The Way of the Master moment episode Gospel Tracts

[TCassidy]

I am trying not to have any dialogue with my critics.

So you refuse to answer honest questions? You prefer to disobey God and ignore 2/3 of the Great Commission?

 

[TCassidy]

This thread is not a soap box for my critics!

If you don't want to discuss the topic don't start the thread.

 

[evangelist6589]

Our churches often will get together with the purpose of reaching out to people with the gospel. When we have local festivals in the summer we will typically pass out water which often provides an opportunity to share the gospel. I don’t live very far from Manchester TN and a group from a couple of churches goes to Bonnaroo and sets up a tent for shade and water with the same purpose. I don’t know the impact that these guys have experienced.

What we do is involve ourselves in our community. Last year we had a fall festival at the church and this proved an opportunity to witness not only to the youth but to many parents. We had not been members of that church for long, but this type of event resulted in over 12 baptisms (this is a medium sized church…about 250 members). I remember taking note that there were a couple of teenagers but most were adults in their early 30’s and up. I find this significant for a couple of reasons. First, these were not people enticed by things like fall festivals (cotton candy and bouncy houses). Second, they are still among us. We also have a few people who were saved through the hospital ministry.

My wife and I have helped in these festivals and we've helped with the youth outreach. I do not believe that we are saved for the sake of being saved, but rather that God creates us in Christ for good works which He has prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. We are saved with a purpose far greater than ourselves.

The sad thing is that my new church does not do evangelism so I am on my own.

 

[JonC]

The sad thing is that my new church does not do evangelism so I am on my own.

The church equips and sends out. It sounds like you are a member of a church that is doing neither because we are not called to witness alone (in the Bible we read of the ministry of Peter, John, and Paul but never any of them working in isolation).

 

[evangelist6589]

The church equips and sends out. It sounds like you are a member of a church that is doing neither because we are not called to witness alone (in the Bible we read of the ministry of Peter, John, and Paul but never any of them working in isolation).

No church is perfect.

 

[Don]

The sad thing is that my new church does not do evangelism so I am on my own.

You chose this church because it was calvinistic; yet, it doesn't do evangelism, or at least it doesn't do it in the manner you would prefer. Are they not doing evangelism because they believe God has already chosen His elect, and therefore no more work is required? (thus making them hyper-Calvinists)

Please explain further what you mean by "does not do evangelism." Thanks.

 

[InTheLight]

The sad thing is that my new church does not do evangelism so I am on my own.

Yes, but they have a nice tract wall:
Encouraging a Calvinist Church to be more involved in evangelism

Or do they?
Church is weak in the area of evangelism


Anyway, I thought you liked this type of church over a church that does outreach...

Which Church Would You Choose?

Church A
They love bible study, love theology books, have a bookstore and a library. Love apologetics and are very friendly people. Seem biblically based however one problem is that they are not all that evangelistic. Few tracts on their wall and the people seem more content to remain in their walls.

Church B
They are not all that deep and the people do not love books nor deep bible study just the essentials of the faith. However they have a large tract wall, and many members can be found out witnessing and doing open air preaching. They love anything and everything evangelism.

I would choose church A despite my love for reaching the lost I want to dive into the word and will reach the lost by myself.
Which church would you choose?

 

[JonC]

No church is perfect.

If a church refuses to be a witness of the gospel of Jesus Christ, can it rightfully be called a church?

I say this because a church that is not a witness us just as unbiblical as evangelism apart from a church. The gospel is one that saves individual sinners and puts them into a context of community in Christ as a member of a greater body. If you "evangelize" apart from a church then what you are doing may be commended but it is not "evangelism" within a NT context. Likewise, a non-witnessing, non-equipping "church" may provide biblical teachings but outside of a biblical application it is just a bunch of disobedient Christians talking about God.

 

[Yeshua1]

If a church refuses to be a witness of the gospel of Jesus Christ, can it rightfully be called a church?

I say this because a church that is not a witness us just as unbiblical as evangelism apart from a church. The gospel is one that saves individual sinners and puts them into a context of community in Christ as a member of a greater body. If you "evangelize" apart from a church then what you are doing may be commended but it is not "evangelism" within a NT context. Likewise, a non-witnessing, non-equipping "church" may provide biblical teachings but outside of a biblical application it is just a bunch of disobedient Christians talking about God.

Right in our statement is that we are there to make more and better disciples for Jesus...

