If you grew up in a good Christian family, what did your parents teach you about evangelism and/or world-wide missions?
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What Did Your Parents Teach You?
- Thread starter John of Japan
- Start date
The first thing I remember when thinking about this subject is once when I was out on door-to-door visitation with my Dad. One man was particularly harsh in his rejection. After we left that house and were walking down the street, Dad said, "Son, they didn't reject us, they rejected Christ!" I've thought of that many, many times here in Japan where people are so apathetic about eternal salvation.
My mom taught me to open my home to others who have no "home" here. She used to bring in students from a local boarding school to stay with us over the holidays and one day she brought home two Phillipino boys who had come to the US for what they thought was work but in reality was slavery. They lived with us for a long while and were wonderful "older brothers". So now when there is a need, we've opened our home to others.
Additionally, my mom taught me to preach the Gospel with words but also with actions. She was very open with her faith and one way she showed it was to pray with people who were needing prayer. She worked in secular jobs and was very quick when someone had something going on to say "Let me pray for you right now, OK?" It really opened up a lot of ministry.
Additionally, my mom taught me to preach the Gospel with words but also with actions. She was very open with her faith and one way she showed it was to pray with people who were needing prayer. She worked in secular jobs and was very quick when someone had something going on to say "Let me pray for you right now, OK?" It really opened up a lot of ministry.
Amen! Excellent! :thumbsup:
Care to elaborate?
Tom Bryant
Well-Known Member
My parents taught me very little about personal evangelism. They were more the let your light shine and if people ask about "why do you live this way" you can tell themabout Jesus.
But my parents excelled in teaching me about missions outside of the US. We had missionaries stay in our home and eat with us. So I got a real personal intro to the real Marines of the spiritual world. Once I was saved, I always thought that God would direct me to another country. He did direct me to a foreign country - the southern states. :tongue3:
But my parents excelled in teaching me about missions outside of the US. We had missionaries stay in our home and eat with us. So I got a real personal intro to the real Marines of the spiritual world. Once I was saved, I always thought that God would direct me to another country. He did direct me to a foreign country - the southern states. :tongue3:
menageriekeeper
Active Member
My parents taught me to do as they said not as they actually practiced themselves. 
So while my father was willing to go out on Thursday visitation, they rarely invited anyone into our home. No, not rarely. They NEVER invited anyone into our home to show them Christ in action. Foreign missions I learned about at church and in the SOTL or books that I suppose were written by your uncles? (Cowboy boots in Deepest Africa? lol)
They were fairly generous with their money however.
We've taught our children somewhat differently. We expect them to show Christ daily in their attitudes, their schoolwork etc. We welcome as we can their friends into our home (had two extras in the house this past weekend). And we give where it can be seen (buying groceries for someone in need etc) as much as we send off to Lottie Moon. Surprisingly enough, right here in Alabama where there is a church on every corner there is a huge need for personal, one on one, evangelism. Too many of us leave that for "the folks at church" or the church leadership and fail to walk across the street to check on their neighbors. (I'm guilty of this as well)
So while my father was willing to go out on Thursday visitation, they rarely invited anyone into our home. No, not rarely. They NEVER invited anyone into our home to show them Christ in action. Foreign missions I learned about at church and in the SOTL or books that I suppose were written by your uncles? (Cowboy boots in Deepest Africa? lol)They were fairly generous with their money however.
We've taught our children somewhat differently. We expect them to show Christ daily in their attitudes, their schoolwork etc. We welcome as we can their friends into our home (had two extras in the house this past weekend). And we give where it can be seen (buying groceries for someone in need etc) as much as we send off to Lottie Moon. Surprisingly enough, right here in Alabama where there is a church on every corner there is a huge need for personal, one on one, evangelism. Too many of us leave that for "the folks at church" or the church leadership and fail to walk across the street to check on their neighbors. (I'm guilty of this as well)
Depending on where a Yankee is from and where in the South he goes to, there can be real culture shock there! :smilewinkgrin:
Bill Rice was my great uncle, Mom's uncle. He was a unique cowboy evangelist, and I loved to hear him preach. And that book is to this day one of my favorite missionary books!My parents taught me to do as they said not as they actually practiced themselves.
Amen! That's an excellent way to raise kids. :thumbsup:
My pastor until I went off to college was my Dad, and through his pastoring I learned that every believer is to be a witness for Christ. Dad himself wasn't a great soul winner, but he never quit!
