The problem I have with evangelism, as we know it is that it ends up sounding like just another sales pitch. Why would anyone want to "buy into" something that ends up turning them into one of the Christian caricatures they see on TV or read about in newspapers? Why is it that the cold-hard facts of being an evangelical means that we need to get the word out to as many people as possible? What would happen if evangelicals began to really care about the quality of their relationships with people rather than being consumed with trying to be a better salesperson, offering a product no one could refuse? How could they refuse? We're offering heaven, gold streets, pearly gates and customized mansions prepared by Jesus himself. When I think about heaven I don't think about those things because they mean nothing to me. Pearls have been cast before swine. Those pearls of knowledge sound nice but they do nothing for a person's everyday life that includes a fair share of pain and stress. Pearly gates, streets of gold and mansions do nothing to ease those daily tensions. Jenn, Andrew and Brooke ease those tensions in my life. Lunches with my brother ease those tensions. Driving down to Jackson and playing some corn-hole on Dave's porch on a rainy day eases those tensions. A trip to Findlay would ease those tensions. Talking sports and church over a Carolina pulled pork and a Z-Man would ease those tensions.
I understand why people go door-to-door evangelizing, but I can't accept it. I believe that the movement of young Christians away from the church as it currently exists is the result of this shallow, sales-pitch Christianity. Pearls before swine. We think we have some information that is so valuable that we shove our pearls down peoples' throats until we have finally come to place where a remnant committed to a holy Kingdom life just can't take it anymore. I am tired of seeing people choked to death by the church’s pearls. I am tired of Christianity be misrepresented and mocked because of what the church has done to itself. I pray that we would begin to be ridiculed for the right reasons.
How do we glean from scripture that the gospel is to be forced on anyone? Ask, seek and knock was intended for us in our relationship with neighbor. Is it really in the best interest of our neighbor to hear another ridiculous evangelistic message? It would be better, more Kingdom-like to really care about our neighbor's every day tension filled life. If we believe that it is imperative for people to be set free by the power of the gospel shouldn't we show then that the Kingdom is accessible right now?
When I think of heaven, I think of relationships, rest and time, all of which are limited in this sphere of existence. Even though, I have found them here, in my home, in Jackson, Olathe, Findlay, Warren, Hilliard, Mt. Vernon and Sidney. That's good news for me and it can be for others if I care enough to ask rather than tell. May it be so.
sales-pitch Christianity
Posted by David at 9:08 AM
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11 comments:
Yeah...I read somewhere recently that we should be more interested in counting conversations than conversions. (Maybe from Brian McLaren) At the same time...there are examples of evangelistic efforts in the book of Acts which lead me to believe there's a time and a place for confronting people with their need for Christ. But without relationship... discipleship is impossible, which is what Jesus calls us to.
In reply to Chris - your thoughts are good, but I am not sure what you mean.
I agree that people need "Christ", but we have created a Christ completely different from the one spread around in prisons and houses.
We created a Christ to give us comfort instead of confrontation with ourselves - Jesus calls us to confront one another, so as to love and forgive one another, calling us away from ourselves into community and communion.
My point is, that we need to define the truth about what it is people actually need, and what is it that we need to give each other.
Evangelism has become nothing more than persuasion (control), usually by fear or an offer of insurance through heaven - which is control.
People do not need to know about heaven and hell, instead they need to know about the fullfillment of the law, and that forgiveness, though a narrow and long road, is necessary for life - instead of 4 steps and prayer, people need 4 X 40 days of suffering with, love, and relationship so as to be free enough to love others.
I don't write this thinking you are the "4 step" guy, but rather a challenge to you, me, and others to continue to define what it looked like 2000 years ago to follow Jesus, and continue to pray and truly understand "thy kingdom come, thy will be done" as a community, rather than personally.
Peace dude,
Kyle
Welcome David and Chris, I am glad you took the time to read this journal and post your comments.
I agree with David that much of evangelism has been consumed by the lure of success and the bottom line. More people in the church means more money in the collection plate. The more money we have the more cool things we can buy to make our worship services look like what we see on TV.
Is anyone who is consumed, or whose ministry is consumed, with church programming fulfilling God's plan for his church? That's another discussion for Hutsko's blog, which needs to happen.
I don't think we can just throw out talking to people about Christ and confronting them with the gospel, in the context of trust-based relationship, but I do think that a life lived out of kingdom principles will do much of the confrontation without the necessity of words being spoken. Like Kyle said there is no denying the confrontational nature of the gospel. Christ's life was so radically different and subversive that people couldn't help but be drawn to him because they knew HE was what was missing in their lives. The message was not a prepackaged spiel that was condescending and laced with contempt. It was authentic and full of love.
