Monastery engage and fellowship

[mei]

Not ecumenical or liberal, but as being a missionary who is willing to engage with non-believers (Baptist background and hold fundamental doctrine)

Do you think we should engage and help in monastery where Buddhist monks are making offering? But they are superior and we are inferior.

What is your belief and thoughts on cross cultural evangelism?

 

[rockytopva]

I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. - 1 Corinthians 11:3

The hierarchy....

1. God the Father
2. God the Son (Jesus Christ)
3. God the Holy Spirit
4. A Christian man
5. A Christian woman

14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. - 2 Corinthians 6

 

[Mike B]

Do you think we should engage and help in monastery where Buddhist monks are making offering? But they are superior and we are inferior.

I might be friendly with the Buddhist monks, but no, I would certainly not engage with them while they are
making offerings to false gods and idols.

 

[mei]

When we consider of ourselves that if we do Christmas, we want them to be with us or around us that they at least know what we are doing. (God can change the hearts)

But if you do ceremony like in the monastery, not making offering directly or not bow down to them while they are reciting, but just around the corner behind the temple?

I might be friendly with the Buddhist monks, but no, I would certainly not engage with them while they are
making offerings to false gods and idols.

 

[mei]

I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. - 1 Corinthians 11:3

The hierarchy....

1. God the Father
2. God the Son (Jesus Christ)
3. God the Holy Spirit
4. A Christian man
5. A Christian woman

14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. - 2 Corinthians 6

Yes, above all, Christ is the head.

 

[Mike B]

When we consider of ourselves that if we do Christmas, we want them to be with us or around us that they at least know what we are doing. (God can change the hearts)

But if you do ceremony like in the monastery, not making offering directly or not bow down to them while they are reciting, but just around the corner behind the temple?

I am not in your position, of course, but I would explain to them that the Lord, Jesus Christ died for our
transgressions, and rose again and now reigns in Heaven. If you have a bible in their language, I would
show them the text...This is God's first law to His children.

Exodus 20:1-5
1 And God spake all these words, saying,

2 I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that
is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:

5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting
the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;


Attending strictly as an observer? Doubtful....Honestly, I would most definitely be praying about it, and
how the situation could possibly be used to get the gospel to them.

I would also be very interested in the opinions of other forum members.

 

[John of Japan]

Having been a missionary to a Buddhist country, I understand your query. We wish to reach even the Buddhist priests. The problem with your scenario, is that I have never found false religionists to be open to the Gospel message when they are practicing their own religion. For example, once down in Tokyo a friend and I saw a Shinto priest sprinkling "holy water" around his shrine. My friend and I approached him and tried to just give him a tract, but he totally ignored us. Again, I have discoursed with Jehovah's Witnesses coming to our door both in the US and in Japan. I've never convinced a single one. Another time, I met an "Aum" cult adherent giving out literature, and he turned his back on me when I tried to give him a tract. I will confess, though, that I once came up from behind on a Zen priest out on his "alms" mission, and stuck a gospel tract in his alms bowl.

On the other hand, I once had a young Buddhist priest who had fled the temple come to my church service. He was staying with one of our men, having fled the temple because his father was trying to force him to marry someone. He listened very carefully to the Gospel; didn't get saved that day, but he was open. So the best time to approach a religionist is not when they are doing what they think is their duty, but when they have free time. Otherwise, I try to stay away from Buddhist priests and the like so I don't lead others to think their work is moral. So I've only been in a Buddhist temple once, and that was when our mission director came over from the US and wanted to see one.

Keep up the good work.

 

[John of Japan]

When we consider of ourselves that if we do Christmas, we want them to be with us or around us that they at least know what we are doing. (God can change the hearts)

But if you do ceremony like in the monastery, not making offering directly or not bow down to them while they are reciting, but just around the corner behind the temple?

Standing outside and handing them Gospel tracts as they come out is good aggressive street evangelism.