Open Air Preaching

A Question For an Elder

"Would you choose to associate with individuals who practice open air preaching in evangelism?"

I found it to be a rather odd question, but since it was important enough to ask, if I value the asker, then it deserves an answer.

  At Grace, we aren't a military type establishment, so yes.  Yes I would allow our members to preach on the streets.  I'm not a control freak kind of guy.  No I likely wouldn't join them.  I've given street evangelism my best shot, and God has clearly shown me that He has better uses for my time and talents.  If the question has to do with providing funds, I don't think I would make it a budget item.  If they wanted to go on stage for the church to pat them on the back and tell them what a good job they are doing, that would be kind of weird.

Yet I think the question is asking something different in what it refers to as, "association".  Would I formally associate with an open air preacher or ministry?  Would I promote it as being a core ministry of the church?  Maybe.

I look at it as I would any other form of ministry.  Ministry isn't about the stuff.  It is about people.  If the question were about something other than open air preaching, I'd give the same response.  If it was about people going door to door handing out tracts, I'd say maybe.  If it was about compassionate care, I'd say maybe.  If it was about Christian authors, I'd still say maybe.

Any decision whether or not to formally associate with an open air preaching person would have little to do with the form of evangelism, but everything to do with the individual(s) involved.  

Paul tells Timothy in 1Tim 5:22, "Never be in a hurry about appointing a church leader.  Do not share in the sins of others".

    Paul has much more in mind than associating with street preacher types, but here lies a vital principle for ministry.  We don't associate with a person in ministry without taking time to test them.  There are more important things to evaluate than the style of evangelism.  Before I would formally associate with a street preacher, Christian author, or music leader, here are the things I want to see.

Is There Fruit?

I'll be short on this one, because it's simple.   Is there fruit from their ministry?  Are they actually leading people to Christ, and are those people being baptized and added to the church?   I need to see fruit.  I need to see the evidence that God's in it.  After all the public evangelism I've done, and maybe I just was t very good at it, I've made more disciples through reaching into people's lives.  In truth, I don't think I've led anyone to Christ on the streets.  I've had, some cool conversations, but that's as far as it went.  As lame as it sounds, inviting people to church has done more to make disciples in my ministry than all my efforts in public as a Gideon.

If they aren't leading people to Christ, then what are they doing?  And if they are leading people to Christ, but they aren't finding their way into the church, then again, what are they doing?  Is it some personal glory seeking mission, or are they really working as part of the church?

Are They On Our Team?

This one is tougher to measure.  I'm not asking about whether or not they are saved, although, that is imperative.  What I'm asking is, are they really part of the church?  Do they really have a heart for the people of Grace Community?  Do they even like the church, or are they grumblers?  Do they truly see themselves as an extension; the hands and feet of Christ here at Grace?

During the summer in our small town, I coach my kid's house league soccer team.  Last year, there was a boy on the team, who really wasn't on the team.  He wore the jersey.  He showed up to almost every game.  He put a smile on his face and was even one of the most talented people on the team and among the top goal scorers.

Whenever I see him now, I can tell he doesn't really even want to acknowledge me.  I do my best to say hi to him and make conversation, but I can tell he doesn't want much to do with me.  He wasn't really on my team.

The same thing happens in church world.  People teach Sunday School, come out every week and lead prayer groups and Bible studies, but in their hearts, they really don't like their church.  In their minds, they are better than the rest.  They do their ministry, feeling like they have it all together, and that the church just doesn't deserve them.  If they were to be completely honest, they look down on their church.  They wear the jersey, but just aren't "on the team".

I'm rather attentive to this kind of thing, because I've been that kind of person.  If Grace really knew what was in my heart, they wouldn't have asked me to be an elder.  I was smart enough however to appear much less arrogant than I actually was.  Over time as I have served, God has given me an authentic love for His people, and I pray it shows.  Sure, I guess it worked out okay, but I would never intentionally associate myself with a person who has not demonstrated a committed, humble, servant attitude towards Grace Church.

So if a street preacher just waltzes into town and wants to partner with Grace in some official capacity, then no.  Not until they have demonstrated a true commitment to the ministry here at Grace.  Even if it's a longstanding member who has served as an usher week in and week out, it might still be a no, if I sense that they really don't much like the church in general.  (And yes, there are boatloads of people who really don't like their church)

I want to see fruit, but more importantly, I want to see Christ.  I want to see His attitude towards the church.  He laid down his life.  He gave it His all. All.  Do they love the church?  Do they lay down their lives for her people?   If they don't have love, I don't care how good they can preach, they're not on my team.  If they do, then we'll talk.

