Stone the Preacher

Be careful now how you answer.

Is it Biblical to ever say something like: “If anyone does not love the Lord–a curse be on him.” ?

I’ll tell you what I think later in the week…

Here’s the question I posed last week: What would you have said to the postman named Diosdado (which means “God-given”) as he waited on you at the post office.

Here’s what I said:

I said, “Do you know what else is God-given? He gave His Son, Jesus Christ.” Then I gave him my 17 second sermon because there were other people in line: “If you’ve ever lied or stolen then God sees you as a lying thief, and on Judgment Day you will be found guilty of breaking His 10 Commandments. If you’ve broken just one Commandment, that is sin, and you will end up in Hell to pay for your sin. But Jesus died for all your sins, and He will forgive you, if you repent and put your trust in Him.”

His co-worker said, “Amen, brother.”

I then asked Diosdado if his Mom was a Christian because of his name.

“No. It was the name of a past President of the Phillipines.”

Fortunately, he didn’t go postal on me…

Okay all you evangelists. What happens if you don’t have your Gospel tracts and a huge door opens for you to share. For example:

I was at the Post Office and a man named Diosdado helped me with my mail. I asked him what his name meant.

“It means ‘God-given,’” he replied.

What would you have said to him then? I’ll tell you what I said on Monday, but I want to hear from you.

I cried.

I was reminded of what one man can do.

While watching the film “Amazing Grace,” I was also reminded that all movies aren’t mindless entertainment, but some are vehicles for inspiration and hope.
William Wilberforce finds God (or as he puts it, God found him), and he leads England to abolish slavery in the 18th century. I wonder who first told him about Jesus?

Wilberforce’s inspiration was the former slave-trader John Newton who found Christ, renounced the slave trade, and then wrote the famous hymn. I wonder who first told him about Christ?

I found myself praising God while watching this film about courage, convictions, and conscience.

And was reminded once again of what one man can do, what one man can do with God…

…after he hears of the Savior from just one man.

“You’d burn me at the stake!” the woman exclaimed, pulling open the collar of her shirt to reveal a Wicca medallion.
She interrupted the conversation I was having with two Starbucks employees after overhearing my question to them: “If God judged you by the Ten Commandments would be found guilty or innocent?”

The conversation almost didn’t happen.

When I’m too tired or complacent, I just don’t want to be bothered with the all the rigmarole of sharing the Gospel. But the lost are everywhere. And I will never know how God will use my words to affect a person’s life.

I just read about Bobby Driscoll, the child star from Disney who was the model for James M. Barrie’s mischievous Peter Pan, who also provided his voice for the animated film. I wonder if he ever had the chance to respond to Christ’s call?
Bobby made his film debut at age 6 in 1943, and appeared in many Disney films including “Song of the South,” “So Dear to My Heart,” and “Treasure Island.” He even won a special juvenile Academy Award in 1949.

Disney ended his contract after the release of “Peter Pan” two years before it expired. Bobby got married, had three kids, but Hollywood stopped calling. He became a drug addict, was arrested for drug possession many times, and also for assault and forgery. He spent six months in jail and was committed to a psychiatric hospital.

In 1968, two boys playing in a New York tenement found Bobby’s dead body. He had died of a heart attack brought on by liver failure and advanced arteriosclerosis at age 31.

He was buried in a potter’s field because he had no I.D. on him. A fingerprint match was made a year after his death and that’s when he was identified. He remains buried in the potter’s field on Hart Island.

I wonder what might have happened to Bobby if he responded to a Christian’s concerned question regarding his soul by trusting in Christ?

I wonder what will happen to the witch at Starbucks, who heard very clearly what would happen to her if she continues in her ways?

It really is worth all the fuss and bother to share my faith…

…especially when I don’t feel like it.

For God so loVed the world,
……That He gAve
………….His onLy
…………BegottEn
……………….SoN
…………….ThaT whosoever
……Believeth In Him
……….Should Not perish,
……But have Everlasting life.”
John 3:16

(I wrote this in response to “The Blasphemy Challenge,” two posts below)

The supposed atheists on “The Blasphemy Challenge” are on their way to salvation and it’s going to be exciting to see what God will do in their lives! How can I say that? Well, they’re following in the footsteps of the Apostles Paul and Peter…
Paul wrote this in his own conversion testimony: “Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.”

