What is being "Too Pushy"?

[Sword-In-Hand]

I'm bringing up this question because of a message my pastor preached about a month ago and due to some hot topics about Christian bands not wanting to shove God down people's throats.

So what is being too pushy? I mean some would argue that if we even mention Jesus' name we are trying to throw our beliefs at them and condemn them for being heretics. Then there are others who "tolerate" us for a while until they give us an excuse as to why we should just leave them alone. Then there are some who actually receive the truth.

I'm reminded of two stories in the Bible. The first one is John 14:6 which says, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through Me." NKJV

Jesus didn't make any bones about it. He said, simply, that if you don't believe in Him, then well you're not coming to the Father. As we can see that He didn't water that down an ounce. In fact Jesus can't water down the truth, because that would be watering down Himself and thus the truth is the truth point blank. Was what Jesus said too pushy? Some would say yes, because He stepped on their toes.

Another story in the Bible is Acts 17:22-34. This is where Paul preached Jesus on Mars Hill. To paraphrase; Paul walked into a place where they were worshipping all kinds of different dieties and there was a place marked "To the Unknown God". And Paul said his God does not dwell in a temple made by hands and then he preached the Gospel of Jesus. Was Paul being pushy? I mean he walked into a place diverse of religions and laid out the Truth and didn't care if people thought he was being pushy.

So again I ask what is being too pushy? Is there such a notion? When you think about someone's eternal soul at risk can we be too pushy? Ask someone who has lost a loved one who didn't know Jesus and see if they all don't wish they would have spent more time sharing Christ.

So what's some opinions here?

 

[daveleau]

IMO, there is absolutely a time when we can be "too pushy". "Too pushy" is when we consistently witness to people to the point where they simply get tired of it and dread being around you or others who might witness to them. There's a fine line to persistence in witnessing and being "too pushy". We need to witness to people but, when trying multiple times to bring someone to Christ, we need to be patient and let God lead us to people when they are most receptive. We also need to pray that God will bless us with the gift of empathy or the skill of observation, so we can tell when we are going from being a tool for God to being an overbearance to a person's own will and stubbornness. I am not saying we should ever stop, but we should have a sense of when we are getting on people's nerves in a bad way, stop and reattack in at a later time. Many have hardened hearts toward Christianity because of our inability to know when to stop and give rest. We are only here to plant the seed. We have to be pithy in our witnessing to keep people from turning away, being bored or being annoyed. Each person is different and each has a different tolerance level or openness to our attempts to help them to Christ.

Also, our lives should be a constant witness. So persistent quoting of Scripture is not the only way to witness.

 

[SumTinWong]

So again I ask what is being too pushy? Is there such a notion? When you think about someone's eternal soul at risk can we be too pushy? Ask someone who has lost a loved one who didn't know Jesus and see if they all don't wish they would have spent more time sharing Christ.

So what's some opinions here?

I think in today's politically correct society saying anything about Jesus is viewed as pushy. My pastor along with all the other pastors in the community were invited to a 9/11 memorial speech last year. All the pastors gave speeches of hope and were pretty generic with thier tone. My pastor came out and talked frankly and honestly about sin, and about Jesus the Christ. The chill was intense.

AFter the speeches the mayor came up and thanked the pastors and even invited my pastor back next year, and said he really enjoyed the speech.

Less than a day later the Mayor recieved complaints about the pastor mentioning Jesus. For heavens sake, he is a preacher, it is his job to carry the good news. I admire him for doing what he did, and even thought he invite was rescinded for next year for him to speak, I will rememer that speech.

 

[TwinCrier]

A Christian band has to worry about "shoving God down people's throats?"!?! As I am often told when I complain about the profanity in pop and country music, "If you don't like it, don't listen."

 

[bleechers]

Being "too pushy" is hardly a problem in today's CCM!

I always say, if people are going to hate us, then let them hate us because of our message, not because we're jerks. "We" should never get in the way of the message. "We" shouldn't be the message. The message is the gospel and it should be preached whenever possible.

When I was new Christian, I was eating lunch with a Christian friend on the campus where I worked. Two guys showed up and just started preaching very loudly and clearly to the university students in the open air... We just watched. I then asked my friend "What do you think of that?" to which she replied "It's more than I'm doing."

That answer struck a nerve.

The two preachers were accosted by... the campus Christians who started a screaming match about "love" with them... it was very ugly, and I blame the so-called "friendship evangelism" Christians.

I had a tract ministry on the same campus and got grief from the same "friendship evangelism" people... they would stand next to our little table and sign (with two scripture verses on it) and say "I am a Christian, and I don't agree with what these guys are doing!" ... very lovely.

I used to ask them to go to their unsaved friends and say "Hey, I disagree with the way those guys are shoving God down people's throats, but what they believe is right." then read a tract with them. That's all I asked, 'cause it's not about us, it's about the message!

