Friendship Evangelism is not proclaiming the Gospel.

[1Tonne]

Mark 16:15, "Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to all creation."

I have been frustrated many times when I hear believers mention Mark 16:15, and then they say that we can share the Gospel just by going to work and being a conscientious worker, or blessing a friend or just doing a nice deed or saying something nice. So, they believe that just by being someone’s friend, that they are evangelising.
I do not believe that doing nice deeds or befriending someone is sharing the Gospel. But what it is, is a witness for our faith. And then if you are a good witness, what you say can be taken as credible. Let me explain.
Imagine you had seen a person, go into a pub daily, they swore, used Gods name in vain and were an angry person. If this person was to come up to you and share the Gospel, you would be very hesitant to believe what he was saying. After all, his life still looked as though it was no different from an unbeliever. So, because of his actions, we were able to see how much he believed in his faith. Not very much. He was a poor witness.
Now imagine another person. You had seen them working at the local charity shop, they were kind and giving and always willing to help out. If this person came up to you and shared the Gospel, you would know that they believed in what they were saying as their life reflected their belief. Their actions substantiated their faith. They were a good witness.
Overall, I believe that as believers we are to be good people. We are to get alongside others and befriend them, be kind to them and be a blessing to them. This shows who we are and that what we believe in, our faith, is real to us. Then when we say what we believe in, that Jesus died for our sins, it gives it more credibility. If we act like we believe, then we are a good witness.
But the Gospel must be spoken. The Gospel is not an action of ours. Our friendship is not the power of God unto salvation. Nor are our kind deeds the power of God unto salvation. It is the Gospel that is the power of God unto salvation. It is the Good News spoken aloud that is the power of God unto salvation.
So, live a life that honours God. Be kind. Befriend people and bless them, but make sure you tell them the reason for your faith. Speak it aloud.

Friendship evangelism is neither friendship nor evangelism if the Gospel is not spoken.

Is this thinking correct or am I on a wrong path?

 

[Mark Quayle]

Mark 16:15, "Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to all creation."

I have been frustrated many times when I hear believers mention Mark 16:15, and then they say that we can share the Gospel just by going to work and being a conscientious worker, or blessing a friend or just doing a nice deed or saying something nice. So, they believe that just by being someone’s friend, that they are evangelising.
I do not believe that doing nice deeds or befriending someone is sharing the Gospel. But what it is, is a witness for our faith. And then if you are a good witness, what you say can be taken as credible. Let me explain.
Imagine you had seen a person, go into a pub daily, they swore, used Gods name in vain and were an angry person. If this person was to come up to you and share the Gospel, you would be very hesitant to believe what he was saying. After all, his life still looked as though it was no different from an unbeliever. So, because of his actions, we were able to see how much he believed in his faith. Not very much. He was a poor witness.
Now imagine another person. You had seen them working at the local charity shop, they were kind and giving and always willing to help out. If this person came up to you and shared the Gospel, you would know that they believed in what they were saying as their life reflected their belief. Their actions substantiated their faith. They were a good witness.
Overall, I believe that as believers we are to be good people. We are to get alongside others and befriend them, be kind to them and be a blessing to them. This shows who we are and that what we believe in, our faith, is real to us. Then when we say what we believe in, that Jesus died for our sins, it gives it more credibility. If we act like we believe, then we are a good witness.
But the Gospel must be spoken. The Gospel is not an action of ours. Our friendship is not the power of God unto salvation. Nor are our kind deeds the power of God unto salvation. It is the Gospel that is the power of God unto salvation. It is the Good News spoken aloud that is the power of God unto salvation.
So, live a life that honours God. Be kind. Befriend people and bless them, but make sure you tell them the reason for your faith. Speak it aloud.

Friendship evangelism is neither friendship nor evangelism if the Gospel is not spoken.

Is this thinking correct or am I on a wrong path?

I'm not a big proponent of the lists and uses of the "spiritual gifts" but I do recognize the different personality types. There are people I would call evangelists, and they are not at all my type. They are the kind that seem to believe the reason God has us here on earth is to bring more "members into the club". I thank God for them —in fact, even the charlatans, whom God uses to bring about the salvation of those God has chosen from the beginning. I thank God for them, I say, but I will not let them dictate to me how I should convey the message of the Gospel.

 

[Soyeong]

Mark 16:15, "Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to all creation."

