Post by Jeffrey Olver on Jun 25, 2009 13:08:50 GMT -5
I'm in the process of writing several pieces designed to refocus on evangelism. The Church's and the World's vision in regards to evangelism is getting fuzzy. I want to adjust the lens and refocus on what biblical evangelism in different modes should look like... additionally bringing back a true, biblically clear vision of how serious sin is and the lost condition of the world.
******************************************
Public ministry is unique from all types of ministry. Humanitarian efforts are generally based in serving people and meeting the needs of those who need help living; by building homes, helping at soup kitchens, donating clothing, assisting the elderly, caring for orphans and tending to the sick. Relational evangelism is focused on mainly the social interactions of the lost and the saved; getting to know people, developing friendships, conversing and sharing testimony including the present, living, wordless testimony of our day-to-day lives, even healing wounds caused by religion, relationships, or the hard facts of life.
Public ministry is often viewed as impertinent and presumptuous. It is a mode of ministry in which the Christian has invited himself into the public forum. He has let himself into the middle of everyone’s routine without being asked. His invitation is his Bible. He has no other motives for public evangelism aside from obedience to God and love for His people. Humanism is ignored and friendships forgone in favor of presenting the Gospel of Jesus Christ without any social hoops to jump through.
When it comes to public ministry of the Gospel, there is even a focus within that mode that seems brash and even senseless. That is when the Christian determines to share the Gospel at the gates of Hell. It is when the Christian is not content to just brush his teeth, wash his face and kneel at his bedside to say his prayers early so he can be on time for church in the morning. Rather, he dons the armor of God, with the Word of God hidden in his heart and when the sun goes go down, he marches forth.
Spreading the Gospel at the bars and clubs and other places sinners typically congregate to brazenly express their sinfulness because of some unspoken social tolerance towards sin is unique compared to ministry in all its other forms. At these places you find individuals happily purposed to rebel against God. The bar, concert or nightclub they are attending is designed and deliberately marketed so that a sinner can be comfortable sinning. These places foster an atmosphere where selfishness and mindless indulgence can reach their apex. So the good news of Jesus Christ needs to be presented in a unique way.
Why?
What is the Christian Witness competing with? Drinks, often specially priced, designed to loosen the inhibitions of the consumer and music which tickles the ears and often massages violent, lustful or greedy tendencies in the hearer. The Gospel must compete with the free expression of lust in the immodesty of rebellious women and the prowling advances of rebellious men, sustained by the popular lies about sex.
What is the Christian do?
Pray? Yes – but pray only?
Sing Kum-By-Yah?
Give out lollipops and free hugs?
Invite people to church?
There is no better time to confront sin than when it is most encouraged. There is no better place to contrast the cross against the wicked world. Does this mean the Christian Witness is to scowl at everyone and wag his finger all night saying “naughty, naughty?” Does this mean the Christian Witness is to condemn all the hearers to Hell?
No.
Whether it comes in the form of preaching, conversing or tracts the proverbial line in the sand must be drawn. God’s judgment must be warned about, the dangers of sin proclaimed and most importantly, the true work of Christ preached.
The Christian who is going to forsake sleep and safety in order to stand against the dark wickedness of the world must understand that at the clubs and bars during the darkest hours of the night are when people chisel away at their conscience. This is the training ground where sinners condition their minds to shut-up when they indulge in sin. They reinforce tolerance of their own sin because everyone else around them is accepting of it. Bars, nightclubs, “adult” establishments and concerts are where people are publicly deliberate in their attempt to drown out God speaking to them in their conscience. Under the sinner’s harvest moon is their opportunity to collect bushels of excuses, justifications and explanations for their sinful rebellion against the King of the Universe.
If this doesn’t call for a public opposition by the Saints of God, I’m not sure what does.
Obviously, not everyone is meant to stay out every weekend until the clubs close. Not everyone is meant to share the gospel publicly all the time. There is a need for the Gospel to go forth in all its modes. But ministry in the nightlife areas around the country is a ministry that should not be neglected!