I remember him having a training program in prayer meeting to teach all of us to witness. I remember listening carefully as the Romans Road was explained and we were taught how to use it. I was probably about 15 at the time, but that didn't matter, we were taught that each of us were to witness for Christ, even if we thought we were too young.
I remember him having a training program in prayer meeting to teach all of us to witness. I remember listening carefully as the Romans Road was explained and we were taught how to use it. I was probably about 15 at the time, but that didn't matter, we were taught that each of us were to witness for Christ, even if we thought we were too young.
I wasn’t taught to evangelize from my earthly parents, but I have been taught/am learning to take advantage of more and more opportunities to share the Word wherever I go and teach this to my children. I just delivered a decent Gospel message in a Health Core Course at community college last week. (The professor had been talking smack about “Oprahism” for weeks and I was to write an essay and give a speech about what is “my most important value”.) I’d been “chompin at the bit” on this and chose “Christian Theology” and while addressing “Oprahism/Universalism” I got into a zone and let it rip!
Part of what I had to cover was “what was my major influence was that taught me this value ” so I explained how it was the HS through the Word. Evidently, the professor was so flabbergasted by the contradiction and so concerned that I may have influenced many in the class that she warned them afterwards to beware of how some people might be able to influence them, LOL; she missed the point that I had just taught that all I could do is plant seeds and it was the HS that did the influencing; I think most in the class realized this.
Both my children are very outspoken in public school about Christian values, the truth of the Word, and the existence of God. I have been teaching them for years that it is not improper or politically incorrect for a Christian to stand up and speak out about Christianity within the walls of public school wherein many times the teachers are downplaying these truths and attempting to promote their personal values and unbelief.
We tell each other stories about how we addressed anti-Christian agendas and discuss strategies to deal with specific problems within the school system on a regular basis. For quite a while it has been me coaching them on how to do this, but for the last couple years the coach has been on the playing field showing them how it is done. Sharing my evangelistic experiences in college classes such as PHI, PSY, ENG, COM, and now HC has gone to build their enthusiasm about witnessing within those walls. My daughter said the other day that, “she can’t wait to get to college where she will have even more freedom to speak out”.
Anyway, that’s what my children would say their parent has been teaching them about evangelism.
Part of what I had to cover was “what was my major influence was that taught me this value ” so I explained how it was the HS through the Word. Evidently, the professor was so flabbergasted by the contradiction and so concerned that I may have influenced many in the class that she warned them afterwards to beware of how some people might be able to influence them, LOL; she missed the point that I had just taught that all I could do is plant seeds and it was the HS that did the influencing; I think most in the class realized this.
Both my children are very outspoken in public school about Christian values, the truth of the Word, and the existence of God. I have been teaching them for years that it is not improper or politically incorrect for a Christian to stand up and speak out about Christianity within the walls of public school wherein many times the teachers are downplaying these truths and attempting to promote their personal values and unbelief.
We tell each other stories about how we addressed anti-Christian agendas and discuss strategies to deal with specific problems within the school system on a regular basis. For quite a while it has been me coaching them on how to do this, but for the last couple years the coach has been on the playing field showing them how it is done. Sharing my evangelistic experiences in college classes such as PHI, PSY, ENG, COM, and now HC has gone to build their enthusiasm about witnessing within those walls. My daughter said the other day that, “she can’t wait to get to college where she will have even more freedom to speak out”.
Anyway, that’s what my children would say their parent has been teaching them about evangelism.
Excellent post. Thanks Benjamin!
My parents were headed to Tibet under the China Inland Mission in the late 1940s before I was born. The takeover of the Communist Chinese prevented their going, or I might have been born in Tibet!
After I learned this fact about my parents, I found some books on Tibet in our home library. I remember distinctly reading about a foreign visitor to Tibet being forced to ride a horse on a saddle which had nails sticking up through it. I still remember the shock of thinking that this cruel land is where my parents had planned to serve God! I believe their dedication to world evangelism influenced my life so that when God called me to go to Japan, I had an easier time saying yes to Him.
As for my parents, when they learned I was called to Japan as a missionary, they said, "You are repaying our spiritual debt to Asia!" And they gave me their full blessing. They also came to visit us in Japan on our second term, which was a great blessing.
