http://www.christianforums.com A forum to discuss Christian witnessing and sharing of the gospel. en Sat, 21 Nov 2009 07:04:18 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.christianforums.com/style/misc/rss.jpg http://www.christianforums.com http://www.christianforums.com/t7414368/ Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:08:57 GMT in 2005 i was in a car sitting passanger side, when i looked up into a lightning storm and used my faith to look at God... my faith actually worked and God stood upon the world.. as everything slowed down and the Creator was revealed, i remember everything, He stood about 400 feet tall, and had a... in 2005 i was in a car sitting passanger side, when i looked up into a lightning storm and used my faith to look at God... my faith actually worked and God stood upon the world.. as everything slowed down and the Creator was revealed, i remember everything, He stood about 400 feet tall, and had a purple Heavenly robe on.. He has long white hair and beard that go all the way to the ground, His Chest and Arms couldnt be any stronger, and there was blue power around Him in a perfect circle... the sky of that storm trembled at the edges of His Power and i looked for so long upon God... i looked up to His Face and found the oldest of all age, forever alive and eternal forever.. His left had was revealed and He shown that He is the father of Jesus Christ, in spirit as soon as i saw Him i read "pure good" in light, His Hair and Beard shined holyest of all lights... His Eyes are deep blue... i looked for His wing to see if He is more than i have ever known Him to be, and He made a wing of lightning bolts that opened up through the sky into the form of His Wing... then the car was too close and i couldnt see Him anymore... but i saw God... ]]> Witnessing Atha http://www.christianforums.com/t7414368/ http://www.christianforums.com/t7411670/ Thu, 22 Oct 2009 19:14:37 GMT I can't find anywhere in the New Testament where we're instructed to preach the gospel (witness/evangelise).

There are a couple of close occasions ie. 1 Peter 3:15 about always being prepared to answer everyone who asks you about the hope that you have; or Colossians 4:5 which encourages the church to make the most of every opportunity.
But neither of those verses actually use the Greek word 'evangelise' - usually translated as 'preach the good news'. Instead the 58 times where 'evangelise' is used, it is always in reference to either Jesus or the Apostles - but never to the ordinary Joe in the church.

When you read through the epistles, most of the instruction is about unity in the church, holy living, thankfulness and prayerfulness, caring for the vulnerable, holding fast to the Word, endurance & perseverance, submission, respect and self-control etc. I can't find anywhere where the church is told to evangelise.
Even Jesus' great commission was given to the 11 apostles and not to his larger following of disciples (as far as I can tell from Matthew 28).

Now after thinking about all this I must say I'm not convinced that we shouldn't evangelise. I am sure we must witness - my conscience and everything about me tells me I should continue evangelising and preaching the good news, but is that the Holy Spirit at work or is it the effect of a lifetime of hearing sermons with application about witnessing tacked onto the end?

Where is the scriptural exhortation for Joe Christian to evangelise? ]]> Witnessing hardcore http://www.christianforums.com/t7411670/