The Highway Forums General Discussion Open Forum What is the proper response?

Amen. I agree. I don't want to down play evangilism. I am still very active in my evangelical ministry. I do believe that we are all called to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

My question is more on how much and what is the right way of doing it? That's all.

I found this on The Threshold and I thought I would share it with you.

Xenos Christian Fellowship
Christian Principles Unit 1
Soteriology: Calvinism & Arminianism

Implications for Evangelism

Calvinism

Positive:

"Since Christ has elected people to salvation, I can persevere in witnessing with the confidence that I will be fruitful." Bill Bright, and many other effective missionaries have been motivated in this way.

Nagative:

"If God has already decided who will be saved and irresistibly calls them, does it really matter whether I witness or not?" This was the logic of those who told William Carey, "Sit down, young man! If God wants to save the people in India, he can well do so without your help."
William Carey himself was a Calvinist.

Arminianism

Positive:

"I am motivated to share my faith because I know that more will be saved if I am faithful as Christ's ambassador." The logic of Arminianism makes it easy for Christians to believe that evangelism is both a privilege and a responsibility.
The same logic applies in Calvinism. If we are more faithful in sharing the word, we will see more people get saved. God’s election does not mean he doesn’t use us to achieve his purpose. Basically, if we share the faith, more will accept because God has predestined more. If we are lazy, it means he did not predestine more, but we can still be held responsible for our disobedience as the Bible says.

Negative:

"Evangelism is a heavy burden since my friend's salvation depends on my witness." Arminians need to be careful to fully emphasize God's will and non-Christians' responsibility as they evangelize. Unless we remember this, we can become unhealthily anxious, taking on more responsibility for people's salvation than is rightfully ours.

I believe that this thread has been an awesome way for me to dive deeper into a more serious study on Evangelism. Once again, this forum has pointed us into the right direction and supplied us with good links.

I have read J.I. Packer's Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God. But has been almost a year now and I think that I will read it again. Thank you Semper. I found this quote from J.I. Packer that I thought I would share.

"forcing tactics can only do damage, perhaps incalculable damage, to men's souls . . . Evangelism must rather be conceived as a long-term enterprise of patient teaching and instruction, in which God's servants seek simply to be faithful in delivering the gospel message and applying it to human lives, and leave it to God's Spirit to draw men to faith through this message in his own way and at his own speed"( A Quest For Godliness , 164).

- J.I. PACKER

I have made some mistakes in the past and I have felt guilt and frustration over them when it came to my witnessing. I have turned some people off, lead some to believe that I'm a religeous fanatic, but most of all, I had at one point taken too much time and attention away from my family, who I believe should be my main ministry. I agree with Packer when he says: Evangelism must rather be conceived as a long-term enterprise of patient teaching and instruction

I have come to rely more on discipship and more less-threatening and silent witnessing. I try not to push people away. But I am always honest about the Gospel and let everyone know what my beliefs are.

Y.B.I.C,

Dave. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/coffee2.gif" alt="" />