Nor should it be looked down upon. When darkness is exposed by the light, the light is harsh and penetrating by comparison. When the Gospel light shines on sinners it exposes what’s really there, and what’s really there is not pretty to anyone – especially God. Naturally the sinner will want to do whatever it takes to shut that light out; scream, holler, and call the police or even become violent. Regardless of their location a sinner exposed in sin, and sin exposed as the wickedness it really is, will do whatever it takes to recover. It takes the Holy Spirit for sinners to become convicted of their rebellion and repent from their sin. When you get in the way of anybody’s selfishness, regardless of how you do it, the reaction will be awful.
To merely establish “points of contact,” “build relationships,” “befriend the lost,” “hang out with the sinners” does work – but not when you’re competing with instant gratification raging on every side. Bars and clubs are designed for that, and are not conducive to “bonding” oriented salvation attempts. To attempt “Friendship Evangelism” inside of a bar or club is to run the very high risk of giving people the idea that sin is tolerable. That if the Christian is comfortable with everything going on inside a bar then it must not be so bad after all. If the church-going Christ follower seems not to have anything against what the sinners are doing, it must be ok to keep doing it. To add; more than likely, a Christian who continually hangs out in bars and clubs in order to “win the lost,” will eventually only use that as an excuse to hang out in such establishments . After that, it’s not too much longer that he is backslidden into the ranks of sin again.
Saints, the church today is practically a laughing stock – I don’t mean in a glorious, wisdom of the world versus the foolishness of God kind of way. I mean in an embarrassing way. Just drive through the Bible-Belt of the United States. You can’t help but see churches everywhere. But in the same towns, in relatively close proximity, there are bars, clubs and porn shops aplenty.
If the establishments of sin can exist comfortably in the same neighborhood as a church there is something terribly wrong.
Let’s get something straight here: Sin is not just “naughty.” “Bad” isn’t a good enough word either. The moral choice to sin is considered an act of treason by God against His Kingdom and all His creation. There is nothing sinful about the building which is used as a bar. A thing cannot be sinful. Sin is a choice to be made. But these places are where people are encouraged to use bad judgment with what they put in their bodies and thereafter make bad decisions of what to do with their bodies. Bars and clubs are places where it is tolerated to “hook-up” with someone for premarital sex – the very idea of hunting for a sexual encounter treads underfoot the loving and beautiful design of God for a man and woman in a marriage relationship. People desperately try to make bar experiences the happening events they are in movies and TV. Remember what is actually going on! Lust, which Jesus proclaimed is like committing adultery in your heart, is allowed free reign. A single man or woman can go to a bar or club to destroy their marriage before it even starts.
Pornography turns its consumers into degenerate slaves of their flesh’s impulses until their personality and character are reduced to nothing more than a worse than animal-like impulse. Pornography is a path that leads to a hell-on-earth existence here and an eternity in Hell hereafter. Porn allows the consumer and the pornographer to be controlled by demonic forces that corrupt the conscience completely. Pornography will eventually lead people to cause their relationships self-destruct. In the literal sense of the word, pornography from its original meaning you could say covers adultery, fornication, homosexuality, lust, basically anything sexually immoral and/or deviant.
Now obviously not everyone going into and coming out of a bar or club is a deviant or a drunk, but it is important to preach against all sin and lift up Jesus Christ regardless.
Church, don’t let the world deceive you into thinking that it’s wrong to oppose sin because society tolerates it. Don’t be convinced that sinners aren’t “that bad;” Remember Romans 8:7 says the carnal mind is at enmity against God. Don’t fear the negative reaction to righteousness. They threw John the Baptist in jail and soon thereafter beheaded him for his righteous testimony. They crucified our Lord Jesus. His disciples all lost their lives for the Gospel’s sake (save two).
Comparatively how light IS our affliction? We, as the Church, could stand a little negativity for the right reasons! It’s about time the Church be maligned for being serious and “holier than thou” than for being hypocritical powerless pansies with no opinion on the utter corruption of the world and the destruction of neighborhoods and families! Jesus is our Head and the Captain of our Salvation! We need to stop taking orders from sinners and pasty mouthed Christians quoting the Beetles on how to share the Gospel. The Lord of the Universe already told us how to do it. He told us what would happen when we did it.
Replacing pews with couches is not going comfort people into conviction anymore than holy rolling conferences. We must be out of our minds to think serving coffee will make the Body of the resurrected Christ look more appealing (don’t get me wrong…my church serves coffee.)