 

[Yeshua1]

No church is perfect.

Why did you join them if they were not supportinmg reaching out to the lost for Jesus, as you seem to claim to have been called to outreach to the lost?

 

[evangelist6589]

You chose this church because it was calvinistic; yet, it doesn't do evangelism, or at least it doesn't do it in the manner you would prefer. Are they not doing evangelism because they believe God has already chosen His elect, and therefore no more work is required? (thus making them hyper-Calvinists)

Please explain further what you mean by "does not do evangelism." Thanks.

They believe in friendship evangelism so will completely avoid events in the area where lots of lost people will attend and therefore do not do evangelism.

 

[Don]

They believe in friendship evangelism so will completely avoid events in the area where lots of lost people will attend and therefore do not do evangelism.

While I don't necessarily agree with avoiding events ... let's not forget that friendship evangelism is evangelism, so technically they're doing some evangelism.

If you disagree, you're forgetting 1 Cor 12:12 and Rom 12:4-5. There isn't only one form of evangelism; we shouldn't nay-say or avoid other forms, just because we disagree with or dislike them.

Just as, pertaining to your opening post for this thread, there are multiple forms/types of tracts. Most of us disagree with the money tracts; but support many of the other tracts.

 

[evangelist6589]

While I don't necessarily agree with avoiding events ... let's not forget that friendship evangelism is evangelism, so technically they're doing some evangelism.

If you disagree, you're forgetting 1 Cor 12:12 and Rom 12:4-5. There isn't only one form of evangelism; we shouldn't nay-say or avoid other forms, just because we disagree with or dislike them.

Just as, pertaining to your opening post for this thread, there are multiple forms/types of tracts. Most of us disagree with the money tracts; but support many of the other tracts.

I do not agree with avoiding events neither, but sadly far too many friendship evangelists do this! Many are against mass tract distribution. Yes there are multiple types of tracts and I have many types of tracts, but by far the money tract is the most popular. There are also lots of varieties of money tracts and this one is probably the most popular. I passed out 100 of these in less than 10 minutes while other money tracts took longer to pass out. Hint the tract is popular because it is the same color as real money.

Lincoln Million Dollar Bill

My strategy is to simply use the right tract for the job, and the money tract is the cheapest to pass out, the easiest to get the gospel out to a wide variety of people since unlike Chic Tracts they are not offensive.

In smaller contexts or in a context that would allow it I would do open air preaching to gather a crowd and from there preach the gospel which can lead to one on one conversations. But open air was forbidden at the event so I could not do it.

 

[evangelist6589]

Right in our statement is that we are there to make more and better disciples for Jesus...

Work on your grammar.

 

[TCassidy]

And how is your "strategy" to simply use the right tract for the job working for you? How many dozens of souls have come to Christ, been baptized, and become faithful members of a bible believing local church due to your "strategy" of "soul winning?"

How many? 100? 200? 300? 500? 1000? 50? 20? 10? 5? 1?

 

[Rolfe]

Work on your grammar.

"Whom."

 

[Don]

I do not agree with avoiding events neither, but sadly far too many friendship evangelists do this! Many are against mass tract distribution. Yes there are multiple types of tracts and I have many types of tracts, but by far the money tract is the most popular. There are also lots of varieties of money tracts and this one is probably the most popular. I passed out 100 of these in less than 10 minutes while other money tracts took longer to pass out. Hint the tract is popular because it is the same color as real money.

Lincoln Million Dollar Bill

My strategy is to simply use the right tract for the job, and the money tract is the cheapest to pass out, the easiest to get the gospel out to a wide variety of people since unlike Chic Tracts they are not offensive.

In smaller contexts or in a context that would allow it I would do open air preaching to gather a crowd and from there preach the gospel which can lead to one on one conversations. But open air was forbidden at the event so I could not do it.

You indicate that tract was the most "popular" because it was the same color as money; you suppose people were more drawn to it because they thought it might be actual money?

 

[InTheLight]

You indicate that tract was the most "popular" because it was the same color as money; you suppose people were more drawn to it because they thought it might be actual money?

No. Because Ray Comfort tells him it's the most popular.

 

[Salty]

... but sadly far too many friendship evangelists do this! ...

Are you against Friendship evangelism?

 

[evangelist6589]

No. Because Ray Comfort tells him it's the most popular.

Excuse me but Ray Comfort did not make nor does he sell that tract.