Door to Door witnessing

I think it is bad practically.. not ethically or theologically... I am like you..
Whatever someone does in order to win souls is great! (within limits...:thumbs: ) And when I say bad, I am only comparing it to other ways that produce longer lasting results in WV.



Giving shot glasses out at bars is a bad example... I would say that is bad ethically...
Driving around with a baptistry in tow, telling people they must be baptized to be saved would be bad theologically....

But as long as it is ethical, and theologically sound... Go for it... and I will cheer you on.

As I hope you cheer me on in the way I witness to others...

 

Here is an excerpt from a paper I wrote last month on evangelism... I had to compare confrontational to relational evangelism for a class I was taking through the WVBC School of Christian Studies...

Confrontational Evangelism

For those of us that grew up after 1965, this type of evangelism is very familiar. It is often called “soulwinning” and is usually done in pairs of two. The following is what I remember from my experiences of confrontational Evangelism: On Sunday morning the pastor announced that the church will meet on Tuesday evening to go “soulwinning” and then he would say something like, “Last Tuesday we met, but only a handful showed up. If you really love Jesus you will show up this Tuesday.” To me it felt like the pastor was trying to motivate us by guilt.
For those of us that showed up Tuesday, we would meet together, say a short prayer, and then divide up into pairs of two; usually a more experienced soulwinner would be paired with an inexperienced soulwinner. Each pair was given a specific area to cover, and we would go out. Upon arriving in the proper neighborhood, we would start approaching homes. The more experienced soulwinner would usually do all the talking, while the other person would “run interference” or set quietly in prayer. A successful visit would be one in which the homeowner listened to our presentation of the Roman’s Road (a list of verses from the book of Romans, see appendix 2) and then would agree to pray, and be saved. After a couple hours of this type of visitation, we would come back to the church, and meet with all others that were out on visitation. We would have cookies and coffee, and talk about our exploits.
In the book, Hyles Visitation Manual, written by Dr. Jack Hyles, Pastor of First Baptist Church in Hammond, Indiana, Dr. Hyles gives tips to being a successful soulwinner. (see Appendix 1) These tips are very confrontational, and seem to me to be almost like a salesman’s approach to the Gospel. They are complete with an introduction, sales pitch, and closer.

Another style of confrontational evangelism I remember from my childhood is based on the acronym FORM.
Once you are able to get into a lost person’s home, you can use this acronym to guide the discussion.
F = Family… begin talking about the person’s family, ask questions to find out more information, and be sure to compliment their children
O = Occupation… move on to talking about the lost person’s job… ask questions about his field of work to make it look like you are interested in that person
R = Religion… slowly move into his religion, or lack of. You can ask some of the same questions Dr. Hyles suggested, like, “If you were to die right now, would you go to Heaven?” This will give you an insight on the person’s spiritual condition
M = Message… After summing up the person’s spiritual condition share with him the Roman’s Road… (See Appendix 2) Then sum it up by inviting the person to pray with you so that they can be saved.

As you can see, this is also a very confrontational, and planned out approach to the Gospel.

One of the latest approaches (although it is nothing new, just re-invented) is found at http://www.wayofthemaster.com/ Way of the Master is an evangelism program designed by Ray Comfort and Kirk Cameron.
It is based upon the theory that you can’t have grace without the law.
Their premise is to confront someone with one of the many ways to start a discussion, which they provide on the website. Then once you have engaged conversation, you move the person to look at their death, and Judgment day. You ask them something like, “Why should God allow you into Heaven” Then you proceed to show them that since God is holy, only holy people can be in Heaven. If they protest and say that they are good people, you ask them questions based on the 10 commandments. For instance, ask them if they have ever stolen anything… even something small like a piece of candy, cookie, or pen. Then ask them if they have ever told a lie, even a small white lie. Then ask them if they have ever lusted after someone they shouldn’t have (reminding them that Jesus said that even lust counts as adultery) After they have admitted to stealing, lying and cheating, you ask them what that makes them… They should say at this point that they are a liar, thief, and adulterer. Then re-ask them why God should let them into Heaven.
In other words, you convinced them of their sin.
After they are convinced they are sinners, then you can move into the Roman’s road and show them the good news, finishing the same way all confrontational evangelism ends, usually reading Romans 10:9-13, and a prayer asking God to save the sinner.
There are many other approaches but they all have some things in common:

• A conversation starter
• A spiritual question
• A point where you convince the person they are a sinner.
• Sharing the gospel with them, often The Roman’s Road.
• Then asking to pray with the person.
• And a prayer asking God to save the person.

