The Way of the Master moment episode Mail Fishing

[evangelist6589]

Do you live in a small town? Are there no cities in your area? If you say yes then there is a way you can fulfill the great commission. On a Way of the Master radio podcast it was suggested by Todd Friel to collect the addresses of your neighbors and send them evangelism letters and also include a gospel tract. The way to do this is to look at your yellow pages and collect the phone numbers of your neighbors and then go to the website http://www.whitepages.com and type in the phone numbers and the website will give you addresses so you can mail letters. Simple isn't it? Do not forgot to pray over your letters before you send them.

There goes another moment gone forever
Go share your faith while you still have time.

 

[Jerome]

Uh oh:

Whitepages.com Terms of Service and Use Agreement

 

[annsni]

Do you live in a small town? Are there no cities in your area? If you say yes then there is a way you can fulfill the great commission. On a Way of the Master radio podcast it was suggested by Todd Friel to collect the addresses of your neighbors and send them evangelism letters and also include a gospel tract. The way to do this is to look at your yellow pages and collect the phone numbers of your neighbors and then go to the website http://www.whitepages.com and type in the phone numbers and the website will give you addresses so you can mail letters. Simple isn't it? Do not forgot to pray over your letters before you send them.

There goes another moment gone forever
Go share your faith while you still have time.

The yellow pages gives you the numbers of businesses in your area - not your neighbors. It is the white pages you would use to look up your neighbor's phone number and address - unless you have a particular directory like the Coles directory where the information is organized by addresses and phone numbers.

I believe that maybe actually meeting your neighbors (hopefully one gets into their community and actually knows the people around them) might be the better option. Get to know them, invite them for a cup of coffee and share the Gospel with them. I bet that would go over a bit better than an unsolicited letter from someone they don't even know.

 

[evangelist6589]

The yellow pages gives you the numbers of businesses in your area - not your neighbors. It is the white pages you would use to look up your neighbor's phone number and address - unless you have a particular directory like the Coles directory where the information is organized by addresses and phone numbers.

I believe that maybe actually meeting your neighbors (hopefully one gets into their community and actually knows the people around them) might be the better option. Get to know them, invite them for a cup of coffee and share the Gospel with them. I bet that would go over a bit better than an unsolicited letter from someone they don't even know.

Maybe but I do not have the time to build a relationship with everyone. People do work you know.

 

[JonC]

Maybe but I do not have the time to build a relationship with everyone. People do work you know.

I appreciate your efforts and your faithfulness to the call you believe God has put on your heart, Evan. I’m going to mention that there may not be one way of doing evangelism (I think that the appearance that the adjective “biblical” applies unilaterally to only one method has been divisive on this topic).

No one expects you to build a relationship with everyone. We are members of the Body of Christ which is expressed in our active membership within the local assembly. Congregations come together for the equipping of the saints, and they depart to evangelize, but we do not “go it alone.” Our evangelistic efforts fall under the authority and discipline of our local church, and we are accountable to the church to which we belong for the doctrine we teach (our doctrine is “tested” by the church body). In other words, you are not a ministry unto yourself, you are a member (a part) of a greater body. I would hope that if you need assistance your church would help.

I can see that handing out tracts and mailing letters can be viewed as a more efficient use of time as opposed to taking the time to share the gospel message over coffee. But I can see how building a relationship, however brief it is, may be more effective in communicating the gospel message. I am not questioning your efforts, but do you think that perhaps going out in teams and incorporating both methods may be effective in your area (perhaps tracts/letters and a couple of people taking the time to speak to the audience individually)?

 

[evangelist6589]

I appreciate your efforts and your faithfulness to the call you believe God has put on your heart, Evan. I’m going to mention that there may not be one way of doing evangelism (I think that the appearance that the adjective “biblical” applies unilaterally to only one method has been divisive on this topic).

