Apr 21, 2012
Leading People To Christ?
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Really great podcast. I remember there was a time when I felt like the weight of the world rested on me because I believed God expected me to be responsible for the fate of the people around me. And in my experience, there's no way you can believe that without trying to control or manipulate people. It was such a relief when I finally realized that God is big enough to do whatever he wants to do with other people without my interference.
Great podcast! I have never enjoyed leading people to Christ. I think I tried it once and that was enough. The way I see it, Jesus draws all people to himself and sometimes I get to participate with an encouraging word, a meal for a family who has no food or chicken soup for a sick person, a prophetic prayer (basically just speaking the truth over a person), with my writing, nutrition coaching, a smile. The list goes on and on. I don't have to worry about them "getting there" because that is in Jesus' hands and I trust him completely with other people. It's a much more pleasant experience for both me and the other person.
I think leading people to Christ is what it’s all about. Early Saturday morning is absolutely the best “leading” time. On a Saturday morning you ring the potential client’s doorbell, say around 7 am, and the person stumbles to the door all groggy and hung over from the night before. You hit them the power line “do you have Jesus in your life” before they even know what’s happening. Then they get really pissed off at you. Man the tension what a rush, to shake the dust off your feet, wow. Just living the Mark 16:15 life (which doesn’t appear in any of the originals, but that’s not all that relevant is it).
I became a Christian at age 13 years, in my backyard during the summer, reading a children's bible. Something very real happened and I felt peace. Then in the fall I started going to church. This was a fairly famliy oriented church so I found the people sincere and friendly. But peace soon left me when I encountered performance or experience oriented teachings. I guess I never felt like bringing anyone else to Christ because I couldn't guarantee them the peace which would have been the whole point.It was anxiety that drew me to a relationship with God. And it was prayer and bible reading that took me back into more anxiety. At some deep level, I felt that what I had to "offer" was a fraud
On a related note, does anyone have ideas on post mortem judgment? Can people accept salvation in Jesus after death? I know this is in the realm of total speculation, especially if you try to find scriptural proof, but maybe we can get a glimpse of an answer by reasoning it out using our hearts.
Jim, I went to a church that was big on Rev (as an incentive to get people saved before the end). Yet in all that time I never noticed that the lost were in "lake of fire" in Rev 20 & 21 but by Rev 22 they are outside the gates of the new Jerusalem (which is not likely really to be the lake of fire outside the gates of the city I would not think as usually when we say someone is outside a gate we mean just outside close by) and THEN comes the invitation from the Spirit and Bride (the church already there so hardly inviting herself) for whoever wishes to take the free gift of the water of life which actually flows as a river down the middle of the city ... so I think if you take Rev as prophetic of end times Scripture is open to salvation after death ... depending on how we choose to look at it. "Her Gates Will Never Be Shut" by Brad Jersak is a good read on some of this stuff.
Thanks Jenny for your awesome summary of a very complex topic. This is definitely consistent with the God of I Cor 13. I feel that this idea of post mortem judgement (hate to use that word because of it's feudal context) and the idea of hell are two big turn offs for many people.
I read Brad's book a while back and also recommend it. In fact Brad might be a great guy to interview.
Love the Podcast and great discussion here in the comments. There is a song by Genesis (Phil Collins) about how Jesus has been talking to me my whole life. IU think He is talking to many people and yes even the unchurched. I, like many others had that born again (for lack of a better term) experience and fell deeply in love with Jesus. Then, like Darin said "I went to church" and it all changed. I don't believe that all churches put people in fear, but over-authoritarian, pentecostal charismtic prospertity churches do. They are legalistic and controlling, everything that Christ isn't. But I am the dumba$$ that stayed for 10 years.
Great talk
Leading people to christ is the very foundation of the church I went to. Your spirituality got measured by how much you witness and if you lead people to christ. One of the pastors even said one time (not on stage though but it stuck with me, making me feel so bad), if someone does not lead anyone to christ in his first three months of being a christian, he would be useless and not do it ever. Charismatic people who where blurting out god wherever they where, got a great chance to have a career at that church. They even declared that leading people to christ would be the justification of life itself. It all made me feel so bad and I had to deal with the guilt feelings. Then also I just felt awkward when being with a friend, "knowing" I should tell her about God and all but just feeling that somehow it was not right to do so. It never felt natural to me. I could have way much more friends today if I tossed all of that sick believes earlier.
Leading people to christ is the very foundation of the church I went to. Your spirituality got measured by how much you witness and if you lead people to christ. One of the pastors even said one time (not on stage though but it stuck with me, making me feel so bad), if someone does not lead anyone to christ in his first three months of being a christian, he would be useless and not do it ever. Charismatic people who where blurting out god wherever they where, got a great chance to have a career at that church. They even declared that leading people to christ would be the justification of life itself. It all made me feel so bad and I had to deal with the guilt feelings. Then also I just felt awkward when being with a friend, "knowing" I should tell her about God and all but just feeling that somehow it was not right to do so. It never felt natural to me. I could have way much more friends today if I tossed all of that sick believes earlier.
So what Im gathering here is that the Gospel is spread by Jesus and He magically saves who He can reach and anyone He misses well its ok because who would reject the offer after seeing or spending a little time in the lake of fire then get a chance to get out? So how do you feel about having Hitler & bin laden as neighbors in heaven? would there be anyone left in hell if offered a chance out? If so, why even preach a gospel at all? why did Jesus say to the disciples to go into all the world? why didnt He just say "relax oh free believers and leave all the work to Me, I'll take care of reaching people so don't worry go drink beer and have fun, besides if anyone doesn't make it I'll get them at the second chance / last call?"
I'm new here and though I am not for IC and such nor agree with the methods listed above I still think we were told to preach the gospel? Why are we even here?
David we were NOT put here to be servants and messengers of God. We were put here to be Sons and Daughters of God. Out of that relationship we BECOME the message.
I grew up in a cult. I was isolated, they have their own town schools etc so you didn't really associate with people outside the walls. You could but you were taught they were inferior as far as religion. A man who got saved from there talked to me about Jesus etc. gave me a little prayer to pray, I was delivered from alchohalism and God changed my life. If he had kept his mouth shut, or led me to Christ (pointed the way) how would I have gotten the correct Gospel and gotten out of there? I just think there are times when we need to be not only the message but the mouth of God?
David I totally understand your point of view and what you're saying. I want to challenge you to really analyze the HEART of what you're saying here. The HEART of all this is UNBELIEF. Do you believe God is real and able to make contact with you or not? The Bible flat out says, "You do not need anyone to teach you because you have been given the Holy Spirit........"
We are called to be His witnesses. We're not called to actually "lead people to Him." That's the Holy Spirit's job. When we take HIS job we end up with a whole lot of premature christian babies with a whole lot of issues.
You're worried that if this guy "had kept his mouth shut, how would you have gotten the correct Gospel or gotten out of there?" David, do you really believe that God would put your eternal salvation in the hands of another human being???? Trust me in this David; God would have reached you one way or another because you belong to Him.