Preaching The Gospel TOO Much?

Personally I do believe there is a WAY overboard when it comes to preaching As a former atheist, I can say with certainty that over-preaching only pushed me further away from the faith, it did not in any way draw me closer.

While I do believe the Bible is something good to share, I do not believe it is the way that every single person will come to know God or even find an interest in seeking God. In fact, for many people like me, it is the last thing that would draw us into a seeker's path to finding Jesus.

I think it is important to relate to each person individually. Everyone is unique; taking on a "blunt force trauma with Scripture" approach to each and every single person is not the way to go. I realize many conservative Christians believe that scripture alone could save just about anyone, but throwing it in someone's face repeatedly? That doesn't help in the average situation, especially when it comes to dead-set atheists and very confused or disillusioned agnostics (no offence I grew up with agnostic parents and their answer to most faith-based questions was "I just don't know" so that's where the word "confused" comes from )

If you converse and interact with a person, you can "feel them out." If you pay attention to how they interact with you, you can determine a good way of helping to expose them to some things about God. Bluntly tossing scripture around in conversation, eh, maybe that's one way of going about it.. but I think developing a relationship with the person, knowing who they are and how they communicate, and then finding productive ways to discuss faith and what their personal ideas of faith even are, is the way to go about it.

From this, you can develop a better plan of action for sharing your own personal faith with them. I start off by sharing what I believe and how I got there. I do NOT ever approach someone with bible-in-hand! They'd run away SCREAMING In fact, I very rarely quite scripture directly when speaking to a non-believer about God. And I have indeed gotten through to a few people along the way Or at least peeked a healthy interest in seeking within them, which is great.



You also asked.. would God find something negative if a person does not excercise restraint. Hmm You know, I am not 100% certain on that, but.. I think if a person truly has another person's best interest at heart and is genuinely sharing the love of God, even in a way that may not be all that productive , I highly doubt God would look down on that person. Perhaps He might shake His head and think "Ugh, come on now, that's not how to get through to that person!" But think negatively of it? Eh, I don't think so.

I think as Christians, we each need to take our own advice! We need to listen closely to God in order to determine the best course of action when sharing faith with others. It is not always cut and dry.

Hope I made some sense. This is just my personal take of course.

Paul had a unique style of teaching for his day.. When he spoke to the Jews he spoke as Rabbi, When he sat with Gentiles he spoke with them in a manor that would accommodate there social group.. If he approached the gentiles of Rome with the same zeal and scripture has he did the people of Israel then "Christianity" would look very different today.. Paul used scripture and zeal where it was needed, he also used encouragement and stories when the people he was speaking to would not care for or understand scripture..

Basically He, in his ministry was flexible enough to fill needs as he saw them.. That means In some cases he preached the gospel, and in others where the brothers and sisters were past the point of Milk He used Meat to nourish the spirit.. So by Paul's example, we are to fill needs as we see them.. If a potential Brother needs a Gospel message then give him one, but if he is not ready for it then Find what he needs and fill it.. I know it can be said that all that are lost need Jesus, but Need him or not they will not except him unless they want to.. If you are able to continuously fill or attempt to fill spiritual needs then at some point you will be asked How exactly your able to do it..

If your constantly bible thumping, and preaching to the lost as if they were saved then Many Many people will fall through the cracks.

I can't think of a single verse or even chapter off hand that describes this behavior even though I know there are places that touch on the Idea.. The best example is recorded in the complete books of 1Co, Acts, Gal. Eph. Romans, Hebrews, and how they differ from each other. In some places Paul (Holy Spirit)speaks to them as a source of encouragement, and in others He is angry and rebuking them for there misdeeds (As if they should have known better), and in others he Uses scripture from the OT and speaks of the Law.. While in others still, He speaks apart from the law..

Now if all he did was preach the "Gospel" would we have any of this? The reason we have so many books is because the Holy Spirit was filling needs as he saw them.

So instead of trying to get a friend to speak your language, speak his, and fill the gaps that he will eventually lead you to spiritually, with the truth of God word.. (Remember the truth does Not always have to be the good news.) When they are ready they will ask for the good news.

Should people exercise restraint when preaching? And if one person doesn't exercise restraint, do you think the God of the bible would find something negative in that? If so, what?

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With this like any other aspect of your service to God it's not what you do, but why your doing it.. And, because it is the why, and not the what, it is next to impossible for people (not God) to determine if what another person is doing is a sin or not.. at best all we can do is examine the fruit of there work.

