Almost Half of Practicing Christian Millennials Say Evangelism Is Wrong

Hazelelponi · Feb 8, 2019

BABerean2 said:
My wife and I spent several years at a local Bible church.
We loved the people and they loved us.

During our whole time there I never heard a Sunday School lesson, or a sermon on the New Covenant.

.

I would have changed churches if possible.

...Not everyone who says to Me Lord, Lord....

and all that.

If there is a problem with a specific congregation it might be better to bring it up with them or those of their beleifs instead of accusing in generalities people you don't even know.

(I don't watch videos, by the way.. If you can't type out your point I don't waste my time.. that's just an off topic heads up )

hedrick · Feb 8, 2019

BABerean2 said:
My wife and I spent several years at a local Bible church.
We loved the people and they loved us.

During our whole time there I never heard a Sunday School lesson, or a sermon on the New Covenant.

.

Did you have a communion service? “This cup is the new covenant in my blood”

hedrick · Feb 8, 2019

Hazelelponi said:
As has been pointed out, evangelism and missionary activity is very much biblical and began in the book of Acts.

I think people aren't observing the specifics of the survey. Virtually all of the people said "part of my faith means being a witness about Jesus." But 47% also said "It is wrong to share one's personal beliefs with someone of a different faith in hopes that they will one day share the same faith."

So they want to talk with others about their faith, but not necessarily with the goal of converting them. I suggest to you that this is a reaction against a specific type of evangelism, but not against the basic commitment to share the Gospel. To my knowledge, what generally brings people into the church is their friends who share the Gospel with them. I think the millennials are still willing to do that, as much as any other generation.

BABerean2 · Feb 8, 2019

hedrick said:
Did you have a communion service? “This cup is the new covenant in my blood”

We did, but the words "new covenant" were never used while we were at that church.
They used the KJV version found below.

Mat_26:28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

The KJV inconsistently translates the Greek word "diatheke".
It translates it as "testament" in most places, but as "covenant" in Hebrews 12:24.
The NKJV is more consistent.

.

BABerean2 · Feb 8, 2019

Hazelelponi said:
I would have changed churches if possible.

...Not everyone who says to Me Lord, Lord....

and all that.

If there is a problem with a specific congregation it might be better to bring it up with them or those of their beleifs instead of accusing in generalities people you don't even know.

(I don't watch videos, by the way.. If you can't type out your point I don't waste my time.. that's just an off topic heads up )

We did change.

A picture is still worth a thousand words.
If those in your church body do not understand the New Covenant, they will never be able to fully understand Luke 24:25-27. The whole Old Testament is about Christ.
However, I respect your choice.

I often listen to YouTube videos about Bible doctrine, while I am on the road.
It is a good use of my time.

.

mark kennedy · Feb 8, 2019

redleghunter said:
Amen. Usually a good sign of NT evangelism in today’s churches is church planting.

The fire of evangelism never really goes out, although there are times is starts to wane. The church still has willing skillful workers with a burden for the lost and we can expect at some point revival will catch fire. So if you know an evangelist, the next time you see him give him a big hug, it's a hard job right now

Grace and peace,
Mark

FireDragon76 · Feb 8, 2019

hedrick said:
I think people aren't observing the specifics of the survey. Virtually all of the people said "part of my faith means being a witness about Jesus." But 47% also said "It is wrong to share one's personal beliefs with someone of a different faith in hopes that they will one day share the same faith."

So they want to talk with others about their faith, but not necessarily with the goal of converting them. I suggest to you that this is a reaction against a specific type of evangelism, but not against the basic commitment to share the Gospel. To my knowledge, what generally brings people into the church is their friends who share the Gospel with them. I think the millennials are still willing to do that, as much as any other generation.

Good point. People now days are more sensitive, and that is not a bad thing. Religion is serious business and I think most people understand that. Some people aren't so shallow as to treat their religious beliefs as something you can try on for 30 days, like Rick Warren suggested to a Jewish newscaster years ago. Kids now days are more interested in dialogue than dogmatism. That doesn't mean they are disinterested in truth.