No one expects you to build a relationship with everyone. We are members of the Body of Christ which is expressed in our active membership within the local assembly. Congregations come together for the equipping of the saints, and they depart to evangelize, but we do not “go it alone.” Our evangelistic efforts fall under the authority and discipline of our local church, and we are accountable to the church to which we belong for the doctrine we teach (our doctrine is “tested” by the church body). In other words, you are not a ministry unto yourself, you are a member (a part) of a greater body. I would hope that if you need assistance your church would help.

I can see that handing out tracts and mailing letters can be viewed as a more efficient use of time as opposed to taking the time to share the gospel message over coffee. But I can see how building a relationship, however brief it is, may be more effective in communicating the gospel message. I am not questioning your efforts, but do you think that perhaps going out in teams and incorporating both methods may be effective in your area (perhaps tracts/letters and a couple of people taking the time to speak to the audience individually)?

I went out witnessing with a church member yesterday. He told me he does not like Comfort as he is too aggressive and combative with unbelievers. But he said he would still go out with me. We agreed to disagree. He is actually on board with Bill Bright and his methods.

I gave him no WOTM or related tracts but instead tracts from Fellowship tract league which is a good tract ministry although non Calvinist.

This brother believes strongly in Free Will and although I am a Calvinist it's only God that can make us work together successfully which I saw him do yesterday. I made no attempt to have a debate with him as I am really not in Denver for that or anything but reaching the lost.

 

[evangelist6589]

Oh I forgot to mention that we had at least 4 conversations with people and I passed out some booklets (not tracts) to them.

We also gave one gal $5 to help with her needs. Conversations were deep however with one person I believed he was living in sin or a clear false convert. He was lying to people trying to get them to donate money to a made up charity so he could pocket the money.

Another person professed Christ also but did not know where he would go at death. The LAW was used to show his sin and he later admitted to being a Catholic.

 

[annsni]

Maybe but I do not have the time to build a relationship with everyone. People do work you know.

If you have time to sit and look through the phone book to write letters to each of your neighbors, you have time to build relationships with them.

 

[Salty]

Why is it necessary to mention someone is or is not a Calvinist?
In all the times I have witnessed to someone - Calvinism has NEVER come up.

Lets just preach the good news of the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

[JonC]

Why is it necessary to mention someone is or is not a Calvinist?
In all the times I have witnessed to someone - Calvinism has NEVER come up.

Lets just preach the good news of the Lord Jesus Christ.

What I find interesting is that many who hold Calvinistic views of election (myself included) were not saved through Calvinistic doctrine. Several on this board relate having come to know Christ through a theology that they have come to reject.

Sent from my TARDIS

 

[evangelist6589]

Why is it necessary to mention someone is or is not a Calvinist?
In all the times I have witnessed to someone - Calvinism has NEVER come up.

Lets just preach the good news of the Lord Jesus Christ.

I just made a reference here but by no means did so when I was out witnessing. I do not debate over these matters on the streets.

 

[Aaron]

Oh I forgot to mention that we had at least 4 conversations with people and I passed out some booklets (not tracts) to them.

Wow! Four? That's amazing. That's astounding. Four whole people? Now, you sure there wasn't an amputee among that throng? It wasn't 3.8 people, was it? Be honest.

But regardless, I'm awed. Simply awed.

We also gave one gal $5 to help with her needs.

FIVE DOLLARS!?? Insane! That's like infinitely more than Peter had when he was preaching at the Temple. Where did you get the trucks to haul that mound of monetary help? Peter had none. He had to heal a paralytic.

 

[Salty]

I just made a reference here .....

For what reason?

 

[evangelist6589]

Wow! Four? That's amazing. That's astounding. Four whole people? Now, you sure there wasn't an amputee among that throng? It wasn't 3.8 people, was it? Be honest.

But regardless, I'm awed. Simply awed.

FIVE DOLLARS!?? Insane! That's like infinitely more than Peter had when he was preaching at the Temple. Where did you get the trucks to haul that mound of monetary help? Peter had none. He had to heal a paralytic.

Go chase a rabbit Aaron.