The IFB/fundamentalist Baptist Style of Evangelism

[evangelist6589]

This is your experience but not mine. I started attending an IFB church in 1973 and have never been involved or seen IFB churches operate in the way that you describe them. It grieves me to see people white-wash an entire movement based on their limited experience.
IFB
Independent. We are not a homogenous group. We are independent from each other and each of us do things according to our own congregational government, not according to the dictates of the SBC government. (or any other such organization)

Fundamental. We not only believe in the fundamentals of the faith we practice them. That includes all the Bible. The Bible is fundamentally our rule of faith and practice.

Baptist. We adhere to the Baptist distinctives, those distinctives that make us distinctively different from others.

Then I stand corrected, but in contrary I have seen plenty of them frown upon street evangelism, open air preaching, and the Way of the Master ministry.

 

[evangelist6589]

Ignorance is not always bliss, especially when shooting off the mouth on a forum like the BB. Sadly.

We all have hobbies. Some people feel higher and holier by knocking others and standing on their bones.

I make no intention to knock others down as my only intention is to be biblical. I know of IFB types that are very big on street witnessing and reaching out to random lost people everywhere they go. Mark Cahill is one example. Although not Reformed, he loves to do random street evangelism, airport evangelism, mall evangelism, store evangelism and what forth.

 

[evangelist6589]

I've had enough of this guy. If he's not bad-mouthing non-calvinists, he's bad-mouthing IFBers. He seems happiest when he's bad-mouthing non-calvinist IFBers.

There's a reason God gave us 1 Cor 12 and 1 Peter 4:11. I pray some day this young man matures enough to figure it out. Till then, he's no better than the IFBers he loves to trash.

When did I bad mouth anyone? Read this quote.

I am not saying that all IFB do evangelism this way, but it seems to be common in IFB circles. There are plenty of IFB that also hit the streets and engage the lost there, but too many do not.

However I challenge you interpretation of the phrase "bad mouth" ad will suggest that you have said that because I have a different POV than you. I have been accused of the same by Pentecostals, Charismatics, and those in the WOF camps whom I have had debates with. They have said that I "bad mouth" their movement, TBN super stars, and so forth.

Or even the KJVO types have said that I bad mouth their Bible when all I have done is showed why their view is wrong.

 

[evangelist6589]

Puritans did evangelism via open air and street preaching? Jonathan Edwards was a street preacher? "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" was delivered on street corners? You're going to need to provide a citation for me to believe this. Got a link?

There are plenty of quotes in Way of the Master materials. I can't think of any at this time, however this book may be of help.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0974930032/?tag=baptis04-20

 

[Salty]

I love street witnessing and door to door evangelism, but where we fail in my opinion is not making these people we meet into disciples. We meet them once and may never see them again, we need to keep in contact with these people get them to bible studies and church.

How in the world can one do that with random people met on a street corner?

Jacob has hit the nail on the head!!!

So lets concentrate on friendship evangelism.

Suppose E-7 leads 1,000 people to the Lord every year - in years

But Jacob leads one Jim to the Lord this year and disciples him. Next year, Jacob and Jim each someone , then the following year 4 new people are being discipled ......

After 15 years -
E-7 has lead 15,000 people to the Lord
Jacob will have 32,786 converts who have been discipled

 

[evangelist6589]

Jacob has hit the nail on the head!!!

So lets concentrate on friendship evangelism.

Suppose E-7 leads 1,000 people to the Lord every year - in years

But Jacob leads one Jim to the Lord this year and disciples him. Next year, Jacob and Jim each someone , then the following year 4 new people are being discipled ......

After 15 years -
E-7 has lead 15,000 people to the Lord
Jacob will have 32,786 converts who have been discipled

No way!!!! God brings in the converts and makes out the change. Its not about methods but about the message. I can't say that Noah nor Jeremiah had lots of converts in their ministries neither but they trusted God to make out the change.

 

[Don]

When did I bad mouth anyone? Read this quote.

Read your own words. Every time you refer to someone as anti-biblical for not believing exactly the same way you do. And you do it a LOT, and we all know you're talking about the church you're currently a member of.

However I challenge you interpretation of the phrase "bad mouth" ad will suggest that you have said that because I have a different POV than you. I have been accused of the same by Pentecostals, Charismatics, and those in the WOF camps whom I have had debates with. They have said that I "bad mouth" their movement, TBN super stars, and so forth.

Or even the KJVO types have said that I bad mouth their Bible when all I have done is showed why their view is wrong.

Re-read 1 Corinthians 12:20-22. Stop bad-mouthing others because they don't have the same gifts/abilities you do. Appreciate the biblical, scriptural FACT God uses you one way and others another way. Then grow up, be a man, thank Him that we are not all alike, and then do as verse 22 says and go tell some of those who are more "feeble" than you how necessary they are.

 

[evangelist6589]

Read your own words. Every time you refer to someone as anti-biblical for not believing exactly the same way you do. And you do it a LOT, and we all know you're talking about the church you're currently a member of.

Re-read 1 Corinthians 12:20-22. Stop bad-mouthing others because they don't have the same gifts/abilities you do. Appreciate the biblical, scriptural FACT God uses you one way and others another way. Then grow up, be a man, thank Him that we are not all alike, and then do as verse 22 says and go tell some of those who are more "feeble" than you how necessary they are.

So have I bad mouthed those that do not do open air preaching but do regularly engage lost people? In fact I speak regularly with a old friend whom attends a church that does street evangelism but DOES NOT do open air preaching nor believe in it.

My goal is to get people to engage the lost with the gospel and the reality of their sin. Sure people will hate and despise me for this, but souls are at stake and Hell is closer than you think. Was it wrong of me to have biblically challenged some old friends of mine whom have CHANGED their nursing home ministry to take out preaching the the call to repentance? Again my goal is to get people to engage others with the truth.... People will reject me but the gospel will be preached.