Christians don’t need to sweat, fret, or worry about “The Blasphemy Challenge,” or any other godless affront that comes down the pike with horns attached. God is still in control and can release our atheist friends out of their maddening mire of murky miscalculations. We too, were ignorant and unbelieving until God knocked us off our high horse of horrendous, haughty hermeneutics, when we thought that we were all that was. Please remember, that our atheist friends are ignorant and acting in unbelief; the blinders are still on as they play “Pin the Tail on Eternity.”

God understands this; we need to as well. So pray for these poor people.

Remember also, that Peter was a blasphemer! He was a follower of Jesus and still blasphemed Christ with curses three times, yet was forgiven and restored.

And do I need to remind everyone that John Newton was a miserable wretch of a slave-trader until he met the Risen Lord? The experience so changed him that he ended up writing the hymn “Amazing Grace,” as a reminder of God’s power—and the classic still endures to this day.

There’s still time for all these “Blasphemy Challengers” to repent, though admittedly, the time is short. But don’t forget: “God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.” He can always turn a blasphemer’s home into a printing press for Bibles after he dies.

Anybody remember Voltaire?

A couple of weeks ago, I did a small profile on the Jesus Guy who lives out of his van in South Redondo (Click here to read it).

My question was: Does he do any good for the cause of Christ?

Here are my thoughts: I asked around at some of the businesses that surround Robert’s van, and the people said things like, “I wouldn’t want to talk to him,” or “He’s kind of scary.”

I think he rates with the guy who used to wear a multi-colored fright wig at football games and held up a sign that said: “John 3:16.” This method doesn’t really explain why Jesus is so important. It’s one thing to draw a crowd using extreme means in order to preach the Gospel (William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army used to shout at an open umbrella on a street corner to attract an audience), it’s quite another thing entirely to act a bit kooky for the sake of being kooky—in the name of Jesus. There is just no sound explanation for plastering “Jesus” all over a tinsel-covered “Holy Van.”

Mike wrote this comment: “He might be reaching someone, but overall I think he is hurting the cause. People like him tend to preach without ever engaging in a meaningful dialog. As a non-believer this guy would have lost me. I would have written him off as a kook.

Jessica said: “Well, I have seen this guy. And when you go to talk with him, he won’t carry on a normal, relatable conversation. How is that helping the Kingdom of God? “
All in all, Pastor Doug has a great attitude concerning The Jesus Guy, when he wrote this: “I want to ask you to do one major thing concerning Robert (whom I’ve met and had conversations with): PRAY for him. Don’t judge him. Yes, Robert is a little out there; but I think that has more to do with his mental state, then his belief system…”

We always need to remember that God can (and does) use everything for his glory, regardless of how sane or nutty a person might appear to be… regardless of your thoughts or my thoughts!

If you live in the South Bay and shop in the Riviera Village, then you’ve seen him. If you live in another area, you’ve seen them, too… y’know, the “Jesus Guys”.

They’re a little off, a little kooky, and certainly a whole lot strange…

This is the “Jesus Guy’s” home—a truck that is never moved and is always festively decorated.

And here’s the man himself!

You can read about him by clicking here!
His name is Robert. I asked him what it is he’s doing and he said, “It’s all about Him!” as he pointed upward to the sky.

My question: Does he do any good for the cause of Christ? Explain. I’ll let you know my thoughts next week.

Click here to read an interview with “The Jesus Guy.”

A MODEST PROPOSAL FOR THE PROMOTION OF PERSONAL EVANGELISM IN AMERICA, THUS RELIEVING THE BURDEN OF EXTREME GUILT FOR THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN DISOBEDIENT TO CHRIST’S COMMAND TO GO INTO ALL THE WORLD AND PREACH THE GOOD NEWS TO ALL CREATION.

It is a melancholy object to those who walk through this great town or travel throughout the country, when they see in the streets, the roads, the bars, the movie complexes, stadiums and parks, all the lost for whom there is no hope, nor glimmer of smile from the weary and heavy-laden.

