?”

No, I have not. I will look it up.

 

[HankD]

One of the key battles that we have to face (especially in the South) is the task of witnessing to folks who claim to be Christians, but in practice they deny him. I want to grow and be a strong solider in this army. I am burdened for my community and the lost folks in it. How do we evangelize and witness to our people? Do we visit house to house? Do we invite them to church? Do we pass out tracts?

Please share any ideas, or strategies to reach out to people. I know that first and foremost, we must cry out to God and ask him to soften hard hearts, to open ears, and to pour His spirit for conviction and drawing power.

Thank you.

While you are doing these things - be yourself.

The fruit of the Spirit along with His wisdom and discernment in your life will be a personal witness to those to whom you are sent.

 

[Iconoclast]

This whole topic presupposes you would doing what you need to do in your own life first I think Hank was just alluding to that. We have to be have our thoughts and and everything in order to be able to be sensitive to where the conversation conversation needs to go to edify the other person to to have them move forward. This would also be if the person is a actual Christian or non-Christian you can't you can spend or waste time teaching a goat to try act like a Christian rather than have the goat repent and trust the Lord and be a Christian

 

[HankD]

Don't forget some may indeed be saved.

Churchianity does not guarantee a lost estate.

 

[HankD]

2 Timothy 2
24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,
25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

People express their Christianity differently, many have internalized their beliefs and given up on church. I understand that. So you will find many going it alone. What will you do for those people?

 

[BroOldTimer]

People express their Christianity differently, many have internalized their beliefs and given up on church. I understand that. So you will find many going it alone. What will you do for those people?

I think it all boils down to what the Apostle Paul said:

"To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some." 1 Corinthians 9:22

Ultimately, a believer should love them and take an interest in them and help them in any way possible. The end goal being that God would be glorified through the efforts and some soul would be saved or that they would return to fellowship.

I think a lot of times many that leave fellowship have grown cold. We ought to pray for those folks that God would restore the desire to come together and worship. Then, in turn, rekindle the fire in their soul. You can't walk this path alone.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

I believe the key is taking a genuine interest in people - not just going door to door passing out tracts (as a new business may advertise its presence) but really caring about the people God puts in our path.

I think it all boils down to what the Apostle Paul said:

"To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some." 1 Corinthians 9:22

Ultimately, a believer should love them and take an interest in them and help them in any way possible. The end goal being that God would be glorified through the efforts and some soul would be saved or that they would return to fellowship.

I think a lot of times many that leave fellowship have grown cold. We ought to pray for those folks that God would restore the desire to come together and worship. Then, in turn, rekindle the fire in their soul. You can't walk this path alone.

I disagree with you... it is not the person that has grown cold... it is the church, the assembly that has gone cold. There is no love in it anymore. Now people will believe in love... they will believe in life given and received.

Of course you have read John 20:27
These assemblies today are afraid to touch the flesh of God, even the flesh of one another and understand what God is calling us into. Therefore why assemble? Are you answering the deep deep questions that consern people? Really, no you are not. It is the spirit inside that is answering those questions. You the church follow it up with touching the flesh and putting it together. The world is not asking for weak church services, tired ideas and theologies but it will believe love, and life given and received... so go out there and touch the flesh, you might be supprised what you find.

 

[HankD]

People express their Christianity differently, many have internalized their beliefs and given up on church. I understand that. So you will find many going it alone. What will you do for those people?

Whatever/however the LORD leads, that is hopefully what I will do.

In the meantime the LORD Himself will have to wake up His sleeping church.

 

[JonC]

I disagree with you... it is not the person that has grown cold... it is the church, the assembly that has gone cold. There is no love in it anymore. Now people will believe in love... they will believe in life given and received.

Of course you have read John 20:27
These assemblies today are afraid to touch the flesh of God, even the flesh of one another and understand what God is calling us into. Therefore why assemble? Are you answering the deep deep questions that consern people? Really, no you are not. It is the spirit inside that is answering those questions. You the church follow it up with touching the flesh and putting it together. The world is not asking for weak church services, tired ideas and theologies but it will believe love, and life given and received... so go out there and touch the flesh, you might be supprised what you find.

I agree. For so long I have been concerned with the lack of doctrine (shallow doctrine), or doctrine taught as tradition, in our churches. But perhaps this is merely a symptom. Perhaps the problem is a lack of love.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

Whatever/however the LORD leads, that is hopefully what I will do.

In the meantime the LORD Himself will have to wake up His sleeping church.

I’m hoping for smaller more community churches where people help one another, show consern for their neighbor.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

I agree. For so long I have been concerned with the lack of doctrine (shallow doctrine), or doctrine taught as tradition, in our churches. But perhaps this is merely a symptom. Perhaps the problem is a lack of love.

YESSIR

 

[HankD]

I’m hoping for smaller more community churches where people help one another, show consern for their neighbor.

At our local church we try. We have social events in which the neighborhood is invited.

Yes, The LORD has saved some using these efforts. Needless to say there is/was culture shock for them and a little for us.

We have a young and aggressive pastor (a millennial) who has almost doubled our local church attendance.
I love to hear him preach. He is sound in the faith and has a missionary attitude for the local community.

He knows enough to slowly remove the relics of the past generations - they were good for us but now we need to move over in the pew to make room for this present generation.