Jesus says in Mt.7:
21"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'

If you will notice, that The people who cry out Lord, Lord do some of the same things that the true apostles do.. So again, it is not what you are doing but why you are doing it..

In your example I can see God granting a pardon to someone who is truly trying with all of his heart mind strength and Spirit, to bring glory to God Through his work.. But if a Man who uses the exact same message delivered in the exact sameway in the same situation, but is doing what he is doing for a self serving reason.. I see him being condemned as the "Lord, Lord" people in Mt.7

You can overdo anything, sometimes subtlety carries more weight

Is it not a Christians job to "preach the gospel to the world?"

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Scripturally? this is a part of what it means to be a christian, but it is not our defining mission.. We are set on this earth for the purpose of Finding and maintaining a relationship with out God through our lord and savior Jesus Christ. Most of the bible is written to that effect, and yes like I said earlier preaching the gospel is apart of that relationship, but it is not out sole mission.. One may ask Can it be? Certainly! for some but not for all. Paul explains this in his description of being a member of the body of Christ. Each individual member has it's own function and purpose. Not all members of the body can be an eye, because where would the sense of hearing be if we were all eyes?

So being a good gospel preacher can be apart of our relationship, but if we are not purposed for this task we may miss out on our true function or calling.. Sure you might be able to pick things up in your mouth and speak using your hands, but couldn't you serve the body better if you performed the tasks that God has purposed for you specifically? Paul's words on this subject can be found in 1Co 12

Must they be as enlightened as Paul before they attempt to do so?

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No absolutely not! Sometimes the most effective "gospel preachers" are those who have recently got to know Jesus. We may do as we are so inspired to do.. But no matter what that may be, we do need to learn to do our works to the greater glory of God rather than glorifying ourselves..

If not, does it mention in the bible when the "right time" is to start preaching the gospel to the world? If not, would that imply that it is OK to preach at anytime?

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As the lord leads if you learn to follow, then whenever he opens an opportunity for you it will be the right time.. Jesus likens it unto the who farming process.. One man Breaks the ground, another scatters seed, while another still, reaps what has been sown.. If you learn to go when you are lead, then you will be apart of that process, but that doesn't always mean you will be the one to reap or harvest all of the hard work that may have gone into that particular soul.. You may be the first of many "ground breakers" or you may be the one who gets to plant the seed, but that doesn't mean you'll be around to watch it grow, or reap the coming harvest when the new brother is converted..
Even so that doesn't make your efforts any less important than the man who go to reap the finished product..

The whole process is one of need and care. If you fill needs in the early planting stages it will allow the wheat to grow strong with deep roots, and when harvest time comes it will yield much fruit.

The person I'm speaking of has, I'm sure, preached so much that they must have at least converted one person to Christianity. If they were to have "toned it down", they may not have made that conversion.

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But if we all only did one job of the harvesting process we would have very few crops to harvest.. Each member plays a part.. This person you speak of has a talent of spreading the gospel, now if this is his gift and where God wants him to be the Glory be to God in all of his works. But not all are called to this position. It is better to be flexible in what you do for God so that your able to fill needs or in this case be a productive part of the harvesting process..

Should a person stop preaching to those who don't want to hear it?

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Maybe the question should be is there any instruction or any biblical examples of a person preaching the gospel to someone who doesn't want to hear it.

I don't know of any.

I think if you preach the wrong things then you can get yourself into trouble.

Sharing the Gospel is fine. Interpreting the Gospel to mean things it doesn't can get you in trouble.

I think we should consider the tenth chapter of Matthew. When Christ sent the apostles out to preach He said "And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet." 10:14 He didn't call believers to harangue people, and likewise with apologetics, he didn't call us to argue 'til we're blue in the face. He simply said preach the word, make the truth known, plant seeds; what happens with the seed of Truth is up to the heart which hears it.

CantThinkofaUserName said:

I just wonder if the Christian God has directed people (using the bible) on how to preach? When? How much? Is the human kind of "overdone" the same as Godly "overdone?" Should a person stop preaching to those who don't want to hear it? Not by opinion, but does it mention it in the bible? To either stop or to at least keep it to a bare minimum?

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God made us all differently, with different talents, strengths, and purposes to bring glory to him. I know I am not a good salesman, and although I love talking about God, I am not preacher material. I hope I bring more people to think by the way I view my relationship with God over time. There is only so much you can do for others, in this day and age, at least where I live, everyone has heard the message but sadly not everyone has answered yet.