Sparse Non-Christian Documentation on the Life of Christ

Dear Anonymous

         I have thought much of you these past 24 hours and whether or not to make an attempt to help you understand why 1st century historians spent little time following the life of a Judean carpenter.   Then it occurred to me.  You might be someone that I know and love, but chose to remain anonymous, so as to maintain a comfortable relationship with me.  I'm also taking the time for you on the slim chance that you really do want to understand how the world works, although I have my doubts.  Please prove me wrong.  Lastly, the God I serve, the one you believe does not exist, exhorts me to love all men.  In short, I was wrong to have judged you.  Please forgive me the indiscretion.  So whether I know you or not, I'll help you in any way I can.

  In a sentence, here it is;

  

The kinds of things that Jesus did, are not the kinds of things the world takes note of.

I will give you a real example from our time to help illustrate this phenomenon.  

About two years ago, a man from our town went on a trip to Israel.  He was a cripple.  I forget how he got that way.  What I do know for certain, is that he had been disabled for some time and it was well documented.  A local charitable organization had actually made a short film about his impairment, highlighting the difficulties he faced in life.

    While in Israel, he was bathing in the Pool of Siloam.  During this, a Christian prayed for his healing.  Believe it or not, this man was healed.  It is the exact same kind of thing we read about Jesus doing in our scriptures.

Upon returning home, outside of our church nobody seemed to care.  I didn't see anything in the newspaper, nothing on local radio or on national television.  It is absurd to think that the world would have operated according to different principles during the first century than it does now.  So I'm not sure why you would expect to see anything written about Christ, that didn't come from those who believed in Him.

So you have made a very valid observation.  We live in a world that does its best to suppress the truth of Christ.  That is your problem.  Not mine. What I don't understand is why?  Why aren't the works of Christ noteworthy?

If you want to further investigate this issue, I encourage you to take a close look at the kinds of things historians generally took note of.  What you will find it is that they generally took little interest on the activities of tradespersons in occupied states.  Someone like Jesus wouldn't even deserve a cursory glance.  

  I have helped you a great deal.  You may thank me later. 

A Distasteful Diety

Dear Mr Bossman,

  Thank you very much for asking me to have a look at Bob Ripley’s “Life Beyond Belief”.  I can't tell you how honoured I am that you value my opinion on matters of faith and doubt enough to consider me for the task.  Please know that I have thoroughly enjoyed working with you these past 14 years.  I appreciate the way our company is run, building its foundation on integrity and quality workmanship.  These values are a big part of why working with you is a fit for who I am.

  I’m into the second chapter and at this point, one thing is clear to me.  After looking at how God interacted with humanity apart from a Saviour, Bob doesn't like Him.  That is plain.  Why he finally made this observation at 55 is uncertain.  In fact, he asks that very question himself.

  He is obviously a very intelligent man.  I also believe he is a better writer than I am.  My take on what he refers to as his deconversion, is that he hadn't really investigated the full nature of God prior.  Even after a life of professional ministry and extensive theological education, looking closer at God in the Old Testament revealed things to him; distasteful things.  He sees something very different than I do when I read the same pages.  I see a God with incredible patience towards His people, and mankind in general.  

  How about you?  Have you taken the time to really look at who God is?  I'm not sure how Bob would have expected life to look like without Christ.

   Bob thinks that God is mean, vengeful, distasteful and hypocritical and has done very well to verbalize those sentiments.  At the same time, he seems to think it mean that non believers would have to spend eternity without Christ.  I find that to be completely odd.  For a person who sees God in that light, why would they want to spend eternity with Him anyway?

  Think what you want about God.  Call Him what you will; mean, merciful or otherwise.  At the end of the day, our opinions of His nature have no sway over whether or not He is.  My view on His interaction with mankind during the Old Testament is as follows.  Without a Saviour, we are not going to make it with God.  I know this flies in the face of what a lot of people think.  We want to think, “I should be good enough.  God should just get past the wrongs I've done.  I'm not as bad as other people.  I do enough nice things.”  

  I'm not good enough to make it with the Toronto Maple Leafs let alone an almighty, perfect God, and they aren't even that good.

  Bob has certainly gone beyond this.  He is not thinking that he’s good enough for God.  He clings to the hope that God is little more than a nightmare having made it to print.  At this point, I think he has to be an atheist.  I’m certain that it would be too painful for anyone who views God in that light, to consider the possibility of answering to Him at the end of this life.

  In any manner, he doesn't like God anyway, so it won't be too disappointing if he doesn't spend an eternity with Him.

   For a man who sees God as he does - knowing Him to be an unappeasable Deity, Life Beyond Belief is probably the only way to continue living with some semblance of sanity.