I have been frustrated many times when I hear believers mention Mark 16:15, and then they say that we can share the Gospel just by going to work and being a conscientious worker, or blessing a friend or just doing a nice deed or saying something nice. So, they believe that just by being someone’s friend, that they are evangelising.
I do not believe that doing nice deeds or befriending someone is sharing the Gospel. But what it is, is a witness for our faith. And then if you are a good witness, what you say can be taken as credible. Let me explain.
Imagine you had seen a person, go into a pub daily, they swore, used Gods name in vain and were an angry person. If this person was to come up to you and share the Gospel, you would be very hesitant to believe what he was saying. After all, his life still looked as though it was no different from an unbeliever. So, because of his actions, we were able to see how much he believed in his faith. Not very much. He was a poor witness.
Now imagine another person. You had seen them working at the local charity shop, they were kind and giving and always willing to help out. If this person came up to you and shared the Gospel, you would know that they believed in what they were saying as their life reflected their belief. Their actions substantiated their faith. They were a good witness.
Overall, I believe that as believers we are to be good people. We are to get alongside others and befriend them, be kind to them and be a blessing to them. This shows who we are and that what we believe in, our faith, is real to us. Then when we say what we believe in, that Jesus died for our sins, it gives it more credibility. If we act like we believe, then we are a good witness.
But the Gospel must be spoken. The Gospel is not an action of ours. Our friendship is not the power of God unto salvation. Nor are our kind deeds the power of God unto salvation. It is the Gospel that is the power of God unto salvation. It is the Good News spoken aloud that is the power of God unto salvation.
So, live a life that honours God. Be kind. Befriend people and bless them, but make sure you tell them the reason for your faith. Speak it aloud.

Friendship evangelism is neither friendship nor evangelism if the Gospel is not spoken.

Is this thinking correct or am I on a wrong path?

In Matthew 4:15-23, Jesus began his ministry with the Gospel message to repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand, which was a light to the Gentiles, and the Torah is how his audience knew what sin is (Romans 3:20), so repenting from our disobedience to it is central to the Gospel message, which is what he commissioned his disciples to bring to the nations by making disciples of all nations, teaching them everything that he had taught them (Matthew 28:16-20). People are influenced by the behavior of the people that we hang out with, so someone can indirectly spread the Gospel simply by living as a citizen of God's Kingdom in obedience to His Torah, though I agree that we are called to be more direct than that.

Jesus did not just instruct his disciples to spread the Gospel, but instructed them to make disciples of all nations. Someone became a disciple of a rabbi in order receive a very intense education about how to walk in obedience to the Torah, where they did not just memorize it in order to know what it contained, but also learned how to put it into practice by closely following his example. Rabbi/disciple relationships were considered to be closer than father/son relationships.

 

[1Tonne]

There are people I would call evangelists, and they are not at all my type. They are the kind that seem to believe the reason God has us here on earth is to bring more "members into the club".

Jesus said that the second greatest commandment is to love your neighbour as you love yourself.
Now if you truly believe that Jesus took the punishment for our sins, that is that we would have eternal torment, then would it be wrong not to tell as many people as possible? After all, if we love ourselves enough to choose God over torment. Would it be wrong not to tell your neighbour? If you love everyone as much as yourself, then surely you would want to save others. So, tell as many people as possible. It would be horrifying to see you work mate, your friend or even a stranger go to a place of torment just because we could not work up the courage to say the Good News. In Rev 21:8 it says what becomes of those that do not work up the courage to share. "But for the cowardly, and unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and sexually immoral persons, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
All of us have been told to say the Gospel. An evangelist is just someone who shares the Gospel but also teaches others to do so. Eph 4:11-12 shows this. "And He gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ;" Evangelists are those that equip the saints to do the same. But we are all called to proclaim the Gospel.

People are influenced by the behavior of the people that we hang out with, so someone can indirectly spread the Gospel simply by living as a citizen of God's Kingdom in obedience to His Torah,

This is the issue. People do not proclaim because they think that living a good life is sharing the Good News. They think they are doing as Jesus commanded simply by living as a citizen of the Kingdom obediently and that this is all they need to do. This is the reason only 2% of believers regularly share the Gospel. We need to proclaim with words. Also, Jesus gave us more commandments than just the Torah. Mark 16:15. "Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to all creation.". We cannot ignore what Jesus commanded. In John 14:15-24 Jesus says: “If you love Me, keep My commandments … He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me … If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.”
A Muslim will live a good life. So will a Jehovah's Witness. If they were not to say the reason for their faith and we didn't either, how could you tell the difference? The Gospel is not spread by our kind actions. It only substantiates what we believe. Then when we do say the Gospel, it shows that we truly believe in what we are saying.
So, we do need to be more active in saying the Gospel. If we class that the way we live is proclaiming the Good News, then we are just fooling ourselves. We are actually not obeying what Jesus said. That is to tell as many people as possible. And really, if you truly believe, you will want to tell everyone. Afterall, you were once heading for eternal torment, but Jesus took your punishment. He gave a massive gift for you. He gave his life. I know if someone gave me a million dollars, I would be so excited, I would want to tell as many people as possible. How much more excited should we be with the gift of eternal life?