 

[Don]

By the way,, look at your own quote. Meant to copy it in the previous post: there are plenty who do go out, but too many who do not. If that's your point of view, I think between what others have already posted and my references to verses, it's been shown to be an unscriptural one.

 

[evangelist6589]

By the way,, look at your own quote. Meant to copy it in the previous post: there are plenty who do go out, but too many who do not. If that's your point of view, I think between what others have already posted and my references to verses, it's been shown to be an unscriptural one.

Yes too many do not witness regularly. Read this inspiring story.

http://www.livingwaters.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=466

 

[Don]

So have I bad mouthed those that do not do open air preaching but do regularly engage lost people? In fact I speak regularly with a old friend whom attends a church that does street evangelism but DOES NOT do open air preaching nor believe in it.

My goal is to get people to engage the lost with the gospel and the reality of their sin. Sure people will hate and despise me for this, but souls are at stake and Hell is closer than you think. Was it wrong of me to have biblically challenged some old friends of mine whom have CHANGED their nursing home ministry to take out preaching the the call to repentance? Again my goal is to get people to engage others with the truth.... People will reject me but the gospel will be preached.

No acknowledgement of what I said; just continued self-defense.

I knew an IFB pastor who once said people were complaining about him always preaching about tithing; he looked back at all his sermons for a year and not once did he have a sermon about tithing. I told him, "you're correct; but in every sermon, you said something about tithing." Understand why I'm comparing you to an IFB pastor: you both were technically correct, but missed the trees for the forest.

 

[Don]

Yes too many do not witness regularly. Read this inspiring story.

http://www.livingwaters.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=466

You're hopeless. Done with this. Putting you on ignore.

 

[InTheLight]

What of John the Baptist and Philip? Did they not preach in the streets?

John the Baptist was not building the NT church. Philip used healing and miracles in his street ministry.

Acts 8:6-7 NIV
When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed.

Are you going to follow his example?

 

[Jacob_Elliott]

How in the world can one do that with random people met on a street corner?

That's a good point, I was speaking more for door to door as that is what I'm used to, however if someone comes up that seems interested get their name and ask for a way to keep in touch (number,email), and invite them to church or bible study

 

[evangelist6589]

That's a good point, I was speaking more for door to door as that is what I'm used to, however if someone comes up that seems interested get their name and ask for a way to keep in touch (number,email), and invite them to church or bible study

Thats an excellent idea Jacob. I have done door to door in the past.

 

[evangelist6589]

John the Baptist was not building the NT church. Philip used healing and miracles in his street ministry.

Acts 8:6-7 NIV
When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed.

Are you going to follow his example?

That was before the written word was complete. Miracles were needed to verify the testimony of the evangelists.

 

[InTheLight]

That was before the written word was complete. Miracles were needed to verify the testimony of the evangelists.

Not necessarily, and certainly not always.

 

[Rippon]

The Puritan "evangelism" was to hold witch trials and condemn those who were not up to their IFB extremist standards.

This completely foolish statement needs to be retracted.

 

[agedman]

This completely foolish statement needs to be retracted.

Why, Rippon?


The thinking that a person could be "possessed" through a mole or some other skin blemish, that those who were "different" (read: mental disorders) were possessed, and many other excesses that resulted in the death penalty were not uncommon in puritan controlled areas.

The actions of exerting total control over every aspect of the towns, deciding what was righteous and what was evil purely upon what they decided with little regard for the grace of God, cultural sensitivity, and much less the treatment of women is not unlike the IFB extremists from the 1960's - the 1990's. (and still goes on in pocket areas)

Relatively FEW puritans of the 1500 through 1600's reached out in mission work to the native Americans, much less to lands around the world, and those that did were often held to either very restrictive means or outright rejection by the puritan leadership.

Those who were "kicked out" of the colonies for non-compliance and being unprotected had been murdered by the native Americans were considered justly punished (Anne Hutchinson for example - kicked out because of the "free grace" controversy).

Puritan "evangelism" was for the most part - believe what I tell you or die - which was no better than that of the papist background from which they came and merely wanted to purify.

 

[OnlyaSinner]

Why, Rippon?


The thinking that a person could be "possessed" through a mole or some other skin blemish, that those who were "different" (read: mental disorders) were possessed, and many other excesses that resulted in the death penalty were not uncommon in puritan controlled areas.

The actions of exerting total control over every aspect of the towns, deciding what was righteous and what was evil purely upon what they decided with little regard for the grace of God, cultural sensitivity, and much less the treatment of women is not unlike the IFB extremists from the 1960's - the 1990's. (and still goes on in pocket areas)

Relatively FEW puritans of the 1500 through 1600's reached out in mission work to the native Americans, much less to lands around the world, and those that did were often held to either very restrictive means or outright rejection by the puritan leadership.

Those who were "kicked out" of the colonies for non-compliance and being unprotected had been murdered by the native Americans were considered justly punished (Anne Hutchinson for example - kicked out because of the "free grace" controversy).

Puritan "evangelism" was for the most part - believe what I tell you or die - which was no better than that of the papist background from which they came and merely wanted to purify.

The witch trials and executions were, of course, carried out by Puritans, but to tar the entire Puritan group for the horrific actions of a few seems unwarranted. Puritans had their warts, especially in not separating from the Church of England, just as Luther had his shortcomings. That doesn't change how our gracious God has used them.

Recently I read a thorough biography of John Winthrop (subtitled "America's Forgotten Founding Father", by Francis Bremer) who was the first governor of the Massachusetts Bay colony. Examination of his life, and of his most famous sermon, "A Modell of Christian Charity", would put the attitudes of many/most Puritans in a more just light.