The pros to confrontational Evangelism include the clear presentation of the Gospel, it provides a “how-to” training, with clear cut steps that anyone can follow, and it provides the local congregation with a way to do evangelism that produces immediate results.
The cons to confrontational Evangelism include the assumption that everyone can be brought to Christ the same way, False decisions, success based on numbers, few people want to attend training, fewer people are willing to participate, and guilt placed upon the ones that don’t participate. Also, the lack of in depth relationships leaves something lacking in Confrontational Evangelism.
In my opinion, Confrontational Evangelism may have a place in modern Christianity, but a very small place. The days of door to door salesmen are long gone… and for good reasons. People don’t trust strangers trying to come into their homes the way they did 40 yrs ago. If the sales industry has realized that door-to-door is not an effective way to sell vacuum cleaners, why should the church think we can market the gospel this way?

 

Here is another excerpt on Relational evangelism...
In the ministry series Outflow by Steve Sjogren and Dave Ping, the reader is encouraged to allow God’s love to flow into us and out to others through Random Acts of Kindness. In this way, we are allowed an audience to present the gospel. This is another example of Relational Evangelism. I actually used one of Steve Sjogren’s ideas this spring and lead a young lady to the Lord in June.
One of the ideas was to go to the same store for a while, and go to the same cashier. In this way, you can slowly develop a trusting relationship over time, in which the cashier will listen to the gospel presentation when the Holy Spirit prompts you to share it. When I read this, I realized this was a very good idea. So when going to our local grocery store I would always go to one certain cashier, if she was working. I did this for a few months. I had known her from youth camp last yr, but didn’t know much else about her. After going through her line a few times, I began learning things about her, her likes, dislikes, and she began trusting me. In June, during a conversation with her, I found out she was not a member of the church she attended, so I asked her, “why?” She said that she had never been baptized, I then asked, under the Holy Spirit’s guidance if she had ever asked Jesus to forgive her of her sins, and accepted him as Savior. She told me that she had wanted to go forward in church many times, but was scared. I told her she didn’t have to be in church to accept Christ, and her eyes lit up… But because I was in line and there were others behind me, and she was on the clock, I told her I would talk to her later about it. So I came home and wrote her a letter explaining how to become a Christian. I included all the steps of the Roman’s Road, and because I knew her, and we had a friendly relationship, I could personalize the letter so it wouldn’t sound like a tract, but a letter to a friend… which it was. I then went back to the grocery store, and gave the letter to her so she could read it on her break. Later that night, I received an email from her telling me that after she got home, she took the letter and the Bible, and spent some quiet time with God, and accepted Christ as her Savior. In the email she told me she wanted to be baptized, but her father had already told her that if she was baptized in a Baptist church he would disown her. This troubled her, but she wrote that she had decided to be baptized anyway, and her father would have to do whatever he wanted to. She wanted people to know that she was a follower of Christ. While I didn’t have the privilege of baptizing her, I was rejoicing on June 22nd when she was baptized by the Pastor of the church she attends. Had I not built a relationship with her, she would not have taken me seriously.
The pros to Relational Evangelism include, the long term effects to leading someone to Christ, they are more likely to “stick” in church. Relational Evangelism allows many people in a congregation to use the gifts that God has given them. The church acts more like the body of Christ when it is working together.
The cons of Relational Evangelism include the fact that some may think that just because they don’t have the gift of Evangelism, they don’t have to be able to present the Gospel to the person they are building a relationship with. There is also a tendency for a church to become more program oriented than people oriented. In other words, they will use their energy to plan programs that provide the touches and hearings that are needed. When the programs become more important than people, the church has to be corrected.

In conclusion, I feel Relational Evangelism is the best option. It is the most natural. Jesus said in Matthew 28:16-20 NIV
(16) Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. (17) When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. (18) Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. (19) Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (20) and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

I believe Jesus was saying that as we are going, we should be introducing people to Him. Just as you would introduce your friends to others, we should be building trusting relationships with others so that we can introduce them to Jesus.
Confrontational Evangelism presents a clear view of the Gospel.
Lifestyle Evangelism shows Jesus’ love to others by building relationships so that the lost can see Jesus’ love practically.
Relational Evangelism combines both trusting relationships, and a clear presentation of the Gospel.

But most important, we should never do anything without the power of the Holy Spirit. Acts 1:8 NIV
(8) But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

 

So when was the last time you preached the gospel to your dog, or a lobster? Are you sure you're willing to say that this other way is a "cop out"? When was the last time you served someone for no reason? It looks pretty weird, since that is what you seem to be going for.

Very true. I thank God we are not in a culture that still treats Christians that way. Unfortunately, some are. Just because that is the way it was in the NT days doesn't mean that is the result we need in order to be biblical.

Was Jesus talking to you? Or to his disciples in that specific time and place? Now I understand that there is truth that still applies to us in what you are saying....but again, you are thinking that you have to get people to hate you in order to feel like you are being obedient. Shoddy hermeneutics.

