Hrmm, boggling thoughts

[Caelum]

So a new store opened up in a very busy mall here in San Diego, its called "OUt of This World" (I think)....anyways, it's an "alternative/whatever" type shop focusing on Jesus, they sell a ton of christian punk/rock/indie/etc CDs, different shirts, some of which are pretty cool, some necklaces etc etc....I went in there with my friend(Didn't even know what it wsa till i was about 2ft from going in)...My friend is not Christian at all, i walk in look around briefly and one of the sales clerks starts harranging my friend, spontaneously preachign to her etc, etc...she left the store cause she felt uncomfortable...

My questions for your opinions are:

1) Do you think a store like this plays more into the "Christian Culture" aspect of Christianity, or actually positively spreads the message of Jesus Christ?

2) What do you think is a good approach to spreading the message? Better yet, everyone for the most part in America knows the message...don't you feel that displaying how Jesus has made your life better is a much better message than boring and scaring people with the same old rhetoric?


Just a topic of proposed discussion :)

Peas out carrots!

[Phoebe]

I think that type of store plays into the Christian culture, but I also think there are many ways to share the Gospel. Different ways work on different people.



I think the best way to share the Gospel is to live it. Actions speak as loud as words.

[SPALATIN]

So a new store opened up in a very busy mall here in San Diego, its called "OUt of This World" (I think)....anyways, it's an "alternative/whatever" type shop focusing on Jesus, they sell a ton of christian punk/rock/indie/etc CDs, different shirts, some of which are pretty cool, some necklaces etc etc....I went in there with my friend(Didn't even know what it wsa till i was about 2ft from going in)...My friend is not Christian at all, i walk in look around briefly and one of the sales clerks starts harranging my friend, spontaneously preachign to her etc, etc...she left the store cause she felt uncomfortable...

My questions for your opinions are:

1) Do you think a store like this plays more into the "Christian Culture" aspect of Christianity, or actually positively spreads the message of Jesus Christ?

2) What do you think is a good approach to spreading the message? Better yet, everyone for the most part in America knows the message...don't you feel that displaying how Jesus has made your life better is a much better message than boring and scaring people with the same old rhetoric?


Just a topic of proposed discussion :)

Peas out carrots!
I would have been like your friend and boogied out. Some people think that they have to actively find out if anyone and everyone is "saved" when they walk into the church or store. If the customer is not they start to brow beat them with the Gospel. I have seen this quite a bit among American Evangelicals.

My wife and I went to a Baptist church one time and after the service was over the Pastor came over and talked to us. He asked us if we were Born Again. We said yes, and are you? He answered yes, but I think he was thrown by us returning the question.

The store clerk was probably told to take whatever opportunity presented
itself and witness to anyone who said they weren't a Christian. After all they came in the store so that must mean that God put them there for a purpose. I don't buy it, but I am sure that they justify it that way.

[Flipper]

Very few Christian stores will take that approach with people because they want them to come back, LOL! Since it looks like the store just opened, I think the clerk is new and just doesn't know better yet. Go back in a couple of months and see if you or your friend gets the same treatment.

[IowaLutheran]

Without having been in that store I won't comment on it specifically, but I apply the general guideline that Lutherans are "in, but not of, this world".

[LuxPerpetua]

I think that type of store plays into the Christian culture, but I also think there are many ways to share the Gospel. Different ways work on different people.



I think the best way to share the Gospel is to live it. Actions speak as loud as words.

I ditto Phoebe here. God works in many ways, including the unconventional. I never approve of scare tactics but I don't think that offering modern forms of Christian devotion (orthodox in nature, of course) is wrong by any means. I know . . . bad Lutheran, bad bad bad. :eek:

:doh: I can't remember which Catholic saint said this, but I love this message:
"Witness all the time; when necessary, use words." Although, I do like to wear my cross necklace to let people know where I stand and as a reminder to myself to behave. ;)

[Zoomer]

Without having been to the store, I do not know their intentions. However, I do not think that the two are mutually exclusive.

The approach the sales clerk used was exactly what you should NOT do. I work with a bunch of athiest who know that I am a Christian. They are always poking fun, saying things like-- so when are you going to try to preach to me, when are you going to tell me that I am going to hell etc. I just replied that I am not going to do either. However, I am always there to answer any religious questions when they have them. The in your face, "have you been saved, have you found Jesus" in most instances is a turn off and puts the person on the defensive. I'd rather live by example and be their for a person when they need answers.

[sculpturegirl]

Lux- I think it was St. Francis of Assisi who said that :)

[sculpturegirl]

Scott- I must admit that you got a bit of a chuckle from me with the story about your visit to a Baptist church.

