A helpful evangelism tip for engaging Mormons

Anyone who engages Mormons will understand how difficult it can be.  Part of the problem is in getting them to admit how radically different their religion is from Christianity.  While they are willing to admit a "difference," it is difficult to emphasize the contrast.  In some respects, they will try to make it sound as if they are just like you, but with some important "restored" elements like the book of Mormon.  

Whether you are talking about monotheism, salvation by faith alone, and other contrasting doctrines to Mormonism; Mormon missionaries may say, "Oh, we believe that too."  It may not be inaccurate to posit the fact that postmodernism has seeped into the fabric of Mormonism.  As a result, you may not hear a statement of, "our church is right and your's is wrong."  But this is exactly what you want them to say and agree with.  Such will allow for everyone's cards to be on the table.  

With that said, Keith Walker has posted a very helpful ARTICLE.  The article displays a list of quotations from Mormon sources whereby Christianity and Mormonism are starkly contrasted.  Here is what I would recommend doing the next time you engage a Mormon; start the conversation off by showing them these quotations and getting them to admit that, for example, "all of [your] creeds are an abomination, and [you] are corrupt."  This way, you'll be able to ask the question, "Please show me which beliefs I have that are an abomination and let's see what the Scriptures say about them."  

Many of these Mormon sources are easily obtainable.  It would prove useful to have them ready whenever a Mormon missionary knocks on your door.  It will allow you to cut right to the chase and perhaps open the door to present the gospel. 

My Interview with Apologetics315 on Jehovah's Witnesses

Thank you, Brian, for the opportunity for this interview!  Here's the description from APOLOGETICS315:

Today's interview is with Mike Felker. Mike blogs on apologetics at TheApologeticFront, with an emphasis on interacting with Jehovah's Witnesses. He talks about his background, the overall belief system of JWs, The Watchtower Society, their various teachings regarding salvation, the afterlife, Jesus, the trinity, etc. He also discusses strategies for interaction including what to focus on and what to avoid. You might also enjoy Mike's interview on the Theopologetics podcast at this link. Mike's video channels on Youtube are here and here.

Full Interview MP3 Audio here (1hr)

Enjoy.

Books recommended by Mike for dealing with Jehovah's Witnesses:

• Jehovah's Witnesses Answered Verse by Verse
• Crisis of Conscience
• Tactics

Subscribe to the Apologetics 315 Interviews podcast here or in iTunes.

What has Mormonism become?

One thing I can truly respect about Jehovah's Witnesses is that they have not become what Mormonism has; a religion without conviction. Though i've only been exposed to Mormons no earlier than 5 years ago, I have good reason to believe that the Mormonism of yesterday has made a huge shift in its approach and its standing as "Christians." That is, there was once a day when Mormons stood with conviction as they distanced themselves from the so-called abominable and corrupt beliefs of all other religions. More importantly, they weren't afraid to tell others.

Now, it seems that Mormons are losing their conviction of exclusivity and trying to fit themselves into mainstream Christianity. What you will listen to in the video below will make this very evident. In the discussion, you have two Mormons expressing their disagreement with a Christian who is presenting arguments against Mormonism at their place of worship. Even though the biblical apostles and Jesus appeared in the synagogues and spoke judgment upon those who were there, these Mormons find such actions to be abhorrent. But what is even more telling is the fact that their own prophet was clear in his denunciation of all false religion; specifically, the mainstream Christianity of his day. Though i'm not aware of any instances where Smith appeared on church property to preach his message, these Mormons seemed to be uncomfortable with any negative convictions that one would express towards another religions, whether coming from Mormons or mainstream Christians.

I think anyone who listens to this interaction will find it extremely interesting. But more importantly, we need to be aware of this shift in Mormonism in order to be more effective in our presentation of the gospel.

Jehovah's Witnesses: How does your preaching work compare with this?

Before I delve into this question, i'd like to display The Watchtower's own thoughts concerning their preaching work and how it compares to the rest of so-called "Christendom":

*** w55 10/15 p. 624 par. 9 The Triumphant Message of “The Kingdom” ***

The missionaries of Christendom throughout the earth number into the thousands. Despite all these, it is not too much to say that Jehovah’s witnesses are the only ones preaching “this good news of the kingdom.” Why? Because they are the only ones that see the established kingdom in the light of modern events interpreted by Bible prophecy, and they are the only ones with the faith and courage from God to preach it.

