Strategies On How To Evangelize The Gospel

[Neon Genesis]

Later this month, my parents' church will be starting this door to door evangelizing campaign for our city and tonight, they had a guest speaker who's helping organizing the missionary work to speak about how to evangelize the gospel. According to the guest speaker, if you start the conversation off by saying "What would you do if Jesus came right now?" supposedly you'll be able to control the conversation. They even have a planned script you're supposed to memorize to use as your sales pitch. If your target starts to go off-topic from your planned script, you're apparently not supposed to answer any of their questions, but just move onto the next question and keep the discussion on your planned script. You're also supposed to ask all sorts of obnoxious questions about the private life of this total stranger you've just met and about what their religious experience is like. The guest speaker talked about how one time when they were in another town, they managed to convert a little girl to Christianity and then the little girl was able to convert her mother to Christianity. The guest speaker used this to guilt trip the members by saying if a little girl can convert someone to Christianity, why can't adults do the same? I found it sickening and it has to be some sort of mental abuse for them to manipulate an innocent kid with religious beliefs they're too young to understand and then to manipulate the girl with guilt to spread their horrid propaganda. It also says a lot about their religion that the only way for them to win converts is to target innocent kids instead of adults and I found their whole strategy to be deceptive and intellectually dishonest that they have to have a planned script and have to control the conversation in order to get you in their trap. Which is funny since I didn't deconvert to atheism because of anyone's planned script or controlled conversation, I did it all on my own but they have to brainwash people to win converts. I also thought it was interesting that the preacher said that the Church Of Christ has been losing members and been on a downward spiral but the guest speaker started ranting about all these false Christians in the bible belt who believe in "false" doctrines and how even other COC congregations are becoming corrupted by heresies.

[oddbird1963]

The COC just now has its own door to door personal evangelistic course? Back in the early 90's I took CWT (Continuous Witness Training) TWICE. Once as a participant and the second time as a group leader. We had these big heavy ring binders, scripture memory cards and list of contacts to go out and evangelize. A lot of other denominations and independent churches used D. James Kennedy's "Evangelism Explosion" around that time too.

 

Imagine three or four Southern Baptists asking to come in your house and "share" their personal experience with Christ with you! What balls I had in the 90's!

 

We would soften the contact up with small talk about Family, Interests, Work and , oh, where do you go to church when you attend?" Then, the big confrontational question, "Suppose you were standing before God RIGHT NOW and he asked you, "Why should I let you into my heaven?" What would you say?

 

<pause for answer - - get ready to blast all their replies!>

 

I feel so guilty when I think about those days!

[mwc]

According to the guest speaker, if you start the conversation off by saying "What would you do if Jesus came right now?" supposedly you'll be able to control the conversation. They even have a planned script you're supposed to memorize to use as your sales pitch. If your target starts to go off-topic from your planned script, you're apparently not supposed to answer any of their questions, but just move onto the next question and keep the discussion on your planned script. You're also supposed to ask all sorts of obnoxious questions about the private life of this total stranger you've just met and about what their religious experience is like.

So are they supposed to wait until I'm finished with my fit of laughter from their opening question or are they supposed to just talk right through it?

 

I wonder if the script includes a set of "minimal facts?" There's no defeating those.

 

mwc

[ShackledNoMore]

I love the part about how they're not supposed to answer any of their mark's questions!

[Deva]

We would soften the contact up with small talk about Family, Interests, Work and , oh, where do you go to church when you attend?" Then, the big confrontational question, "Suppose you were standing before God RIGHT NOW and he asked you, "Why should I let you into my heaven?" What would you say?

 

I was raised in the Baptist church and came back briefly in the early 90s and I remember hearing about this strategy. I never could do it because I was too shy and it always made me feel guilty that I was not able to. I remember hearing about "Evangelism Explosion". There would be training classes.

 

It is completely dishonest to pretend to be interested in someone's life, only to bombard them with religious threats and scare tactics. Many lonely people have been taken in by this type of dishonesty, and the preachers know it. The Jehovah's Witnesses are also masters of this tactic.

 

I never understood how my mother thought her sister being taken in by this type of approach by the Jehovah's Witnesses was so wrong, yet she was a victim of exactly the same thing. My mother was a military wife home alone on an Air Force Base trying to raise three young children basically by herself (overwhelmed and lonely) and a good target for these predatory preachers. My mother just happened to have been duped by a Methodist. I call them predators because they can potentially steal every particle of reasoning a person has.

