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DM asked > Do you mean, "Truth is only credible, when it is
relational." No, I do not
agree.
John responded > Funny, I remember you and Bill
getting it on over the notion that the Message is rational and fully
logical --------------- you affirmed, he
denied.
The point I am making is that we do not believe what we
do not trust. There has to be something trustworthy about the messenger or we
are not going to adopt the message as truth. Perhaps as time passes and we have
pondered over it, we may come to agreement, but that is only because the
message has now had time to establish a credibility in
abstraction from the messenger. There must be something
commensurate between the messenger and the message to accept it without
question.
Now, as soon as I say this I what to declare a caveat. The Holy
Spirit can and sometime does work in spite of the message and the messenger, but
just as we should not be content with a compromised message, we should not be
content in compromising its presentation. Let the Spirit work, but work with him
in every instance that we know how.
Bill
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Thursday, February 17, 2005 11:20
PM
Subject: Re: [TruthTalk] Mormons and
Street Preachers
In a message dated 2/17/2005 6:00:20 PM Pacific
Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED]
writes:
John wrote:
>You could throw the bullhorn away and
knock
>doors and have the same results, if not better.
Not
true. Certainly it is true. I would not have made the
statement if it were not. I have done both and have pretty much dropped
knocking on doors.
Not because I am against it, but because preaching
publicly is so much more
effective and produces much more good fruit.
Nonsense -- if you mean with a bullhorn, on a street
corner somewhere, yelling at people who do not want to hear you and are not
asking the questions for which you have answers. I was surprised
at this at first because the church taught me to knock on doors, but after I
started preaching I realized that the Bible didn't teach this. Neither
does it teach street preaching the way it is done today - the
yelling, the harshness, the uninvited intrusion It
teaches us to go
preach. No wonder preaching is so much more
effective.
John wrote:
>David, you disagree with that
last sentence?
Do you mean, "Truth is only credible, when it is
relational." No, I do not
agree. Funny, I remember you
and Bill getting it on over the notion that the Message is
rational and fully logical
--------------- you affirmed, he
denied. I have had traveling apostles and
prophets get the truth across to
mean without having any direct
relationship with me. I read the Scriptures
and see it happen all
the time. This does not mean that relationship is no
good.
It just means that this relationship doctrine is not the secret
mystery
upon which truth and everything else must hinge.
John
wrote:
>And Bill was speaking of bullhorn
evangelism
>----------- drive-by preaching, if you
will.
Was he only talking about drive by preaching, or street
preaching in
general? Drive-by preaching with a truth horn... yes,
I have done it, out
of a car window, but not much. I agree that it
is not all that effective.
Now using a truth horn at events does produce
results and save people,
because the people become interested and then
talk one-on-one with you.
John wrote:
>The events you spoke
of (healings, the request
>for the casting out of demons and the
like) --
>are you speaking of a particular occasion or
are
>you suggesting that this sort of response is typical?
It
depends on the venue. It is not an isolated or rare occurence, but the
first time it started happening to me, I was caught off guard
somewhat. I
did not expect it because it happened preaching a
night club area. This was
many years ago and I have learned to
expect anything that God wants to do.
It seems like I have seen just
about everything out there street preaching
by now, except raising the
dead and walking on water, but I'm not holding my
breath about
that. God can do whatever he wants with me when he thinks I'm
ready for it. I'm all his.
John wrote:
>Is it wrong, on
my part, to ask for some kind
>of verification?
Of course not,
but don't expect me to spend time proving things to you. Actually,
I don't expect proof from you on this matter, at all. The
best
verification you can have is to get out there and do this work of God
yourself. And you have decided that I don't do this? That
I have no first hand knowledge of street preaching. That I have had no
dealings with those who claim to be prophets and apostles and are
not? I too am pentecostal. I have seen it all and I
have seen a rather larger number of phonies. As a pastor, it is a
responsibility of mine to insure that deceivers are not
followed. I am sure you share in the same consideration, being a
prophet and all. I have never been so amazed by the
power of God than when he
first worked a miracle through me. I've
seen others do it and testify to
it, but I always thought that was them
and the thought of me experiencing
this personally never entered my
mind. I will tell you this, that when you
experience it, you know
that you did not do any kind of fakery. I have no idea what you
mean by this. Are you saying that you prayed for someone and
they were healed. More than you have seen this
happen. I believe very much in the miraculous. But I
have never seen a healer who consistently heals. I know longer
believe in "faith healers" -- rather I believe in
God. People
sometimes will accuse you of seeking glory
for yourself or doing some kind
of trick or something, but because you
did it, you know that you did not do
any of that. Again, if you are
talking about more than praying for someone ------- great.
If you are talking about something other than that, well, I don't
believe it.
There is no greater
verification than God doing something for
you when
you ask him too. All I can say is do it yourself and let God work.
Ask and you shall receive that your joy might be full.
Thanks for the tip.
David Miller.
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