Wisdom In Witnessing (or the lack thereof)

[RandyWayne]

Originally Posted by CC1

I stand by what I said that if any of you think what I described is a good way to witness you are warped.

Of course you witness with truth but you don't do it by assuming facts not known and not in an offensive manner.

Now if a man was clearly drunk I would have no problem identifying him as such and talking to him honestly and directly about it. But to assume that a man walking to a ball game drinking a beer is a drunk and telling him that he is one is absurd and not christian in any way shape or form.

Likewise assuming a man is a sinner without knowing him is not right. Michaels come back that he would have identified himself as a christian is also absurd. I listened to this moron and just shook my head in dismay. I certainly didn't feel a need to enlighten him that I am a christian. He was so judgmental my proclamation would have probably meant nothing to him anyway.

I doubt the maroons who were trying to "witness" thought that ANYONE was saved that walked by if they didn't recognize them as members of their own particular church. Come to think of it, I seem to remember having that same attitude during my stint in the you-know-what during the 80's. . . . Of course we WERE the only UPC church within a rather large area and with only 100-150 members at any time it was easy to identify the saved versus not-saved.

[Jermyn Davidson]

Would you have been offended if the person with the bull horn just stuck with scriptures and proclaiming the Gospel?

I understand why you were irritated, but I am unsure that I would have been as irked as you appear to have been.


If the same guy was standing outside a seedy hotel and pointed to a couple and said, "Yes, I used to be a fornicator sin, but Jesus changed my life," would you be upset with the guy for accusing them of fornication?

I know I would expect for the couple to respond that they are married, if it is the case, wouldn't you?

[CC1]

Originally Posted by Jermyn Davidson

Would you have been offended if the person with the bull horn just stuck with scriptures and proclaiming the Gospel?

I understand why you were irritated, but I am unsure that I would have been as irked as you appear to have been.


If the same guy was standing outside a seedy hotel and pointed to a couple and said, "Yes, I used to be a fornicator sin, but Jesus changed my life," would you be upset with the guy for accusing them of fornication?

I know I would expect for the couple to respond that they are married, if it is the case, wouldn't you?

You have that right but I seriously doubt that would have been the case. I believe you are just being adversarial and that is also your right.

Yes I would have been just as upset if he had pointed at a couple and accused them of fornication because they were at a seedy hotel. He would have no actual knowledge of their situation. They could be married low lifes who were in sin in some way but not fornication. You are being absurd in your defense of the indefensible.

You honestly propose the notion that it is a good witnessing technique to accuse people of various sins and assume you are right unless they take the time to correct you?

Most people I know would do what I did and ignore this moron. He did not deserve any response from people. Amazing how you put the onus on people denying his accusations. I sincerely hope you are not serious.

[Jermyn Davidson]

Originally Posted by CC1

You have that right but I seriously doubt that would have been the case. I believe you are just being adversarial and that is also your right.

Yes I would have been just as upset if he had pointed at a couple and accused them of fornication because they were at a seedy hotel. He would have no actual knowledge of their situation. They could be married low lifes who were in sin in some way but not fornication. You are being absurd in your defense of the indefensible.

You honestly propose the notion that it is a good witnessing technique to accuse people of various sins and assume you are right unless they take the time to correct you?

Most people I know would do what I did and ignore this moron. He did not deserve any response from people. Amazing how you put the onus on people denying his accusations. I sincerely hope you are not serious.

Adversarial probably would not be the most accurate word to describe my intents.

While I am all for bullhorn witnessing, it does not do the Gospel any good for people to "prophesy" about or "read" people and be wrong. That would irk me too, brother.

Thanks for helping me to better understand you.

[Abiding Now]

Titans lost, huh?

[RandyWayne]

Originally Posted by Abiding Now

Titans lost, huh?

It's only preseason so it doesn't matter.

[CC1]

Originally Posted by Abiding Now

Titans lost, huh?

The Titans beat the Atlanta Falcons 27-16!!!!

[Nitehawk013]

The man had a single beer so that equates to full blown alcoholic, low life, probably wife beating, child abusing, porn addicted sinner to many "Christians" today. After all, only outright and complete prohibition of any and all alcohol (except in Nyquil) would be acceptable to Jesus (who provided fresh booze for a wedding party) according to modern American Christians, especially OPs.

[Michael The Disciple]

Let me put it a different way. I do not condone foolishness in street witnessing or any other kind. Having said that I know how hard it is to witness for Christ. I have been on the streets about 35 years talking to and preaching to the lost about Christ.

My reaction is to the idea that the guy witnessing was a "jerk" and doing a lot of work for the devil. My experience in general is that unless one loves the Lord he probably is not going to risk his life out on the streets calling sinners to repentance.

You sure wont find many of todays modern Christians out there talking to sinners.

[StillStanding]

Thanks, CC1 for starting this thread! BTW, I'm now StillStanding, not Pianoman anymore! Ha!

First off, the guy had a bullhorn blasting five feet from us. We were walking up to the stadium in a group that was in a good mood anticipating the Titans game. He addressed the entire group as "sinners" and then keyed in on the guy with the beer. When we FINALLY were able to cross the street, he blared thru his bullhorn, " God bless you, sinner!" There was an unanimous rolling of the eyes. The guy with the beer told his buddies, "Can you believe that?"

I'm all for witnessing, but I can assured you that this type of "soul winning" did more damage than it helped. We saw three or four other people with bullhorns and signs with derogatory messages about "sinners". I'm sure that they all felt justified that they were doing the work of The Lord, but as CC1 mentioned, they were helping the devil out by making Christianity look so crass and judgmental.