[Ouroboros]

I took classes, went to Bible school, and I witnessed a lot in the cities and knocked on doors, and the only thing I wanted for many years was to find one who I could lead to Christ... I even prayed to God for it, for years... but it never happened. I'm glad now that it didn't, so I don't have to feel guilty about it, but I find this lack of "miracle" as yet another evidence that God doesn't care or doesn't exist.

[RabbleRabble]

Don't you just love the arrogance of CoC Christians? They truly believe that the ONLY outcome for a TRULY honest person confronted with the bible is that the person will agree completely with them. Since they have the Truth^tm and God makes it so that any person who seeks Truth^tm will find it.

 

I'm so glad I finally found some truth after so many years. Too bad that means my family and old friends are not allowed to see me as an intellectually honest person anymore.

[Big.blue.nation]

Later this month, my parents' church will be starting this door to door evangelizing campaign for our city and tonight, they had a guest speaker who's helping organizing the missionary work to speak about how to evangelize the gospel.

 

I'm curious what kind of success rate this (door to door)has for churches. I would imagine 1%. Something about someone you don't even know invading your privacy and talking at you with some pre-planned script about your eternal destiny just doesn't set well with most.

[Ouroboros]

I'm curious what kind of success rate this (door to door)has for churches. I would imagine 1%. Something about someone you don't even know invading your privacy and talking at you with some pre-planned script about your eternal destiny just doesn't set well with most.

1% of what? The church I was in was very aggressive, and yet we didn't get many converts; a handful at best maybe during a whole year. And we were hundreds of Bible school students going out once or twice a week. I might have talked to a couple of hundred people. Most of the time they shut the door immediately.

[Neon Genesis]

Don't you just love the arrogance of CoC Christians? They truly believe that the ONLY outcome for a TRULY honest person confronted with the bible is that the person will agree completely with them. Since they have the Truth^tm and God makes it so that any person who seeks Truth^tm will find it.

 

It's funny that the guest speaker kept trying to deny this while at the same time condemning not only other denoms but other COC congregations that didn't get it right. Like he kept saying that you're not supposed to present the COC to people, you're supposed to present the gospel, but at the same time, if you present the gospel according to their planned script, it'll magically lead them to the COC because the gospel = the COC which is exactly the same thing as presenting the COC only somehow not.

 

I'm curious what kind of success rate this (door to door)has for churches. I would imagine 1%. Something about someone you don't even know invading your privacy and talking at you with some pre-planned script about your eternal destiny just doesn't set well with most.

One time when I was in high school, I was dragged into helping my mother do door to door campaigning but we were just handing out phamphlets to invite people in the neighborhood to a COC revival that all the congregations were getting together to have that year. I remember at one house we mentioned we were from the Church Of Christ and the lady just said "Ewww, I hate the Church Of Christ" and slammed the door in our faces. At the time, I found her reaction to be offensive and rude, but now looking back I'd probably do the same thing. It also pisses me off that my mother complains whenever the JWs and Mormons do their door to door campaigning and she'll pretend she isn't home when they come by, but she's ok with the COC doing door to door campaigning because they have the "Truth."

[OpheliaGinger]

"Get off my property," I said in a demonic voice, but their brazen attempts were unfettered.

 

"Please, just let me tell you the benefits of the Church of Christ and heaven."

 

Without diverting my glare or missing a beat, I cut them off before they could continue their script, "I grew up in the Church of Christ and I find it just as repugnant as the pompous Pentecostals. Your head is just as stuck up in your ass as them."

 

"We will not stand for this abuse," the retorted.

 

I could not help myself from chuckling as I said, "Well, that's the risk you took when you trespassed onto my property," and shut the door.

 

They refused to move off my porch, so I unleashed my huskies on them. Never had I seen people run so fast in loafers and scream so loud, but I was left to clean up the hundreds of pamphlets they dropped as they ran--at least I did not have to use as much wood in my stove that night.

 

[This is all fiction.]

[Seeker630]

The JW's, the CoC'ers, the Baptists and all the rest are full of shit---they are in denial----just have them call the Vatican----they have the one and only holy and apostolic church. Or so they told me for 8 fucking years and more.

[Loren]

"Get off my property," I said in a demonic voice, but their brazen attempts were unfettered.