I think that it is agreed by all parties that Western Christianity has forsaken its sacred obligation, nay privilege, of spreading good news to all those who are perishing, those following gods of their own making, accountable to no one except their creditors and even then, slacking.

Years have passed and false Gospel presentations have been erected allowing all sinners to just ask Jesus into their hearts without fear of God or repentance of sin; the fruit of these endeavors being a false hope and negligible security for entrance into Heaven, but a most certain assurance of damnation to the lake of fire.

This being the case I shall now therefore humbly propose my own thoughts, which I hope will not be liable to the least objection. I have been assured by my many meditations on the subject, and know in my heart that what I will suggest is true, just, and right. I know this because I feel it, and we all know that feelings are the basis for all established matters of good doctrine and practice. I do therefore meekly offer to Christian consideration this: all our good works have come to naught.

The fruit of Christian charity and love has left a nation in shambles as evidenced by increased divorce, appalling abortion statistics, gay marriage, debt, violence, and general putrefaction. The reason that this is so is because we have forsaken our first duty: to seek and to save that which is lost. We have neglected the preaching of the Law, the fear of God, repentance, impending judgment, and a fiery Hell as eternal punishment for all who would trust in their own good works for salvation from a dreadful God. This has led to a general disregard of all things Godly and has perpetrated complete unbridled callousness toward all things decent.

To remedy this catastrophic condition I propose a cessation from all good works for a season of time to focus our attentions on solely preaching the Gospel. All good Christian churches that have a burden for the perishing should devote themselves only to those headed for destruction and work only and wholeheartedly toward that end.

Eliminate food programs for the poor and let the liberal churches, the seeker-friendly churches, the Catholic churches, and the Muslims tend to this. We as a good Christian church should devote all monies to the cause of evangelizing the lost. Building projects and further acquiring of properties should be forestalled and all offerings and generous gifts to invalids, shut-ins, and prisoners should be completely eliminated and put toward speaking the truth in love by the proclamation of the Gospel. Leave the beggar in the street and the Samaritan in the gutter; the church down the block shall own him. Paid ministers, accountants, administrative assistants, and the like shall work as menial laborers and all salaries devoted to the furtherance of teaching about sin, righteousness and the judgment to come.

Expository preaching should be stopped, pews torn asunder, and pulpits destroyed whereby every parishioner shall be displaced and forced into the streets to share all spiritual wisdom with the dead in spirit. Ignore the cries and the plight of the alien and the stranger in your land only to shout loudly, proclaim proudly, that all should come to repentance.

This should continue till revival breaks forth and Christ is once again exalted, God feared, and Christianity proven true.

I profess, in the sincerity of my heart, that I have not the least personal interest in endeavoring to promote this necessary work, having no other motive than the good of my country, and the furtherance of the Gospel.

What is a Modest Proposal? Click here.

Nick Turner is the 15-year-old son of a pastor here at my church, Dale Turner. He wrote this piece for his high school paper and has since experienced a measure of persecution from his teachers, students, and others in authority.

As the Christmas season rolls around, many people get excited about their time off. Finally, it is time for Christmas vacation.

But nowadays, the title, “Christmas vacation,” is offensive to many people. We now must call it, “Winter Break,” or as PV calls it, “winter recess.”

Yet, there is one thing I do not understand: why is it that we are allowed to say words like Kwanzaa and Hanukkah,

but when the word Christmas comes up, it brings a chill to the bone?

People who do not like this word just need to chill out. (more…)

Last week I asked your opinion about the radical street preacher who shouts out the Gospel and berates customers that go into a strip club (see the interview with him by clicking “read the rest of the story” below.)

Below is a video from Fox News that actually shows the confrontation between the preacher and the owner of the strip club. Watch it, then read my thoughts about this guy below.

My thoughts: As Christians, we all know that God’s word never returns empty , but will accomplish the purposes that God has intended for it (Isaiah 55:11). But there is such a thing as tact, courtesy, and being winsome. I don’t think that it is right to call individuals perverts, whores, prostitutes, etc. I do think that it is appropiate to open-air preach the truth of the Gospel in such a way that it is relevant without being obnoxious, even though the message will be offensive. There is also a fine line between harassing an establishment and preaching the Word. The overall message that the preacher is preaching is correct, maybe there should be some adjustment in attitude. What do you think?
Click to watch the interview with the
preacher (more…)

John Piper writes:

I will tell you what a tragedy is. I will show you how to waste your life. Consider this story from the 1998 Readers Digest:

A couple took early retirement from their jobs in the Northeast 5 years ago when he was 59 and she was 51. Now they live in Punta Gorda, Florida. Where they cruise on their 30-foot trawler, play softball and collect shells.