Friendships without the straightforward Gospel can make it seem to the sinner he has found a travelling buddy for the broad road. Letting your little light shine without shining it on them only serves to make the path to Hell easier to travel at night.
I think we have a fear rooted in us; not trembling fright at something scary like the prospect of death… but we’ve allowed a fear of losing the “American Dream” creep into the Body. We’ve got such a bad fear of losing our respectability by being too harsh or intolerant that we’ve lost our respectability by being weak kneed and obsequious with no stomach for conflict.
General Patton once said “America hates cowards.” Despite our society chanting “tolerance,” America still hates cowards. A few weeks ago, preaching outside of a bar to a group of men challenging and asking questions, a fellow preacher was addressing various issues from an atheist and few others claiming to be Christians. Hearing the twisting and justifying of the “Christians,” the atheist said “Oh! Is THAT your excuse for sin?” The same night, as I was preaching the Gospel, some Christians outside the bar who were uncomfortable with the whole situation were eager to discuss with me the great commission and what Jesus meant. To sway me, it was mentioned one young man was a religious studies major in college. I wanted nothing to do with this conversation. Why? I was preaching the Gospel! They wanted it to stop so they could have a Bible Study on how Jesus said to show love! At this time a sinner from the bar began asking me questions and I gently let the Christian men know I was going to ignore them in favor of preaching the living giving Gospel to those who are dying.
Let us seek the Lord to be rid of our fear, for a baptism of boldness, for a clear vision of sin and righteousness, for a refocused look at the Great Commission! Let us plead more with the Lord for souls however He wants them won!
Not everyone is called to be a public evangelist, and that is the Lord’s will. There’s a variety of ways to share the Gospel. But let’s get out of the way of those who are making their opposition to sin and stand for Jesus known!
I close with a rhetorical scenario:
Imagine our troops advancing upon a malevolent enemy fortified on our soil? They are an enemy who has made it clear they are against our constitution and our rights and want to impose their will. They only wish to establish their government and destroy ours and everything it stands for.
Suddenly a group of civilians rush out of the woods, holding hands, crying “STOP! We should LOVE these people! Why don’t you make an effort to understand where they’re coming from? Why are you so menacing? You shouldn’t point your weapons at them! We need to befriend them and not be so quick to judge! Let’s just put down the guns, go inside their fort, and have a beer or some coffee, and get to know them!”
Thoughts and feedback appreciated.
******************************************
Public ministry is unique from all types of ministry. Humanitarian efforts are generally based in serving people and meeting the needs of those who need help living; by building homes, helping at soup kitchens, donating clothing, assisting the elderly, caring for orphans and tending to the sick. Relational evangelism is focused on mainly the social interactions of the lost and the saved; getting to know people, developing friendships, conversing and sharing testimony including the present, living, wordless testimony of our day-to-day lives, even healing wounds caused by religion, relationships, or the hard facts of life.
Public ministry is often viewed as impertinent and presumptuous. It is a mode of ministry in which the Christian has invited himself into the public forum. He has let himself into the middle of everyone’s routine without being asked. His invitation is his Bible. He has no other motives for public evangelism aside from obedience to God and love for His people. Humanism is ignored and friendships forgone in favor of presenting the Gospel of Jesus Christ without any social hoops to jump through.
When it comes to public ministry of the Gospel, there is even a focus within that mode that seems brash and even senseless. That is when the Christian determines to share the Gospel at the gates of Hell. It is when the Christian is not content to just brush his teeth, wash his face and kneel at his bedside to say his prayers early so he can be on time for church in the morning. Rather, he dons the armor of God, with the Word of God hidden in his heart and when the sun goes go down, he marches forth.
Spreading the Gospel at the bars and clubs and other places sinners typically congregate to brazenly express their sinfulness because of some unspoken social tolerance towards sin is unique compared to ministry in all its other forms. At these places you find individuals happily purposed to rebel against God. The bar, concert or nightclub they are attending is designed and deliberately marketed so that a sinner can be comfortable sinning. These places foster an atmosphere where selfishness and mindless indulgence can reach their apex. So the good news of Jesus Christ needs to be presented in a unique way.
Why?
What is the Christian Witness competing with? Drinks, often specially priced, designed to loosen the inhibitions of the consumer and music which tickles the ears and often massages violent, lustful or greedy tendencies in the hearer. The Gospel must compete with the free expression of lust in the immodesty of rebellious women and the prowling advances of rebellious men, sustained by the popular lies about sex.
