How would you reach these people?

[evangelist6589]

As I write I am at Denvers PrideFest. There are THOUSANDS of lost souls out here. I have almost passed out 300 million dollar bill gospel tracts and a handful of Cartoon tracts stamped with my contact info. 300 million dollar bills was not enough and I could easily have brought 1000 tracts and passed that many out in a few hours. In a sense the million dollar bill gospel tract will at least present the gospel to a lost people group living in sin that will not hear a open air sermon nor any other evangelism method. Sad to say but the cartoon tracts probably won't even get read so the million dollar bill was more effective.

Most churches will avoid their duty to reach the lost and will not come out here. So what would you do?

 

[TCassidy]

Most churches will avoid their duty to reach the lost and will not come out here.

How many have been saved, baptized, and discipled using your method to "reach the lost?"

 

[Revmitchell]

As grave as it is there is nothing funny about that question.

 

[Steven Yeadon]

I like your spirit and enthusiasm evangelist, but I have doubts about tracts. I know from the perspective of my own family that they throw them away when they figure out what they are. Of course, you are probably getting through to at least one person with that many tracts, but I wonder if your energy could be more wisely spent. Of course, you are doing an exemplary job with your service to the Gospel.

I myself was doing evangelism to people I sat next to or near for long periods of time (~30 minutes). However, I have stopped as I grapple with one question on reaching the lost: what happens when I meet a Christian living in sin in my conversations or even Christians who I consider flatly unbiblical? When we discover that each other is a believer, this usually resulted in congratulating each other on finding Christ and going on with our lives. However, I have serious qualms about that, as it seems to enable sin. I believe I need to be harsh with such Christians in my conversation, but, I just can't bring myself to do so, yet that may very well reveal I am sinning.

I also wonder if I can do much more given my strengths such as host a town hall with me as the Christian Apologist fielding questions. Answering hard questions is my stock and trade it seems, and I want to the useful to as many people as possible using my talents the best I can.

However, your question shows I am being hypocritical in some way and should seemingly go back to street evangelism to those I sit next to for long periods of time.

 

[evangelist6589]

I like your spirit and enthusiasm evangelist, but I have doubts about tracts. I know from the perspective of my own family that they throw them away when they figure out what they are. Of course, you are probably getting through to at least one person with that many tracts, but I wonder if your energy could be more wisely spent. Of course, you are doing an exemplary job with your service to the Gospel.

I myself was doing evangelism to people I sat next to or near for long periods of time (~30 minutes). However, I have stopped as I grapple with one question on reaching the lost: what happens when I meet a Christian living in sin in my conversations or even Christians who I consider flatly unbiblical? When we discover that each other is a believer, this usually resulted in congratulating each other on finding Christ and going on with our lives. However, I have serious qualms about that, as it seems to enable sin. I believe I need to be harsh with such Christians in my conversation, but, I just can't bring myself to do so, yet that may very well reveal I am sinning.

I also wonder if I can do much more given my strengths such as host a town hall with me as the Christian Apologist fielding questions. Answering hard questions is my stock and trade it seems, and I want to the useful to as many people as possible using my talents the best I can.

However, your question shows I am being hypocritical in some way and should seemingly go back to street evangelism to those I sit next to for long periods of time.

My question was on reaching the thousands of people at PrideFest. There is no easy way to do this but to use tracts. Open air was not allowed so most would rather just ignore the event and the lost.

 

[Martin Marprelate]

I applaud your zeal, evangelist, though I can't say I like those $1m tracts.
You're doing something, and that is good. But don't stand in judgement upon others who may think it better to try and sow in more promising soil that a 'pride' festival.

 

[evangelist6589]

I applaud your zeal, evangelist, though I can't say I like those $1m tracts.
You're doing something, and that is good. But don't stand in judgement upon others who may think it better to try and sow in more promising soil that a 'pride' festival.

The million dollar bill tract is the most popular probably ever of any gospel tract. It's just a very effective ice breaker. How else do I reach the masses with the good news? Just obeying the great commission and preaching to every creature. One needs to get saved before they can be discipled.

 

[Rolfe]

My opinion only.

I think that the Gospel deserves to be presented honestly and clearly as intended. I think that, rather than the bold presentation of the Gospel, Bait-and-Switch type tracts ($1m) use deception to get people to take notice. That seems wrong to me.

 

[evangelist6589]

My opinion only.

I think that the Gospel deserves to be presented honestly and clearly as intended. I think that, rather than the bold presentation of the Gospel, Bait-and-Switch type tracts ($1m) use deception to get people to take notice. That seems wrong to me.

They are ice breakers and quite effective ones.

 

[evangelist6589]

My opinion only.