 

[crazy4Christ007]

there is a difference in Hell fired preaching and just sharing Jesus Christ

Think about it, if you grab your friends shirt and scream into their ears that they are going to hell if they don't repent from their eveil ways, what do you think your friend is going to do? We are here to share about God but not to force it upon people, it is their choice, God gives us free will.

 

[CrystalBrooke]

ppl can definatly be too pushy! i know this older woman that lives around my mamaw, and i'll i can remember of her from when i was little is her arguing with my grandparents about how right she was with her faith, and tried to convince them the same thing all the time. IMO, jehova's witness are kinda pushy, i dont like for ppl to come to my house and try to push their relgion on me when ive already told them i have it.

 

[bleechers]

Think about it, if you grab your friends shirt and scream into their ears that they are going to hell...

This is a red herring. It's a false example of true "hellfire" preaching.

Jesus spoke more about hell than all other people in the Bible combined. People need to be warned about hell. We need to "preach the truth in love." Truth and love go together... but with that understood, it is truth that sets people free, not love.

I put forth this challenge on the contemporary music forum: to all those who like bands that don't "shove God down people's throats"

(a) define "shove God down people's throats"
(b) name any of the apparently numberless bands that do
(c) give a specific example of this "shoving" in CCM
(d) cite specific examples of how it is worse that not "shoving" etc.

insert tumbleweeds here...

 

[Lynn73]

I think in today's politically correct society saying anything about Jesus is viewed as pushy. My pastor along with all the other pastors in the community were invited to a 9/11 memorial speech last year. All the pastors gave speeches of hope and were pretty generic with thier tone. My pastor came out and talked frankly and honestly about sin, and about Jesus the Christ. The chill was intense.

AFter the speeches the mayor came up and thanked the pastors and even invited my pastor back next year, and said he really enjoyed the speech.

Less than a day later the Mayor recieved complaints about the pastor mentioning Jesus. For heavens sake, he is a preacher, it is his job to carry the good news. I admire him for doing what he did, and even thought he invite was rescinded for next year for him to speak, I will rememer that speech.

I commend your pastor that he had the courage and strength to proclaim Christ without apology or shame. More preachers should be doing this and stop this political correct nonsense. That shouldn't concern the church or Christians at all. We're to tell the truth, not hide it under a bushel.

 

[Andyman_1970]

Jesus spoke more about hell than all other people in the Bible combined. People need to be warned about hell. We need to "preach the truth in love." Truth and love go together... but with that understood, it is truth that sets people free, not love.

I agree Jesus did preach about Hell, but what was the context in which He was speaking? Who was His audience? No where that I can find did Jesus ever "present the Gospel" to someone that was truly seeking the answers to life as "you don't want to go to Hell do you"? The problem I see with presenting the Gospel as "you don't want to go 'here' do you?" is that the emphasis of salvation becomes like "fire insurance", instead of a way of life that Jesus taught.

Not seeing salvation as a way of life, not understanding that being a Christian is a way of living I believe is a HUGE problem in our churches today. I believe this stems from presenting the gospel as merely a transaction, that it's "fire insurance", then all I do is wait around because I'm not going to get left behind.

If truth and love go together, then how can one set you free and the other one not set you free. I fundamentally disagree with you on that point but that's not what this thread is about. How does Jesus say the world will know us? Because we are doctrinally sound and have the verses to prove it?

I believe there is a time for authority on an issue, but I also think that far too often we present what it means to be a Christian as a set of ideas or things you agree with rather than the way you live.

 

[Andyman_1970]

For the record I think there is nothing wrong with Biblically sharing the love of Jesus with the world around us through verbal communication (ie mentioning Jesus in a speech or in a song).

Another story in the Bible is Acts 17:22-34. This is where Paul preached Jesus on Mars Hill. To paraphrase; Paul walked into a place where they were worshipping all kinds of different dieties and there was a place marked "To the Unknown God". And Paul said his God does not dwell in a temple made by hands and then he preached the Gospel of Jesus. Was Paul being pushy? I mean he walked into a place diverse of religions and laid out the Truth and didn't care if people thought he was being pushy.

It's intersting, Paul doesn't mention Jesus here, the implication is Jesus, but Paul does not mention Him by Name.

Also, Paul does quote a pagan Greek poet when he says "we are God's offspring". It's intersting to note Paul takes the writings of a Pagan poet and uses them to make an arguement FOR the existence of the One True God. How did he know about this poet? He would have had to be familiar with those writings, he didn't sit around and only read stuff by Rick Warren, or Charles Stanley, or Spurgeon (sp?), he read worldly pagan stuff to use it to make an arguement for God............interesting.

Anyway, like I said, I'm all for mentioning Jesus whenever a person can.

 

[bleechers]

The problem I see with presenting the Gospel as "you don't want to go 'here' do you?" is that the emphasis of salvation becomes like "fire insurance", instead of a way of life that Jesus taught.

I agree concerning the fire insurance... but salvation is not a "way of life"...?

