John R. Rice on lifestyle evangelism

[evangelist6589]

OK, but If we are grieving the Spirit even if we evangelize 24x7x365, He will not use us.
Our harvest baskets will be empty.

HankD

Actually God elects the sinner to salvation at his timing. It's not about us.

 

[Yeshua1]

Yeshua. Your arguments are not scriptural. You rejected the article because it had plenty of scripture.

No, rejected bcause that is not how Jesus operated!

 

[Yeshua1]

Are you trying to say that scripture arguments mean nothing?

No, heis givingto ue verses tat support our position ad against your link!

 

[Yeshua1]

Actually God elects the sinner to salvation at his timing. It's not about us.

it is though, for how can they be saved unless they hear from us?

 

[annsni]

Let's see what God Questions says about tracts:

"Second, some people rely entirely on gospel tracts and purposefully avoid directly sharing the gospel with others. Giving someone a gospel tract is easier than personally sharing the gospel. While there are definitely many situations where giving a gospel tract is entirely appropriate, there are other situations where only a personal gospel presentation will suffice. We are all to be ready, willing, and able to share the gospel (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 1:8; 1 Peter 3:15). Gospel tracts can be an important and valuable aspect of sharing the gospel, but it should not be the sole means of our outreach."

https://www.gotquestions.org/gospel-tracts.html

 

[evangelist6589]

Let's see what God Questions says about tracts:

"Second, some people rely entirely on gospel tracts and purposefully avoid directly sharing the gospel with others. Giving someone a gospel tract is easier than personally sharing the gospel. While there are definitely many situations where giving a gospel tract is entirely appropriate, there are other situations where only a personal gospel presentation will suffice. We are all to be ready, willing, and able to share the gospel (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 1:8; 1 Peter 3:15). Gospel tracts can be an important and valuable aspect of sharing the gospel, but it should not be the sole means of our outreach."

https://www.gotquestions.org/gospel-tracts.html

I do not rely entirely on tracts as I also do open air and speak with people as well as write letters. The difference is I value tracts as the above article says is useful.

 

[HankD]

Are you trying to say that scripture arguments mean nothing?

No.

HankD

 

[HankD]

Actually God elects the sinner to salvation at his timing. It's not about us.

Go back and read what I wrote evan, : "He will not use us" - He USES us as His instruments. He chooses those instruments that don't grieve Him.

HankD

 

[evangelist6589]

Go back and read what I wrote evan, : "He will not use us" - He USES us as His instruments. He chooses those instruments that don't grieve Him.

HankD

Wrong. He can elect a sinner to salvation despite of us.

 

[HankD]

Wrong. He can elect a sinner to salvation despite of us.

Evan, you ask for advice then when it is given you are contrary.

Goodbye
HankD

 

[evangelist6589]

Evan, you ask for advice then when it is given you are contrary.

Goodbye
HankD

This is a debate. I did not ask for advice on the doctrine of election. I asked for advice on writing a letter but I was turned down.

 

[Salty]

I do not rely entirely on tracts as I also do open air and speak with people as well as write letters. The difference is I value tracts as the above article says is useful.

But didn't you say most people you talk to - is only for a moment or so- because people in Denver are always rushing......

 

[Salty]

This is a debate. I did not ask for advice on the doctrine of election. I asked for advice on writing a letter but I was turned down.

You were given advice - but as usual - you were not satisfied with it.

 

[John of Japan]

Turn to page 19 of the book "The Soul Winner's Fire" and read the last paragraph. Rice says to go after sinners and this implies contact evangelism, a form of evangelism despised by most on this board and most Christians in general. But before he said that he clearly said that living a Godly life is not the way God has appointed to see sinners saved! This would imply that we get off our seats and get out there and reach the lost! This would imply that we buy some good gospel tracts and use our mouths to speak with people. Perhaps even do some open air preaching, for those that are gifted and passionate about this style of evangelism.

Thanks for posting this. I'm glad you're reading it.

This is on p. 27 of the older edition I have. To be clear, JRR does say that living right is vital for the soul-winner. Here is what he wrote, "The fact is that living a godly life does not win sinners to Christ. That is not the way God has appointed to get sinners saved. Living a godly life is important, vitally important, for the one who would be a soul-winner, but the first condition of soul-winning, divinely appointed, is this: get up and go after sinners!"

At the time he wrote this (1941), there was no organized thinking about lifestyle evangelism. What he wrote about here was simply an excuse some Christians used to keep from going after sinners. He died in 1980, and the first book that I know of about it was Evangelism as a Lifestyle, by Jim Peterson, that very year. In 1981, Joseph Aldrich came out with his book, Life-Style Evangelism, and that's when the real controversy broke out, which I ran into in a supporting church on our first furlough, which was in 1986.

 

[HankD]

We won't know for sure what methods and instruments God used in gathering souls until after the harvest is over.

What we do know is that the Holy Spirit takes the initiative and uses both the word and human instruments

Acts 8
27 And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,
28 Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.
29 Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.
30 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?
31 And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.

Someone pointed him to the Isaiah passage.

HankD

 

[Jerome]

He died in 1980, and the first book that I know of about it was Evangelism as a Lifestyle, by Jim Peterson, that very year. In 1981, Joseph Aldrich came out with his book, Life-Style Evangwlism

It had been taught among Southern Baptists for much of the 1970s:

Baptist Press of June 8, 1973:

Mission Board Names Bill Hogue Evangelism Director
"We feel the strong, proven leadership of Bill Hogue will open new horizons for Southern Baptists as well as strengthen the new efforts now underway."....Hogue, a native of Stanton, Tex., speaks often of lifestyle evangelism, which he says involves the "total aspects of one's life."

Baptist Press of April 29, 1975 reporting on C. B. Hogue, director of the evangelism section of the Home Mission Board, addressing the Brotherhood Leadership Conference:

Speaking on the concepts in lifestyle evangelism, Hogue said he hopes every individual and agency in the Southern Baptist Convention "would do evangelism." Hogue described evangelism as "what a man is and does. My concept begins with an experience, leads to a development of maturity, and bears fruitful response in what people do naturally. I don't think this means running up to every person you see on the street, grabbing his lapels and shaking him until his cage rattles. But neither is lifestyle evangelism just living the good life. It's life sharing. A good life is no excuse for locked lips. We must encourage people to be normal and natural evangelists where ever they are," he told the Brotherhood leaders.

Life-style Evangelism book by Hogue published by Word in 1976

 

[Jerome]

Also:

Ralph W. Neighbour, Journey into Discipleship (Journey into Lifestyle Evangelism and Ministry series) (Memphis, Tenn.: Lay Renewal, 1974)

Ross Pilkinton, Life-style Evangelism: Sharing the Love of God in Continuing Relationships (London: Scripture Union, 1977)

Rebecca Manley Pippert, Out of the Saltshaker & Into the World: Evangelism As a Way of Life (Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1979)

 

[John of Japan]

It had been taught among Southern Baptists for much of the 1970s:

Baptist Press of June 8, 1973:


Baptist Press of April 29, 1975 reporting on C. B. Hogue, director of the evangelism section of the Home Mission Board, addressing the Brotherhood Leadership Conference:


Life-style Evangelism book by Hogue published by Word in 1976

Thanks. I didn't know that.