There cannot be a more exclusive claim than this.  Indeed, Jehovah's Witnesses (over 6 million worldwide in a concerted effort) are preaching "The Kingdom" and "Bible prophecy."  Of course, many in "Christendom" would proclaim a similar message.  But The Watchtower is very clear in their exclusive distinction:

*** w81 5/1 p. 17 par. 3 If God Has an Organization, What Is It? ***

Let the honest-hearted person compare the kind of preaching of the gospel of the Kingdom done by the religious systems of Christendom during all the centuries with that done by Jehovah’s Witnesses since the end of World War I in 1918. They are not one and the same kind. That of Jehovah’s Witnesses is really “gospel,” or “good news,” as of God’s heavenly kingdom that was established by the enthronement of his Son Jesus Christ at the end of the Gentile Times in 1914. (Luke 21:24)

Though the Society will admit that there are missionaries in Christendom that "preach," they place themselves in stark contrast by the fact that they are the only ones preaching 1914 as Christ's enthronement.  In light of this, they emphatically proclaim the nearness of God's judgment on babylon the great (i.e. "Christendom") and the rest of wicked mankind.  

But is there even the possibility that non-Jehovah's Witnesses are preaching the gospel?  According to The Watchtower:

*** w95 9/1 p. 18 par. 18 Christian Witnesses for Divine Sovereignty ***

¹⁸ The worldwide preaching of the good news helps to prove that Jesus’ royal presence has begun. (Matthew 24:3) Further, it is the main means by which “the harvest of the earth” is being reaped, as it points people to the only true hope for mankind, Jehovah’s Kingdom. (Revelation 14:15, 16) Since only genuine Christians share in the preaching of the good news, this important work helps to distinguish the true Christians from the false. (Malachi 3:18) 

Since the Jehovah's Witnesses are the only ones proclaiming "the gospel of 1914," then all non-Jehovah's Witnesses are false Christians.  They are nothing more than sincere messengers proclaiming a false gospel that will ultimately incur the judgment of God upon themselves and the rest who were deceived by their false gospel.  

At this point, i'd like any Jehovah's Witnesses watching this to give consideration to the following video, whereby one of "Christendom's" missionaries preaches what he believes to be the "gospel" to two individuals.  In doing so, please think about the following:

1. Is this a false gospel?

2. Is this a false gospel because he neglected to mention 1914?

3.  Was it a false gospel because he neglected to mention how "close we are to the end?"

4.  Is it a false gospel because he failed to mention that salvation can only be found in being in association with his organization?

5.  Is it a false gospel because he never mentioned "Jehovah?"

6.  Should he have left out all the stuff about repentance and placing faith in Jesus' atoning work in favor of proclaiming 1914 and "how close we are to the end?"

7.  In one encounter, could you as a Jehovah's Witness provide the necessary information whereby one could avoid the impending judgment that could come on that very day?

8.  What other approaches did this man use that were wrong and worthy of being called a "false gospel?"

If you would, please watch the following video and provide some commentary on how "Christendom" needs to abandon this message and proclaim the true gospel:

Interview on the Theopologetics podcast: Witnessing to Jehovah's Witnesses

This morning I participated in an interview on the THEOPOLOGETICS podcast on the issue of witnessing to Jehovah's Witnesses. I really enjoyed doing this and think Chris did an excellent job conducting it. You can go HERE to listen to it. Hopefully we'll get to do another episode in the future whereby we discuss some of the specific tactics in how to engage Jehovah's Witnesses.

If you don't already, SUBSCRIBE to Chris's podcast. I certainly do!

"Giving an answer with gentleness and respect" to a Mormon

If you want to know what a profitable, respectful dialogue looks like between two completely contrasting worldviews, this is a perfect example:

Jehovah's Witnesses FAQ's #10: Who else is preaching in these "last days" besides Jehovah's Witnesses?

If you are going to debate the details of Darwinian Evolution, please do your homework.