Picture them before Christ at the great Day of Judgment: “Look, Lord. See my shells!”

That is a tragedy.

- From “Don’t Waste Your Life” by John Piper.

Last week I posed this challenge and Jessica guessed it right! (You can read the whole story below.)

I followed this car into my gym’s parking lot. The two bumper messages struck me as quite odd.

Here’s a close-up view:

Hmmmm… Have you figured it out?
Tell me why you think this is odd and you will win the privilege of answering the question correctly!

Jessica wrote: “It’s contradicting to have a Christianity symbol and also a sticker that is pro-gay. Hmmm…odd indeed! Which one is it buddy? You can’t have one foot in this world and one foot out. God wants ALL of you!”

Here’s the whole story: I followed this car into 24 Hour Fitness and thought the two juxtaposed bumper messages were contradictory. Why? The “Always Forward Never Straight” message is a gay message; and of course, the cross in the Ichthus is the Christian symbol from early Christian and eccesiastical art, an emblematic fish, or the Greek word for fish, which combined the initials of the Greek words into: Jesus, Christ, Son of God, Savior.

The person parked their car and I parked mine. I was quite curious to find out what this person thinks. How should I approach the subject? Would this person be offended?

A rather large woman in her twenties got out of the car; I waited for her to walk by. “Excuse me?” I said.

“Yes?” she replied.

“I have a question for you. I noticed the sticker on the back of your car and I was wondering what it means?”

“Oh…” Chris smiled. “It means that I’m a lesbian.”

“I have another question. You also have a Christian symbol…”

“My parents are Christians. I have my own beliefs, my own spirituality.”

I then asked her the million-dollar question. “If you were to die today, would you go to Heaven or Hell?” Of course, she answered that she would go to Heaven. I then took her through the Ten Commandments, warned her of Judgment Day, and the penalty of Hell. I never once mentioned her choice of lifestyle; homosexuality never entered into the conversation, therefore she listened attentively and was not offended when I talked about the saving grace of Jesus Christ and the forgiveness He offers, if she would only repent and trust in Him as her Savior.

She did say this though: “I don’t think it’s fair that God would make you one way and tell you to live another.”

Before we left to start our respective workouts, we shook hands and said goodbye. Maybe someday, she would remember the Christian who was actually nice to her—but told her the truth.

-Steve Sanchez

(Coming soon: A YouTube video of another encounter I had with a lesbian named Jasmine at the Redondo Beach Pier)

After thanking God for a multitude of blessings, Abraham Lincoln closed his Thankgiving Proclamation with this (is it timely or what?):

No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.

What are you thankful for?

Last week I wrote this; my thoughts follow afterward:

I was invited to give the benediction at a Memorial Day service about 2 years ago by a man who strongly supports freedom of religion for all (as do I). In fact, Reverend Friend has his very own religion: God’s Eternal Universal Religion. He was in charge of organizing the events, lining up the speakers, and finding “religious” people to give the invocation (opening prayer), and the benediction (closing prayer).

Given this mixed bag of faith, would you have participated in this prayer?
Why or why not?

This is what happened: We discussed it at our staff pastors’ meeting. Some were for, some against. I wanted to pray so that people would know that Hope Chapel represents and prays to the One True God, Jesus. It didn’t matter to me that others prayed to their little gods. I prayed an “evangelistic” prayer in Jesus’ name. Reverend Friend called me two weeks ago and asked if I would give the invocation at the Veterans Day Memorial this weekend—this time though, there would be no other strange religions on the dais. And the benediction would be given by a Salvation Army Chaplain.

God won out over gods–again!

The House has gone the way of the Godless. So too, the Senate.

An Associated Press report: “South Dakotans rejected a law that would have banned virtually all abortions, Arizona became the first state to defeat an amendment to ban gay marriage and Missouri approved a measure backing stem cell research.” In a huge loss, California’s parental notice measure for teens seeking abortions failed.

