Meat or Vegetables. Offending brothers. Legit or not?

[evangelist6589]

There is a passage in the epistles about meat & vegetables and not offending a brother. Get this I just spoke with someone whom attends a Church very big on street evangelism, however they are very much against open air preaching and are not on board with WOTM. If I were to go with them and do evangelism should I not open air preach? If I did I would not be obeying God, but I would be offending them. Open air preaching is one of my most powerful tools in Biblical evangelism. Yes this means I would be working alone, but better that than to not obey God. What do you say? Just not open air if I were with them?

 

[Tom Bryant]

If God has called you to open air preaching, then you must do it. The passage about offending a brother has nothing to do with obeying what the Lord tells us to do.

Do you think God would call you to a church that would say you can't do what God has called you to do?

 

[preacher4truth]

There is a passage in the epistles about meat & vegetables and not offending a brother. Get this I just spoke with someone whom attends a Church very big on street evangelism, however they are very much against open air preaching and are not on board with WOTM. If I were to go with them and do evangelism should I not open air preach? If I did I would not be obeying God, but I would be offending them. Open air preaching is one of my most powerful tools in Biblical evangelism. Yes this means I would be working alone, but better that than to not obey God. What do you say? Just not open air if I were with them?

I'd say give their method a try as well. There is no need to quit one over the other IMO.

- Blessings

 

[evangelist6589]

If God has called you to open air preaching, then you must do it. The passage about offending a brother has nothing to do with obeying what the Lord tells us to do.

Do you think God would call you to a church that would say you can't do what God has called you to do?

He would not so why I wont ever go to that church again. My current church does not do street preaching, however they are not against me doing it. Its just a matter of preference or style so that would be different, than a church that is against it and wont let anyone do it.

 

[evangelist6589]

I'd say give their method a try as well. There is no need to quit one over the other IMO.

- Blessings

All they do is pass out tracts and talk with people, which is what I do mostly of as well. However I am known for my street preaching and its what sets me apart. I try to be balanced in my methods such as tracts/conversations/open air. I know evangelists who only do open air and wont pass out tracts or talk with anyone.

 

[preacher4truth]

All they do is pass out tracts and talk with people, which is what I do mostly of as well. However I am known for my street preaching and its what sets me apart. I try to be balanced in my methods such as tracts/conversations/open air. I know evangelists who only do open air and wont pass out tracts or talk with anyone.

I wouldn't allow them to tell you you cannot do it -- that part is ridiculous. You might make a few friends though and earn their respect by helping in their other efforts, but I'd be totally upfront about the fact that you are going to open air preach as well -- then you'd have to decide if you join in with them not to do so.

I wonder if they see open air preaching as a bad image on their church?

 

[HisWitness]

There is a passage in the epistles about meat & vegetables and not offending a brother. Get this I just spoke with someone whom attends a Church very big on street evangelism, however they are very much against open air preaching and are not on board with WOTM. If I were to go with them and do evangelism should I not open air preach? If I did I would not be obeying God, but I would be offending them. Open air preaching is one of my most powerful tools in Biblical evangelism. Yes this means I would be working alone, but better that than to not obey God. What do you say? Just not open air if I were with them?

does you no good to preach any form or fashion to them anyway--if you offend them--they will not listen to you anyhow--so the answer is kinda plain there :love2::love2:

Adapting if needful is not a bad thing :thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

[evangelist6589]

I wouldn't allow them to tell you you cannot do it -- that part is ridiculous. You might make a few friends though and earn their respect by helping in their other efforts, but I'd be totally upfront about the fact that you are going to open air preach as well -- then you'd have to decide if you join in with them not to do so.

I wonder if they see open air preaching as a bad image on their church?

Lots of churches are against it, and they will always point to all the negative examples of it, as they have a arminian evangelism philosophy anyways so I wont persuade them.

But what concerns me is that the church will quote from Reformed authors and sermons, yet have a arminian evangelism methodology.

My conclusion is that I wont do evangelism with that church as we do not agree on this area. In the past when I have tried to work with them on my own time (not going with them) but just meeting them there, the pastor and others would always move away whenever I opened air preached. No question if I went out with them they would not allow it. But thats okay as I wont be going out with them. I have run into them on the streets and we can agree to disagree, but they wont allow me to join their fellowship because I am a open air preacher.

 

[preacher4truth]

Lots of churches are against it, and they will always point to all the negative examples of it, as they have a arminian evangelism philosophy anyways so I wont persuade them.

Of course they point to negative examples; such as the non elect lost world having a bad opinion of them. They want them to like them and join them and so they will cater to them. After all, a church influenced by PC should be therefore embraced by the PC crowd. If not, their marketing strategy is incorrect, and all who preach the truth of the Word are simply cast out as being 'abrasive.' Jesus and Paul wouldn't be welcome among them. They'd be thrown out immediately. In fact, they already are cast out.

But what concerns me is that the church will quote from Reformed authors and sermons, yet have a arminian evangelism methodology.

Of course they'll quote them. They want substance for their sermons without study or personal adherence and evidence within themselves, thus they quote those who possess these things.

My conclusion is that I wont do evangelism with that church as we do not agree on this area. In the past when I have tried to work with them on my own time (not going with them) but just meeting them there, the pastor and others would always move away whenever I opened air preached. No question if I went out with them they would not allow it. But thats okay as I wont be going out with them. I have run into them on the streets and we can agree to disagree, but they wont allow me to join their fellowship because I am a open air preacher.

These church types despise the truth of the word and supplant such truth with what they call 'growth'. They would've rid Jesus as well because His methods didn't meet market standards. Another who could bring in many others would be embraced as successful. Joel Osteen for example.

 

[jbh28]

Open air preaching would not cause your brother to stumble. not offending doesn't man that you never do something someone doesn't like. If that were the case would couldn't ever do anything.