Given A Hard Time While Doing Sign Evangelism

[David Hunter]

Medina, Ohio was having fireworks last Saturday to celebrate the Eclipse, so I decided to go to the square and do some sign evangelism and pass out tracts. Well, this guy called me out when he saw the sign. The conversation only lasted about 4 minutes but it felt like 20. Here's how it went... Please share your thoughts!

 

[d taylor]

-​

I personally think you were unprepared and that you gave this person the upper hand.

 

[David Hunter]

-​

I personally think you were unprepared and that you gave this person the upper hand.

Thanks for sharing! Any tips on what you would have said or done?

 

[d taylor]

Thanks for sharing! Any tips on what you would have said or done?

Well i will have to go back and watch the video slowly to actually listen to the persons spill. One thing i do remember is toward the end he definitely had the upper hand with his it is in the heart what a person believes as to know where they are going (or it was something like that).


You stating you do not know where heaven is, was the start of this person taking control.
But of course that is the typical reply from christians who have bought into the current majority church view about God's creation that comes from science and not The Bible.

But personally i would have revolved the conservation around Eternal Life.

He got you into areas he has developed his beliefs around about The Bible, which he was very confident in. Which you may have replied, but which i sensed was a week reply. He sensed your lack of confidence in what you were saying.

He got you to basically agree with his, it is in the heart spill toward the end. But it is kind of hard to catch what is being said over the fireworks.

 

[Joseph G]

If we are willing to extend the effort, God is perfectly able to plant a seed no matter how we rate our 'performance' in retrospect.

The last seed God planted in me before I was saved was through my roommate at the time who is a Christian. From observation, even as an unbeliever, I could sense that this guy was 100% certain he was going to heaven - even though he was far from perfect.

I finally asked him one night how to be sure. He said just two things: when you die and stand before God, how will you answer when He asks why He should let you in? I shrugged. He then said that somebody's blood has to pay for our sins, either ours or Jesus'.

That's it. Never discussed it again. But like your offer, I did know that he was available to elaborate further if I wanted. I didn't. But those two statements haunted me day and night - because I somehow knew I had no good answer for them. Went our separate ways and about a year later, after much seeking, I finally received Christ. Bought a Bible and God graciously confirmed that it was all wonderfully real. Eventually called my friend up, and we have been brothers in Christ for over 30 years now.

My point is, you just never know what our efforts may produce. I'm a firm believer that He uses us at just the right time, and if yielded to the Spirit in prayer beforehand, gives us exactly the right words to say.

Like Keith Green used to sing, "just keep doing your best, pray that it's blessed, Jesus takes care of the rest!" One plants, another waters, God takes care of the growth, indeed.

I added a prayer for the fellow in your vid and his companion, and that the Spirit would even compel him to give you a call. Keep at it!

 

[d taylor]

-

​

You can find people like this person who confronted you on here (christian forums).

 

[1Tonne]

-​

I personally think you were unprepared and that you gave this person the upper hand.

I think when doing evangelism, we do need to be prepared but there are so many questions out there and there are so many different people who present these questions that sometimes we may not have the answer or maybe the person will just get us off guard. The good thing about this is, that the more we do it, the better we will get. I do street evangelism and I also don't get it right all the time. It is great that David has the courage to show us this as it shows us that we can all do it. We do not need to be 100% versed in apologetics. The main thing is getting out there and show people how they have fallen short of His standards and then tell people of His sacrifice. And over time, we will become more skilled in our answers.

Good work David.

 

[d taylor]

I think when doing evangelism, we do need to be prepared but there are so many questions out there and there are so many different people who present these questions that sometimes we may not have the answer or maybe the person will just get us off guard. The good thing about this is, that the more we do it, the better we will get. I do street evangelism and I also don't get it right all the time. It is great that David has the courage to show us this as it shows us that we can all do it. We do not need to be 100% versed in apologetics. The main thing is getting out there and show people how they have fallen short of His standards and then tell people of His sacrifice. And over time, we will become more skilled in our answers.

Good work David.

When a person gets off into areas like do you want to go to heaven, or sins, and departs from what God is offering people. the free gift of Eternal Life.

Confrontations like this will happen, but if the message revolves around God's free gift of Eternal Life. The person evangelizing will always have the upper hand.