I think that the Gospel deserves to be presented honestly and clearly as intended. I think that, rather than the bold presentation of the Gospel, Bait-and-Switch type tracts ($1m) use deception to get people to take notice. That seems wrong to me.

So what do you suppose I do at PrideFest? Open air preach and get beaten up and kicked out?

 

[Rolfe]

They are ice breakers and quite effective ones.

If I said to you, "Evan, someone just gave you a new car!" that would also be an icebreaker. It would not be honest though.

 

[Rolfe]

So what do you suppose I do at PrideFest? Open air preach and get beaten up and kicked out?

Do not mistake opposition to the type of tract with opposition to spreading the Gospel.

Why must open-air preaching be the only other alternative?

 

[Scarlett O.]

They are ice breakers and quite effective ones.

So how many of these 300 tracts that you passed out "broke the ice" and were a catalyst for you having an "effective" conversation with these people?

How many of these 300 people felt the ice break and showed an interest in you and your message? That's what ice breakers do. They open up effective conversations.

I appreciate your zeal for reaching these people.

What else could you have done?

A Pride festival would be a very, very hard place to "break the ice" with gay people. They are in the safety of numbers and political cushion. What about a prayer walk around the area? What about a handful of you and your church members meeting and reading scripture and praying for an extended time nearby?

 

[evangelist6589]

So how many of these 300 tracts that you passed out "broke the ice" and were a catalyst for you having an "effective" conversation with these people?

How many of these 300 people felt the ice break and showed an interest in you and your message? That's what ice breakers do. They open up effective conversations.

I appreciate your zeal for reaching these people.

What else could you have done?

A Pride festival would be a very, very hard place to "break the ice" with gay people. They are in the safety of numbers and political cushion. What about a prayer walk around the area? What about a handful of you and your church members meeting and reading scripture and praying for an extended time nearby?

My church does not do street evangelism nor get involved in these type of things so I was on my own.

 

[JonC]

I'm not sure how we should actively engage in evangelism when it comes to these types of events. I just have not seen much in the way of success when depravity is challenged in such an arena. I think that the best witness may simply be meeting a need (such as providing water) and showing love towards these people. So many times the right thing said at the wrong time is counterproductive. Anyway, that's what I'd do - use the event as a way for future opportunity and be open to share the gospel of Christ.

 

[evangelist6589]

I'm not sure how we should actively engage in evangelism when it comes to these types of events. I just have not seen much in the way of success when depravity is challenged in such an arena. I think that the best witness may simply be meeting a need (such as providing water) and showing love towards these people. So many times the right thing said at the wrong time is counterproductive. Anyway, that's what I'd do - use the event as a way for future opportunity and be open to share the gospel of Christ.

That's a good idea but without the churches help it would have been difficult to buy that much water. I just wish they would get involved in events and not just be so isolated.

 

[Don]

I asked in the other thread, but never received a response; so let me ask this in a different way: Evan, how are you measuring "popular"?

Are you measuring it by how many people took one? Or by how many people took one and, once they realized it wasn't a $1or $1,000,000 bill, didn't throw it away? And/or read it? Or how many people actually talked to you about it?

You see, if you're going to use a unit of measurement, like "most popular," the metric should be meaningful. We had IT contractors who used to tell us they maintained a network reliability of 99%; but they were measuring that based on 24/7, or 168 hours a week. Since the network was only being primarily used 40 hours a week, we asked them to report on their reliability only during those 40 hours. The number dropped to about 78%.

So--I would really like to know if you're simply measuring based on how many people took the tract, or if you're using a meaningful measurement like how many people actually read and/or discussed the tract?

Or is it possible that the advertisement for the tract identified it as the "most popular," and you're not sure what they're basing that statement on?

 

[TCassidy]

Just obeying the great commission and preaching to every creature.

The great commission is three fold.

Win them.
Baptize them.
Disciple them.

Matthew 28:19-20.

You seem to be failing on all three.

And you might look up the word synecdoche as it relates to Mark 16:15.

 

[Baptist Believer]

They are ice breakers and quite effective ones.

Lies are often effective ice breakers, but they undermine everything else that follows.

Christians are not on this earth to "break the ice" or have unsuccessful conversations. Christians are here to spread the message and influence of the kingdom of God through actions and words. Telling lies and deceptions undermines that basic goal.

NOTE: If you critique what I have written, make it about what I have written - not yourself and not about whether or not people like whatever tract/method you happen to be using.

 

[Rolfe]

Lies are often effective ice breakers, but they undermine everything else that follows.

Christians are not on this earth to "break the ice" or have unsuccessful conversations. Christians are here to spread the message and influence of the kingdom of God through actions and words. Telling lies and deceptions undermines that basic goal.

Exactly my point, and better said.

I do not believe that Our Lord calls us to spread the Truth through deceit.