 

[Mark Quayle]

After all, if we love ourselves enough to choose God over torment. Would it be wrong not to tell your neighbour? If you love everyone as much as yourself, then surely you would want to save others.

Two things here. You seem to assume that I believe God died for everyone, and you seem to believe that if I don't 'evangelize' as such, that I don't witness. Both are wrong. See below.

This is the issue. People do not proclaim because they think that living a good life is sharing the Good News.

Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. Even more than I want people not to go to hell, I want them to be in awe and unmitigated adoration of the beauty and majesty and glory of the Great God we love. I can't think of anybody that I know personally who doesn't know what I believe.

 

[1Tonne]

Two things here. You seem to assume that I believe God died for everyone, and you seem to believe that if I don't 'evangelize' as such, that I don't witness. Both are wrong. See below.

Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. Even more than I want people not to go to hell, I want them to be in awe and unmitigated adoration of the beauty and majesty and glory of the Great God we love. I can't think of anybody that I know personally who doesn't know what I believe.

From your comment, I did surmise that you didn't speak the Gospel. For that I am sorry.
So many believers, even pastors do not share the Gospel.
What I am saying, is that many people, before they are Christians, they had friends that they never spoke the Gospel to (probably because they did not believe) and now that they are born again, they still do not speak the Gospel to them. They presume that people will see Jesus in them just by doing good deeds. So really, nothing has change except they are a little nicer to be around.
Deeds and kind acts are not proclaiming the Gospel.

Also, many believers think that they are sharing the Gospel when they tell their nonbelieving friends that they are a Christian. But this too is not sharing the Good News. We need to tell people what the Good News is. That we have sinned and so we have earnt our wages. But Jesus came and took our punishment on the cross. Then he rose again on the third day. And now, we no longer come under condemnation. God can give us grace because of what Jesus did. Jesus died in our place.
We cannot be the Good News. Our deeds cannot be the Good News. We need to speak it. It is the biblical account of Jesus's sacrifice for our sins.

 

[Mark Quayle]

From your comment, I did surmise that you didn't speak the Gospel. For that I am sorry.
So many believers, even pastors do not share the Gospel.
What I am saying, is that many people, before they are Christians, they had friends that they never spoke the Gospel to (probably because they did not believe) and now that they are born again, they still do not speak the Gospel to them. They presume that people will see Jesus in them just by doing good deeds. So really, nothing has change except they are a little nicer to be around.
Deeds and kind acts are not proclaiming the Gospel.

Also, many believers think that they are sharing the Gospel when they tell their nonbelieving friends that they are a Christian. But this too is not sharing the Good News. We need to tell people what the Good News is. That we have sinned and so we have earnt our wages. But Jesus came and took our punishment on the cross. Then he rose again on the third day. And now, we no longer come under condemnation. God can give us grace because of what Jesus did. Jesus died in our place.
We cannot be the Good News. Our deeds cannot be the Good News. We need to speak it. It is the biblical account of Jesus's sacrifice for our sins.

It's almost like it hasn't occurred to you that the "sharing of the Gospel" just sounds like words to some people. Noise.

Do you get to know the people you talk to? Those I talk to, if I get to know them well, know what the Gospel is about, better than some evangelists do.

But I probably better shut up, as you seem to me to be stuck on evangelism, as if that is all we are here to do. I don't mean to drive you off, and I don't mean to disparage you. I thank God for you. But you don't know me, nor apparently, just what it is that I believe.

 

[1Tonne]

But you don't know me, nor apparently, just what it is that I believe.

Sorry. I am not meaning to target you in any way. In my last post, the first sentence was for you but then the rest is for people in general. My hope that there is a larger audience reading this thread. My desire is that people tell of the amazing thing that Jesus did for them. Not just to stay silent and think that their actions tell the account of the sacrifice Jesus did. It needs to be spoken/proclaimed.

It's almost like it hasn't occurred to you that the "sharing of the Gospel" just sounds like words to some people. Noise.

I understand that when I share the Gospel that is goes over some people heads or on deaf ears. They think it is pointless. But I still tell them the Good News because Jesus commanded of us. Then once I have said it, it is God who creates the growth.

Do you get to know the people you talk to?

That is a very interesting point. Most believers think we need to get to know someone incredibly well before we can share the Gospel. But in reality, how well do we have to know someone? The truth is, not very well at all. The disciples told the Gospel to whoever they could. Even strangers.
I often go to the parks and share the Gospel. It only takes me 1 minute to create enough of a relationship, that I can share the Gospel. And when I share it, the person who I am speaking to knows from my actions, that I truly believe in what I am saying. They see that I am going out there and telling people even when it is incredibly scary. My actions substantiate my belief, making it more credible. Therefore, a good witness.
Here is what I do. This is a very simple way of sharing.

