Post by servantofthelord on Jul 17, 2021 13:55:16 GMT -6
I have found it interesting over the years to see how the churches evangelize. What methods they use to try to teach the lost/unbeliever. There are as many different approaches to this as there are denominations. But most use variations of the same things or "styles" in their practices. Most focus on the same points and the same or similar ideas. Many use a version of what has come to be termed as "The Romans road" walking people through sections of the teachings in the book of Romans. Some like to focus more on the book of John. Others use a combination of verses from the synoptic gospels (Mathew, Mark, Luke, John).
There is no commandment laying out the right way to teach the unbeliever. There is a lot of things that the scriptures don't specifically tell us. We are, I believe, expected to use the examples scripture gives us, to discern how we should conduct ourselves in any given area. Usually there is some verse or verses that will apply to any given situation, if we earnestly look. Unfortunately, we have often fallen into the habit of simply doing as we were taught to do, assuming that what we were taught is born out in scripture.
That is not always the case, tradition is good when it is the traditions handed down from the apostles. It can be otherwise when it is born of men's interpretation of what the scriptures teach. This is why any good teacher or preacher of God's word, will always tell you to confirm anything they teach/preach in scripture. Scripture is the ultimate authority, no matter what we may personally believe or not believe.
Lets look at the most common teachings about evangelizing the lost/unbeliever. Most go something like this ....
1. We are all sinners, none of us is sin free 2. Jesus died to forgive our sins, and give us the free gift of eternal life 3. We must confess Jesus as our Lord and savior to receive this gift of salvation
These things are all true, but this is NOT how the apostles taught the gospel to the lost/unbeliever.
First off we need to break down the actual books of our bible. They have specific purpose. The four "gospels" are the retelling of the story of Jesus and His ministry. The epistles to the churches, are just that. Letters to individual churches and the ones in the area of those churches. They were often passed between churches to help spread teachings. Revelations, obviously is about the end days. Timothy, Titus, and Philemon were written for instruction the the individuals the books are titled after. James was a letter to the 12 tribes. The books of Peter and further books of John, were to the church overall or to churches, as was Jude.
This only leaves us with the book of Acts, which also happens to be the only book in the bible that actually covers the "acts" of the apostles preaching/teaching the lost/unbeliever. Since Jesus told them they were to go out and preach the gospel to the world, wouldn't the best way for us to do this, be the way they did?
So if we look at the book of Acts, and we are paying attention, one thing should jump out at us as being far different than what we generally do. Nowhere in acts do the apostles tell anyone about the atonement! They don't preach Jesus died to forgive your sins. Here you may wish to pause and reread the book to confirm this, but it is true. The atonement is very important, but this is what you teach believers, not those who don't believe. If they haven't accepted God yet, why would they believe Jesus has some great power to absolve them of anything?
People often look at the rate of turnover in the church and are amazed at the level of people that tend to fall away, but since we teach them middle to end and skip the basics, their foundations are weak.
Lets look at the things the apostles based their evangelizing/converting the lost on. It is really basic and simple. They use the same "formula", if you will, all the way through. With very little variation. It is tailored to each crowd, but the same things are almost always emphasized and repeated. I will condense it down to the basic ideas to better explain .....
1. The Jews killed Jesus 2. God raised him up from the dead 3. We (the apostles) witnessed this resurrection. 4. The resurrection of Jesus, proves He is the (Savior, Prince, Christ, Judge, Son of God). 5. Once you have heard this you should repent. 6. Repentance will bring forgiveness and the Holy Spirit.
This theme or mild variations of it is in all the teachings and sermons in Acts. Even in the testimony to the Pharisees. So, we have to ask ourselves, if this is what preaching/teaching the gospel to the lost/unbelievers is to the apostles, IS there a better way? Do we know better than they do how to convert souls?
Think of it like this. If you wanted to teach someone how to figure out an engineering problem. They would need to know some advanced math. But you wouldn't start in algebra if they don't know how to add and subtract, would you?
There is no commandment laying out the right way to teach the unbeliever. There is a lot of things that the scriptures don't specifically tell us. We are, I believe, expected to use the examples scripture gives us, to discern how we should conduct ourselves in any given area. Usually there is some verse or verses that will apply to any given situation, if we earnestly look. Unfortunately, we have often fallen into the habit of simply doing as we were taught to do, assuming that what we were taught is born out in scripture.
That is not always the case, tradition is good when it is the traditions handed down from the apostles. It can be otherwise when it is born of men's interpretation of what the scriptures teach. This is why any good teacher or preacher of God's word, will always tell you to confirm anything they teach/preach in scripture. Scripture is the ultimate authority, no matter what we may personally believe or not believe.
Lets look at the most common teachings about evangelizing the lost/unbeliever. Most go something like this ....
1. We are all sinners, none of us is sin free 2. Jesus died to forgive our sins, and give us the free gift of eternal life 3. We must confess Jesus as our Lord and savior to receive this gift of salvation
These things are all true, but this is NOT how the apostles taught the gospel to the lost/unbeliever.
First off we need to break down the actual books of our bible. They have specific purpose. The four "gospels" are the retelling of the story of Jesus and His ministry. The epistles to the churches, are just that. Letters to individual churches and the ones in the area of those churches. They were often passed between churches to help spread teachings. Revelations, obviously is about the end days. Timothy, Titus, and Philemon were written for instruction the the individuals the books are titled after. James was a letter to the 12 tribes. The books of Peter and further books of John, were to the church overall or to churches, as was Jude.
This only leaves us with the book of Acts, which also happens to be the only book in the bible that actually covers the "acts" of the apostles preaching/teaching the lost/unbeliever. Since Jesus told them they were to go out and preach the gospel to the world, wouldn't the best way for us to do this, be the way they did?
So if we look at the book of Acts, and we are paying attention, one thing should jump out at us as being far different than what we generally do. Nowhere in acts do the apostles tell anyone about the atonement! They don't preach Jesus died to forgive your sins. Here you may wish to pause and reread the book to confirm this, but it is true. The atonement is very important, but this is what you teach believers, not those who don't believe. If they haven't accepted God yet, why would they believe Jesus has some great power to absolve them of anything?
People often look at the rate of turnover in the church and are amazed at the level of people that tend to fall away, but since we teach them middle to end and skip the basics, their foundations are weak.
Lets look at the things the apostles based their evangelizing/converting the lost on. It is really basic and simple. They use the same "formula", if you will, all the way through. With very little variation. It is tailored to each crowd, but the same things are almost always emphasized and repeated. I will condense it down to the basic ideas to better explain .....
1. The Jews killed Jesus 2. God raised him up from the dead 3. We (the apostles) witnessed this resurrection. 4. The resurrection of Jesus, proves He is the (Savior, Prince, Christ, Judge, Son of God). 5. Once you have heard this you should repent. 6. Repentance will bring forgiveness and the Holy Spirit.
This theme or mild variations of it is in all the teachings and sermons in Acts. Even in the testimony to the Pharisees. So, we have to ask ourselves, if this is what preaching/teaching the gospel to the lost/unbelievers is to the apostles, IS there a better way? Do we know better than they do how to convert souls?
Think of it like this. If you wanted to teach someone how to figure out an engineering problem. They would need to know some advanced math. But you wouldn't start in algebra if they don't know how to add and subtract, would you?