Kirk Cameron, God bless him and his ministry. But I found myself smacking my forehead raw on this one. This guy just uses really bad arguments. I mean, who in the world would argue that speciation doesn't occur? If I were an evolutionist, I wouldn't believe Cameron either. He just hasn't done is homework and seemingly refuses to be corrected when he's in the wrong. I've never been about "winning" or "losing" in discussions, but this girl completely mopped the floor with Cameron. I hate to say this, but i'm ashamed of the manner in which Cameron has shown disrespect to his opponents by not taking the time to really evaluate their arguments. As Christians, we have no excuse for this. Our arguments should be based on the best possible reasons.

I realize that one can get lost in the details of biology and such. But why argue things that you have no business arguing? If you haven't taken the time to study biology, then don't dive into the details pertaining to speciation or DNA transcription. Instead, argue the big picture points, or discuss an area where you have more experience. And in Cameron's case, it would be talking about the gospel and what sinners must do to be made right with God. That is what all Christian's are admonished to do. And none of us have any business talking about things that we know nothing about. That goes for me and you.

If you want some specifics on some of the things that Cameron should not have said, please check out this article on ARGUMENTS CREATIONISTS SHOULD NOT USE.

A message of urgency: how would annihilationists respond?

I have some thoughts and questions i'd like for my annihilationist friends to think about and possibly respond to. First, does your presentation of the gospel present any urgency? Obviously, we can debate all day long with the meaning of Jesus' words when he spoke about "hell." But in my opinion, Jesus spoke with an urgency that I feel is even more sobering than what is offered in this video. What I have a hard time accepting is that all this "hell" talk simply boils down to one going to the grave. And that's it.

Just to give credit where credit is due, I think that even given the annihilationist perspective, there is much to offer in terms of eternal life. Even if there were no consequences for one's sins outside of going to the grave, I think that we should all be telling others of the good news of the Kingdom and what they must do to have eternal life.

But all this judgment and wrath stuff, it just doesn't add up with the annihilationist's perspective. Think about it this way: if the annihilationist perspective is true, then Jesus' "hell" statements are for all of us (well, unless Jesus returns in our lifetime). That is, we are all going to die. We will all experience the "weeping and gnashing of teeth" as well as all the other horrific depictions of hell that Jesus portrays, in addition to those in Revelation. But this "experience" in the annihilationist's perspective is fulfilled in one's dying and ceasing to exist, which will happen to us all. I guess the difference is, some will experience this "destruction" eternally whereas all others will have eternal life.

Its quite possible that I just don't understand the annihilationist's position. And I will certainly accept correction if offered. But it just doesn't seem like annihilationists can preach like this guy, or like Edward's famous sermon, "sinners in the hands of an angry God."

Much more could be offered in terms of my problems with the annihilationist view. But more than any of this, i'd simply like an annihilationists to think about and explain their view in light of the presentation of this YouTube video.

(ht: 21Crosscheck21)

Already Gone?

In a recent Answersingenesis.org Article, the following was discussed:

Nearly two-thirds of students will one day walk away from the church. You’ve read these well documented statistics from Ken Ham and Britt Beemer in the book Already Gone. But what can Christians really do?

For many, the answer is just as scary as the numbers: let youth ask questions. Children and adults alike are seeking answers to the issues confronting them. Is there really a God? Can dinosaurs be explained by the Bible? Why should the Bible be believed? Hasn’t science shown the earth to be billions of years old?

Answering those questions, however, is essential to engaging the culture. And Answers in Genesis wants to help.
As a part of the redesign and expansion of the Answers Outreach web presence (previously Events), we are excited to announce the launch of our new DareToAsk.org website for our youth “Q&A Live” presentations. The site itself is designed with young adults and youth in mind, which is why the look is edgy and relevant. But it’s not just about looks.

You’ll also find video answers to some of the common questions all of us have asked. There are links to free resources and even a free DVD download.

Beyond that, you’ll also hear why singer Mark Hall (Casting Crowns) and actor Kirk Cameron (Fireproof) believe AiG’s “Q&A Live” sessions are so important in reaching young people with the message of biblical authority. And that same message can come to your church.

I checked out the Daretoask.org Website and found it to be pretty impressive. The videos are extremely professional and contain some of the most commonly asked questions about creation, evolution, and the age of the earth by some experts in those fields.

