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Featured The Danger of Door-to-Door Evangelism

Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by Deacon, Dec 19, 2014.

  1. Deacon

    Deacon Well-Known Member
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    The Danger of Door-to-Door Evangelism [LINK]
    Why winning people for Christ needs something better than a polished sales pitch.
    From Christianity Today by Louis Markos, December 16, 2014

    Jonathan Dodson, in his new book, The Unbelievable Gospel: Say Something Worth Believing argues that our current social-cultural moment has made the door-to-door model not only less effective, but potentially counter-productive.

    “Wave after wave of rationalistic, rehearsed (and at times coerced and confrontational) evangelism, has inoculated, if not antagonized, the broader culture.”

    According to Dodson, our gospel is often “unbelievable” to non-believers—and not in the too-good-to-be-true sense. Our “pressure to perform, to make the sale . . . distorts our message” and causes us to “act and speak in unnatural ways. Often, we sound as if we don’t really believe what we are saying.” Fearing that we will lose God’s favor if we don’t present the full gospel in a rigid formula every time we speak with an unbeliever, we become pushy and mechanical and thus lose the joy and intimacy of the gospel.
     
  2. T Alan

    T Alan New Member

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    Tell the True Gospel, Smile, Pray with them and leave unless they have questions. If they do answer as honestly as possible then leave. God will do the rest when the time is right. :)
    You have been obedient in merely sharing. The Gospel is enough. No gimmicks necessary.
     
  3. T Alan

    T Alan New Member

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    The problem I have is Church recommendation. Most in my area are Arminian/Semi pelegian. Baptist included.
     
    #3 T Alan, Dec 19, 2014
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 19, 2014
  4. Deacon

    Deacon Well-Known Member
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    Sounds mechanical rather than relational.

    Rob
     
  5. T Alan

    T Alan New Member

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    It's biblical though. It doesn't need be mechanical. We are told to share the Gospel. God will do the rest won't He.
     
  6. Rolfe

    Rolfe Well-Known Member
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    Door-to-door soliciting is considered rude where I live.
     
  7. Gib

    Gib Active Member

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    I have a no soliciting sign on my front porch. Obviously AT&T can't read.
     
  8. T Alan

    T Alan New Member

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    Visiting people in the name of Jesus to tell of Jesus is not soliciting. It's evangelism, and we are commanded to do it.


    so·lic·it
    səˈlisit/
    verb
    verb: solicit; 3rd person present: solicits; past tense: solicited; past participle: solicited; gerund or present participle: soliciting

    ask for or try to obtain (something) from someone.
    "he called a meeting to solicit their views"
    synonyms: ask for, request, seek, apply for, put in for, call for, press for, beg, plead for More
    "Phil tried to solicit his help"
    ask, petition, importune, implore, plead with, entreat, appeal to, lobby, beg, supplicate, call on, press;
    literarybeseech
    "they are solicited for their opinions"
    ask (someone) for something.
    "historians and critics are solicited for opinions by the auction houses"
    accost someone and offer one's or someone else's services as a prostitute.
    "although prostitution was not itself an offense, soliciting was"

    Origin
     
  9. Gib

    Gib Active Member

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    Agreed, we are commanded to evangelize. Besides cold knocking, there are other effective ways evangelize the lost where they live. Setting up a backyard VBS in the neighborhood and inviting all the kids to come can be effective. You have several opportunities during the week to talk to some of the parents as they bring and drop off their kids. Another way is having a cookout, inviting the whole neighborhood and taking time to share the gospel. Our church has done this. We do go door-to-door during the day either on Saturday or Sunday afternoon, share, invite and pray.

    Personally, I’m not a fan of people I don’t know knocking on my door after a full day of work. That’s why I put the “No Soliciting” sign up. In the last year AT&T has activated their services in my neighborhood. We get 2-3 direct sales people a month trying to switch us over to U-verse. Even with the sign they still knock.

    We have had many, many people representing all kinds of churches knock as well. Not one of those times has anyone shared the gospel. We do get invites to revivals, singings and other special events. Shoving a flyer in my hand about an upcoming event is not evangelism. You could have stayed home and mailed me a flyer.

    When I see a "do not solicit" sign, I see a homeowner saying "I'm not interested in whatever your selling; your religion, your internet service, your Omaha steaks or your girl scout cookies.

    What is the average lost person going to call it when you knock on the door?

    "Honey, some Christians are here evangelizing." I don't think so.

