"Way of the Master"
A friend sent me a website that I've been pretty impressed with called the Way of the Master. Kirk Cameron (remember Growing Pains?) is heavily involved in all of their materials and even directs (if I read correctly) the videos that they do. It's definitely worth your time to check it out, read their material, and watch some - if not all - of their videos. They will certainly challenge you to re-think the way you share Christ with others.
Vicki and I have been talking about that site for a few days now. I must say that it convicted us to watch the clips and hear peoples' responses to the Gospel presentation. It's funny (I'm about to be very transparent here) but many times it feels extremely difficult for at least these missionaries to share the Gospel in such a bold way. To be honest I think that the enemy builds up preconceived notions in our heads about how such encounters/conversations will go so that we sometimes avoid them altogether.
We've got a great friend in another city in Poland who is one of those get out there and just share the Word guys. He does it...he lives it. He's a real inspiration to me. He talks about how we all so often spend our time talking about making friendships that will *hopefully* lead to witnessing opportunities and sooner or later we find ourselves some time down the road and still haven't shared anything about Christ...still waiting for the right time.
This is a pretty difficult line to walk, isn't it? It does seem that there are times when we will only be able to share the Good News in an effective way through a relationship. But my friend is right. What about all of the time in between? Are we wasting time and in a sense not trusting the power of God's Word to convict our lost friends and loved ones...rather, depending more on our own powers of persuasion which will be put to work after we have established trust in relationship?
We are definitely called by Jesus Himself to share the message of the need and availability of peace and reconciliation with the Father through the Son. While I am not saying that I think we should disregard any attempts to build "spiritual friendships" (in the words of Brian McLaren), I am just thinking aloud that maybe at least I sometimes find myself working harder on that relationship building than on sharing the Good News itself.
Vicki and I have been talking about that site for a few days now. I must say that it convicted us to watch the clips and hear peoples' responses to the Gospel presentation. It's funny (I'm about to be very transparent here) but many times it feels extremely difficult for at least these missionaries to share the Gospel in such a bold way. To be honest I think that the enemy builds up preconceived notions in our heads about how such encounters/conversations will go so that we sometimes avoid them altogether.
We've got a great friend in another city in Poland who is one of those get out there and just share the Word guys. He does it...he lives it. He's a real inspiration to me. He talks about how we all so often spend our time talking about making friendships that will *hopefully* lead to witnessing opportunities and sooner or later we find ourselves some time down the road and still haven't shared anything about Christ...still waiting for the right time.
This is a pretty difficult line to walk, isn't it? It does seem that there are times when we will only be able to share the Good News in an effective way through a relationship. But my friend is right. What about all of the time in between? Are we wasting time and in a sense not trusting the power of God's Word to convict our lost friends and loved ones...rather, depending more on our own powers of persuasion which will be put to work after we have established trust in relationship?
We are definitely called by Jesus Himself to share the message of the need and availability of peace and reconciliation with the Father through the Son. While I am not saying that I think we should disregard any attempts to build "spiritual friendships" (in the words of Brian McLaren), I am just thinking aloud that maybe at least I sometimes find myself working harder on that relationship building than on sharing the Good News itself.
posted by Michael Shattuck at
7:27 AM
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