I'm trying to help you see that there are boundaries in any form of ministry, and trying to share the gospel with minors without their parents' consent - especially by using something like chocolate to entice them - is way, way over those boundaries. It is unethical. It is inappropriate. It is dangerous to the kids (if they trust you, will they trust the next person who tries a similar tactic, who may have far worse motives?) and it builds distrust of the church as a whole.
That I can understand. It is pushing the boundaries because of the way society is today, but it is not illegal. And the way I see it, if I do not tell the Gospel to them, then they probably will not hear it from other Christians. So, I am willing to risk it all for the Gospel. I will risk my time, my body, my money and my reputation for them to hear the Gospel.
But I also think that you are blowing this way out of perspective. I have been doing this for 2 years and I have said the Gospel to hundreds of people. And I have only ever had 2 complaints like this. This complaint in the first post and the other where the police were involved, and the police said that I could carry on because the person who made the complaint, was simply dead against Christianity.
We aren't supposed to be loose cannons in ministry, out there without any oversight or accountability, and this is part of why; any reputable church would have told you that this is not how you do this!
My church knows what I am doing, and they back me. So, you are blowing it out of proportion. In fact, many Christians who come and see what I am doing tell me to carry on (In the last 3 days alone I have had 8 of them). I have only ever had armchair Christians on this forum tell me that what I am doing is bad.
I'm a priest. I live a life of ministry. Most of my work is focussed on equipping the saints for the work of ministry, but I also engage with people outside the church. I don't keep records of how many conversations I have, people I pray with, or the like, because it's just what I do.
Just because you are a priest does not mean you say the Gospel. Being a priest means you can hide behind your pulpit and say that you are equipping others. But a good leader normally will get out there and do it and others will follow.
Perhaps there's a way you can introduce discipleship Bible truths without bring them to a church speaking of a institutional building place. That might at their stage scare them off. I wonder if you said we're meeting here in the park at such a time and day to teach you how to pray and get results or how to develop your relationship with God.
The meeting at the park is a good idea. I like that.
I do talk to some of them a number of times as they are regulars at the park, and they do ask me all sorts of questions. These are people who never used to even think about Godly things and now they do. But maybe I could make it into a meeting.
Yes, I would do the same. Maybe it's a very safe country where 1Tonne lives but here, in the UK, children are taught NEVER to accept sweets from strangers. I know his motives are good but what happens when someone else offers them sweets and their motives aren't? The child might not be able to discern the difference, as you pointed out in a later post.
That is why I do it in the open with many adults around and when the kids are in a group. I try to safeguard myself.
He keeps a tally, and he lets everyone know what that tally is. It's apparently a competition to him, because when you disagree with him on his methods he asks "how may people do YOU share the gospel with". If you're not on par with him, you're not doing a good job.
Can you show me where I told everyone what my telly was?
I used to keep a tally of how many people I told the Gospel, but it was for myself as a motivation. Not for other people. And I suggested on here that others could keep a telly as a motivation. Sometimes it can be hard to get out there and share the Gospel day after day, but if you put a goal in front of yourself, then you may reach it. Without goals, people perish.
But I have not been counting for some time now as I know that I do not need that motivation. My love for the lost is motivation enough.
You might want to try it MForbes and you may get out there more.
You are very brave going out and preaching. May God protect you and give you strength.
Do take the advice of Paidiske...
Thankyou. I do listen to the advice, but he is blowing it was out of proportion. Maybe that is because where he lives is a very dangerous place. But I live in a small town (10,000 people) that is relatively safe and many people in the town know who I am.
but I can guarantee you, you can get the same results without a bribe.
Young people are eager to learn, and have someone guide them, so you just need to peak their curiosity, and they are excited. No chocolate needed.
I do share the Gospel in other ways. I share the Gospel with a flipchart downtown, I do BBQs every second weekend, I have stalls at town fairs and market days, I give out tracts and I share the Gospel "whenever I have the opportunity". But none of these are as productive as starting a conversation with a 60-second challenge.
Did you read the links?
The
first link, are the verses where Jesus revealed that he was not feeding the people in order to bribe them into listening to him.
The
second link showed the method Jesus used.
He simply started talking to the people about
something that they were all interested in.
It revealed the heart of his listeners.
Persons the Bible describes at
Acts 13:48;
Matthew 10:11-13 will respond, because they really desire truth.
On the other hand, people will respond only because thier belly is being filled, but their heart is not right. They are not "appointed to eternal life".
Which of the two are you seeking?
Jesus was looking for the former, and he instructed his followers to do the same.
What I am doing is a simple challenge that enables me to share the Gospel. The way I see it. By all means, save the lost. Not that it is I that save them but God. But by all means, share the Gospel as often as you can. Then it is God who creates the Growth.
I do have some people come up to me and ask if they can do the challenge, and yes, these people are motivated by the chocolate. But I still tell them the Gospel. Then it is up to God from there. God knows their heart and He can even work in a greedy person's heart.
I love your zeal, and in no way would I try to dampen that, nor your spirit.
I hope you continue to have that burning desire to share the gospel will all people you meet.
I just want to share the most effective method - that of the Christ - with you.
I hope you don't mind.
That is fine. I post things here to get advice and also to encourage others to get out there. In saying this, I know that a lot of the people on here will be armchair critics. (Not saying you. But others are. I appreciate your comments)
Do you know this to be true?
Jesus could read hearts, yet he used methods to reveal what was really in the heart.
None of us know the heart. We may assume people are enjoying the conversation, but are they... or are they trying their own methods to get where you are really coming from?
Could they be trying to access you, and what you are up to?
I can tell you, that what we assume about people, is not always the case.
No. I cannot read hearts. Maybe all of them want me to share the Gospel with them. You never know. We cannot read their hearts. So, we should get out there and tell as many people as possible. Even if they do not want to hear the Gospel. They may hear it and be changed. I have seen this happen with an old angry man (A very angry man. So angry people started to watch us). And by the end of it, he said that he was amazed because he had never heard the Gospel put in such a way before. He understood and thanked me a lot. So, even though he was closed off, he was still changed.
If you really want to know what heart condition the people have, Jesus' method works.
Jesus thought about what interests people, and then he found creative ways to teach.
We will have similar results when we follow that example, and we will have Jesus' support.
The 60 second challenge is a simple way to get people engaged so I can then do as Jesus done with the rich young ruler. If I was to only limit it to what you are saying, then I would not do BBQs or the town fairs or hand out tracts as Jesus never did them in the bible.
Staying in one place is good for the reason that the regulars become familiar with you, and they get to know you better.
Yes, this is good. People do get to know me and they see by my consistency with going out, that I truly believe in what I am saying. My actions substantiate my beliefs which gives more validity to what I say to them. So, my consistency becomes a witness in itself.
Excellent!
I love your spirit. You have the right attitude.
Wouldn't you love it if more people professing Christianity, would have that kind of zeal?
Yes, I would love it. I pray often that the Lord will make more harvesters.
Wow. With that spirit, and love for people, you would make a good disciple of Christ!
Thank you.
