Comments on: Encore http://missionsmisunderstood.com/2006/09/15/encore/ Let's give the Commission back to the church. Sat, 10 Dec 2011 07:48:29 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: stepchild http://missionsmisunderstood.com/2006/09/15/encore/comment-page-1/#comment-544 stepchild Tue, 26 Sep 2006 22:58:00 +0000 http://missionsmisunderstood.com/2006/09/15/encore/#comment-544 Publius,<br />So what do you think about my question about the effect of the presentation on the understanding of the message? I certainly didn't mean to speak to the "quality" of the convert (I'm not sure what that means)...<br />Of course God can and does use even the most "flawed" of gospel presentations. But are we inadvertantly passing on false teaching when we focus on "big?" Publius,
So what do you think about my question about the effect of the presentation on the understanding of the message? I certainly didn’t mean to speak to the “quality” of the convert (I’m not sure what that means)…
Of course God can and does use even the most “flawed” of gospel presentations. But are we inadvertantly passing on false teaching when we focus on “big?”

]]> By: Publius http://missionsmisunderstood.com/2006/09/15/encore/comment-page-1/#comment-543 Publius Tue, 26 Sep 2006 18:45:00 +0000 http://missionsmisunderstood.com/2006/09/15/encore/#comment-543 I have reason to be concerned about everyone's understanding of the Gospel. Including mine.<br /><br />I'll be honest with you, stepchild, I'm not sure our presentation really affects the "quality" of the convert. God calls whom He will, and works according to His own purpose.<br /><br />Where the presentation <i>does</i> make a difference, I think, is in the signal/noise ratio. How many responses to the "Thank you, I see that hand" invitation are indicative of a regeneration? Probably some, and the fruit of those lives quickly bears witness , but not many. I think it's more likely that the conversions made during small, personal presentations of the Gospel are genuine.<br /><br />Also, don't forget that some of the people who respond from the middle row of the youth retreat have already spent a lot of time developing an understanding of the Gospel through some pretty intensive personal time with a mature believer. The moment of surrender to Christ may come during an emotional "event," but the learning that preceeded it may have come much more slowly. That was certainly my own experience. I have reason to be concerned about everyone’s understanding of the Gospel. Including mine.

I’ll be honest with you, stepchild, I’m not sure our presentation really affects the “quality” of the convert. God calls whom He will, and works according to His own purpose.

Where the presentation does make a difference, I think, is in the signal/noise ratio. How many responses to the “Thank you, I see that hand” invitation are indicative of a regeneration? Probably some, and the fruit of those lives quickly bears witness , but not many. I think it’s more likely that the conversions made during small, personal presentations of the Gospel are genuine.

Also, don’t forget that some of the people who respond from the middle row of the youth retreat have already spent a lot of time developing an understanding of the Gospel through some pretty intensive personal time with a mature believer. The moment of surrender to Christ may come during an emotional “event,” but the learning that preceeded it may have come much more slowly. That was certainly my own experience.

]]> By: Blythe Lane http://missionsmisunderstood.com/2006/09/15/encore/comment-page-1/#comment-530 Blythe Lane Fri, 15 Sep 2006 20:41:00 +0000 http://missionsmisunderstood.com/2006/09/15/encore/#comment-530 I would have to say that I agree with your questions here and have found myself traveling down the same road. Formerly on a collegiate campus ministry staff for 9 years, I wrestled a <i>ton</i> with the energy I had to consistently put into the large event, bait and switch-type activities to draw students in. One, my personality is much more a "let's have a small group get together over dinner or coffee and talk" versus trying to work a crowd and push an "agenda" (the bible studies, beliefs about Christ I'm trying to really sell them on, etc.) And two, I really saw this generation of students respond less positively to the large group event. I actually saw more non-believer students respond to more of spontaneous, low-key relational approach ("hey, I'm thinking about starting a study on Jesus cause I've got some specific questions I'm not sure about, want to join me over coffee?" kind of thing, or even just "You like <i>Lost</i>? Me, too. Want to watch it together?"). <br /><br />I guess where I struggled in my former "work" environment in having to create and energize whatever events were currently on our plates, was that I routinely saw students respond to the low-key, relational invites more than the large group ones over time...especially when it was an invite into what they were already doing/interested in versus the created ones by the believers trying to reach them. <br /><br />Honestly, it's a tough one...the large event is not necessarily "evil" ...you're right, people have come to Christ through the "event" and are legitimately and fruitfully walking with Christ today as a result. But I also wonder what world-view inevitbably shapes a new believer who was come to Christ through a smaller, relational scene versus someone in the larger setting? I have my suspicions, but it might make for an interesting survey... I would have to say that I agree with your questions here and have found myself traveling down the same road. Formerly on a collegiate campus ministry staff for 9 years, I wrestled a ton with the energy I had to consistently put into the large event, bait and switch-type activities to draw students in. One, my personality is much more a “let’s have a small group get together over dinner or coffee and talk” versus trying to work a crowd and push an “agenda” (the bible studies, beliefs about Christ I’m trying to really sell them on, etc.) And two, I really saw this generation of students respond less positively to the large group event. I actually saw more non-believer students respond to more of spontaneous, low-key relational approach (“hey, I’m thinking about starting a study on Jesus cause I’ve got some specific questions I’m not sure about, want to join me over coffee?” kind of thing, or even just “You like Lost? Me, too. Want to watch it together?”).

I guess where I struggled in my former “work” environment in having to create and energize whatever events were currently on our plates, was that I routinely saw students respond to the low-key, relational invites more than the large group ones over time…especially when it was an invite into what they were already doing/interested in versus the created ones by the believers trying to reach them.

Honestly, it’s a tough one…the large event is not necessarily “evil” …you’re right, people have come to Christ through the “event” and are legitimately and fruitfully walking with Christ today as a result. But I also wonder what world-view inevitbably shapes a new believer who was come to Christ through a smaller, relational scene versus someone in the larger setting? I have my suspicions, but it might make for an interesting survey…

]]> By: Anonymous http://missionsmisunderstood.com/2006/09/15/encore/comment-page-1/#comment-529 Anonymous Fri, 15 Sep 2006 15:04:00 +0000 http://missionsmisunderstood.com/2006/09/15/encore/#comment-529 Yes!<br /><br />We were called to make disciples, not just believers. We have "dummied down" the faith that all one has to do is not dissagree with our message to make them a believer. Yes!

We were called to make disciples, not just believers. We have “dummied down” the faith that all one has to do is not dissagree with our message to make them a believer.

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