I have the same hopes that ministries like Answers in Genesis have in being equipped with answers to the questions of our day. And I pray that more will jump on board with this rather than contributing to some very unfortunate statistics.

Don't let them hear!!

According to RichardDawkins.net, Kirk Cameron has gone too far.

On Thursday November 19, 2009, Kirk Cameron and Ray Comfort (the banana guy) will be distributing 50,000 copies of Charles Darwin's 'Origin of Species' at universities across America to students for free.


BUT THERE'S A CATCH!!

Each copy will have a 50 page intro about how evolution has never been proven and how Darwin helped inspire the Holocaust.

If this outrages you, then you're not alone. There's something we can do though. We can amass as many of these books as possible, remove the 50 page intro, and then donate perfectly good copies of 'Origin of Species' to schools, libraries, and Goodwill. We can actually make this into something positive.

If you are in college, then you are in a good position to help. Check your campus on November 19th, and if you see a group distributing copies of the book, then get as many as you can. Get a copy for yourself, ask if you can have extra copies for your friends, ask your friends to go ask for copies, and ask other people you see carrying the book if you can have their copy.

This is a shameful thing that Kirk Cameron and the Banana Guy are doing by altering another person's book in order to push their agenda. But we can help to restore the book to how it was intended and keep young minds from being brainwashed by misinformation.

Now, I can't say that this is the way I would want to get the message out, but why are evolutionists going to waste their time doing this? Does anyone else see the obvious here: that evolutionists just don't want the public to hear the other side? If anything, the creationists are allowing more from the other side, since Origin of Species, last time I checked, was much longer than 50 pages.

Shouldn't the evolutionists be excited that evolutionary literature is being passed out? Don't they want people to know about evolution? If Creationism is so silly, then won't this be obvious to the students who read Origin of Species after a measly 50 pages of Creationism?

When's the last time you saw an evolutionist passing out literature displaying both sides of the issue? One side has an open mind, and the other doesn't. Seems pretty clear to me who that is.

If you want to join in the suppression of independent, free thinking, then go HERE.

Why Muslims need the gospel more than ever

I fear the spread of Islam. I really do. We all, as Christians, need to be more equipped to defend our faith against the beliefs of Muslims (which means, learning what they believe as well!) and be ready to share the gospel with them every chance we get!

Christians: there is something missing from your preaching!!

Here are the Watchtower quotes in case you missed them in the video:

*** w81 5/1 p. 17 par. 3 If God Has an Organization, What Is It? ***

Let the honest-hearted person compare the kind of preaching of the gospel of the Kingdom done by the religious systems of Christendom during all the centuries with that done by Jehovah’s Witnesses since the end of World War I in 1918. They are not one and the same kind. That of Jehovah’s Witnesses is really “gospel,” or “good news,” as of God’s heavenly kingdom that was established by the enthronement of his Son Jesus Christ at the end of the Gentile Times in 1914. (Luke 21:24)

*** w82 5/1 p. 10 par. 8 Why Pray, “Let Your Kingdom Come”? ***

of all religions on earth, Jehovah’s Witnesses are the only ones today that are telling the people of earth this “good news.”

*** w67 12/15 p. 753 par. 1 What Now Distinguishes the Good News to Be Preached ***

What vital thing has now been added to the good news of the kingdom of God that Jesus Christ and his zealous apostles used to preach nineteen hundred years ago? This, namely, the birth of God’s Messianic kingdom in the heavens at the end of the Gentile Times in 1914.

*** w86 4/1 p. 31 Questions From Readers ***

Approved association with Jehovah’s Witnesses requires accepting the entire range of the true teachings of the Bible, including those Scriptural beliefs that are unique to Jehovah’s Witnesses. What do such beliefs include? ... That 1914 marked the end of the Gentile Times and the establishment of the Kingdom of God in the heavens, as well as the time for Christ’s foretold presence.

*** w85 9/1 p. 25 par. 15 God’s Ministers Prove Their Qualification ***

So Christendom’s clergy refuse to take a stand for Jehovah’s Kingdom by Jesus Christ. For failing to support it, they will be destroyed in the “great tribulation” just ahead. But unlike them, Jehovah’s Witnesses have abandoned Babylon the Great, the world empire of false religion, and are preaching the Kingdom message in 203 lands. This unparalleled work is an outstanding feature of “the sign” proving that in 1914 Jesus was installed as heavenly King, to rule amid his enemies.—Matthew 24:3, 14, 21; Psalm 110:1, 2; Revelation 18:1-5.

