Christians: Do you believe in evangelism? (Jesus Christ, ritual, testimony, reject)

[Tzeitel]

Every believer IS supposed to evangelise- this is the part of serving God that he demands most this is the Great Commission. Think of the Bema seat when we see the opportunities we had to tell people about Jesus and we gave excuses not to and we see them go to HELL- and those condemned people look at us with lost, utterly pitiful faces and say "WHY O WHY DID YOU NOT TELL ME?" How can you LIVE with that?!

[Melody]

Originally Posted by NetDoc

16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

"

You must spread some Karma around before giving it to NetDoc again.

"

I'll try to remember and get back to you.

[Stormygale]

Bruce Carrol once sang a song called, "I'd rather see a sermon" and alot of us would get further with people if we just took that song to heart. I once talked to Jehovas Witness, a very good friend of mine in school, and he told me, that going door to door, and annoying people was the way to do it, for the more people got mad and abused him, the greater his reward was going to be in Heaven.

I couldnt say he was more in the wrong. If he had not annoyed all those people, by forcing himself on them, and losing their trust right away, how many of them might have came to God. Evangilizing is not going out and cramming God down peoples throat. I agree with others above, on it being better to build off of personal relationships. I have grown up in the church world, and too many people go after being evangs just to have the title and the name. It is better to bring that one person to God, under meek and mild ways, than to get no one seeking a name and trying to be someone.

[DeepShadow]

Originally Posted by Tzeitel

What does GO mean? G-O
not if you don't feel like it, but it is a command.

Okay, but what do you do when you get there?

You know the old saying: "Wherever you go, well, there you are."

There is no scriptural basis for "life style evangelism." Jesus and the disciples, apostles PREACHED. Mormons are good people too, but they are not saved. There is no reference in this scripture like "look like a good Christian, and when people ask about it THEN go." nope. Just Go.

It sounds for a moment like you're endorsing the same kind of evangelism that Mormons do all the time, so why aren't they saved? Aren't they "going?"

[Melody]

Originally Posted by Stormygale

Bruce Carrol once sang a song called, "I'd rather see a sermon" and alot of us would get further with people if we just took that song to heart. I once talked to Jehovas Witness, a very good friend of mine in school, and he told me, that going door to door, and annoying people was the way to do it, for the more people got mad and abused him, the greater his reward was going to be in Heaven.

So if he can tick someone off enough to beat him up or kill him, he'd really be *in*?

[true blood]

I have a somewhat different view of evangelism. Consider Philippians 2 "That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world...Holding forth the word of life.." I do not believe that a person needs to speak to people in order to evangelise. You need not ask a person if he or she is saved. The Word says to simply hold forth the Word of Life that they may see. Like as if the Word itself is the witness. So I believe that being born-again and then living accordinly to the Word is in itself the true form of evangelism. The greatest of evangelist do not speak about the things of the Word, he acts and lives on them. They do not go door to door but rather the come to visit him.

[may]

Originally Posted by No*s

A). Yes.

B). I live my life and speak when the topic comes up. If my life cannot evangelize, there is no use going door-to-door. If it can, what is the bother of annoying people?

It was because someone did what Jesus commanded them at matthew 28;19-20 and came to my door, that i now have the hope from the bible, so i would have to say that i dont think going from door to door is no use , i think it is just how jesus told his followers to tell others about the kingdom message

[Scuba Pete]

Evangelism that is pure and simple to me is how Phillip did it...

John 1:44. Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. 45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote--Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." 46 "Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked. "Come and see," said Philip.

You don't have to be eloqent, spiritual or even knowledgeable to invite someone to come to church with you. You don't have to get into their spiritual background or beliefs either. Just invite them to "Come and see".

[angellous_evangellous]

A. Yes

B. By being a disciple: by seeking to think His thoughts and do His works

[Tzeitel]

Life-style evangelism is just a way for people who are too afraid to get a negative reaction from someone who rejects the gospel- they want everyone to be happy.
Those people won't be so happy though at the Bema seat when Jesus said -I gave you SO MANY opportunities to give these people my gospel and you refused to let the holy spirit lead you - now these people are going to hell.

Don't overlook this reality and try to justify your not preaching the gospel proactively. Doing that is just trying to feel better with yourself about grieving the holy spirit when you don't follow him.