FireDragon76 · Feb 8, 2019

Hazelelponi said:
If it wasn't for someone evangelizing I wouldn't be a Christian today.

Do you really believe this? Do you really believe salvation is dependent on what human beings do?

I can tell you as a Lutheran, I don't believe it. God can make children from stones, he doesn't need human beings to save anyone.

When we live in peace and justice with our neighbor we proclaim the reign of God. The Gospel is not soap suds. Religion is far too serious a matter to be suggesting we can share or spread it like a sleazy marketing scheme.

redleghunter · Feb 8, 2019

FireDragon76 said:
Do you really believe this? Do you really believe salvation is dependent on what human beings do?

No but Jesus did use humans and send His disciples into the world and Paul did say:

How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THOSE WHO BRING GOOD NEWS OF GOOD THINGS!” (Romans 10:14-15)

Jesus also said:

34Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work. 35“Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest. 36“Already he who reaps is receiving wages and is gathering fruit for life eternal; so that he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. 37“For in this case the saying is true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ 38“I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored and you have entered into their labor.” (John 4:34-38)

redleghunter · Feb 8, 2019

FireDragon76 said:
When we live in peace and justice with our neighbor we proclaim the reign of God.

That may be the postmodern 'gospel' but not what Jesus told His disciples to go out and preach:

Luke 24: NASB

44Now He said to them, “These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46and He said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, 47and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48“You are witnesses of these things. 49“And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

Athanasius377 · Feb 8, 2019

FireDragon76 said:
Do you really believe this? Do you really believe salvation is dependent on what human beings do?

I can tell you as a Lutheran, I don't believe it. God can make children from stones, he doesn't need human beings to save anyone.

When we live in peace and justice with our neighbor we proclaim the reign of God. The Gospel is not soap suds. Religion is far too serious a matter to be suggesting we can share or spread it like a sleazy marketing scheme.

Yes but God also uses ordinary means to accomplish His will.

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. Rom 10:17 (ESV)

I think Penn Jillette said it best when he asked "How much hate do you have to have for someone to not proselytize".

BABerean2 · Feb 8, 2019

FireDragon76 said:
Do you really believe this? Do you really believe salvation is dependent on what human beings do?

I can tell you as a Lutheran, I don't believe it. God can make children from stones, he doesn't need human beings to save anyone.

How is the verse below going to be accomplished without someone to preach the Word, or someone to print Bibles?

Eph 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

.

redleghunter · Feb 8, 2019

hedrick said:
I think people aren't observing the specifics of the survey. Virtually all of the people said "part of my faith means being a witness about Jesus." But 47% also said "It is wrong to share one's personal beliefs with someone of a different faith in hopes that they will one day share the same faith."

So they want to talk with others about their faith, but not necessarily with the goal of converting them. I suggest to you that this is a reaction against a specific type of evangelism, but not against the basic commitment to share the Gospel. To my knowledge, what generally brings people into the church is their friends who share the Gospel with them. I think the millennials are still willing to do that, as much as any other generation.

I see the distinction you are communicating. However, there is quite a wide divide between "Let's talk about Jesus" if the conversation brings it up to how the apostles presented the Gospel publicly in Acts of the Apostles. Probably why it's called "Acts."

I mean Paul was beaten, scourged, stoned (to death but got back up), imprisoned, overtaken by angry mobs, endured being shipwrecked three times adrift in the deep of the sea, and eventually beheaded for his testimony for Christ.

And now we are concerned if the Gospel offends those who we speak with?

Of course the Gospel will offend! It is foolishness to those perishing that is why we preach it.

1 Corinthians 1: NASB

18For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

19For it is written,
“I WILL DESTROY THE WISDOM OF THE WISE,
AND THE CLEVERNESS OF THE CLEVER I WILL SET ASIDE.”

20Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. 22For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; 23but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, 24but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

26For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; 27but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, 28and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, 29so that no man may boast before God. 30But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, 31so that, just as it is written, “LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD.”