What do Jehovah's Witnesses emphasize in their preaching work?

Why question-asking is sometimes better than answer-giving

Keith Walker explains:

Former JW interviewed and baptized

A while back I mentioned the conversion of a former JW apologist to Christianity. Brian Garcia was one who publicly defended the beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses and was eventually born again after encountering the truth that is found only in Jesus Christ. Here is an interesting interview with Brian where he discusses some of the issues that former JW's encounter when going to a church for the first time:



This is Brian's recent testimony and baptism. Truly an amazing thing to see!

Is there hope for Jehovah's Witnesses?

When I logged on to my YouTube account a few months ago, I was surprised to see a message from one of my friends mentioning that NewAgeGamer (who I will now refer to as, Brian) had become a Christian. I hadn't been making videos on YouTube very long, but I spent a lot of time watching Brian's videos, because he was one of the few Jehovah's Witnesses who were making public defenses of their faith. But in addition, I thought Brian was a really sharp guy who not only had a defensible grasp on his own faith, but seemed to know the beliefs of Christians as well. The problem was, he was lost...very lost.

And though I am the first to admit that God can save absolutely anyone, no matter how deceived, if He so chooses, I had never witnessed a JW come to Christ. Though I had heard testimony after testimony of JW's leaving the Watchtower, I had never seen it myself. I used to pray and pray that God would graciously allow me to witness a JW come to Christ. I am a little reluctant to say this, but i'm going to be honest here; I had lost a bit of hope in God's saving power. Too many times had I involved myself in endless conversation and debate with JW's and seen absolutely no fruit. I had honestly gotten to a point where I began to wonder, "is this all really worth it? I know i'm just called to plant seeds, but would my time be more well spent elsewhere?"

It was truly an answered prayer to see a message from 21crosscheck21 that Brian had become born-again. And not only that, God had done to him what usually takes years for JW's to leave the Watchtower. That is, there is a lot of reprogramming that has to happen for one who has been indoctrinated with Watchtower teachings for so many years. But Brian's conversion was truly radical. It was as if he'd been going to church his whole life. It was truly a 180 degree turn from Watchtower theology to Biblical Christianity in pretty much every area. I was truly amazed at the change that took place.

Being a tad bit skeptical, I wanted to call Brian and find out what happened. Its kind of funny, because when I look back on the conversation, I remember really drilling him with questions. I really wanted to see how not only his doctrinal beliefs had changed, but his psychology as well. And if you've spent much time with Jehovah's Witnesses, you know exactly what I mean by that.

At any rate, through Brian's conversion, i've truly been brought back to trusting in God's saving power more now than ever before. And its made my interactions with Jehovah's Witnesses since then so much more hopeful. Even if I see no fruit as a result of our discussions, I have no idea what the Holy Spirit is doing with them on the inside. In Brian's case, he went through a year of questioning and doubting when no one who was watching his videos would have thought! But when the time was right, the Holy Spirit did to Brian what He has done to all of us who have become born-again; He took out that heart of stone and put in a heart of flesh.

Let me encourage you with something if you are witnessing to those who seem too "hardened" or "deceived" to make that decision to come to Christ: you are right. That is, all men are in darkness and incapable of coming to saving faith in the Savior...until something happens. Yes, until the Holy Spirit does that work, everyone is in a hopeless state. So don't give up. God can save anyone, no matter how deceived. Just keep doing what you were called to do; plant seeds and make disciples (Matthew 28:19). And don't ever let anyone tell you any different.

*CLICK HERE to go to Brian's YouTube site, where you can watch all his past, present, and future videos to come.