On the otherhand, I think that there are seekers who come into the church and are not sure about their own faith. I have a friend who went to a church for a year or so before she was a Christian. She wanted so badly for someone to lead her to understanding salvation, as she was too shy and scared to ask. I don't remember what happened next, but she is certainly a child of God now. Anyhow, there are a lot of seekers sitting in the pews next to us, who want desperately to know Christ. Anyhow, I am not sure how to approach such visitors. Listen closely to the prompting of the Holy Spirit, I suppose :)

I usually find punk Christian culture annoying, but I am not sure if there is anything inherently bad about it. I do find the temperary tatoos at http://www.oldlutheran.com/ quite charming. he he he

[SPALATIN]

Scott- I must admit that you got a bit of a chuckle from me with the story about your visit to a Baptist church.

On the otherhand, I think that there are seekers who come into the church and are not sure about their own faith. I have a friend who went to a church for a year or so before she was a Christian. She wanted so badly for someone to lead her to understanding salvation, as she was too shy and scared to ask. I don't remember what happened next, but she is certainly a child of God now. Anyhow, there are a lot of seekers sitting in the pews next to us, who want desperately to know Christ. Anyhow, I am not sure how to approach such visitors. Listen closely to the prompting of the Holy Spirit, I suppose :)

I usually find punk Christian culture annoying, but I am not sure if there is anything inherently bad about it. I do find the temperary tatoos at http://www.oldlutheran.com/ quite charming. he he he
Yes there are a lot of seekers out there sitting next to us in the pews. What most of them don't understand though is that which brings them back is the word and the Holy Spirit using that word to convict them of their sinfulness and then to direct them to the only way they can be redeemed which is through Christ on the cross.

What they don't need is some namby pamby Gospel that really does them no good and unfortunately I find that in a lot of the protestant churches outside of Lutheranism (and some even in Lutheranism unfortunately.)

[sculpturegirl]

I totally agree, Scott. I go to church to hear the real Word of God, not some low-cal version. It is so hard to find, though :(

[Caelum]

You guys said what I was getting at... Personally, there is nothing more destructive than that pro-active baptist approach to spreading the message, it scared me away from Jesus in the past and I can only relate to those who get freaked out by it... .

[ByzantineDixie]

I have a friend who went to a church for a year or so before she was a Christian. We have a man in our congregation who had turned away from his faith years ago but kept coming periodically because it was the "right thing to do". He had a conversion experience during an Advent service one Wednesday evening. His wife was good friends with one of the elders and he must have known that elder had been praying for him because he turned around to him after the service and told him all that prayer had worked.

Anyhow, there are a lot of seekers sitting in the pews next to us, who want desperately to know Christ. Anyhow, I am not sure how to approach such visitors. Listen closely to the prompting of the Holy Spirit, I suppose :)
Talk to them, invite them to bible study, invite them to coffee or lunch after the service, be servant if there are any needs in their life that you can help with, weave into your discussions talk about your faith and, most importantly, pray for them. Do what ChiRho said he does, get to know them and buy them a Luther's Small Catechism for their birthday gift! :D

We don't have to whack them in the head like the store clerk, but we can't ignore the Law either. The "God is Good" Gospel does little good if the heart has not first been broken by the deadly weight of the Law. And we always remember that the Holy Spirit does the work of conversion...we are merely instruments He may chose to use in the process.

I usually find punk Christian culture annoying, but I am not sure if there is anything inherently bad about it. I do find the temperary tatoos at http://www.oldlutheran.com/ quite charming. he he heI have a hundred of those Luther's Rose tatoos...they are exceedingly fun! :D

Peace

Rose

[Rechtgläubig]

I have a hundred of those Luther's Rose tatoos...they are exceedingly fun! :D

Peace

Rose
Just break down and get a permanent one. :D

ChiRho's looks great!

I'm still saving up for the Apostle's Creed. ^_^

[sculpturegirl]

Rose-

Thank you for that! We just had a small meeting at church tonight about this topic!! Maybe God is trying to tell me something! I felt so welcomed and enveloped into the congregation, but don't feel as though I offer the same to newcomers.

We joked a little about this man who used to belong to the church who would greet new visitors with a "SO, are you Lutheran?" He scared a few people, I think!! I agree that "Bible thumping" is a good way to scare off people. I have been thumped before and been totally turned off, only to think "Wait a minute, I am already a Christian!!" Loving others as Christ loves us and allowing the Holy Spirit to work through us is a much better approach!