Was I mean spirited to this evangelism director?

[evangelist6589]

A former school mate of mine has hundreds of people supporting his evangelism ministry and people donating to his efforts, while I have no financial support. I am not the leader, or organizer that he is, however I think he completely misses the point on what evangelism is. He thinks evangelism is all about giving lunch to people, giving gifts to people, praying with people, and doing anything but preaching REPENTANCE, HELL, AND SIN. I tried to encourage him with this email. Was I mean spirited or harsh? People sometimes accuse me of such.

--
xxxx,

It's very good that you are out witnessing on the streets. I have been doing street evangelism for years and know it quite well. Perhaps you are doing this, but if not I would encourage you to preach against sin and use the 10 commandments to bring conviction to the heart of the sinner.

The Good Person Test Audio
A link to one of my open air sermons

Transcript
Link to the transcript of my open air sermon

The 10 Commandments are powerful and with them man understands and can see that He is a sinner and guilty before God. On the inside of man he has a conscience and he understands right and wrong. The 10 commandments show that man is guilty before a Holy and Righteous God.
Sinners have the law of God & eternity written on their hearts

John 1:9
Rom 2:14-15
Ecc 3:11

It is great to be out praying and giving lunch to people. However our primary responsibility is to preach repentence by preaching the Gospel to all of creation (Mk 16:15).


Blessings.


John

 

[mactx]

It doesn't sound mean spirited to me.

 

[Oldtimer]

How about the links to your works.

IMO, the message that you sent to him is incomplete without including the "attachments". Often a very plain "cover letter" can have a much different bearing when what's stapled to the cover letter is read.

 

[annsni]

My question to you is this: Is your friend finding that people are being saved through his ministry? If so, then why are you telling him how to do the work that God has called him to do? Did Jesus go over the 10 commandments with every person He saw or did He do other kinds of ministry as well?

 

[HAMel]

Was I mean spirited or harsh?
...if he takes it that way chances are he will get over it. :thumbs:

 

[evangelist6589]

How about the links to your works.

IMO, the message that you sent to him is incomplete without including the "attachments". Often a very plain "cover letter" can have a much different bearing when what's stapled to the cover letter is read.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKSRGUcGn1k

 

[evangelist6589]

My question to you is this: Is your friend finding that people are being saved through his ministry? If so, then why are you telling him how to do the work that God has called him to do? Did Jesus go over the 10 commandments with every person He saw or did He do other kinds of ministry as well?

Pragmatism is by no means Biblical. Just because something works does not make it Biblical as there are many "false converts" whom have made a profession via the methods of modern evangelism.

Jesus used the LAW for the proud and GRACE for the humble. With Nicodemus he used Grace, yet with the Rich Young Ruler and others he used the LAW. The problem with my friend is that he is giving Grace to everyone, even the proud and the proud will make a profession of faith by saying a prayer, but still be a false convert as they have not repented from their sins.

 

[Matt22:37-39]

I think you meant well, but you did have a slant towards "judgement" than grace.

Thing is, I found in my 28 years of being a Christian that we need to take EACH person individually. Some people need GRACE when it comes to salvation since they already have been beaten down enough either through others sin or their own and some need the law to show they aren't as good as they think they are.

I find that when I witness to someone I ask them lots of questions first to find out where they are coming from, I listen intently and I am not judgmental at all. At any time I feel resistance to where they just want to argue rather than seek God...I QUIT...the bible says, "do not throw your pearls before swine"...nor do I want to give Christ a bad name.

So if a person I am talking to fits in the first category, I would share of Christs love and forgiveness. Of course they need to know the are sinners before an almighty God and they need to repent...the need to know how we all fall short etc. etc. but my overall message is one of restoration of love not judgment of anything they are doing or who they are....but that we ALL fall short and sin is sin is sin in God's eyes. But that He made a way.

This is the message I needed cause I was DEPRESSED when I was being witnessed to and I told the person I was...so if he came at me all judgmental like, I would have not been saved.

Now you've got people who think they are "all that and a bag of chips"...so they need to be shown that they are not all that before an almighty God, cause any kind of sin separates them..it isn't so much that you sin but that you live in a "SIN CONDITION"...and Jesus came to make you a NEW CREATURE so you can have fellowship with God..etc. etc.

Both need to know if they are not born again and left in their sinful condition they will spend eternity away from God. You don't even have to use the word HELL, cause nowadays most done even believe in hell much less the bible. But they need to know they will not be spending eternity with God. DEATH MEANS SEPARATION!

I think many times we can give the GOOD NEWS (not damnation news)....and help someone out in some way shape or from if needed, but to help someone out in a ministry and NOT give them the gospel is negligent too.

BTW..."NNE CARES HOW MUCH YOU KNOW, TILL THEY KNOW HOW MUCH YOU CARE"

 

[SaggyWoman]

Why did you do it by email instead of face to face?

 

[saturneptune]

Why did you do it by email instead of face to face?

Excellent point. No, I do not think the email was mean spirited, but it is a terrible medium for this situation. My other question is, maybe each leader of a ministry should pay attention to their own ministry as God directs and let God take care of the ministry down the street.

