Things that DO NOT work…
I think back to when I was in college and we had this “minister” preaching on campus between the wig and student union building. All I remember about him is he called everyone a sinner, whore, or whoremonger. He call the president of the BCM a whore for wearing pants! Oh yeah, he said he used to sin…after a minute intro he then said he went to the movies. I NEVER remember him quoting any scripture and I felt it was more a hate message and never remotely saw love in anything he said or did. I did get a kick out of one of the guys who snuck up behind him and poked him in the butt…that was funny. I remember a short time ago some “Pentecostal” looking to be of the UPC or Apostolic denominations standing in front of the mall entrance with BIG signs saying Gays are going to Burn in Hell, Adulterers were going to Burn in Hell, and many more. I do not remember seeing 1 person stop run and fall on their face repenting before God! I imagine it ticked them off because I know it ticked me off! I mean what representation of Christ, it comes off as hate not Love! I cannot tell you how many times I have seen people use tactics similar to this to present the gospel! COME ON PEOPLE you are not going to reach anyone by stirring up their defenses. Not only are you wasting your breath and time, you are off track because it is not You! You do not do anything, you are simply the conduit between God and them and everything we say should be of the Holy Spirit. If not, it’s not worth saying! If you are in a conversation and the other party gets defensive with their answers either change subject or end the conversation because they’re not listening to you anymore. They are only listening to the parts that they can come back with. It isn’t stirring their spirit but most likely ticking them off and their perception of you will be “JUDGMENTAL”. What is an effective ministering tactic, that portrays the love of God and gets his message across? How do you get people to even be willing to listen to you? Well I certainly do not have all the answers but I am reminded of Christ and the disciples and a few of the things they did. Christ blessed the food and the disciples served the masses. Jesus washed the disciples feet. Gave, fellowshipped and reached out to the poor and wretched. They didn’t condemn them but developed relationships and earned trust by serving, listening, and Truth led by the Holy Spirit. If you want to be effective you have to invest! Not necessarily money but time, energy, sweat, tears, etc into the people’s lives around you. You have to reach out and find those in need, get out of the “Box” of the sanctuary and church friends! You have to Fear God, fear that you are going to disappoint Him, not wanting to be a disgrace to Him, and just wanting to please Him because of His Awesomeness!. You have to Fear God more than you Fear Man! You might think I do not fear man, but COME ON! How many times has the spirit put in your heart to go speak and share with a stranger and you didn’t because you didn’t want to look stupid? Offend them? Be made fun of? Possibly beat up or ridiculed? Doubted it was God(did you ever thing you have seen hundreds of people that day, but that is the only person you had an impression to share the gospel with)? Afraid you do not know enough? Or do not know what to say? I heard a preacher say once, God doesn’t step in to help until you step out of the boat in faith. We wait for God to come get us in the boat and hold our hand to get out…it doesn’t work that way! Faith…Get out and see what happens! Don’t worry about what to say, trust that God will give you the words when you get out of the boat. I have heard it said many times, the Holy Spirit is always a Gentleman. The Truth may hurt but the way it is delivered is as a Gentleman.
