Hey Everyone,
Violakat's excellent thread about how we treat new Christians reminded me of times when other Christians assume I'm an unbeliever myself, and don't seem to believe me when I say I'm a Christian, no matter how much I try to explain my background. (I didn't want to derail Vi's thread so I'm posting this one as a spin-off.)
Here are some examples:
* As you know, over the years, I've attended many different churches because of moving. Sometimes no one notices at all. Other times, I'll find myself surrounded by 10 people who all want to take my hand and Drag Me Acrosss the Salvation Finish Line because they assume I'm an unbeliever, which I understand (I'm sure they're acting in the interest of "Just in case she isn't really saved... We'll take all the precautions to make sure she is.") Maybe it's just me, but many times I have a hard time convincing people I'm actually a lifelong Christian. Do you ever experience this too?
* Many years ago I was in Las Vegas (no, I'm not into gambling, partying, or a wild time. I was there with family to see a Cirque de Soleil show and check out the lobbies of some of the hotels) and as my Mom and I passed walked over a bridge, a young college-age man called out to our group, "Doesn't it bother you that you're all going to hell?" I'm sure he had the best intentions. He was witnessing for his Savior. But, I had to fight the part of me that really wanted to stop and ask him, "How do you know I'm going to hell? Where in the Bible does it say that you, not God, gets to judge my salvation?"
What would you have done? Would you have said something? Or would you have opted to just walk by without a word?
* While attending a school conference in New Orleans, I watches as a local church set up a huge cross in the middle of the French Quarter. The cross held a digital message board that told everyone that they were going to hell and needed to repent immediately.
Would you have stopped and said anything to them?
* On the shuttle ride to the airport on my recent vacation, I was the only passenger (who really, really wanted to sleep because of some long shifts at work), but the shuttle driver was bound and determined to get me saved along the way. He was a little older than me and started talking about the importance of knowing Jesus (he didn't ask if I wanted to know Jesus or if I already knew Jesus, he just told me I needed to have a relationship with Jesus.) As much as I tried to tell him I've grown up in church all my life and yes, I'm a Christian, he wouldn't take any of that as a valid answer and kept right on with the Rolling Sales Pitch for Instant Evangelism the entire way there. I was both awed with admiration... and majorly annoyed.
Now, God bless his heart. He was a really nice person and obviously on fire for God, so out of politeness, I stayed awake the whole time and dutifully listened to his well-prepared sermon for over an hour. It didn't matter that I was purposely verbally finishing all the Bible passages he was quoting before he could, or that I could finish his sentences midway, or that told him about my upbringing in Christian schools. He completely ignored all of that.
Either I wasn't Christian Enough To Be Able to Prove It or else He Just Wasn't Taking Any Chances That He'd Let Me Get Away Without the Chance to Be Saved... which I honestly do understand. But I couldn't help being frustrated. And, even more troubling to me is that at the end of the day, he probably went home and said, "I tried my best to serve you today, Lord, and bring another one into the fold," and I'm sure God was in complete acceptance of this. And then I wondered if God was looking at ME with annoyance and saying, "You should have been more attentive... You should have made an effort to be more polite... You should have put more into talking with this man instead of thinking about yourself" (and my dire need to sleep.)
Sometimes I almost wish there was some kind of membership card with a special stamp that states, "Yes, I Am a Christian, and Yes, I Am Going To Spend Eternity With Jesus." I wish that resolving situations like this really was as easy as whipping out my "Certified, Stamped and Verified Kingdom Membership Card" so that sometimes, I could just have some peace and quiet to myself. But I always try to politely pay attention to such spiels because I don't want to discourage that person's willingness to publicly witness to a stranger.
I know the Bible says you'll know a Christian by their fruit, but in chance, everyday encounters like this, the evidence of our fruit isn't always possible.
* Do you find it hard to convince people that you're a Christian, or at least, "Christian Enough", to get them to stop trying to get you saved... again?
* What do you say to people that finally "convinces" them?
* How do you respond to those who automatically assume you're a hell-bound heathen, and won't take, "Yes, I believe," for an answer?