Okay, you went from shoddy hermeneutics to really weird hermeneutics. So, the only option is for someone to beat the crap out of me, or for someone to convert? What if I get a different reaction?

You're so sweet. Did you ever realize that people you approach don't think the same way you do?

 

Except that some Calvinists oppose some methods of evangelism on theological grounds. Not that I want a C/A discussion on this fellowship forum!

Amen, brother.

 

I consider the 1 Cor. passage to be Paul's theological presentation of his Gospel, which he guarded diligently (Gal. 1). And the Corinthians certainly needed that because of their immaturity! The passages you give in Acts are narrative, not theological per se. They do give us an instructive record of how apostles presented the Gospel, but are not theological statements of it.

 

Amen. Culture definitely must play a part in how we decide to present the Gospel (1 Cor. 9:19-22).

Good examples!

Amen, brother. Maybe we can do some visitation together when I'm home on furlough in several years.

 

Can't wait!

 

I originally was against door to door witnessing, but have since changed my mind. It is amazing how God works in your life! I took a day off from work Tuesday and we received a visit from a Jehovah's Witness. My wife talked to her for awhile, then I did. I was courteous to her, but I did place some seeds of doubt in her head about her beliefs. Anyways, my wife and I got talking about the growth in the J.W.'s and Mormons over the years and the number of hours they spend going door to door. Obviously they are having some sucess doing this. I'm not going to let people be deceived by their lies- I'm going to go preach the Truth!!!!! The Truth being Jesus Christ and what He did on the cross, so that me and anyone else that trusts in Him as Lord and savior in their life ,can know that they have eternal life! In case you are wondering-Yes I am scared to knock on a complete stranger's door and talk about my faith, but as long as Jesus is with me...who can be against me ..Right!!!!! We need to step out of our safe little boxes and start doing something for Christ! That's the least I can do.. He was nailed to a cross for me!!!!:jesus:

 

Suggestions for a non-threatening door-to-door approach:

1. Do a religious survey. This can be very low impact, unagressive and polite. Ask things like:
a. Do you believe there is a God?
b. What is your religion?
c. Have you been to church before?
d. What do you think about the afterlife?
e. Have you ever read the Bible?
f. Do you have a Bible?

As you can see, some of these questions can lead quite naturally into giving the Gospel.

2. Ask for advice. I read recently in Planting Churches Cross-Culturally (p. 121), by David Hesselgrave, about a pastor (I won't say who but definitely not Fundamentalist or even conservative!) who went door to door and asked things like,
a. Do you attend our church regularly?
b. Have you ever attended it?
c. Do you attend any other church.

If he got a negative answer, the pastor would say, "I'm delighted to hear this because I'm anxious to find out how I can improve this church and make it such an exciting church that intelligent and wonderful people like you will want to come. You are obviously an intelligent person, so you undoubtedly have good reasons why you don't attend the church. Would you please tell me what they are? And could you tell me what our church could possibly do to help in any area of your life? Is there any program that you would be interested in?"

 

I definitely agree. Repentance is implicit in the Gospel as stated in 1 Cor. 15. If Christ died for our sins, then it is inconceiveable that one could truly believe, but want to hang on to the sins that Christ died for.

I wouldn't dare leave out a single verse!

 

No I don´t want to see that kind of discussion here as well, in general I stay out of them because they are to emotionally charged. I think everyone knows where I stand- "nuth said!"

I have not seen the opposition you are talking about about though. I have only opposition to the "delivery" of the gospel, or the way it is said- not necessarily the method. For example- "now just pray this prayer sincerely" or "ask Jesus into your heart". I would agree with the many of the concerns expressed over these kind of statements.

Anyhow. I agree that door to door evangelism has its place albeit it culturally acceptable to knock on a door, or ring a door bell or whatever the case may be. I would however, be opposed to what I perceive to be faulty manners of delivery of the gospel.

Personally I agree with Havensdad. I appreciate your zeal brother. It is both refreshing and convicting! Thanks!

 

It was mentioned that Mormons have grown which is true, but not necessarily due to their door knocking, though I'm sure it is effective.

I spent a week in a church in NV a few years ago that had a huge Mormon church. The deacon I was staying with was older and he told me that as he observed the Mormon church from its inception that he did not know of one townsperson that had converted. Their growth was totally from outsiders coming in and attending and birth growth within the families.

I have no idea if this is true on a widespread basis but may be a good part of their growth.

In other countries I'd guess they are more effective.

 

Awesome suggestions! I wrote them down. Thanks!

 

EXACTLY rb! Thanks for reaffirming my comments and feelings on this matter.

 

One example: True Evangelism by Lewis Sperry Chafer.

Amen!

Oh, to be young again. I find myself wanting to sit on the sidelines, and I don't witness sometimes at times when I would have jumped on it when I was younger.

 

Go for it! :thumbs: