Is Having Answers or Having Questions More Important in Sharing Faith?
In the North American Christian revivalism and sometimes even in the 50s to the 90s, Christians other than mormons and JWs would often knock on doors to talk to non-Christians. Maybe this isn't the best method, especially since the method is associated with those groups who who certain texts and leaders as strongly as the Bible, but Christians need to find some way of talking to non-Christians other than the methods described below.
Now I've done street evangelism in Princeton, NJ, Rutgers, NJ, New Hope, PA, and Philadelphia, PA at South Street and University of Pennsylvania. These are great places to talk to people, because people usually will not be satisfied with trite answers. I've spoken with many Wiccans, Neopagans, and Homosexuals. I try my best to show that I'm on their side despite how Christians on TV act.
You can imagine how often I facepalm when I hear Christians talk to people having serious issues using the following evangelism method:
Q: I'm having a crisis of faith.
A: Do you want to come to my church?
Q: I don't think I'm a Christian any more.
A: Do you want to come to my church?
Q: As long as you believe in something, that's ok if its what you need.
A: Do you want to come to my church?
Q: I'm agnostic.
A: Do you want to come to my church?
There is an interesting pattern here. For one thing, the questions don't have question marks, and the answers do. I know Jesus often answered questions with questions, but I don't think the above is what he meant for us to do.
If you really look at what the “non-Christian” question was in each of these situations in the list above, you could probably come up with some things that the person is questioning. Maybe if you think about it, or if you are a Christian, by letting the Spirit of Jesus in to the conversation, you could help understand why they have that view by asking them questions. Some people believe that sharing faith is difficult and is a process of learning all of the right answers. Many Christians to whom I have spoken about evangelism say they are afraid they will say the wrong thing. I answer that it is ok to not have all the answers. Even just by listening to someone, that is a form of love. It is ok say you don't know, and it is helpful to research what you don't know. What a great way to learn--actually find out the answer to someone's question who is a real person.
Why do you think Christians got this way (never talking to non-Christians, expecting their leader at church to have all the answers)? Well, there are huge historical mistakes creating this problem, having to do with centralization of power. The more important thing to deal with now is finding solutions. Due to the cause being centralization of power, one important change going on today is that many churches are changing to a house church network or elder board. Some other solutions, as discussed above, are for Christians to question things instead of only having answers, think for themselves, and learn what they don't know, all in order to let the Spirit of Jesus speak through them instead of just putting all the pressure on a pastor or other leader. Some may say “I don't think I have the gift of evangelism.” To them I ask, how would you ever know unless you were assembled with other Christians in a situation where you could talk to non-Christians? For another thing, assembling with other Christians in a situation where you could talk to non-Christians is a way for people to use all different spiritual gifts. This was a normal part of Christianity originally: “Jesus answered, 'I have spoken openly to everyone. I have always taught in synagogues and in the Temple, where all the Jews come together. I never said anything in secret.'” [John 18:19 NCV]; “The believers met together in the Temple every day. They ate together in their homes, happy to share their food with joyful hearts.” [Acts 2:46 NCV] (NOTE: the way the temple grounds were structured they would have been meeting in the courts [as specified in some translations] of the Jewish temple in Jeruselem, so before their home worship they were out doing public service, not in a building they owned). It is very tempting to let someone else do your homework for you, whether it is high school or studying the Bible as an adult. If you are not a Christian maybe you can relate to this and forgive Christians for their shortcomings and not let them keep you from knowing about Jesus. Perhaps as a non-Christian you have also taken some heresay against the Bible to be true without reading it. If someone goes to church Sunday after Sunday in a place where the leaders do everything, that will reinforce these problems. In that situation there will always be a division of clergy vs laity, where clergy are considered good leaders simply because of their degree at a North American religious college, and where only the people supporting the building are considered doing the work of God. This model is failing and pastors are dropping out at an alarming rate for about a decade now, the most common reason being role confusion. Thankfully, though many traditional churches are disbanding, home churches are being created at just as much of a noticeable rate. (Ball)
It is important to find out answers to questions, but it is also important to question. The less you know (for yourself, not just heresay), the more important it is to question both points of view. If you are sure of your point of view, what do you have to fear?
