MUST Christians Evangelize?

[timlamb]

Philippians 1:27
Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News.


We are no different in our callings than the first churches.

Nice to see you quoting scripture

Nice to see you talking about "callings". Try Romans 12:6. "We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a mans's gift is..."

Point well taking on the contending. I misstated. I would not defend someones lack of defending the faith such as Jude says were infiltrating the church. We must not allow others to be lead astray. But some who are not prepared to contend due to spiritual maturity should not be discouraged but incouraged to talk to a brother or sister.

 

[Floatingaxe]

I OFTEN refer to scripture, or why bother being here? You need to check out my posting habits more closely, there, friend...

 

[Floatingaxe]

Nice to see you quoting scripture

Nice to see you talking about "callings". Try Romans 12:6. "We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a mans's gift is..."

Point well taking on the contending. I misstated. I would not defend someones lack of defending the faith such as Jude says were infiltrating the church. We must not allow others to be lead astray. But some who are not prepared to contend due to spiritual maturity should not be discouraged but incouraged to talk to a brother or sister.

As we are enabled by God.
Wisdom speaks and says, "Hold back", or "Speak to someone about this first", or, "Defer to your stronger brother or sister in the Lord", or, "SPEAK! NOW! I will give you the words!"

 

[timlamb]

As we are enabled by God.
Wisdom speaks and says, "Hold back", or "Speak to someone about this first", or, "Defer to your stronger brother or sister in the Lord", or, "SPEAK! NOW! I will give you the words!"

I had to read it three times, but I think we agree

 

[Armistead]

Maybe someone should have told them about grace and true salvation. If they were going forward two to three time a year they obviously didn't understand. I'm glad my kids are certain of their salvation and still concerned about the souls of their friends.

Well, when preachers come in and preach if your living in sin, you were probably never saved...common in fundie churches. Teens going through puberty, masturbation, sexual thoughts, ect.....can't defeat these things.
They are told they are commiting adultery because of natural sexual desire due to puberty. So, they assume they're lost and get saved again and again. After all, they're mostly afraid of being tortured for eternity, so they keep making sure...but hey who wouldn't.

 

[Armistead]

One thing that always amazed me when I went to a hellfire and damnation church. The church would be full on Sunday, but come Thursday night visitation, it was the same 4-6 people that showed up....

 

[Floatingaxe]

That is not the way good churches behave. You cannot paint them all with the same brush you've been given. That tends to become a little hobby with some people. It's not attractive.

There is no perfect church. But there are good ones!

 

[timlamb]

One thing that always amazed me when I went to a hellfire and damnation church. The church would be full on Sunday, but come Thursday night visitation, it was the same 4-6 people that showed up....

I agree mainstream denominational churches are lost in building funds and chior robes.

It amazes me how many people(though I used to be one) get confused between salvation and rewards. You are right, to much emphisis is placed on sinlessness and not enough on grace. I have friends that are living together in a divorce situation, clearly adulterous, but I want them in church so bad. I still have guilt complexes over puberty and doctrine. I don't know how to draw the line between confronting sin and being tolerant. I left the church partly because of intolerance, and I stayed gone 30 years. But I still believed I was living in sin and the threat of damnation. It is funny though, when I came back I gave up readdily what I could not give up before, so I do blame myself for not trying harder. But though this experience I learned sinlessness does not gain you a step toward salvation, it is the gift of faith.

 

[timlamb]

"Then one of us isn’t reading the Bible because the Bible is very clear what evangelism is."

Great Pastor Jim, I've been waiting for a biblical definition of evangelism. Lets see the scripture...

I also didn't see the answer to my question, you may have answered but I didn't see it: Were there only seven bprn again believers in Cesarea when Luke and Paul found the seven evangelists who lived there?

 

[Floatingaxe]

Again (and again and again...), first, the passage doesn't say that there are only seven evangelists or seven believers.

Second, you are confusing the office of Evangelist, which God has called only a select few to, and the act of evangelism, which Christ has commanded all believers to do.

That's the ticket!

 

[Nadiine]

Just in general, I think if a person claiming God's name is sincerely having
to ask this becuz they dont' want to, there's an issue going on.

If someone doesn't WANT to witness God's truth when the
opportunities present themselves, then there's probly something
going on there in their faith

 

[catlover]

Just in general, I think if a person claiming God's name is sincerely having
to ask this becuz they dont' want to, there's an issue going on.

If someone doesn't WANT to witness God's truth when the
opportunities present themselves, then there's probly something
going on there in their faith

It depends on what Church one goes to Nadiine, I never had a Roman Catholic or Lutheran walk up to me and ask me if I am "saved" or try to convert me.

So clearly witnessing is a thing with only certain denominations...

 

[MaxP]

It depends on what Church one goes to Nadiine, I never had a Roman Catholic or Lutheran walk up to me and ask me if I am "saved" or try to convert me.

So clearly witnessing is a thing with only certain denominations...

True, Roman Catholics generally do not walk up to you in the street, we generally try to convert people we know first.

 

[Jessica Lauren]

Some guy was handing out comic-like panthlets today about accepting Jesus Christ as your savior. It made me smile, so I thought I'd share!

 

[catlover]

Some guy was handing out comic-like panthlets today about accepting Jesus Christ as your savior. It made me smile, so I thought I'd share!

http://www.chick.com/default.asp

I hope they were not written by this man...he's horrid.

 

[Jessica Lauren]

http://www.chick.com/default.asp

I hope they were not written by this man...he's horrid.

Nope! The web address on the back of it says www.livingwaters.com

It basically is a comic with this dude about how he may be a good person but that's not enough to get to heaven-- you have to accept Jesus.

 

[catlover]

Nope! The web address on the back of it says www.livingwaters.com

It basically is a comic with this dude about how he may be a good person but that's not enough to get to heaven-- you have to accept Jesus.

..

 

[catlover]

True, Roman Catholics generally do not walk up to you in the street, we generally try to convert people we know first.

...and I have yet to see an RC screaming on the corners to "Repent and be saved..." Or an Evangelical Lutheran, Episcopalian, or Methodist for the matter...

 

[Floatingaxe]

It depends on what Church one goes to Nadiine, I never had a Roman Catholic or Lutheran walk up to me and ask me if I am "saved" or try to convert me.

So clearly witnessing is a thing with only certain denominations...

Nadiine's still right...There's something wrong with those denominations if they indeed are Christian and can't be bothered to teach the Great Commission.

 

[Floatingaxe]

Nope! The web address on the back of it says www.livingwaters.com

It basically is a comic with this dude about how he may be a good person but that's not enough to get to heaven-- you have to accept Jesus.

I use those tracts, too. That's Ray Comfort's organization He's cool.