Does mass evangelism really work?

[millerrod]

Tamera Tamera Tamera

 

[ECHELON]

As I understood it, Jim's problem was not with technology but with how it is used to create an atmosphere of emotionalism. There IS a difference.

Tamara, I read this thread through and I believe Jim has failed in proving that what takes place in all of these crusades is nothing but emotionalism. Both him and you are entitled to your opinion though but it is just an opinion.

Jim does provide evidence of this. Some of that evidence was in the form of showing how those who make a decision for Christ at the alter rarely ever go to church afterward, many can't be found, and some have not repented and are still in the same situations that they were in before the crusade. However, as I pointed out, evangelism is only about delivering the Gospel message, it isn't about teaching or pastoring. The evidence Jim has brought forward suggests that the real problem isn't the evangelistic crusade and how it's done today but that those people are left high and dry afterwards.

This brings to mind Jesus's parable of the sower and the seed. The Church has to be there for people after the seed has been planted because as the evidence shows, if these people are not followed up on and ministered to and taught, Satan will pluck those seeds out of the ground just as soon as they have been planted.

The problem, IMHO, really is about the Church as a whole. The 5 offices within the body of Christ is not doing the job. And we better start, soon!

 

[JimB]

And I am asking you to 1). prove he preached in an amphitheater and 2). he organized it.

~Jim

Why do we prefer problems that are familiar to solutions that are not?​

Well? I'm waiting.

~Jim

Why do we prefer problems that are familiar to solutions that are not?​

 

[jeolmstead]

If a person comes to Christ (however it happens) I rejoice in that fact.

I’m struck however by the anonymity involved in large meetings. Typically, no one knows who anyone is or where they came from. (Including the guy at the lectern)

I mean you don’t really know the guy speaking. (Not really)

And, how do you make disciples out of the newly converted? It’s akin to birthing a baby in the woods and leaving him there in hopes he’ll survive.

Can God work this way? Sure He can! Anything can work if God is in it. There are certainly examples of God moving greatly in mass meetings. The Wales revival of the early 1900’s is an example.

I think the difference is that those meeting were in response to a great outpouring of God’s Spirit. There were not spawned by some “ya-hoo” attempting to whip people up.

We do what we do because we don’t have anything else to do. It has become form without function. We shout because our grandparents shouted, not because we have something to shout about.

John O.

 

[JeCrois]

Well? I'm waiting.

~Jim

Why do we prefer problems that are familiar to solutions that are not?​

I'm waiting for you to prove he didn't.

 

[millerrod]

I am just waiting for to understand why all the and maybe i am just because i just dont

 

[JeCrois]

If a person comes to Christ (however it happens) I rejoice in that fact.

John O.

This is what I meant to say earlier...but I didn't exactly pick the best words...

Who cares if it was right or wrong if someone was saved in the process?

 

[JeCrois]

I am just waiting for to understand why all the and maybe i am just because i just dont

No, no, no...you aren't for just wanting freedom from .

All the and the is from people refusing to to everyone else's and .

 

[charityagape]

Wow. Anyway does mass evangilism really work, yep it really does.

 

[millerrod]

I like your high end smilies compared to my wal-mart smilies

 

[millerrod]

Charity put that stick down you look violent

 

[Always in His Presence]

And I am asking you to 1). prove he preached in an amphitheater and 2). he organized it.

You would have to be completely convinced - hop on a plane - go to Ephesus - catch a tour bus to the amphitheater and see the inscriptions yourself - I'm sure your tour guide will be happy to help.

That's how I learned it and that is the only way I can see for you to believe it for yourself, since you view me as a liar.

Enjoy

 

[Always in His Presence]

Just because there were a lot of people there doesn't mean they were there because Paul invited them. They were there because they ALWAYS went there to hear people discuss philosophy. They were already there and Paul just showed up and started preaching.

LOL back atcha - show me in scripture where the people were always there to hear people discuss philosophy.

Chapter and verse please, because I know you certainly can live up to your own standards.

 

[JimB]

see below

​

 

[JimB]

You would have to be completely convinced - hop on a plane - go to Ephesus - catch a tour bus to the amphitheater and see the inscriptions yourself - I'm sure your tour guide will be happy to help.

That's how I learned it and that is the only way I can see for you to believe it for yourself, since you view me as a liar.

Enjoy

So, you told us you could “prove” that Paul preached in the amphitheater in Ephesus and even showed us a photo as evidence and all you have to prove it by is a tour guide’s information?

Actually, since we are talking about the Bible, I was looking for biblical proof, not a tour guide’s guide to biblical truth.

You amaze me sometime, Balance. BTW, I have this bridge I can let you have cheap.

Then you have the gall to ask someone else for “chapter and verse” biblical proof by saying this …

LOL back atcha - show me in scripture where the people were always there to hear people discuss philosophy.

Chapter and verse please, because I know you certainly can live up to your own standards.

What "standards", B? A tour guides? Who are you to be talking about “standards” when you offer us this? We can disagree on many things and I can respect your view but I when you waste our time like this … well,

~Jim

Why do we prefer problems that are familiar to solutions that are not?​

 

[Tamara224]

LOL back atcha - show me in scripture where the people were always there to hear people discuss philosophy.

Chapter and verse please, because I know you certainly can live up to your own standards.

You're right. I can't show you that verse because I got confused. It was the Areopagus, in Athens, that I was thinking of, not the amphitheater in Ephesus.

