At 04:30 PM 10/11/00 -0400, Gary Rothwell wrote:
All,...
This string about street witnessing is interesting. I was on a street witnessing team when I was a baby Christian and the experiences from that ran the gamut from objections/rejections to salvations, from visitations of God to demonic assaults.
The argument of the "different culture" is a valid one in spite of my Texas brother's heated disclaimers.
In Acts 1:8 Jesus said that we would "BE" witnesses not that we would witness. In other words our lives are our testimonies. Paul reinforces this by stating that we are "living epistles" (2 Cor 3:2,3).
Now, I'm not saying that we ditch street witnessing for all but the ordained. I'm merely saying that, historically, more (true,lasting) converts are won RELATIONALLY than CONFRONTATIONALLY.
That said, let me add this: TRUE CHRISTIANITY WAS, IS, AND ALWAYS WILL BE.. CONFRONTATIONAL.
(caps are for emphasis, I'm not shouting at you <g>)
IF we are truly living holy lives (I'm not talking legalistically perfect here), truly separated, wholly other than (which is what "holy" really means) lives, we will confront the world with their lostness at every point. Whether we open our mouths or not.
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"A holy life is a voice; it speaks when the tongue is silent and is either a constant attraction or a perpetual reproof."
Archbishop Robert Leighton, Seventeenth Century
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Rome persecuted the Christians not for belief in the resurrection, or healing or any of the four Red Points.
The Christians were executed for being atheists!
They preached, lived, believed there was only one God, and His Name was Jesus, not Caesar.
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"The Christians form among themselves secret societies that exist outside the system of laws..... an obscure and mysterious community founded on revolt and on the advantage that accrues from it."
Accusation Brought Against the Christians by Celsus, Second Century
"[The Romans] charge us [Christians] on two points: that we do not sacrifice and that we do not believe in the same gods as the State."
Athenagoras, A Second Century Christian Leader
"We are publicly accused of being atheists and criminals who are guilty of high treason."
Justin Martyr, Beheaded in A.D. 165
As the Christians were being carried away to their deaths ( read: graduation ceremonies)
the people would scream "Away with the atheists, kill them!!"
They would NOT bow down to Caesar. They WOULD live a life of peace. They WOULD be law-abiding.
But.......bottom line, they would NOT sacrifice to or worship Caesar.
This has gotten long and perhaps I've digressed, but it's time for us to BE Christians and to understand that that, in and of itself, will be confrontational to the lost world that we inhabit.
I recommend, if your toes are not too sensitive, that you read Michael L. Brown's new book -
REVOLUTION, THE CALL TO HOLY WAR
Dr. Brown is the president of the Brownsville Revival School of Ministry.
No, he's not calling for a Christian Jihad. He's calling us to BE Christians.
Let me close with these quotes:
From Rachel Scott, Columbine martyr:
"I have no more personal friends at school. But you know what? I am not going to apologize for speaking the name of Jesus. I am not going to justify my faith to them, and I am not going to hide the light that God has put into me. If I have to sacrifice everything, I will. I will take it. If my friends have to become my enemies for me to be with my best friend, Jesus, then that's fine with me."
From Amy Carmichael, who served as a missionary in India for 55 years without ever taking a furlough:
"To any whom the Hand Divine is beckoning: count the cost, for He tells us to, but take your slate to the foot of the Cross and add up the figures there.
Some may take me to task for this not being Ranger related. Isn't it?
Are you kidding? A Royal Ranger is Spiritual. A Royal Ranger prays, reads the Bible, and witnesses. What could be closer to the core of Royal Rangers than the Great Commission? We not only need to reach, teach, and keep boys and girls for Jesus through Royal Rangers and Missionettes, we need to teach them to go do likewise and reach, teach, and keep others for Jesus Christ.
Preach on, brother!
Michael Paul Johnson aka Soaring Golden Eagle <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
http://eBible.org/mpj Rocky Mountain Outpost 207 New Creation Church
Jesus Christ is Lord! If Jesus came back today, would you be READY?