Archivist · Feb 8, 2019

redleghunter said:
I see the distinction you are communicating. However, there is quite a wide divide between "Let's talk about Jesus" if the conversation brings it up to how the apostles presented the Gospel publicly in Acts of the Apostles. Probably why it's called "Acts."

I mean Paul was beaten, scourged, stoned (to death but got back up), imprisoned, overtaken by angry mobs, endured being shipwrecked three times adrift in the deep of the sea, and eventually beheaded for his testimony for Christ.

And now we are concerned if the Gospel offends those who we speak with?

Of course the Gospel will offend! It is foolishness to those perishing that is why we preach it.

What worries me is the example I provided earlier, which actually happened. I had a visit from a man from a local independent church. When I told him I was Lutheran, he proceeded to tell me that I could not be saved because Lutherans practiced both sprinkling and infant baptism. However, those are issues upon which Christians can and do disagree. If you want to prevent someone from ever visiting your church, start off by telling them that. He then proceed to start yelling at my neighbor, saying she would burn in Hell because she was Jewish. My guess is that she will probably never visit a Christian church because of what this man said to her. If people are going to go out and evangelize they need to learn that there is a right way and a wrong way to do it.

redleghunter · Feb 8, 2019

Athanasius377 said:
Yes but God also uses ordinary means to accomplish His will.

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. Rom 10:17 (ESV)

I think Penn Jillette said it best when he asked "How much hate do you have to have for someone to not proselytize".

You do find the gems. Hey maybe we need to see that guy with the keyboard singing the Revelation song. Loved the shirt.

redleghunter · Feb 8, 2019

Archivist said:
What worries me is the example I provided earlier, which actually happened. I had a visit from a man from a local independent church. When I told him I was Lutheran, he proceeded to tell me that I could not be saved because Lutherans practiced both sprinkling and infant baptism. However, those are issues upon which Christians can and do disagree. If you want to prevent someone from ever visiting your church, start off by telling them that. He then proceed to start yelling at my neighbor, saying she would burn in Hell because she was Jewish. My guess is that she will probably never visit a Christian church because of what this man said to her. If people are going to go out and evangelize they need to learn that there is a right way and a wrong way to do it.

Yeah that is not how the apostles presented the Gospel. Paul did shake out his clothes and the dust from his sandals when certain synagogues contended with him. But that was much different.

What happened to you (and similarly to me on some occasions) was not the Gospel presented but self righteous "ism". I am truly sorry both you and especially your neighbor endured such.

I've attended LCMS services when my youngest attended their Lutheran school. My best friend and his wife are Lutherans and I stood in as godfather and my wife as godmother for their twin grandchildren.

redleghunter · Feb 8, 2019

Christianity Today goes a bit more into the analysis of the Barna survey:

Half of Millennial Christians Say It’s Wrong to Evangelize

Hazelelponi · Feb 8, 2019

... ...

FireDragon76 · Feb 8, 2019

redleghunter said:
That may be the postmodern 'gospel' but not what Jesus told His disciples to go out and preach

I really wish you would not disparage my religion so casually.

Jesus gave the commission to preach to the apostles, who largely fulfilled it, taking the gospel to the far corners of the known world. Today the apostolic mission is primarily our bishops job. Our job as laity is to receive the gifts of God.

redleghunter · Feb 8, 2019

FireDragon76 said:
I really wish you would not disparage my religion so casually.

Jesus gave the commission to preach to the apostles, who largely fulfilled it, taking the gospel to the far corners of the known world. Today the apostolic mission is primarily our bishops job. Our job as laity is to receive the gifts of God.

Not a disparaging comment. A valid observation from what you provided and what Jesus and His apostles said and told others to do.

I posted the relevant scriptures.

This does not have to be a created dichotomy. The NT church preached the Gospel and lived charitably. They expressed the love of neighbor by providing the power of the Gospel to save souls AND offered material needs to the very same.

It does not need to be an either/or.

Almost Half of Practicing Christian Millennials Say Evangelism Is Wrong

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