Acts 17:19-21
19 And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, "May we know what this new teaching is which you are proclaiming?

20 "For you are bringing some strange things to our ears; so we want to know what these things mean." 21 (Now all the Athenians and the strangers visiting there used to spend their time in nothing other than telling or hearing something new.)


Sorry for the confusion.

Now, why don't you answer the challenge and prove your claims from Scripture?




Oh yeah... I know why - because it can't be done.

 

[Tamara224]

Tamera Tamera Tamera

Do you mean Tamara?

What?

 

[Always in His Presence]

Mass evangelism does in fact work.

Here is why I say that:

• There is scriptural precedent for it, from Jesus own ministry, who we are to be imitators of to Acts 2, Acts 5:13-15, Acts 8:5:7, Acts 13:44-46, Acts 14:17-19.
• There is historical record of evangelist preaching to entire cities, The Wesley's in the late 1700's would draw crowds of 10,000+ is one example that comes directly to mind.
• In today's society there is obvious and prolific fruit from such ventures. As one individual I can personally name 16 or so people who accepted Christ at a crusade and credit that event for changing their lives.
• Churches that get involved in the crusades (at least from my experience), benefit greatly from them.
  

When we participated in the Billy Graham crusade, we took the instruction and the challenge seriously. We had almost a year to prepare, we went to the training sessions, prayed as a church for the lost, trained and got teams of two to reach those people whose names we were given. It set a fire in the church for the lost.

When we got the names, we went and personally visited every one of them. Some stayed out of church, some came to ours and some, we referred to other churches. Sort of like the parable of the seed.

I've never seen a positive grow from a negative - we don't build by tearing down, just like we don't encourage by being critical.

Does mass evangelism work - definitely yes. Does mass evangelism work 100% - definitely no. It takes every part of the Body of Christ working together to make it complete.

Does Sunday service as evangelism work - definitely yes. Does Sunday service as evangelism work 100% - definitely no. It takes every part of the Body of Christ working together to make it complete.

Does one on one evangelism work - definitely yes. Does one on one evangelism work 100% - definitely no. It takes every part of the Body of Christ working together to make it complete.

Does home group evangelism work - definitely yes. Does home group evangelism work 100% - definitely no. It takes every part of the Body of Christ working together to make it complete.

Does street evangelism work - definitely yes. Does street evangelism work 100% - definitely no. It takes every part of the Body of Christ working together to make it complete.

Remember this post from JeCrois that you said you agreed with?

I can go downtown in a large city and tell every person individually that stops to listen about Jesus until I'm blue in the face, but not all of them are going to take what i say to heart. I could spend months counseling with those who heard me and "converted" but nothing I do will change those who just don't have it in their heart to change. That is the Holy Spirit's job.

We can't bash one method for not yielding adequate numbers in our eyes when every other method used can have the same turn-outs.

Reaching the lost at a big crusade has nothing to do with lack of effort on our part. People can see Jesus in us if they look hard enough, but not everyone has eyes strong enough to see that. For some people it takes the means of a big event with the lights and doodads or whatever because that is all they open their eyes to see. We can show them all the Christianity love that we have to offer, but that is just not enough to spark a desire for that love in some people....different strokes for different folks.

The beauty of God is in the eye of the beholder. Some people come to see that beauty through the efforts of a private conversation with one person. Some people see the beauty in the midst of a crowd of 100,000 other people. There is no difference between the amount of good between the two.

To discredit the good that evangelism brings is wrong. To discredit the bad that it does is also wrong. To say that it is a waste when it only brings in small numbers of conversions is wrong. To say that all the people who were "disillusioned" don't matter in light of the "illusioned" is wrong. But to put it all at the fault of the evangelist who is doing what God called them to do is wrong. To call one method better than another method of reaching the lost when they both do the exact same thing is wrong.
The NT had ways of reaching people through big events. We don't know the true success of what they did in the larger scheme of things because there is no comparison between numbers. (i.e. 'This many' out of 'this many' got the real deal) So we can't say that the motive for today's big events are any different from the motives that Jesus himself had when He spoke to the multitudes or when He spoke to people one-on-one. We should step back and see that any means to see someone saved is a blessing and not a waste.
God calls all of us to spread the Truth in the best way we can. That may be on a one-on-one basis, that may be through leading worship, that may be through serving the community in different charities, or that may be through the intrinsic and careful work that evangelists put up with. God sees our strengths and talents (which He so kindly bestows us with) and calls us to use those things to glorify His name.

 

[TasManOfGod]

Remember Jesus pulled large crowds -as well as sat with individuals -and yet there was only 120 gathered in His name in the upper room at Pentecost
The most important part of evangelism is the "hearing" of the gospel. To some folk it might never be actually be heard unless by an evangelist at a mass gathering .
One thing also to remember is that "missionary " work is not evangelical -it is apostolic and only involves elements of pastoring teaching and evangelism.
Do you also realise that part of the role of the evangelist is to train up other evangelists as well as giving instruction and encouragement to the whole Body on matters concerning doing that part of the "work of the ministry".
Please dont put down God's workers in the harvest.
God knows how much is already rotting unharvested

 

[nephilimiyr]

I rededicated my life to God after watching a few telvangelists. There was no christian friend or stranger sharing his belief with me and there was no church that was there for me, the television was though! If God could reach me in this way I know he can and has reached others in this way too. Long live the power of television and mass media!!!

Thank you Jesus!