I am confused.. Please explain this

[Rippon]

My town has a library but what makes you think they will carry theology books?

Many public libraries in America have religious sections. You'll find some junk and some gems.

Perhaps you can introduce yourself at another church and tell them you are not willing to join but would like the opportunity to borrow some good Christian books. Present yourself as sincere and earnest.

 

[John of Japan]

The NIV & KJV use the phrase but the ESV says "captures souls."

If anything, that is an even stronger term than "winning souls." To capture someone indicates greater strength in the one who captures.

Concerning exegeting the verse, remember that Hebrew poetry is done in parallelism, so in this case the first half of the verse means the same as the second: "The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life." So a Christian should be a tree of life, bringing Christ's eternal life to others.

No I have not read those books and was not aware of them, as you are correct 95% of my evangelism reading is from WOTM materials as I have half a dozen books by Ray, and I plan to read some of them more than once. It is true I have other books by other evangelists, however I did not comprehend as much by their books, or I did not care. But yes perhaps I need to even buy more books. Can you give me 1 book of the list you mentioned worth getting my next paycheck? Thank you.

By all means Spurgeon's The Soul Winner should be right down your alley. Be careful which one you get though, since some of those available are condensed.

The John R. Rice book is a classic of course, but rare, and very expensive 2nd hand on Amazon. The R. A. Torrey book is great and a classic, but I doubt if you can find it anywhere.

 

[John of Japan]

Perhaps Ray Comfort in his wonderful book The Way of the Master should read other authors before he criticizes them. He does lots of that in the book, but not as much detailed research. While I love WOTM, I have noticed his books usually are not endorsed by high profile scholars and Bible teachers. Mark Devers book on evangelism was endorsed by many of these, but neither Paul Washer nor the 9 Marks website even mentioned any of Ray's books as a recommended reading on evangelism.

I do love WOTM, however it probably is not material that many seminaries will call scholarly work.

Not many authors take a scholarly approach to personal evangelism. Those who do would include David Hasselgrave and Robert Sumner.

Edited in: I did find in my library an excellent scholarly textbook, Personal Evangelism by J. C. Macaulay and Robert H. Belton. It cites many sources, has a good bibliography and index. It's old, 1956, but can be bought 2nd hand on Amazon for less than a dollar.

My own very small and not scholarly contribution to the field can be found here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00070XYII/?tag=baptis04-20

 

[evangelist6589]

Many public libraries in America have religious sections. You'll find some junk and some gems.

Perhaps you can introduce yourself at another church and tell them you are not willing to join but would like the opportunity to borrow some good Christian books. Present yourself as sincere and earnest.

Excellent idea. Just checked online and they do house some books. I may also check with other churches as well, thank you. However my last 6 books I got for FREE the reality is that I only spent $85 total on books last year as I always shop for the best prices and or buy the books used. I did buy a book by Jerry Bridges today but its a christian living book and I shopped for the best price, but I did not see that the library also had a copy. Thank you.

 

[evangelist6589]

evangelist6589


Why should this be a shock?If you presented bible verses instead of a small lecture The teacher would like the verses.

All Christians believe in "soul winning" some go about it more biblical fashion than others. It is in reality Jesus who "wins " souls....he seeks and saves them.
30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.

Arminianism has it wrong, but if a godly arminian person prays and goes to speak the truth in love, God will many times bless his or her obedience to the command to go. [Thankfully he is sovereign}
It is true that the closer any of us come to scripture the more effective will be the interaction as the Spirit will use the word as He see's fit.
You sometimes seem to lose sight of the fact that the sinner...most likely does not know all the theological terms.....keep that to yourself, and put it in your own words...speak from both your mind and your heart so they know you care for them. God will clear up their theology later on...they have to be pulled into the life boat first.



So....God will overcome this in time...do not panic.It is not like the arminian is going to get someone in , by the will of the flesh.

,

Then use the good ideas and adapt the rest to a more scriptural model.



the writer might not understand the biblical idea.....if he or the church you are in understood they would not use that book as a primary source.

You put yourself in this situation.You are surrounded by people who have defective ideas and theology.Are you going to complain everytime one of them says something based on their understanding? What do you think they are going to do?
You need to lay low and spend some time coming to understand the doctrine you profess to hold now.You are a novice...do not crown yourself as a spokesman for all things reformed as you are only beginning to study these things. Other reformed persons will tell you the same thing.

If your posts are sincere and you are not being facetious....you must relax so you do no harm to yourself or others.


If that is what the book teaches it is in error as far as persuasion.....but some persuasion is helpful to remove obstacles and get back to the sin question.