We live in a culture of death, denial, & delusion.

How long before our freedom of religion and speech is gone too? The time is short.

The Lord said, “It is because they have forsaken my law, which I set before them; they have not obeyed me or followed my law. Instead, they have followed the stuborness of their hearts; they have followed the Baals, as their fathers taught them.” Therefore, this is what the Lord Almighty, ther God of Israel says: “See, I will make this people eat bitter food and drink poisoned water… (Jeremiah 9:13-15)

Though these verses were for a backslidden Israel I find some application for us. Do you agree?

My neighbor moved. Suddenly.
A very successful real estate developer with properties all over the city sold his mini-mansion across the street and has now moved to Redondo—right next to the beach.

With cell phone in ear, a drive by and a quick wave, that is, when he noticed me.

A 16-year-old daughter with different multi-colored hairstyles everyday. Boyfriends visited when dad wasn’t around. “I don’t know what to do with her,” he complained during one of our few brief chats.

I gave him a Gospel tract a few months ago…

Hired movers loaded up, left—in one day!

A man who has everything.

An open door now closed…

A new home built on sand.

I was invited to give the benediction at a Memorial Day service about 2 years ago by a man who strongly supports freedom of religion for all (as do I). In fact, Reverend Friend has his very own religion: God’s Eternal Universal Religion. He was in charge of organizing the events, lining up the speakers, and finding “religious” people to give the invocation (opening prayer), and the benediction (closing prayer).

I was asked to participate and share the dais with five other people of faith, including a Scientologist, a Jew, a naval chaplain, a Salvation Army minister, and Reverend Friend himself.

Given this mixed bag of faith, would you have participated in this prayer?
Why or why not?

I’ll let you know what I did next week.

My daughter D.D. was lying on the ground and looking at some ants on the sidewalk. She informed my wife Karen, that she used to eat ants when she was younger. She thought about it a little bit then asked, “Mama, do ants go to Heaven?”

“I don’t know,” Karen replied. I’m not sure that there will be ants in Heaven.”

“Well then… do ants go to Hell?”

“Oh no, honey. Animals don’t have sin; God will not judge them.”

“What about the naughty ants that bite me?”

“It’s not because of their sin that they bite you, D.D..”

“But what about that worm that’s in Hell? Jesus said that there is a worm in Hell that never dies.”

The apostle Paul wrote this to a slave-owner named Philemon: “I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.”

I pray the same thing for you to.

There is nothing like what we have as a Christian: eternal life, forgiveness of sins, a relationship with the one true God—and the opportunity to share all this with unbelievers! What a chasm exists between those who have life and those awaiting death.

What a shame.

As I share my faith regularly, I see more clearly what I have been saved from—the debauchery, the drunkeness, the hopelessness, the licentiousness— which prompts me to be ever more thankful for what I am today. Which allows me to have a fuller understanding of every good thing I have in Christ: the chance to be a part of God’s plan in reaching the lost, the forsaken.

I wish you could experience the same excitement, I wish you could experience the same joy. I wish I could give you a pill. Something to help you overcome your timidity, fear, and apathy.
But you’ve already swallowed it. The Gos-Pill. And with it everything you need for life and godliness, and all the promises of God that he will be with you.

Did you get a placebo?

It was such a pleasure to get back to one-on-one evangelizing after being virtually shut-up in a Communist country.
The day after I got back from China I went to our local Farmer’s Market and handed out about a hundred Million-Dollar bill Gospel tracts. I felt so free!!!

There’s the rub…

In China, I could have handed out thousands of pieces of Gospel literature to willing and hungry people—hungering and thirsting for the way of righteousness. I know that I could have had crowds of hundreds listening to a message from the Lord; thousands may have been saved! Unfortunately, it is illegal and I didn’t want to jeopardize the home group where I was sent to minister.

Now here I am in America, free to preach and hand out literature—but nobody cares. And not many of the “Saved” are obedient to the Lord’s command to “Go!”

Cozy Christianity.

This is an excerpt from “Dante’s Inferno” describing the gates of Hell:

I am the way into the city of woe
I am the way to a forsaken people
I am the way to eternal sorrow
…Abandon all hope ye who enter here.