 

"Please, just let me tell you the benefits of the Church of Christ and heaven."

 

Without diverting my glare or missing a beat, I cut them off before they could continue their script, "I grew up in the Church of Christ and I find it just as repugnant as the pompous Pentecostals. Your head is just as stuck up in your ass as them."

 

"We will not stand for this abuse," the retorted.

 

I could not help myself from chuckling as I said, "Well, that's the risk you took when you trespassed onto my property," and shut the door.

 

They refused to move off my porch, so I unleashed my Komodo dragon on them. Never had I seen people run so fast in loafers and scream so loud, but I was left to clean up the hundreds of pamphlets they dropped as they ran--at least I did not have to use as much wood in my stove that night.

 

[This is all fiction.]

Just a modest suggestion for a minor editorial adjustment.

[Guest Davka]

Damn! Ginger has a komodo dragon? That's not fair - how come I don't get a komodo dragon?

 

I want my komodo dragon!!!

[Loren]

Damn! Ginger has a komodo dragon? That's not fair - how come I don't get a komodo dragon?

 

I want my komodo dragon!!!

I think she just misspelled Komodo dragon. It came out looking like, "my huskies," so naturally I figured what she actually meant must have been "Komodo dragon." It's a completely common spelling error, what with the two being spelled so similarly. Editors see it all the time.

 

I live to serve.

[Franko47]

i always like to come back with door-to-door evangelizers with, "Do you think you could live in a world where there was no God to look after you.....no after-life ? Just a singular existence of a few dozen years, and then it's over ? And within a short time after that, you'd be completely forgotten ? Sort of like you never existed at all? Would you be alright with that, if that were the alternative ? Could you still be happy and find meaning in life? Could you............

 

 

At this point, they often get visibly upset and discontinue the conversation. Just in case you don't own a komodo dragon, or even a house cat with some attitude....

[OpheliaGinger]

Yep, I meant Komodo dragons. My spell checker isn't worth a hill of beans.

[dagnarus]

I took classes, went to Bible school, and I witnessed a lot in the cities and knocked on doors, and the only thing I wanted for many years was to find one who I could lead to Christ... I even prayed to God for it, for years... but it never happened. I'm glad now that it didn't, so I don't have to feel guilty about it, but I find this lack of "miracle" as yet another evidence that God doesn't care or doesn't exist.

 

I remember going door to door was the thing which I hated most. When I started realizing that despite all the claims to the contrary I and those whom I was most closely associated with didn't to all appearances seem to be filled with the satisfaction and joy in life one would expect of those who had discovered it's ultimate meaning. Actually it seemed that something was slowly sucking the life right out of us. I couldn't shake the guilt that I might be selling people a steaming load bullshit. Who knew?

 

Don't you just love the arrogance of CoC Christians? They truly believe that the ONLY outcome for a TRULY honest person confronted with the bible is that the person will agree completely with them. Since they have the Truth^tm and God makes it so that any person who seeks Truth^tm will find it.

 

It's funny that the guest speaker kept trying to deny this while at the same time condemning not only other denoms but other COC congregations that didn't get it right. Like he kept saying that you're not supposed to present the COC to people, you're supposed to present the gospel, but at the same time, if you present the gospel according to their planned script, it'll magically lead them to the COC because the gospel = the COC which is exactly the same thing as presenting the COC only somehow not.

 

I'm curious what kind of success rate this (door to door)has for churches. I would imagine 1%. Something about someone you don't even know invading your privacy and talking at you with some pre-planned script about your eternal destiny just doesn't set well with most.

One time when I was in high school, I was dragged into helping my mother do door to door campaigning but we were just handing out phamphlets to invite people in the neighborhood to a COC revival that all the congregations were getting together to have that year. I remember at one house we mentioned we were from the Church Of Christ and the lady just said "Ewww, I hate the Church Of Christ" and slammed the door in our faces. At the time, I found her reaction to be offensive and rude, but now looking back I'd probably do the same thing. It also pisses me off that my mother complains whenever the JWs and Mormons do their door to door campaigning and she'll pretend she isn't home when they come by, but she's ok with the COC doing door to door campaigning because they have the "Truth."

 

I remember when my group went out to preach the gospel. Same crap. "Where just presenting Christ to people" but that of course should lead them directly to us.

[Guest S.gal83]

When I was a christian and a youth, we used to have a christian camp.

