Small Things
Evangelism is about communication, not conquest. It's not about knocking down the front door, it's about being invited to sit on the back porch with your neighbour. It's not about forays into foreign areas, it's about getting involved in people's lives. [Various quotes from Glad Tidings church on March 18th, 2007.]
"It's people that change people." It's not really about sermons and books, it's not really about church services and Bible studies. It's people, being used by God, to connect with people. There are many methods, tools and resources out there and they may work to a limited degree. Even so, the most effective plan that God has is...us.
"Trust is a choice. Security is a feeling." [Pastor Rick, GTA, February 18, 2007.]
How does my view of my dad affect my view of Father God? The parable of the prodigal son, Luke 15:11-32. [Sam Dielman, nine20, February 2, 2007.]
Being offended is most often an indication of bitterness. If you take offense at what people may say or do in your life, ask yourself if you are bitter or hurt in that area. To be bitter, to become offended, to get angry as a result of others...it means that those people are in control of your emotions, not you. There is a better kind of freedom.
Gee, I hope I didn't offend anybody...heh. And just for fun, here's a photo from the Wing Night that we had yesterday at Kelsey's near Masonville. Ashleigh, Tara, Ruth and I hooked up with a semi-random group of people and we had plenty of fun eating, talking and laughing for a few hours. Every week or so this group likes to visit different restaurants in London, taste-testing the chicken wings and calculating the final rating. Kudos to Jennifer and Amy for organizing this evening each time.
5 comments:
All hail the dorky group shot! GOOD TIMES!
I'm still surprised I was able to be ready in 20 minutes flat...a new record!!
You've made some interesting points regarding evangelism Jamie, but I have to ask....are you planning on tackling anyone that disagrees with you??? hahaha
Back to class I go...
Evangelism and back porches... guess you could call the woman at the well with Jesus talking at the back porch. He asked her for some water first. Then he makes conversation with her. He gave her his attention just as we should give people our attention. This takes time, care and love which is hard to find these days as everyone is so busy doing something. We had a great sermon on "time" the past weekend where the Pastor said we're "experience rich but relationally poor." How true! I believe you mentioned how it's hard to find a friend in one of your earlier blogs. I became a Christian because of a friend who shared Christ with me. We were friends to start out with and then she would talk about Jesus. What I found most fascinating was that the way she talked about Jesus was like someone she really knows, someone who is real and a friend to her. I hope you make lots of friends who you'll have a great impact on their lives!
Irene Lem
You know... both evangelism as communication and evangelism as conquest both do the same thing: they make everyone you meet into an object of potential conversion.
Which you might think is cool, I guess; but it is really limited. Other people, at bottom, can never be fit into any sort of image you have of them. They aren't objects to be saved, or changed, or even loved or hated. They're others.
But to the thing about bitterness, YES. Resentment is another limitation that one can do without.
Great point Mike about making people a target of conversion. If that happens, it is a yucky thing.
Point well taken, Mike. I was trying to figure out the counterpoint but nope, you just nailed it. Your philosophy studies sometimes do have an effect my life, which is interesting.
So I hit one of two for this post, eh? That's a fine shooting percentage in basketball...
Post a Comment