I remember hearing the first reports of our national tragedy in my garage while on my exercise bike. KKLA had a brief announcement: “A small plane had crashed into the World Trade Center.” I didn’t think much of it—it sounded like an unfortunate accident. I showered and went to work. I learned of what really happened at our Tuesday morning staff meeting. It was an act of war.

If you had the opportunity to speak to the World Trade Center workers for 10 minutes at a special Bible study on September 10th, 2001, what would you tell them? Would you say that God loves them and has a wonderful plan for their lives? Would you tell them to come to Jesus because he will fill their hearts with joy; that He would give them true peace and happiness? Just what would you tell them?

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.”
Psalm 91:1

While camping in Yosemite we threw a log on the fire. A swarm of ants emerged, scurrying and confused, trying to get out of the log but unable. One managed to free itself but couldn’t escape the ringed firepit. Sad those ants. God’s poor little creatures. A whole colony wiped out JUST LIKE THAT!
-Tim Teeboom

A businessman, Bert Rivera emailed me and needed an immediate response to a business problem. He sends his product to distributors around the world and includes the million-dollar bill Gospel tract. Here is an angry request from a distributor in Australia to the tract. Question: What would you tell Bert to do, since it is his product? Read my response below…

From: K. W.
Sent: Tuesday, August 29, 2006 6:04 PM
To: bert@hotshield.com
Subject: Complaints
Bert.

Mr. K. W.
Click to read my response to Bert… (more…)

Why risk going to a JW convention? Why do we need to get the Gospel out? Why should we hand out a silly tract? What difference does it make? Read the story below…
Once upon a time, there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work.

One day, as he was walking along the shore, he looked down the beach and saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself at the thought of someone who would dance to the day, and so, he walked faster to catch up.

As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young man, and that what he was doing was not dancing at all. The young man was reaching down to the shore, picking up small objects, and throwing them into the ocean.

He came closer still and called out “Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?”

The young man paused, looked up, and replied “Throwing starfish into the ocean.”

“I must ask, then, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?” asked the somewhat startled wise man.

To this, the young man replied, “The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them in, they’ll die.”

Upon hearing this, the wise man commented, “But, young man, do you not realize that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile? You can’t possibly make a difference!”

At this, the young man bent down, picked up yet another starfish, and threw it into the ocean. As it met the water, he said, “It made a difference for that one.”
-Adapted from The Star Thrower by Loren Eiseley
1907 - 1977

I have undertaken a little project during my daily Bible reading: every time that I read about “sharing your faith,” “preaching the gospel,” “teaching the Word,” etc., I underline it and put an “E” next to it, for “Evangelism.” I’m amazed at how often the writers spoke about Jesus, and exhorted their readers to do the same!This morning I read, “I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.” (Philemon 6) It has always been my contention that when we evangelize, we will be more excited about living out the Christian life.

As we mix it up with the unsaved, we get a glimpse of the hopelessnesss, the foolishness, and the utter depravity of a life without God. We have an opportunity to hear them blaspheme, swear unmentionable obscenities, and blurt out profane remarks—just like we used to. All this should cause us to reflect on “every good thing we have in Christ.

We take our faith for granted, forgetting that we too were the wretches the song talks about. We forget how we scoffed at the 10 Commandments and had a total disregard for what the Savior did on our behalf. But when we share our faith, we once again savor the Savior. We remember that we once were lost but now are found. We develop a fuller understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.

And that should cause us to want the same for the lost.
-SS

Last week I said that a certain author’s article bugged me. Here’s what I wrote: Mike Bechtle, author of “Evangelism for the Rest of Us: Sharing Christ Within Your Personality Style,” has written an article that I’d like you to read and comment on. I’ll let you know my thoughts next week but here’s a hint: I’m totally bugged by the title, “Evangelism for the Rest of Us…” Why? Click here to read the article.

Now here are my comments— First the title: “Evangelism for the Rest of Us.” If you read the back cover of his book, it says, “Witnessing to strangers is fine for extroverts. But what about the rest of us?” This suggests that strangers can only be witnessed to by extroverts! Baloney! (more…)