During the camp, there was an activity which we must do.

We must go out the street to drag people to our camp. We will grab people from the shopping mall, train station and just about everywhere in Singapore. We will entice them to come to our camp with free food and free party.

When they come to our camp, we will preach to them after they had their dinner.

I remember more than 100 youths give their lives to Jesus during that camp.

My pastor was so excited, saying that it was proof of the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of people.

[bdp]

'Planned script' and 'trap' - why did I instantly think of LNC?

[hereticzero]

I actually think the evangelist is lying through his teeth about the story of the little girl converting her family. That story has been told in a million different variations since I was a kid! Christianity thrives on lies that favor its religion.

 

Brother Andrew, 'God Smuggler', never said the prayer similar to 'Lord, you let blind eyes see, now make seeing eyes blind,' when he was smuggling bibles into Communist nations, and it was this prayer that blinded the border guards to the hundreds of bibles he supposedly had with him. This prayer also launched his ministry of smuggling bibles. I still hear this prayer at many churches with missionaries.

 

There are many stories that are false.

 

When the revivals start, the bullshit piles up quickly.

[♦ Fuego ♦]

When I was a christian and a youth, we used to have a christian camp.

During the camp, there was an activity which we must do.

We must go out the street to drag people to our camp. We will grab people from the shopping mall, train station and just about everywhere in Singapore. We will entice them to come to our camp with free food and free party.

When they come to our camp, we will preach to them after they had their dinner.

I remember more than 100 youths give their lives to Jesus during that camp.

My pastor was so excited, saying that it was proof of the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of people.

 

My group did this once to a Japanese exchange student. She was still learning English and I could tell she didn't understand where the group wanted to take her, and was trying to get them not to do it, since we'd never see her again. But the fervent ones decided that she must be presented with the gospel - in a town an hour's drive away in the dark by a group of fanatics doing interpretive dances and preaching for 3 hours. When we got back she literally jumped out and ran from the car. Even then I knew that my friends were being rude, insensitive, and scaring the poor girl in ways she will never forget.

[OpheliaGinger]

When I was a christian and a youth, we used to have a christian camp.

During the camp, there was an activity which we must do.

We must go out the street to drag people to our camp. We will grab people from the shopping mall, train station and just about everywhere in Singapore. We will entice them to come to our camp with free food and free party.

When they come to our camp, we will preach to them after they had their dinner.

I remember more than 100 youths give their lives to Jesus during that camp.

My pastor was so excited, saying that it was proof of the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of people.

 

My group did this once to a Japanese exchange student. She was still learning English and I could tell she didn't understand where the group wanted to take her, and was trying to get them not to do it, since we'd never see her again. But the fervent ones decided that she must be presented with the gospel - in a town an hour's drive away in the dark by a group of fanatics doing interpretive dances and preaching for 3 hours. When we got back she literally jumped out and ran from the car. Even then I knew that my friends were being rude, insensitive, and scaring the poor girl in ways she will never forget.

 

That is plain, outright abduction. She very well could have (perhaps should have) gone to the police and reported them.

[★ Citsonga ★]

'Planned script' and 'trap' - why did I instantly think of LNC?

I'm not sure what LNC stands for.

 

Personally, the first thing I thought of was Jehovah's Witnesses, since they are taught scripts -- er, I mean, "sermons."

[Ouroboros]

I remember going door to door was the thing which I hated most. When I started realizing that despite all the claims to the contrary I and those whom I was most closely associated with didn't to all appearances seem to be filled with the satisfaction and joy in life one would expect of those who had discovered it's ultimate meaning. Actually it seemed that something was slowly sucking the life right out of us. I couldn't shake the guilt that I might be selling people a steaming load bullshit. Who knew?

We used to pray for a couple of hours before we went out. We prayed for miracles, for people being convinced by our preaching of the Gospel and the word of God, but... never, not once, did anything out of the ordinary happen. I used to carry around a Bible in my pocket. I wouldn't leave the house without it. I talked to people on the bus station, train station, restaurants, anyone, anywhere, anytime... I kept on asking God for a sign that I was doing the right thing... nothing, but I kept on believing. I asked God for just one single soul which I could lead to salvation... but many years past without it. Why was God so uninteresting in this? Didn't he want people to be saved? And I kept on believing anyway. It's so weird looking back at it. I was such a fool.