Here is where you can see the story I wrote about my father on the Baptist Board, "Almost a Foreign Missionary": http://www.baptistboard.com/showthread.php?t=33499&page=6
After I learned this fact about my parents, I found some books on Tibet in our home library. I remember distinctly reading about a foreign visitor to Tibet being forced to ride a horse on a saddle which had nails sticking up through it. I still remember the shock of thinking that this cruel land is where my parents had planned to serve God! I believe their dedication to world evangelism influenced my life so that when God called me to go to Japan, I had an easier time saying yes to Him.
As for my parents, when they learned I was called to Japan as a missionary, they said, "You are repaying our spiritual debt to Asia!" And they gave me their full blessing. They also came to visit us in Japan on our second term, which was a great blessing.
Here is where you can see the story I wrote about my father on the Baptist Board, "Almost a Foreign Missionary": http://www.baptistboard.com/showthread.php?t=33499&page=6
Bob Alkire
New Member
My family taught a great love of God. We read the Bible a little but read Calvin, Berkhof, Warfield, and such. No evangelism or missions for the most part, God would save who was to be saved no matter what man did.
Witnessing was fine but God didn't need us to do it.
It was until seminary( last 6 weeks) that I changed my view. God used Oliver B. Greene's radio show for me to see the light.
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Of course if you love God, you'll keep His commandments, including eventually the Great Commission. So your parents certainly did teach you well--just not quite enough.
Oliver Greene was a good man. Thank God for his ministry. And those gift offers! When I was at BJU for two years, they used to call him "Oliver B. Gift offer Greene!"
My mother taught me that God could use me, yes even me.
When I was about 15 and had been through the personal evangelism class at church, my mother invited me--rather forcefully--to help her at the Child Evangelism booth at the county fair. She would do the stories and I would counsel the children.
Me? You must be kidding. I had no idea at the time that God could use me to serve Him, in particular to win people to Christ, even children. But my mother is very persuasive, and convinced me that I should be there, so I went. Lo and behold, as I began to deal with the children who were interested in Christ, He did use me to win several to Christ. I'll always be thankful that my father and mother believed that God could use anyone for this precious work of evangelism.
When I was about 15 and had been through the personal evangelism class at church, my mother invited me--rather forcefully--to help her at the Child Evangelism booth at the county fair. She would do the stories and I would counsel the children.
Me? You must be kidding. I had no idea at the time that God could use me to serve Him, in particular to win people to Christ, even children. But my mother is very persuasive, and convinced me that I should be there, so I went. Lo and behold, as I began to deal with the children who were interested in Christ, He did use me to win several to Christ. I'll always be thankful that my father and mother believed that God could use anyone for this precious work of evangelism.
Bob Alkire
New Member
So true my friend.
And his son is still running those gift offers today. He sure taught a love for lost souls, and to get the Gospel out to those folks.
On one furlough it was a little shocking to see that my father had somehow grown old. He was in his seventies and his last pastorate in a small town in Georgia--a long way from his native Pennsylvania but near two of us kids.
My mother sat me down and said, "Johnny, why don't you help your father build this church up? Do visitation for him and work with him?" I sympathized greatly, but had to tell Mom I had my own ministry to worry about, and had a furlough schedule to work with.
I said that to say that my parents taught me by example to never quit working to obey the Great Commission! Even after growing old, both had a burden for souls to be saved. I thank God they never quit on the Lord! Dad is now in Heaven and Mom is in an assisted care facility. I imagine Dad is talking over the souls he saw saved with the angels, and Mom is probably witnessing to someone in a wheel chair!
My mother sat me down and said, "Johnny, why don't you help your father build this church up? Do visitation for him and work with him?" I sympathized greatly, but had to tell Mom I had my own ministry to worry about, and had a furlough schedule to work with.
I said that to say that my parents taught me by example to never quit working to obey the Great Commission! Even after growing old, both had a burden for souls to be saved. I thank God they never quit on the Lord! Dad is now in Heaven and Mom is in an assisted care facility. I imagine Dad is talking over the souls he saw saved with the angels, and Mom is probably witnessing to someone in a wheel chair!
Grew up in a church going, but non-Christian family. The church we went to was extremely liberal.
I was taught that if you're a good person, you'll go to Heaven, but nobody really goes to Hell so bad people just go to some undefined third place.
When I finally did hear the true, Biblical Gospel for the first time, it was like somebody hit me in the head with a baseball bat.