But that is not the point of my comment concerning Jesus' use of hell. The point was in response to the assertion that mentioning hell was somehow inappropriate. It is not inappropriate. Hell is actually a place that will not be fully populated until after the Great White Throne judgment and Satan's eventual defeat.

As to the rest of your comment, I agree. The "fire insurance" approach is not the thrust of Paul's preaching of the gospel, but it is certainly a natural doctrine that follows the question "but what if someone does not believe"?

If truth and love go together, then how can one set you free and the other one not set you free. I fundamentally disagree with you on that point but that's not what this thread is about. How does Jesus say the world will know us? Because we are doctrinally sound and have the verses to prove it?

God so loved the world... but we do not infer that acknowledging or accepting that love is the means of salvation. It is not by God loving or by our loving that anyone is saved. It is the truth of the gospel and the accepting of that truth that sets one free.

If I write Romans 6:23 on the blackboard at night and students come in the next day, is it of any importance why I wrote it? What if I wrote the first part (the wages of sin is death) with anger and hatred, does it matter to the reader? Before God I am in the wrong spririt, but it is the truth that matters.

Conversely, if I wrote "I LOVE YOU" on that blackboard or even "GOD LOVES YOU" does that do anyone any good? Which will set people free, the pronouncement of truth without evident love or love without evident truth? It is the former.

Paul attests to this in Phillipians chaper 1. It is the pronouncement of truth that matters first. Of course it should be done in love, but that is not the primary focus in preaching. "Some preach Christ out of contention" said Paul, but he still rejoiced that Christ was preached.

I agree Jesus did preach about Hell, but what was the context in which He was speaking? Who was His audience?

If you mean "Israel" then I have some sympathy for your concern (although the point is irrelevant to the argument being made). If the point is that He only preached hell to "bad guys" then your point is mistaken.

The topics of condemnation, wrath, Gehenna ,etc. were raised by Christ to different audiences. Even dispensationally speaking, the topic of hell was used in reference to both Jews and gentiles, present and future.



"By this, all men will know that you are My disciples" By what?... By our love for "all men"? Because we love "the lost"? No. because of our love "one for another." It is that inexplicable love we feel when we meet someone who has been born-again, regardless of culture, race, or anything else.

I show love to the lost by telling them the truth. They might not see it as love now... but if and when they get saved, they will love us for telling them. I used to acccuse Baptists of "hating" people and being "anti-RC"... but now I love the people that cared enough to continually witness to the truth. God used their obedience to the truth to set me free by the gospel.

 

[Andyman_1970]

I agree concerning the fire insurance... but salvation is not a "way of life"...?

But that is not the point of my comment concerning Jesus' use of hell. The point was in response to the assertion that mentioning hell was somehow inappropriate. It is not inappropriate. Hell is actually a place that will not be fully populated until after the Great White Throne judgment and Satan's eventual defeat.

As to the rest of your comment, I agree. The "fire insurance" approach is not the thrust of Paul's preaching of the gospel, but it is certainly a natural doctrine that follows the question "but what if someone does not believe"?.

First off, I don't think speaking about Hell is in anyway inappropriate. I would however say that presenting the Gospel as "you don't want to go 'here' do you" is not how Jesus presented the Gospel. So for me, as a disciple of Jesus, as His follower, my whole life is to be centered around learning about Him so that I can be like Him (Biblically that is what it means to be a disciple). So if I am going to be like Him, then I need to share the Gospel as He did..........that's where I'm coming from.

If the point is that He only preached hell to "bad guys" then your point is mistaken."

No, as I said above, I cannot see where He preached Hell to someone who was genuinly seeking out what this whole Jesus movement is about.

The topics of condemnation, wrath, Gehenna ,etc. were raised by Christ to different audiences. Even dispensationally speaking, the topic of hell was used in reference to both Jews and gentiles, present and future.

I'm not much of a dispensationalist (from what I understand of it), so I disagree with you on this one, but that's ok, that's why God didn't make us cookie cutter Chrisitans.

 

[bleechers]

No, as I said above, I cannot see where He preached Hell to someone who was genuinly seeking out what this whole Jesus movement is about

I'll agree that hell is not a primary topic for those who are asking in a genuine way to know about Christ.

 

[BT]

True story:


I once smacked a guy in the head with my Bible.



That was probably too pushy.

 

[CrystalBrooke]

nah thats not being pushy, thats the baptist coming out in you

 

[TwinCrier]

 

[Yekcidmij]

BT,

I have only read your last post, but I think that I like the way you think.

 

[Gold Dragon]

I heard a saying once.

"Always preach the gospel. When necessary, use words."

 

[bleechers]

I heard a saying once.

"Always preach the gospel. When necessary, use words."

I apologize, Gold Dragon, but that saying is a pet peeve of mine. It directly contradicts the scriptures. I understand and appreciate the sentiment that Christ should permeate our lives and our Christianity should be evident in all we do, but preaching is God's chosen method for spreading the gospel.

The Bible is abundantly clear on this issue.