    All they know is someone is at their door unannounced wanting to know if they can obtain a moment of their time to let them on a deal of a lifetime.

    That (something) is their time.

    I believe the majority will see it closer to soliciting than anything else.

    But, I see the benefits. We better step it up. I see the Mormons and the JW out and about more and more.
     
  10. T Alan

    T Alan New Member

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    The old bait n switch AKA The old "Entertaining the Goats".

    The Old "Hit and Run" aka "The Solicitation" (formerly known as "Cold Call")




    Well, they were wrong and missed an opportunity to "obey as directed".
    When I see a "do not solicit" sign, I see a homeowner saying "I'm not interested in whatever your selling; your religion, your internet service, your Omaha steaks or your girl scout cookies.What is the average lost person going to call it when you knock on the door? "Honey, some Christians are here evangelizing." I don't think so. All they know is someone is at their door unannounced wanting to know if they can obtain a moment of their time to let them on a deal of a lifetime.
    [/QUOTE]

    He didn't say "tell the one's willing to listen" The Preaching of the gospel is the power of deliverance to those being delivered and foolishness to those perishing.

    You can say that again.




    Your right Gib. There unwillingness to listen cannot negate our determination to share, share the Gospel that is.. God will do the rest.
     
  11. Gib

    Gib Active Member

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    Aye

    :smilewinkgrin::smilewinkgrin:
     
  12. Revmitchell

    Revmitchell Well-Known Member
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    Just from what I read here the issue isn't door to door, the delivery of the gospel which is being tied to door to door in order to demonize it is.

    I for one do not like door to door. There was a time when it was a good way to do it. Most people did not have home A/C and often sat on their porches in the evening after supper. People interacted with each other and a visit from the church and the pastor was expected and welcomed.

    These days we are shut off from one another unless people are out on the weekends doing yard work, and we have two income families. Sometimes because we have to, other times because we want a bigger lifestyle.

    Either way, mom gets home at 6:30 after picking the kids up from daycare, after getting off from work. She is trying to cook supper, she has two toddlers in the back room fighting, a baby on her hip, a boiling pot of water on the stove, dad is not home yet and now we want to tell her about Jesus.

    There are better ways to do it.

    Regardless of the time and method of evangelism it can always be rehearsed and coerced. Let's not pretend that has anything to do with the down side of door to door.
     
    #12 Revmitchell, Dec 20, 2014
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 20, 2014
  13. evangelist6589

    evangelist6589 Well-Known Member
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    Instead of reading this web article read Chosen by God by RC Sproul instead. God chooses His elect and all we can do is preach the word. We do evangelism to glorify God only and plead with souls but only He can grant repentance on his elect.
     
  14. Rolfe

    Rolfe Well-Known Member
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    The average person who answers the door is probably not interested what you call it.
     
  15. T Alan

    T Alan New Member

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    Really 6589, How rude is this? The purpose of HIS thread is to READ and Discuss this WEB ARTICLE and related thoughts. lol :BangHead: although, I agree with your theology on this.:love2:::thumbsup:
     
  16. go2church

    go2church Active Member
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    If door to door anything was still viable wouldn't we see businesses doing it? Instead what I see is wildly expensive vacuums, meat and fund raising youth groups ringing the door bell. Major corporations are all about the bottom line, if it worked at all, they would be doing it.
     
  17. T Alan

    T Alan New Member

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    That's the difference between "businesses" and "Holy Spirit". Too many people now want to try it the way of the world, the way "that works' without trusting that God can do as He says He can do.
     
  18. T Alan

    T Alan New Member

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    We don't have to do it at 6:30 and there isn't a bad time to share the Gospel. If the person is to be delivered they will receive it, If not, perhaps they won't. The problem is "some people" don't seem to believe God can do what He says He will do and think it depends on them and their method. SMH
     
  19. Deacon

    Deacon Well-Known Member
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    So what I hear you saying is that the way we witness is immaterial to the effectiveness of the witness.
    How much we witness is not important to those who will be saved because God will call them anyway.
    We merely witness to please God because for some strange reason, he asked us too, even though it isn't necessary.

    The article contends that a poor witness is actually harmful.
    A bad witness impairs the spreading of the good news of the gospel.
    We should strive to present the gospel effectively and in a culturally acceptable way.

    It appears to me that some who have participate in this thread are driven by their theology of God rather than their love for him.

    Rob
     
  20. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    So what time do you go door knocking?
     
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