Teasing Dog Evangelism (TDE)

Theres a great new way of feeding dogs. Instead of throwing them a bone, or instead of putting some stuff in their bowl to eat you put the dog food in your pocket. Then you starve the dog in a hope that the dog will come to you and start eating out of your pocket! Infact you could even show the dog that you have food, but whatever you do, do not give it to the dog before he starts sniffing your pockets...

Hmmm Isn't that what most people are teaching about evangelism? Keep your salvation in your pocket until someone starts sniffing around? Wait til people really need the gospel before you start preaching it. You can show them a little bit of whats in your pocket but try not to... You only allow them to eat once they have come to you. Its how Jesus did it... er right?

NO. Jesus told us to go into the world. You see there are a stack of problems with relational evangelism which Im calling "Teasing Dog Evangelism" or TDE. There are so many principles that are so un-Jesus that it makes me cringe so listen up!

TDE has an emphasis on people coming to us rather than on us going to them. Big, big problem. Jesus never sat at home and waited for prople to come to Him. (They did come to him while he was moving though) He was on the move. And not only that He told us to go into the world and preach. So for a start we're sinning by not obeying.

That emphasis manifests itself in a couple of in-human ways aswell... If a dog isn't getting fed it starts snooping around the garbage trying to find anything that will do. I see these people every day experimenting with drugs, alcohol, suicide, gangs, violence, homosexuality and the list goes on. By waiting for them to come to us before we feed them they are sniffing around rubbish and getting sick and dieing.

TDE has an emphasis on not sharing too much too soon. Its like we are ashamed of the gospel. Is it that we think that the gospel will only feed the dog once so wait til that dog really wants it. Or is it that we dont believe our dog food is good enough to break through now that we wait til the dog will eat anything? What a defeatist attitude! Certainly not the gospel as the power of God to save!

TDE takes time to work, like years to work, stats say 2 years and thats if you stay friends and in contact with them during that whole time. In the age of change, (look at Rudd and Obamas messages, or Marney Turners campaign...) everyone is changing, people are flakey, and we are trying to build long lasting relationships in the HOPE that they will get saved ONE DAY... What a joke. The gospel can take off right now. TODAY IS THE DAY OF SALVATION.

TDE says that people will get offended if we give dogs food too soon. I have never seen a dog get offended at someone offering them food. With the gospel what are you preaching as the gospel to have that sort of idea? The gospel I preach is Christ crucified, God loves us so much he took away our sin so repent and believe! Its actually good news, although sadly its become weird news to many Christians who try to hide their scooby snacks.

TDE breeds bad behaviour. When you treat a dog like that he will start doing the same thing wherever he goes to whoever has the food. Gospel wise the same. TDE teaches that God is for the bad times, come to Jesus in the bad times. This has resulted in a hugely apathetic base of Christians who forget Jesus in the good times, and only come in the bad times.

TDE emphasises our work over the work of the cross. Its like a hungry dog only coming to you becasue you treat him well, but in reality it doesn't matter how good you treat him when he's hungry he will eat anything! We underestimate the dog food! When we use TDE we're saying to people look at how good I am, or how different I am. Its got its positives, but on the negative side we under emphasise the cross, the sacrifice of Jesus which is actualy the thing that will save them, our good works wont save them even if they do point to something better.

TDE teaches a God will bless you gospel so much so that when hard times come they run off to find another master with some schmakos. It doesn't emphasise turn from you sin. It doesn't teach sin is disgusting, detestable an abomination to God.

There is more but this is getting long. I'm interested in your thoughts so comment away. Just to let you know we are not teaching Teasing Dog Evangelism at Go For Souls. Rather we are feeding hungry people the real gospel. We will see people saved on the day. Their lives will be different from that moment on. It will be the day of Salvation.