Jesus Christ stands between the lover and the ones he loves...Because Christ stands betweeen me and others, I dare not desire direct fellowship with them. As only Christ can speak to me in such a way that I may be saved, so others, too, can be saved only by Christ himself. This means that I must release the other person from every attempt of mine to regulate, coerce, and dominate him with my love...Thus this spiritual love will speak to Christ about a brother more than to a brother about Christ. It knows that the most direct way to others is always through prayer to Christ and that love of others is wholly dependent upon the truth of Christ
-Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together
Evangelical Christianity (in America at least) seems to in large part have lost its way. "Sales-pitch Christianity" doesn't just charicterize the now-rare door-to-door "sales" we make, it typifies many of our worship services, sermons and programs.
We have replaced relationships with encounters. Somewhere along the line we stumbled into the realization that relationships require more of us and take a lot more time, than creating "Crisis Experiences" for "the lost".
In large part we have now become so busy trying to "win people to Christ" that we lack the time to be the Body of Christ. We are always together (like Dave H's volunteers), but we are never truely present with one another in intimacy and brotherly love.
We are so consumed with selling, that we fail to be the Body.
I understand Chris' point that Scripture does contain "evangelistic moments", and I don't deny the need for them, but we are addicted to this portion of our identity as the Church. We have sacrificed so much of who we are, for the glamourous numbers these moments produce. They make us feel good about ourselvs, they justify our cause, they show that we are still relevant as a "movement" in this world. Evangelism must be grounded in love of Christ and love for others, not love for ourselves and our success. We don't need to sell Christ, for our lives should be a nautural presentation of Him.
Evangelism is part of who we are, but it is not who we are. We are Christ's Body, we are a community, we are family, we are maturing in our faith. I see love as a more prominent command, than evangelism, throughout scripture. In fact, Christ said we should be known by it.
"A new command I give you; Love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another".
- John 13:34-35
Friends--
What a joy, to read the thoughts of so many brothers in Christ. Ballenger, I'm sorry I haven't returned your most recent email...I haven't been in the office for over a week now (traveling and such).
Anyway, I'm intrigued by this thread. I wanted to add that there is a great story about "sales-pitch" evangelism in "Blue Like Jazz," pages 46-47. The quote is too long to post.
Hutsko, Chris, James, and Kyle...Always great to hear from you and enjoy reading what you have to say.
BT
I think the word Evangelism has a ton of stigma with it. When I hear it, I see "marketing" - flyers, persuasion, fear, and tons of other ugliness.
James post was fantastic, but still includes evangelism as a part of the body. Chris was presenting the same notion it seemed.
So my question is, if evangelism is a real entity within the church and our relationship with others, what does it look like, or what should it look like?
Is it more than just loving, suffering with, and being reconciled to one another through forgiveness, non-violence, and sharing as Mother Teresa understood it? Or is there something else to give or share with others?
Is evangelism how we get people saved or how we share Jesus?
Are they the same?
Do people get saved?
If Jesus is saving us from something, is it Hell, or is it from ourselves, our agendas (if we have our own agenda or perspective, then there is no kingdom agenda or perspective)?
You guys should have been in Chic Shaver's "Evangelism" class at NTS. I often wanted to stab myself in the eye with the pen I was writing with. Better to enter the Kingdom with one eye than to attack an old man with a Bic pen!
I think evangelism is supposed to be how we share Jesus. Probably something I should have learned in my evangelism class at seminary. But I was thinking about how much I disagreed with what was being said and trying to work my way through this same stuff. Two years later and I haven’t made my way much further down the road.
I think the problem is the paradoxical nature of the gospel and our desire for easy answers instead of thoughtful simple questions that lead us further into the Kingdom.
I can't believe that our only purpose here is to get people "saved". Maybe I just don't like all the baggage that goes with that word. I believe in Christ's atonement and I believe that as the Body of Christ we must further that work through continuing to reveal to our neighbor that God's kingdom is now accessible to all through Jesus Christ. I know I say those same things over and over again but I just can't escape how much of a difference they make in my relationships with other people. Instead of trying to sell my product and then moving on, I am compelled to stay, live and wait. The evangelism I struggle with usually looks like a Christian being the catalyst for the gospel message being shared, we become the power behind the gospel. Instead the gospel and kingdom living should be our catalyst, compelling us to love our neighbor and to see God's will be done and his Kingdom come on earth as it is in Heaven.
The problem comes when we want easy answers. May God bless us with discomfort at easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships, so that we may live deep within our hearts.
peace
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