Because the person they are speaking to will either want to this gift and will want to know how to receive Eternal Life. Or they will not and if that is the case, that they do not want Eternal Life. Then there no amount of debating that will make them want God's free gift, so the person evangelizing can move on to the next person.

Jesus (Paul, Peter, etc.) went around telling people to believe in Him for Eternal Life, we should do like wise.

Not, do you want to go to heaven or what does it take to go to heaven, are you a sinner, etc...

 

[1Tonne]

Not, do you want to go to heaven or what does it take to go to heaven, are you a sinner, etc...

There is not one particular way of doing it. Each person may have a different way of getting to the main subject. As long as in the end, the person knows that they are a sinner and needs the cross.
Personally, I try to avoid small talk and apologetics as much as possible. So, as soon as I can, I try to ask them, "Do they think they are a good person?" Then I ask them questions that show that they are not and that they need a saviour. By doing it this way, you move from the intellect to the conscience. If we stay with apologetics, then we will be arguing for a very long time and in the end we most likely will not win. But if we move from the intellect to questions of the conscience, then the person that we are talking to will realise that they are not a good person and that they need a saviour.

 

[d taylor]

There is not one particular way of doing it. Each person may have a different way of getting to the main subject. As long as in the end, the person knows that they are a sinner and needs the cross.
Personally, I try to avoid small talk and apologetics as much as possible. So, as soon as I can, I try to ask them, "Do they think they are a good person?" Then I ask them questions that show that they are not and that they need a saviour. By doing it this way, you move from the intellect to the conscience. If we stay with apologetics, then we will be arguing for a very long time and in the end we most likely will not win. But if we move from the intellect to questions of the conscience, then the person that we are talking to will realise that they are not a good person and that they need a saviour.

The cross saves no one, it is the person Jesus and belief in Jesus who is able to give Eternal Life.

Jesus states He is the resurrection and the life. Jesus does not say it is the cross that is the resurrection and the life.

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

It is not that they are good or bad, that they are lacking and the reason people end up in the lake of fire. It is because they do not have the Life of God.
People need to realize they are lacking Eternal Life.

 

[Michie]

Yuck.

 

[1Tonne]

The cross saves no one, it is the person Jesus and belief in Jesus who is able to give Eternal Life.

Jesus states He is the resurrection and the life. Jesus does not say it is the cross that is the resurrection and the life.

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

You are arguing semantics. When speaking of the cross, I talk about what Jesus did on the cross. So, when I say "the cross", I am speaking in a generalised way. The cross is only 2 bits of wood. How can 2 bits of wood do something for a person?

It is not that they are good or bad, that they are lacking and the reason people end up in the lake of fire. It is because they do not have the Life of God.
People need to realize they are lacking Eternal Life.

How do unbelievers realise that they lack eternal life?

 

[David Hunter]

If we are willing to extend the effort, God is perfectly able to plant a seed no matter how we rate our 'performance' in retrospect.

The last seed God planted in me before I was saved was through my roommate at the time who is a Christian. From observation, even as an unbeliever, I could sense that this guy was 100% certain he was going to heaven - even though he was far from perfect.

I finally asked him one night how to be sure. He said just two things: when you die and stand before God, how will you answer when He asks why He should let you in? I shrugged. He then said that somebody's blood has to pay for our sins, either ours or Jesus'.

That's it. Never discussed it again. But like your offer, I did know that he was available to elaborate further if I wanted. I didn't. But those two statements haunted me day and night - because I somehow knew I had no good answer for them. Went our separate ways and about a year later, after much seeking, I finally received Christ. Bought a Bible and God graciously confirmed that it was all wonderfully real. Eventually called my friend up, and we have been brothers in Christ for over 30 years now.

My point is, you just never know what our efforts may produce. I'm a firm believer that He uses us at just the right time, and if yielded to the Spirit in prayer beforehand, gives us exactly the right words to say.

Like Keith Green used to sing, "just keep doing your best, pray that it's blessed, Jesus takes care of the rest!" One plants, another waters, God takes care of the growth, indeed.

I added a prayer for the fellow in your vid and his companion, and that the Spirit would even compel him to give you a call. Keep at it!