The Great Chocolate Evangelizing trick - This works.

I have been trying to find easy ways to approach non-believers and then tell them the Gospel. I personally find going up to a stranger and saying the full Gospel very scary. I read on this forum about a challenge where the stranger must name all the 10 Commandments in 60 seconds. If they get...

www.christianforums.com

 

[Mark Quayle]

That is a very interesting point. Most believers think we need to get to know someone incredibly well before we can share the Gospel.

I don't know of very many who believe that. I don't. Sometimes I find myself telling a complete stranger. But I don't walk to the park with that purpose in mind. I'm not like you. Nor are you like me.

 

[lismore]

That is a very interesting point. Most believers think we need to get to know someone incredibly well before we can share the Gospel.

Hello! I have heard some speakers say that we need to 'earn' the right to share the gospel with someone. But God already has the right to tell people what to do because he created them.

On the day of Pentecost in Acts ch 2 Peter gave a sermon in which the strangers listening were 'cut to the heart' and around 3,000 souls were added to the church. The gospel will be offensive to the unrepentant sinner because it's powerful. IMHO the modern church has gone too far down the road of sanitizing the gospel, taking the offensive edge off it and often diluting it to the extent that it looses it's potency.

God Bless

 

[zoidar]

Sorry. I am not meaning to target you in any way. In my last post, the first sentence was for you but then the rest is for people in general. My hope that there is a larger audience reading this thread. My desire is that people tell of the amazing thing that Jesus did for them. Not just to stay silent and think that their actions tell the account of the sacrifice Jesus did. It needs to be spoken/proclaimed.


I understand that when I share the Gospel that is goes over some people heads or on deaf ears. They think it is pointless. But I still tell them the Good News because Jesus commanded of us. Then once I have said it, it is God who creates the growth.


That is a very interesting point. Most believers think we need to get to know someone incredibly well before we can share the Gospel. But in reality, how well do we have to know someone? The truth is, not very well at all. The disciples told the Gospel to whoever they could. Even strangers.
I often go to the parks and share the Gospel. It only takes me 1 minute to create enough of a relationship, that I can share the Gospel. And when I share it, the person who I am speaking to knows from my actions, that I truly believe in what I am saying. They see that I am going out there and telling people even when it is incredibly scary. My actions substantiate my belief, making it more credible. Therefore, a good witness.
Here is what I do. This is a very simple way of sharing.

The Great Chocolate Evangelizing trick - This works.

I have been trying to find easy ways to approach non-believers and then tell them the Gospel. I personally find going up to a stranger and saying the full Gospel very scary. I read on this forum about a challenge where the stranger must name all the 10 Commandments in 60 seconds. If they get...

www.christianforums.com

I think we have to find a way to evangelize that works for us. Like you say it takes some guts to go up to total strangers, and I think it's great you are willing to do that. I read about your "chocolate trick". If it works for you, why not? When I have been sharing the gospel, I normally fill up a huge coffee thermos and just offer coffee to all who pass by. I hand them a Bible or a pamphlet containing the gospel if they want one. Sometimes it opens up for conversation. If opportunity is given I pray with them. My motto is keeping it nice and simple. I want to share Christ with love and heart for my fellow man. Some people just need someone to listen to them.

 

[FutureAndAHope]

With evangelism, I believe it is important to listen to what the Holy Spirit wants to do or say. Not everyone needs a 2-step plan to salvation. Some people may already be believers or may have heard the 2-steps 100 times. It does not hurt to have a generic method that feels comfortable, but even if we use such a thing we should be open to changing it for the individual.

Mark 13:11 But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.

 

[1Tonne]

I think we have to find a way to evangelize that works for us. Like you say it takes some guts to go up to total strangers, and I think it's great you are willing to do that. I read about your "chocolate trick". If it works for you, why not? When I have been sharing the gospel, I normally fill up a huge coffee thermos and just offer coffee to all who pass by. I hand them a Bible or a pamphlet containing the gospel if they want one. Sometimes it opens up for conversation. If opportunity is given I pray with them. My motto is keeping it nice and simple. I want to share Christ with love and heart for my fellow man. Some people just need someone to listen to them.

Yes. We are to evangelize in a way that works for us and what you are doing is great. I would love to have a coffee if you offered it to me. And a coffee is something people like to have while they talk.
We need to figure out ways of approaching strangers and create a conversation where we can tell the good news to as many people as possible.

I am doing a BBQ in the middle of town today and sharing the Gospel. I am going to suggest your coffee idea to the other people that are there. Good idea. Maybe we could do a BBQ at one end of town and a coffee stand at the other. Thanks