Lee Strobel is a godly man and he visit here for a few posts before he was chased away. While i would not share his evidential apologetic...he is on the same team and i would pray God uses him mightily.If the day comes I would gladly have a discussion with him on these things...but ...



Again...why all the confusion? learning is a process.the questions you are asking now...you will not be asking in 9 years.
A biblical arminian...is a calvinist in training.An unbiblical arminian is a false religious convert working in the strength of his own flesh.
A biblical calvinist is still learning and serving God from His new heart, an unbiblical calvinist memorizes the system and theological terms...but also serves in the flesh and will split hell wide open.God is the judge of all such persons...so do not stress over it.



it comes from proverbs 11....



That is the church you are in....what do you think they are going to do?
You need to think more on what you know and how to correctly live it and use it.:thumbs:

Iconoclast a friendly word of advice. Sometimes you word your posts in a way that makes me feel stupid. Not sure if I interpret you wrong however. But besides the wording I have seen a fault in mine and that is a lack of PATIENCE, and a lack of GRACE, and a JUDGMENTAL spirit. Since these people in this church do not read theology (this is very obvious), have never been to seminary or Bible college, do not listen to podcasts but only the pastor, nor participate in discussion boards, I cannot expect them to have the same level of knowledge on these topics. I am in a blended environment, and there are other Reformed across our land that are also in Arminian churches and seminaries.

Believe me on my street evangelism team when I was the leader I had a 5 Point Calvinist die hard Paul Washer addict! I was Arminian then, but he was at BJU and I remember him getting into fights with not only me but many other students and faculty as well. I do not want to carry that attitude as he even carried it into his internship in a IFB church and he later told me he got terminated for begin very judgmental. I can't be like this. Gotta have grace. No I have not started fights at the church, but inside I get frustrated.

 

[Archie the Preacher]

6589

To respond to your initial question as simply as possible:

Jesus commanded His followers to preach His message, make believers, baptize those believers and teach them how to be followers of Him. (See Matthew 28:19-20, Mark 16:15-16 for the essential command.)

How can a faithful - as much as is possible for the individual - Christian NOT follow the directions? At the minimum, a follower should understand he OUGHT to be doing what Jesus commanded. So, why would a Christ claiming church ignore the command?

 

[agedman]

My own very small and not scholarly contribution to the field can be found here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00070XYII/?tag=baptis04-20

Talk about inflation!!!!!

The cover says $1.00.

Amazon price? $7.00 used!!!!!

I have become well inflated as I have aged - my mother used to say when I was skinny I was "to big for my britches." What would she think of me now!

 

[agedman]

To respond to your initial question as simply as possible:

Jesus commanded His followers to preach His message, make believers, baptize those believers and teach them how to be followers of Him. (See Matthew 28:19-20, Mark 16:15-16 for the essential command.)

How can a faithful - as much as is possible for the individual - Christian NOT follow the directions? At the minimum, a follower should understand he OUGHT to be doing what Jesus commanded. So, why would a Christ claiming church ignore the command?

I would present the following perhaps as a clarifying statement to what has been so well stated, above.


The Lord's commission was not just a command, but a condition of life.

Acts 1: "You shall be..." is what every believer will be. They will be a witness. There is no other option. It is not a suggestion, not even a command. It is the manner of living that will occur in the life of the believer.

Some may never be a street preacher, or even bring but reproach upon God, but if they are a believer, they will confess, they will be a witness.

The new nature in them will not be hidden as a light under a bushel but will burn down the bushel if need be to get out.

They will have rivers of living water flow - even if they live as a reproach to the gospel, the others will see the rebuke of the God brought to them.

The believer cannot no be a witness. It is a statement of fact, not of option or opinion.

 

[John of Japan]

Talk about inflation!!!!!

The cover says $1.00.

Amazon price? $7.00 used!!!!!

I have become well inflated as I have aged - my mother used to say when I was skinny I was "to big for my britches." What would she think of me now!

Yeah, I'm pretty inflated myself! :laugh:

 

[Archie the Preacher]

Excellent point

Agedman, agreed without stipulation or correction (except for the spelling in the penultimate sentence: should be 'not', I believe.)

The statement '"Go into all the world..." can be understood - due to the difficulties of simple word substitution translation - as "As you are going (about) in the world..." Or, in simpler terms, "As you live your life..." and then the directions to preach, teach, convert, baptize and so forth.

So these directions are not so much special commands, but a condition of the Christian life, as my brother Agedman says.

(By the way, Agedman; I am known as Old Man Montgomery in some circles. Nice to have your agreement.)

 

[Yeshua1]

The great news is that our theology never saved the sinner, its due to the grace of God alone, and many arminians preach and teach Jesus death for sins, resurrection for justification, so God will use them as His tools to prolaim to the lost, in order to have His elect saved!