Thank you for sharing, Joseph!! Glad the seed was planted and grown in you! And thanks for the prayers. As of this moment, he has not called.

I think when doing evangelism, we do need to be prepared but there are so many questions out there and there are so many different people who present these questions that sometimes we may not have the answer or maybe the person will just get us off guard. The good thing about this is, that the more we do it, the better we will get. I do street evangelism and I also don't get it right all the time. It is great that David has the courage to show us this as it shows us that we can all do it. We do not need to be 100% versed in apologetics. The main thing is getting out there and show people how they have fallen short of His standards and then tell people of His sacrifice. And over time, we will become more skilled in our answers.

Good work David.

Thank you so much, Nathan, and for the continued encouragement!! Much needed. It was definitely a learning experience. I know he said a couple things that I would have loved to expand on but didn't realize them until I was home and watched the video.

When a person gets off into areas like do you want to go to heaven, or sins, and departs from what God is offering people. the free gift of Eternal Life.

Confrontations like this will happen, but if the message revolves around God's free gift of Eternal Life. The person evangelizing will always have the upper hand.

Because the person they are speaking to will either want to this gift and will want to know how to receive Eternal Life. Or they will not and if that is the case, that they do not want Eternal Life. Then there no amount of debating that will make them want God's free gift, so the person evangelizing can move on to the next person.

Jesus (Paul, Peter, etc.) went around telling people to believe in Him for Eternal Life, we should do like wise.

Not, do you want to go to heaven or what does it take to go to heaven, are you a sinner, etc...

Thank you d taylor! It was a difficult conversation for me, but great learning experience. As for them telling people to believe in Jesus for eternal life, they also told people they needed to repent. If we don't share what they need to repent of how would anyone know?


I appreciate all of your responses!

 

[d taylor]

You are arguing semantics. When speaking of the cross, I talk about what Jesus did on the cross. So, when I say "the cross", I am speaking in a generalised way. The cross is only 2 bits of wood. How can 2 bits of wood do something for a person?


How do unbelievers realise that they lack eternal life?

I am only going by what you wrote, which was people needs the cross

How do people realize they lack Eternal Life. You ask them, have you never ask a person if not why.

Walk up to a person and ask. What or how do you understand a person receives God's free gift of Eternal Life.

If they give any answer other than belief in Jesus. Then a red flag should pop up, that they may have never believed in Jesus and need to know God's simple life giving message of belief in Jesus. That Jesus is the resurrection and the life, The promised Messiah, Son of God and that if they believe this. Like The Bible states they cross over from death to life and becomes a permanent born again child of God. Carry a small copy of The Gospel of John to give them this place gives away copies to give to people About the Logos 21 Translation

Go now and find a church who believes and teaches this truth so they may grow as a new believer and not get caught up into the snares of the world and fall way from their faith.

 

[1Tonne]

There is more to it than simply believing. Even the demons believe.
Also, Matthew 7:21-23 shows people who believe, but still are not saved. It says, "“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; leave Me, you who practice lawlessness.’" These believers continued in their sin.
So, we need to believe and repent.
When I go out and share the Gospel, I do it in a similar way to Jesus. In Mark 10:17 a rich young ruler came up to Jesus and asked, “Good Teacher, what shall I do so that I may inherit eternal life?” Jesus replied by asking if he had kept The Commandments. He even listed some of The Commandments. And this is what I do. I ask, "How many lies have you told? Have you ever taken something that was not yours? Have you ever used God's name as a cuss word? Have you ever looked with lust?" Normally people will answer "Yes" to all of these. Then I ask them, "If God were to judge you on Judgement Day according to those standards, The 10 Commandments, would you be found innocent or guilty?" Most people will say "Guilty". And from there I can tell them the Gospel. At the end of the Gospel, I say to them, "To be saved you need to do 2 things, first you need to believe in the sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross, and then you need to repent. So, tell God how sorry you are and then leave your sin. We leave our sins not to earn our way into heaven, as we can never earn our way there. When we leave our sins because we want to honour God. We are putting Him first in our lives. So, believe and repent."
Also, true belief has action with it. Faith without work is dead. But, once again, these actions will not save us. They are simply a result of true belief.