How NOT to have a discussion with Jehovah's Witnesses

It is obvious that the guy at the door just wanted to argue. Every time the JW tried to explain their position, he would interrupt them. I wonder if this guy went to sleep at night thinking, "wow, I made the world a better place knowing that I might have destroyed these people's faith without offering something positive in return." Even from an argumentative standpoint, this guy did a very poor job in challenging their beliefs. Obviously he was an atheist. But it seemed like the only book he's ever read on atheism is Sam Harris, who's arguments are elementary at best. In other words, had he been a little more informed, he could have posed some much better arguments against the Bible. But obviously, you could tell that he didn't know much about Jehovah's Witnesses; probably thinking that they are just another denomination.

Some atheists really do think that seeing JW's leaving their religion is a good thing; that the world would be a better place if people weren't "deceived" in the way that they are. If someone finds purpose in that, then de-convert every JW that you want. But I recommend using a different approach than this guy. Here's a few tips, whether you are a Christian, Mormon, Atheist, or whatever:

1) Listen to what they have to say. Don't interrupt.

2) Complement them with things like, "Thanks for sharing your thoughts with me, you certainly seem like someone who really cares about knowing the truth."

3) Ask more questions and less arguments. Question marks are shaped like hooks for a reason. They cause people to think. And that's exactly what you want JW's to do.

4) If you are going to make arguments, use good ones. "Oh, so you think the Bible condemns slavery do you? I can show you where it condones it!" This is an example of a bad argument and could be easily refuted by anyone with a rudimentary understanding of apologetics. Also, the, "So which Bible is the Word of God," is a bad argument also, as it conveys the idea that the translation process has something to do with the transmission process. This reminds me of the kinds of things Mormon missionaries will say.

5) Don't expect too much from them if you are using a camera. Cameras make people nervous. In fact, don't use a camera, especially if you want to have a second conversation with them.

6) Don't humiliate them. Making someone feel stupid is about the worst thing you could do. If that's your motive, then I feel sorry for you. If humiliation gratifies you, then you are a sorry human being. Grow up.

7) Just don't do anything this guy did. Do the opposite.

*On a personal note, this video broke my heart. I am saddened that these nice people were humiliated in the way that they were. They so desperately needed to hear the gospel message. And it pains me to think that they may never get to hear this. I hope and pray that followers of Jesus Christ will never treat JW's in this way and use opportunities like this to share the gospel.

One reason why i'm reformed

"All that the Father has given me will come to me. And the one who comes to me I will certainly not cast out." (John 6:37)

The other day I was having a conversation with a friend about witnessing to cult members, such as Jehovah's Witnesses. I was asking what his experiences have been like with them and to see what advice he would give me if I ever encountered one. To sum up his advice, "Don't bother. They don't want the truth. Your time would be much more well spent doing something else." During our conversation, I didn't disagree with him because I thought to myself, "He's right! These people are so hardened and blind that there is no point in even bothering."

Later on as I went through my day, I began thinking through this. So often i've been asked the question, "If Calvinism is true, why bother witnessing? Isn't God going to save them anyways?" In fact, a friend of mine just the other day asked me this question. Its a very legitimate question. But its an inconsistent one. Let me explain.

Why would someone give me the advice to not bother witnessing to Jehovah's Witnesses? The obvious answer from their non-Calvinistic perspective would be because they have hardened their own hearts to the point that they are so brainwashed that there is nothing you could possibly say that could persuade them. But what about God? Couldn't He reveal Himself to them? Well, from an arminian perspective, God has already done all He could do. He's died for their sins and He's persuaded them with His Holy Spirit. Now its up to them to respond!

So when people ask me, "If Calvinism is true, why bother witnessing?" I simply ask in return, "If Calvinism isn't true, why bother witnessing?" If God has done all He could do, and if cultists have hardened themselves to the point of us giving up, then what more could we possibly do? In fact, why should we even pray for them? After all, its all up to them now!

But as I got to thinking through this, I was reminded of John 6:37, where the Father decrees the giving of of His chosen people to the Son; all that the Father gives to the Son will come to the Son. Is it possible that it could happen any other way? Could there be disunity in the Godhead? Could the Father command something of the Son that couldn't be accomplished because of the "almighty" will of man? Of course not! So how could I even think of believing that there are people out there that are too "hard" for God to save? My God can save anyone He wills to save! And yes, this includes even the most hardened Jehovah's Witness.