 

[Don]

1 Cor 12:12-27

IN another thread, you were happy to hear that John R. Rice would have no problems with WOTM; why do you consider it good for others to accept the WOTM method of evangelizing, but don't seem to accept other methods yourself--especially when scripture says that we are all different, and have different ways of contributing, while still all being members of the same body and of no greater importance than any other member?

 

[evangelist6589]

Why did you do it by email instead of face to face?

These days everyone is spread out across the world. FaceBook and the Internet connect people.

 

[evangelist6589]

1 Cor 12:12-27

IN another thread, you were happy to hear that John R. Rice would have no problems with WOTM; why do you consider it good for others to accept the WOTM method of evangelizing, but don't seem to accept other methods yourself--especially when scripture says that we are all different, and have different ways of contributing, while still all being members of the same body and of no greater importance than any other member?

Probably because I listen to the WOTM Podcast almost everyday and I hear it all the time. It is in my brain and plugged in..

However tomorrow I notice that my fiancé's churches is Arminian and they do not use WOTM. I will go out soul winning with them, and will let them be on their evidence method. When knocking on doors I will aim for the conscience and use the Law to do so. I won't inter fear with their method as long as they do not inter fear with mine.

Sometimes churches try and jam their method down my throat but I do not listen. The last time someone did that I paid no attention to them, nor did I try and stop them from their arminian evangelism methods. If they had tried and stopped me then I would have filed a lawsuit or gotten the law involved, as I am permitted to do evangelism.

I remember a story of some trying to stop Ray Comfort and his team from doing evangelism. They called the Police and Ray was permitted to do evangelism.

Arminian can do evangelism their way in their ministries, and I can do evangelism my way. The problem comes when they try and stop me.

 

[go2church]

You seem more enamored with Ray Comfort and his methods then you do with Jesus. You trying to an argument or present the Gospel?

 

[evangelist6589]

[/B][/B]

You seem more enamored with Ray Comfort and his methods then you do with Jesus. You trying to an argument or present the Gospel?

Perhaps, indeed perhaps… This is why I strive for balance. I notice that not even John MacArthur agrees fully with him. I like Ray and love WOTM. However there is that 5-10% of the time where I will allow other methods.

I am not WOTM Only, I am WOTM preferred. You think I am bad? You should go on FB and chat with the WOTM die hards! They are Paul Washer obsessed and condemn Charles Stanley, Erwin Lutzer, David Jeremiah, and many others. I have had fights with WOTM die hards over these issues.

 

[Don]

Probably because I listen to the WOTM Podcast almost everyday and I hear it all the time. It is in my brain and plugged in..

However tomorrow I notice that my fiancé's churches is Arminian and they do not use WOTM. I will go out soul winning with them, and will let them be on their evidence method. When knocking on doors I will aim for the conscience and use the Law to do so. I won't inter fear with their method as long as they do not inter fear with mine.

Excellent! And I'll be praying for you and those others that God will use each of you, through the different methods, gifts, and abilities that He has given each of you to work together that souls will be saved.

Sometimes churches try and jam their method down my throat but I do not listen. The last time someone did that I paid no attention to them, nor did I try and stop them from their arminian evangelism methods. If they had tried and stopped me then I would have filed a lawsuit or gotten the law involved, as I am permitted to do evangelism.

I remember a story of some trying to stop Ray Comfort and his team from doing evangelism. They called the Police and Ray was permitted to do evangelism.

Arminian can do evangelism their way in their ministries, and I can do evangelism my way. The problem comes when they try and stop me.

I don't agree with Christians preventing other Christians; and I especially don't understand Christians calling the police on other Christians over a matter of soul-winning (1 Cor 6:1-4); but I am exceptionally curious about this: what is this "arminian evangelism/evidence method(s)"?

 

[SaggyWoman]

These days everyone is spread out across the world. FaceBook and the Internet connect people.

So you are picking at someone you don't have day to day contact with?

 

[evangelist6589]

Excellent! And I'll be praying for you and those others that God will use each of you, through the different methods, gifts, and abilities that He has given each of you to work together that souls will be saved.


I don't agree with Christians preventing other Christians; and I especially don't understand Christians calling the police on other Christians over a matter of soul-winning (1 Cor 6:1-4); but I am exceptionally curious about this: what is this "arminian evangelism/evidence method(s)"?

When I witness I use the Law and aim for the conscience. When she witnesses she aims for the intellect. I use LAW for the PROUD, and grace to the humble. That means I will not buy lunch, or pray for the felt needs of the PROUD, but I will for the humble.

 

[evangelist6589]

So you are picking at someone you don't have day to day contact with?

Not many people I interact with do I see in day to day contact. 95% of my associations are on FB and online these days. When I was in school this was not the case, but I am no longer in school. Most people these days are the same.

 

[Don]

When I witness I use the Law and aim for the conscience. When she witnesses she aims for the intellect. I use LAW for the PROUD, and grace to the humble. That means I will not buy lunch, or pray for the felt needs of the PROUD, but I will for the humble.

Sorry; still not understanding what you mean by "arminian evangelism/evidence methods." Could you explain more? And please: feel free to treat me like a child, and make it simple.