Violakat's excellent thread about how we treat new Christians reminded me of times when other Christians assume I'm an unbeliever myself, and don't seem to believe me when I say I'm a Christian, no matter how much I try to explain my background. (I didn't want to derail Vi's thread so I'm posting this one as a spin-off.)
Here are some examples:
* As you know, over the years, I've attended many different churches because of moving. Sometimes no one notices at all. Other times, I'll find myself surrounded by 10 people who all want to take my hand and Drag Me Acrosss the Salvation Finish Line because they assume I'm an unbeliever, which I understand (I'm sure they're acting in the interest of "Just in case she isn't really saved... We'll take all the precautions to make sure she is.") Maybe it's just me, but many times I have a hard time convincing people I'm actually a lifelong Christian. Do you ever experience this too?
* Many years ago I was in Las Vegas (no, I'm not into gambling, partying, or a wild time. I was there with family to see a Cirque de Soleil show and check out the lobbies of some of the hotels) and as my Mom and I passed walked over a bridge, a young college-age man called out to our group, "Doesn't it bother you that you're all going to hell?" I'm sure he had the best intentions. He was witnessing for his Savior. But, I had to fight the part of me that really wanted to stop and ask him, "How do you know I'm going to hell? Where in the Bible does it say that you, not God, gets to judge my salvation?"
What would you have done? Would you have said something? Or would you have opted to just walk by without a word?
* While attending a school conference in New Orleans, I watches as a local church set up a huge cross in the middle of the French Quarter. The cross held a digital message board that told everyone that they were going to hell and needed to repent immediately.
Would you have stopped and said anything to them?
* On the shuttle ride to the airport on my recent vacation, I was the only passenger (who really, really wanted to sleep because of some long shifts at work), but the shuttle driver was bound and determined to get me saved along the way. He was a little older than me and started talking about the importance of knowing Jesus (he didn't ask if I wanted to know Jesus or if I already knew Jesus, he just told me I needed to have a relationship with Jesus.) As much as I tried to tell him I've grown up in church all my life and yes, I'm a Christian, he wouldn't take any of that as a valid answer and kept right on with the Rolling Sales Pitch for Instant Evangelism the entire way there. I was both awed with admiration... and majorly annoyed.
Now, God bless his heart. He was a really nice person and obviously on fire for God, so out of politeness, I stayed awake the whole time and dutifully listened to his well-prepared sermon for over an hour. It didn't matter that I was purposely verbally finishing all the Bible passages he was quoting before he could, or that I could finish his sentences midway, or that told him about my upbringing in Christian schools. He completely ignored all of that.
Either I wasn't Christian Enough To Be Able to Prove It or else He Just Wasn't Taking Any Chances That He'd Let Me Get Away Without the Chance to Be Saved... which I honestly do understand. But I couldn't help being frustrated. And, even more troubling to me is that at the end of the day, he probably went home and said, "I tried my best to serve you today, Lord, and bring another one into the fold," and I'm sure God was in complete acceptance of this. And then I wondered if God was looking at ME with annoyance and saying, "You should have been more attentive... You should have made an effort to be more polite... You should have put more into talking with this man instead of thinking about yourself" (and my dire need to sleep.)
Sometimes I almost wish there was some kind of membership card with a special stamp that states, "Yes, I Am a Christian, and Yes, I Am Going To Spend Eternity With Jesus." I wish that resolving situations like this really was as easy as whipping out my "Certified, Stamped and Verified Kingdom Membership Card" so that sometimes, I could just have some peace and quiet to myself. But I always try to politely pay attention to such spiels because I don't want to discourage that person's willingness to publicly witness to a stranger.
I know the Bible says you'll know a Christian by their fruit, but in chance, everyday encounters like this, the evidence of our fruit isn't always possible.
* Do you find it hard to convince people that you're a Christian, or at least, "Christian Enough", to get them to stop trying to get you saved... again?
* What do you say to people that finally "convinces" them?
* How do you respond to those who automatically assume you're a hell-bound heathen, and won't take, "Yes, I believe," for an answer?
