Firstly, Teasing Dog Evangelism is not the only form of relational evangelism. It can be good and it can work. Heres a quick list of things that you need to do though:
- Talk to them about what God has done and is doing in your life and tell them He can do it for them too!
- Talk to them about who Jesus said He was, what He did and what He asks of us
- Tell them the gospel - Why we need a saviour, what God did about it
- Tell them how to be saved and then Give them opportunities (More than one) to get saved
- Talk to them about what its like to be saved (Tell them the promises of God)
- Dont give up! Keep going!
- Be polite, fun, caring, compassionate, loving etc Show them holiness.
- Pray. Pray. Pray.
You can do these steps very simply. It can be easy you just need to be intentional. That means before you see your friends decide that you are going to tell them one thing about the gospel, or ask them one question.
That is real relational evangelism, telling them about Jesus and salvation and showing them what it looks like all in the context of relationship. But it is not waiting for them to sniff around before you start talking...
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6 comments:
That's only part of the story. Tell them about the endless punishment, in Hell, of those who decline the offer of salvation. To leave this part out is a sin of omission, is it not?
And remember, to really convince people you must offer evidence. You're obviously aware that anecdotal evidence doesn't cut the mustard.
David, what sort of evidence are you looking for?
Ive never seen the wind but everyone beilieves its there...
Most people have never been to the moon, werent there where man might have landed on there but we believe people have been there...
We werent there when Alexander the great went around conquering the world, but historical stuff tells us he did and we believe it.
We may have never seen God, but we have seen what He does, we may not have experienced God but theres stacks of people who say they have and theres miracles to back it up, and we may not have been in the times of Jesus but theres stacks of proof He was around.
The problem you have David is not a lack of proof, its a lack of faith. You wont ever know God until you step out in faith. Sounds stupid right? Well, we all step out in faith every day with most things we believe, whether theyre of spirituality or not.
Preach it brother...
Keep up the great work James and I looking forward to this Go 4 Souls conference
God Bless you and keep doing his work
You may not be ready for this advice, but keep it tucked away for the future.
You should research and read material that critiques apologetics, and the very basic example that you have used. You can find many books, for example, written by atheists (they vary in quality), that will provide you with much thinking material.
One starting website is debunkingchristianity.blogspot.com. Again, the writing on this site varies in quality. But in amongst the various entries you will find some well-reasoned critiques of Christianity, especially the more fundamentalist versions. The site also links to various books.
You could possibly apply you own critical thinking to the faith example you gave. What is the difference in the types of faith you describe? What type of evidence do you find or would you expect in the different cases? Start with these questions and try to understand where your reasoning falls down.
You see, many people, not just myself, have read much and thought through the types of arguments that you have raised. You should at least do the same so you can counter them more effectively. It can only lead to a stronger faith, or to dropping beliefs that are not supportable.
David, you amaze me how you always seem to talk about what other people are saying. Why dont you tell me what you think?
it actually sounds like you are looking for excuses not to believe in God, or not to put your faith in God.
What event happend that turned you off so badly?
Stop fighting it and come to Jesus. He loves you more than you can imagine!
Come to Zeus. He loves you more than you can imagine.
What trauma happened to you to turn you away from the cult of Zeus?
I think evidence is needed to match the belief. For example, why not record you next conversation with God. Put a link up to it on your blog. Remember, a recording where God's replies can be heard just as clearly as your voice.
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