"But Mike! You are being inconsistent! If these people aren't God's 'chosen ones,' then you are wasting your time!" This could only be true if all of God's elect had glowing halos over their head so that I could distinguish them from the non-elect. But because I don't know who the elect are, I can truthfully and boldly proclaim the Gospel to all men and trusting God to do the rest. After all, Salvation is completely and totally of God and is not in any way dependent upon the will of man. This is called Monergism: God alone saves apart from the cooperation of man's "will."

One good point my friend did bring up that I agreed with is casting pearls before swine. If someone does not want to hear what I have to say, i'm not going to sneak into his bedroom at night, tie him up and scream through a megaphone, "accept Christ!" I think there needs to be a balance here. But if you know a Mormon or a Jehovah's Witness who seems set in his beliefs, it is in no way a waste of time to share with him, even if it takes years. It would be absolutely wrong to conclude that this person is just like any cultist who refuses to even listen to what you have to say. And furthermore, this person may possibly have never heard the Gospel! Just because they proclaim Christ and his love, this doesn't mean that they know the true Gospel. We can never assume anything. Proclaim the truth, because God is always glorified when His truth is proclaimed. This is just one of many reasons why i'm a Calvinist.

Evangelism and your identity

Yes, I know I just posted a blog a few minutes ago. And yes, I know I should be working on the homework that is due in like...30 minutes. But I came across this blog by Centuri0n that really illustrates something that I have convicted about for a long time. My conviction is, in a nutshell, that the Gospel should not be compromised. I would recommend going to the link above and reading it yourself, but i'll paste it below just in case you don't feel like going elsewhere. Keep in mind that his blog was primarily written on an individual basis, but I want everyone who reads it to see it from an angle as to how our churches should be affectively witnessing to the world. I'd really like everyone's thoughts on this:

It’s a lemming mentality. It’s the idea – the impulse – to follow the outward appearance of some thing which is happening without actually pursuing the thing itself. If there’s any guy on the face of the earth which proves this doesn’t have to be this way, it’s John Piper.

Piper doesn’t show up at Passion dressed like, well, Louie Giglio – and I have a lot of respect for Giglio. But there’s Piper, speaking to thousands of college kids, dressed like he always dresses – like a 1980’s college professor. He’s 60 (more or less) and he doesn’t have to pretend he’s hip, or relevant, or cool, or informed. He opens up the Bible, and preaches exactly the same way he preaches at Bethlehem Baptist every single Sunday.

And I bring that up to say this: if that’s what was happening even 7 times out of 10 in so-called “emergent” and “missional” churches, I think there’d be almost no fight. There’d be some fight – but it would be far less anathemacious than what is happening right now.

Seriously: think about what is happening in SBC churches for the most part. Most of them have transitioned to some more-contemporary form of worship, or at least what is called a “blended” style. That’s more than half-way to a “missional” concession. Most pastors who have the facilities are using multimedia – Powerpoint, video, multiple sites receiving one pastor’s preaching via some kind of local media loop. Many, many pastors are streaming their Sunday message via church web sites.

Guys like me – and others who you would associate with me – aren’t wigged out about using the means at our disposal. We’re wigged out that some kid with a bible college degree, or maybe an M.Div., and about 2 years of understudy at some middle-sized church is going to go ahead and take on the trappings of a culture which neither you nor I would say is God-honoring and somehow, through his hair products and his skater layered look – and for the hard-core, a tat – teach people that Jesus commands repentance. You’ll excuse me for asking, but “with what?”

I have an anecdote which will be useful to demonstrate what I am talking about here. When I was working FT at the bookstore, one day this beater Pontiac pulled into the lot, and this biker guy climbed out – very ZZ Top after about 100 miles of dirt road. We greet everyone the same as they walk into the store: “How are you today?” I did exactly that, and he didn’t even look over at me.

He went straight back to the Bibles. I give everyone about a minute to get their bearings, and then I walked back and I asked him, “Anything I can help you with?”

He doesn’t say anything, but he’s looking intently at the Bibles. After about another minute, he asks me, “You work here?”

Well, yeah. “Can I help you with something?”

He commences to tell me that he was saved in prison, and that he just recently got out, and he’s now in prison ministry, and he needs “prison bibles”. I told him honestly (I was still a rookie) that I didn’t know what a prison Bible was, and he told me it was a Bible with a paper cover with big print. I had one by accident, and he swiped it up – and so I don’t forget this part, I gave it to him for free for teaching me what a prison Bible was.