What is the Christian do?
Pray? Yes – but pray only?
Sing Kum-By-Yah?
Give out lollipops and free hugs?
Invite people to church?
There is no better time to confront sin than when it is most encouraged. There is no better place to contrast the cross against the wicked world. Does this mean the Christian Witness is to scowl at everyone and wag his finger all night saying “naughty, naughty?” Does this mean the Christian Witness is to condemn all the hearers to Hell?
No.
Whether it comes in the form of preaching, conversing or tracts the proverbial line in the sand must be drawn. God’s judgment must be warned about, the dangers of sin proclaimed and most importantly, the true work of Christ preached.
The Christian who is going to forsake sleep and safety in order to stand against the dark wickedness of the world must understand that at the clubs and bars during the darkest hours of the night are when people chisel away at their conscience. This is the training ground where sinners condition their minds to shut-up when they indulge in sin. They reinforce tolerance of their own sin because everyone else around them is accepting of it. Bars, nightclubs, “adult” establishments and concerts are where people are publicly deliberate in their attempt to drown out God speaking to them in their conscience. Under the sinner’s harvest moon is their opportunity to collect bushels of excuses, justifications and explanations for their sinful rebellion against the King of the Universe.
If this doesn’t call for a public opposition by the Saints of God, I’m not sure what does.
Obviously, not everyone is meant to stay out every weekend until the clubs close. Not everyone is meant to share the gospel publicly all the time. There is a need for the Gospel to go forth in all its modes. But ministry in the nightlife areas around the country is a ministry that should not be neglected!
Nor should it be looked down upon. When darkness is exposed by the light, the light is harsh and penetrating by comparison. When the Gospel light shines on sinners it exposes what’s really there, and what’s really there is not pretty to anyone – especially God. Naturally the sinner will want to do whatever it takes to shut that light out; scream, holler, and call the police or even become violent. Regardless of their location a sinner exposed in sin, and sin exposed as the wickedness it really is, will do whatever it takes to recover. It takes the Holy Spirit for sinners to become convicted of their rebellion and repent from their sin. When you get in the way of anybody’s selfishness, regardless of how you do it, the reaction will be awful.
To merely establish “points of contact,” “build relationships,” “befriend the lost,” “hang out with the sinners” does work – but not when you’re competing with instant gratification raging on every side. Bars and clubs are designed for that, and are not conducive to “bonding” oriented salvation attempts. To attempt “Friendship Evangelism” inside of a bar or club is to run the very high risk of giving people the idea that sin is tolerable. That if the Christian is comfortable with everything going on inside a bar then it must not be so bad after all. If the church-going Christ follower seems not to have anything against what the sinners are doing, it must be ok to keep doing it. To add; more than likely, a Christian who continually hangs out in bars and clubs in order to “win the lost,” will eventually only use that as an excuse to hang out in such establishments . After that, it’s not too much longer that he is backslidden into the ranks of sin again.
Saints, the church today is practically a laughing stock – I don’t mean in a glorious, wisdom of the world versus the foolishness of God kind of way. I mean in an embarrassing way. Just drive through the Bible-Belt of the United States. You can’t help but see churches everywhere. But in the same towns, in relatively close proximity, there are bars, clubs and porn shops aplenty.
If the establishments of sin can exist comfortably in the same neighborhood as a church there is something terribly wrong.
Let’s get something straight here: Sin is not just “naughty.” “Bad” isn’t a good enough word either. The moral choice to sin is considered an act of treason by God against His Kingdom and all His creation. There is nothing sinful about the building which is used as a bar. A thing cannot be sinful. Sin is a choice to be made. But these places are where people are encouraged to use bad judgment with what they put in their bodies and thereafter make bad decisions of what to do with their bodies. Bars and clubs are places where it is tolerated to “hook-up” with someone for premarital sex – the very idea of hunting for a sexual encounter treads underfoot the loving and beautiful design of God for a man and woman in a marriage relationship. People desperately try to make bar experiences the happening events they are in movies and TV. Remember what is actually going on! Lust, which Jesus proclaimed is like committing adultery in your heart, is allowed free reign. A single man or woman can go to a bar or club to destroy their marriage before it even starts.