Works Cited
Ball, Linda Stewart. “In growing numbers, house churches bring faith home.” The Intelligencer [Doylestown, PA] 25 Jul. 2010. E5.
Now I've done street evangelism in Princeton, NJ, Rutgers, NJ, New Hope, PA, and Philadelphia, PA at South Street and University of Pennsylvania. These are great places to talk to people, because people usually will not be satisfied with trite answers. I've spoken with many Wiccans, Neopagans, and Homosexuals. I try my best to show that I'm on their side despite how Christians on TV act.
You can imagine how often I facepalm when I hear Christians talk to people having serious issues using the following evangelism method:
Q: I'm having a crisis of faith.
A: Do you want to come to my church?
Q: I don't think I'm a Christian any more.
A: Do you want to come to my church?
Q: As long as you believe in something, that's ok if its what you need.
A: Do you want to come to my church?
Q: I'm agnostic.
A: Do you want to come to my church?
There is an interesting pattern here. For one thing, the questions don't have question marks, and the answers do. I know Jesus often answered questions with questions, but I don't think the above is what he meant for us to do.
If you really look at what the “non-Christian” question was in each of these situations in the list above, you could probably come up with some things that the person is questioning. Maybe if you think about it, or if you are a Christian, by letting the Spirit of Jesus in to the conversation, you could help understand why they have that view by asking them questions. Some people believe that sharing faith is difficult and is a process of learning all of the right answers. Many Christians to whom I have spoken about evangelism say they are afraid they will say the wrong thing. I answer that it is ok to not have all the answers. Even just by listening to someone, that is a form of love. It is ok say you don't know, and it is helpful to research what you don't know. What a great way to learn--actually find out the answer to someone's question who is a real person.
Why do you think Christians got this way (never talking to non-Christians, expecting their leader at church to have all the answers)? Well, there are huge historical mistakes creating this problem, having to do with centralization of power. The more important thing to deal with now is finding solutions. Due to the cause being centralization of power, one important change going on today is that many churches are changing to a house church network or elder board. Some other solutions, as discussed above, are for Christians to question things instead of only having answers, think for themselves, and learn what they don't know, all in order to let the Spirit of Jesus speak through them instead of just putting all the pressure on a pastor or other leader. Some may say “I don't think I have the gift of evangelism.” To them I ask, how would you ever know unless you were assembled with other Christians in a situation where you could talk to non-Christians? For another thing, assembling with other Christians in a situation where you could talk to non-Christians is a way for people to use all different spiritual gifts. This was a normal part of Christianity originally: “Jesus answered, 'I have spoken openly to everyone. I have always taught in synagogues and in the Temple, where all the Jews come together. I never said anything in secret.'” [John 18:19 NCV]; “The believers met together in the Temple every day. They ate together in their homes, happy to share their food with joyful hearts.” [Acts 2:46 NCV] (NOTE: the way the temple grounds were structured they would have been meeting in the courts [as specified in some translations] of the Jewish temple in Jeruselem, so before their home worship they were out doing public service, not in a building they owned). It is very tempting to let someone else do your homework for you, whether it is high school or studying the Bible as an adult. If you are not a Christian maybe you can relate to this and forgive Christians for their shortcomings and not let them keep you from knowing about Jesus. Perhaps as a non-Christian you have also taken some heresay against the Bible to be true without reading it. If someone goes to church Sunday after Sunday in a place where the leaders do everything, that will reinforce these problems. In that situation there will always be a division of clergy vs laity, where clergy are considered good leaders simply because of their degree at a North American religious college, and where only the people supporting the building are considered doing the work of God. This model is failing and pastors are dropping out at an alarming rate for about a decade now, the most common reason being role confusion. Thankfully, though many traditional churches are disbanding, home churches are being created at just as much of a noticeable rate. (Ball)
It is important to find out answers to questions, but it is also important to question. The less you know (for yourself, not just heresay), the more important it is to question both points of view. If you are sure of your point of view, what do you have to fear?
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