Evangelical Fads Don't Always Reach Others

So now we bash people for trying to reach the lost? Maybe the upperclassman was recently saved himself and was somewhat unsure about what he was doing. He was probably nervous and wasn't prepared on what he should say to someone that was already saved.

They never spoke again? What stopped Carter from continuing the conversation? He complains that the upperclassman didn't say anything else to him. Well, the street goes both ways!

 

So, is the way crabby views all fundamentalists. I thought liberals were tolerant and didn't believe in stereotyping anyone. I'm a fundamentalist and I don't evangelize that way. Never have and never will. Read Splash by Ken Hemphill and you might get a different view of the way many "fundamentalists" are doing evangelism.

 

We witness the way we were taught to witness. I was taught to use the Roman Road, and wind up with the Sinner's Prayer. The young man in Mr. Carter's story was doing what he was taught. And God has saved some because of a witness like that.

However, over the years, I have come to believe that the Roman Road method of witnessing, while scripturally sound, has been corrupted into a sales pitch. And the Sinner's Prayer, characterized as "drawing the net" (or closing the sale) has devolved into "say these magic words."

Nowhere in Scripture are we told to pray a prayer for salvation. But I have no doubt that if one cries out to to God for salvation, God will respond. We get a clue that the "soul-winning method" has been corrupted when one's testimony of salvation is "I said the prayer."

I have long advocated that we re-evaluate all that we Baptists do and say in presenting the gospel--even the language that we employ. We should measure all that we do and say against the scriptures. If we'll do that, we'll dump a lot of the buzzwords that are popular. And some of the conventional evangelism practices might go as well.

 

Yes...I read the entire article. I read who Carter is, but who he is is irrelevant to the discussion. The entire protrayal of the upperclassman is pure speculation. Carter himself admitted that he never spoke to the person again, so how could he know all this:

Carter makes all that up. If Carter is such a great Christian and is so concerned with befriending people, why didn't he actually speak to the upperclassman and befriend him? Instead, all Carter does is bash him.

 

Actually, we don't know if such a witnessing style repels more than attracts. But we shouldn't be surprised by rejection. Remember, lost people are rarely looking for God. In fact they are at enmity with God. And without the work of the Holy Spirit, they'll remain so, regardless of what witnessing method is used.

Oh, wow, horrors. This is terrible. Why that young man used techniques taught at a workshop. That's awful. There is really something sinister about those fundies wanting to learn how to present the gospel in a coherent way.

I've already commented in another post about witnessing methods which have been corrupted. But I don't for a minute impugn motives.

 

I'd like to propose that we turn this discussion in another direction. Exactly how to you present the gospel to a lost person? Is it an organized, planned approach? Do you just wing it? Are there scriptures that you are prepared to use? We've bashed the fundies for using a "technique;" do any of you have a "technique?"

Walk us through your presentation of the gospel one on one.

 

MY technique is the word of God and the Holy Ghost.

 

How do you know, did anyone ask him?
And the problem is....?

 

Okay, here's mine.

First thing I want to do is determine my friend's spiritual condition. Ask him and he'll tell you. A good neutral question is "where would you say you are spiritually?" The answer will be revealing.

So, let's say your friend says, "well, I think I'm okay. I try to do the right thing. I'm a Christian." Now, you need to find out what he means by "Christian." A good question would be, "so what are basing your hope of heaven on?" Another would be "how do you think one comes into a right relationship to God?"

Your friend may also say, "well, I don't know if I'm going to heaven or not. Probably not."

Either way, this will give you an clue to his understanding of the gospel, and where to go next.

I won't take time to list appropriate scriptures here. You should already know them. But your friend must come to a point where he understands where he stands before God. He will not be saved until he understands that he is lost. If your friend can't buy into that, you're basically done.

If he does come to that point, then simply present the claims of the gospel. As Paul did to the Athenians: "God commands all men everywhere to repent." As Paul did to the Philippian jailer: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you'll be saved." As Paul did to the Romans: "Confess Christ as Lord, and believe that he rose from the dead."

You may ask "do you believe this," or "will you do this?" Then wait.

What if he says, "Naw, I don't want to." You're basically done. Tell him if he wants to talk about this later, you're available.

If he says "Yes," suggest a public confession of faith before the congregation, and that he follow Christ's command to be baptized.

This may sound like a technique. You may do it differently. Just remember, it is the Holy Spirit who illuminates, convicts and draws. You cannot take him where he does not want to go.

 

I fail to see the problem here.

 

That is because you do not have a neo-evangelical liberal mindset that works to demonize anything deemed as fundamental.

 

Thank you, I try! :laugh:

 

I agree also with this...

 

That struck me as odd as well...

IF Carter never spoke to him again, how did he know where the person learned these techniques?

 

The story is one sided and has many holes in it.