Anyway, big, hairy guy, covered in tats, terrible teeth, hair like dirty rope – completely insane for Jesus. We spent an hour talking about his testimony and his ministry to prisoners and his approach to ministry. I didn’t count, but I remember thinking that he didn’t have any words bigger than 2 syllables, except “resurrection” – and he said it “res-RECK-shun”. He left with a free bible, and came back several time over the next year to get more Bibles, and to get equipment for the Lord’s table, and other books.

The question, as I think about this in the terms you have positioned, is whether this guy needed to get a haircut and a daily bath and shave to be an acceptable minister of Christ – and I think the answer turns out to be “no”. And that answer is really points at the question I asked above about the kid with the fashion statement. With what will this guy – the ex-con in prison ministry – preach the Gospel? With actual authenticity and not make-believe authenticity.

But if that is the right answer, should some middle-class kid who, after bible college and an internship at Respectible Community Church, grow out dreadlocks, stop shaving, stop bathing and “down size” to one set of clothes in order to follow a call into prison ministry because my anecdotal brother in leather is clearly OK that way?

See: it turns out to be a question of authenticity. I know the missionals get all “Annie Armstrong” at this point, but there’s a massive difference between being an indigenous missionary to a completely foreign people and being a transplanted person inside one subculture who speaks a common language.

If the legitimate example is Tim Keller – and he’s a brilliant example, the one everyone else ought to be studying – then open the other eye and look at him. He’s not a stinky bohemian even though he is ministering to the stinky bohemians of NYC. If the missional prototype is Tim Keller, then it seems to me that “authentic” doesn’t mean “clothes by Aeropostale”, a paper cup of half-latte decafe glued to your left hand, and the Garth Brooks wire mike stuck in your ear. It means being personally authentic rather than branded. And to bring this parenthetical to a close, someone who dresses like a biker but has never really lived that life is kidding himself if he thinks people will accept him as a biker when he’s obviously a middle-class kid trying to prove something. He’d be better off by far to wear his usual clothes and demonstrate the love of God and declare the Gospel to dying men...

Does cultural relevance- even in an intentional counter culture- always mean compromise on the Biblical message?

That last question – does cultural relevance always mean compromise on the Biblical message – is such a double-edged sword. There’s no question that it drops an anvil on the Wile E. Coyote of SBC stoginess – but it also drops an equally-weighted anvil on people who are doing the exact same thing on the other side of the fence. Because the question is not “should we be ‘relevant’?” The question is: in what way is the Gospel relevant? That is: in the 1920’s, man was still sinful and Christ still died for sins, but what was the context in which people would receive that?

Do I need to dress like Chappell for people to listen to me? Or maybe like Brad Pitt? Or maybe like Justin Timberlake? Is it really true that there’s no way to communicate with people unless you dress like them and hang out in the same dives they hang out in? Do you really need a beer to break out the Gospel – is the Gospel like asking someone out for the first time?

See: I think I get the Tim Keller thing – because Keller is on about answering the questions people actually have, not the questions we wish they would ask. Keller is on about demonstrating the results of the Gospel today to these people here rather than as if you were doing a set piece from the 1840s. But If Keller is the missional guy, why are so many so-called missionals not like him? Why are they so phony in their authenticity? Why are they plainly dumb (and for the sake of peace, I’ll not list any blogs I think are in that category on either side of the missional divide)?

I think it’s a fine point that in many cases, as Michael Horton said on this week’s WHT, people are afraid of “otherness” – and some of what is happening right now in the SBC is a fear of “otherness”. But the reality is that the so-called “missional” side of the bridge is simply awash in theologically-questionable people with non-transparent motives.

And let me close this answer with this, from your last response: you say you want trust to be the watchword in cooperation. Paul says, “it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy”. When he says this to the Corinthians, he is chastising them for elevating themselves above the apostles when they are themselves unworthy to be called stewards – they can’t even discipline a guy who’s sleeping with his step-mom. But in that, trust cannot be taken for granted: trust has to be earned and it has to be serviced in some way – there has to be a way in which trust can be fortified over time. It is not a given.