@HealthAndHappiness - sorry if I sounded too critical, it's too late to edit and I know you were just being cautious. I just get frustrated when people post asking for practical advice on spiritual areas they want to work on and end up called a heretic and having their salvation questioned. I know you were not doing that but others are heading in that direction and I find it very frustrating.
I know you have a heart for evangelism and I commend you for living it out!
No worries Snackersmom.
You are always welcome to disagree .
No hard feelings. I've even disagreed with some things I used to believe myself. I was pleased to hear that he wants to teach a teenager evangelism.
What is his idea of evangelism/ good news?
I don't know. At the time he had just joined and I don't know him anymore than he knows us. He's a newbie/a stranger. Besides, for all he knows, we could be providing unbiblical information.
Let's look at his initial statements.
"She complained last night that we study evangelism from the Bible but we are missing the practical "how to do it". She's right. So I'm going to start a series on the practical application of evangelism."
"I plan to start with the commitment required - all the hardships the apostles suffered being evangelists.
First, I provided the chapter from the Bible that details the one person, Philip, who was called an Evangelist. It does include "How to do it" IF he uses the right Bible. I find it very practical. He decided to not answer my question. It was a relevant question because if he happens to use the NIV for example, it leaves out verse 37.
As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?
Act 8:37
Act 8:38 - And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him.
It gives the idea that water baptism is what saves. That's the same with other pop contemporary versions, like the ESV that a former pastor used when I attended his church.
And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?”
Act 8:37
Act 8:38 - And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.
Where is the part the 14 year old girl was missing from her Sunday school teacher?
"
She complained last night that we study evangelism from the Bible but we are missing the practical "how to do it". She's right. "
Could it be that he is teaching from Bibles that offer works focused or incomplete gospels? They mentioned a question that was left unanswered with nothing more than an example of water Baptism. If that's missing from his curriculum, he doesn't need a book by some lost evangelist who requires obedience to the law to be saved.
MM needs to start with the real complete Word of God.
Here is what
God's Holy Word says in the one major chapter on the work of an evangelist.
Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? 37And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. 38And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.
1. Philip the Evangelist preached into him Jesus.
2. Before he would baptize him, he needed to get saved by believing that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
That's very practical IF you use the real Word of God. Some have criticized me often for my choice for using the King James Bible. Those guys aren't Mormons, but I have never once read them attempt to lead anyone to Christ. Anyhow, I could give many examples
of people in evangelical, non denominational, charismatic, and Baptist churches that preached a false gospel and undermined the faith of the young.
I don't assume Maintenance Man is and did not want others to. I just asked him 2 strait forward, common questions about his subject so I know how to proceed. At the same time we should not assume he's saved from his testimony. He gave no indication of understanding the gospel. I hope he does. If not, he give his testimony of salvation. He teaches a class so I don't expect him to be too bashful to speak to the most important question posed to him in this thread.
MM said,
"I plan to start with the commitment required - all the hardships the apostles suffered being evangelists. "
Does he mean that it's hard to get saved? I have no idea.
Do we have to suffer as Jesus and His apostles or make a "commitment" to be saved?
My second Question was,
What do you believe you must do to be saved?
He sidestepped the questions and diverted to their relevancy, so he must not want to talk about it.
I never assumed he was a Jehovah false Witness. I was using a figure of speech to show that ...
A. IF he's is spreading a false gospel to his students, I don't want to come under the anger of God for assisting him, by becoming a partaker of the evil deeds. Nearly every new testament book/ epistle warns against that. God hates false gospels. I do too. Not assuming anything other than that question is off limits.
B. I don't assume he is in a cult or anything. I met many of folks who were trusting their works and we're in so called evangelism.
EBC ,The College and Career Sunday school teacher, who bragged about getting his degree from Liberty University, tried to convince his students that the KJ Bible was false and not to be trusted in Key areas. His name's was Keys and he was a false prophet who taught a works based salvation from the pulpit.
My pastor's other best friend was Dave and he taught a hard-core works salvation that was also false. He was ordained by the pastor. My pastor at the time approved of multiple false gospels. I approached him about it a number of times. My affiliation with him held me back from greater works for the Lord. I'm done with those hard lessons.
More recently, there was the leader of the Non denominational evangelical mega church evangelism group. The pastor had an invitation for anyone who wanted to get saved. I went forward to lead others to Christ with an open Bible. The leader didn't know and thought I came to get saved. He did not mention Jesus once, but he wanted me to "speak in tongues and be baptized by the Holy Ghost."
The leader of the evangelism group wasn't even saved.
I could give a lot more examples, but you understand why I asked those 2 simple questions.
I'm not trying to get on Maintenance Man's case. I just want to know who I'm talking to and communicate with the man.
I could teach him the techniques/ how too of evangelism from Jesus'own statements.
There are classes for soul winners available who lead people to Christ on a regular basis.
Perhaps Maintenance Man might just need to study the clear, uncluttered gospel, maybe get saved(?), and keep it basic for his 14 yo. Student. I'd love to see that. She might need someone to lead her to Christ... and take her soul winning like my former SS teacher, Dan did at that age.
Recently, Dan came to Mom's funeral and it brought tears to my eyes. He is a brother indeed. He had an impact on my life that established a weekly responsibility for leading folks to Christ that led to a lifetime of evangelism. I want to continue helping others share the love of Christ.