Pornography turns its consumers into degenerate slaves of their flesh’s impulses until their personality and character are reduced to nothing more than a worse than animal-like impulse. Pornography is a path that leads to a hell-on-earth existence here and an eternity in Hell hereafter. Porn allows the consumer and the pornographer to be controlled by demonic forces that corrupt the conscience completely. Pornography will eventually lead people to cause their relationships self-destruct. In the literal sense of the word, pornography from its original meaning you could say covers adultery, fornication, homosexuality, lust, basically anything sexually immoral and/or deviant.
Now obviously not everyone going into and coming out of a bar or club is a deviant or a drunk, but it is important to preach against all sin and lift up Jesus Christ regardless.
Church, don’t let the world deceive you into thinking that it’s wrong to oppose sin because society tolerates it. Don’t be convinced that sinners aren’t “that bad;” Remember Romans 8:7 says the carnal mind is at enmity against God. Don’t fear the negative reaction to righteousness. They threw John the Baptist in jail and soon thereafter beheaded him for his righteous testimony. They crucified our Lord Jesus. His disciples all lost their lives for the Gospel’s sake (save two).
Comparatively how light IS our affliction? We, as the Church, could stand a little negativity for the right reasons! It’s about time the Church be maligned for being serious and “holier than thou” than for being hypocritical powerless pansies with no opinion on the utter corruption of the world and the destruction of neighborhoods and families! Jesus is our Head and the Captain of our Salvation! We need to stop taking orders from sinners and pasty mouthed Christians quoting the Beetles on how to share the Gospel. The Lord of the Universe already told us how to do it. He told us what would happen when we did it.
Replacing pews with couches is not going comfort people into conviction anymore than holy rolling conferences. We must be out of our minds to think serving coffee will make the Body of the resurrected Christ look more appealing (don’t get me wrong…my church serves coffee.)
Friendships without the straightforward Gospel can make it seem to the sinner he has found a travelling buddy for the broad road. Letting your little light shine without shining it on them only serves to make the path to Hell easier to travel at night.
I think we have a fear rooted in us; not trembling fright at something scary like the prospect of death… but we’ve allowed a fear of losing the “American Dream” creep into the Body. We’ve got such a bad fear of losing our respectability by being too harsh or intolerant that we’ve lost our respectability by being weak kneed and obsequious with no stomach for conflict.
General Patton once said “America hates cowards.” Despite our society chanting “tolerance,” America still hates cowards. A few weeks ago, preaching outside of a bar to a group of men challenging and asking questions, a fellow preacher was addressing various issues from an atheist and few others claiming to be Christians. Hearing the twisting and justifying of the “Christians,” the atheist said “Oh! Is THAT your excuse for sin?” The same night, as I was preaching the Gospel, some Christians outside the bar who were uncomfortable with the whole situation were eager to discuss with me the great commission and what Jesus meant. To sway me, it was mentioned one young man was a religious studies major in college. I wanted nothing to do with this conversation. Why? I was preaching the Gospel! They wanted it to stop so they could have a Bible Study on how Jesus said to show love! At this time a sinner from the bar began asking me questions and I gently let the Christian men know I was going to ignore them in favor of preaching the living giving Gospel to those who are dying.
Let us seek the Lord to be rid of our fear, for a baptism of boldness, for a clear vision of sin and righteousness, for a refocused look at the Great Commission! Let us plead more with the Lord for souls however He wants them won!
Not everyone is called to be a public evangelist, and that is the Lord’s will. There’s a variety of ways to share the Gospel. But let’s get out of the way of those who are making their opposition to sin and stand for Jesus known!
I close with a rhetorical scenario:
Imagine our troops advancing upon a malevolent enemy fortified on our soil? They are an enemy who has made it clear they are against our constitution and our rights and want to impose their will. They only wish to establish their government and destroy ours and everything it stands for.
Suddenly a group of civilians rush out of the woods, holding hands, crying “STOP! We should LOVE these people! Why don’t you make an effort to understand where they’re coming from? Why are you so menacing? You shouldn’t point your weapons at them! We need to befriend them and not be so quick to judge! Let’s just put down the guns, go inside their fort, and have a beer or some coffee, and get to know them!”
Thoughts and feedback appreciated.