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rsc2a said:
How are they not effective?
And what studies are you exactly referring to?
rsc2a said:
Well there are circumstances and times in a Christian's life where he does have the ability to develop a close acquaintance with someone and to have some involvement in that person's life. But the truth of the matter is, that is not always the case. Many people if not most, are selfish. And people In general with their busy schedules don't like the idea of taking time to invest in someone else's life with a genuine care for that other person's well being. They rather keep the friends they have always had, and just keep to their own circles of affiliation.
And yes, there are people who are watching our lives and seeing and observing how we conduct ourselves as Christians. Which is why it is so important that we maintain our testimonies before a lost world. With so much pop culture Christianity going on in these last days, very few people get to see what true, Biblical Christianity is all about. And I agree that a Christian's life should involve sacrifice, humility, grace, charity, temperance, and basically all those other qualities which you mentioned above. Again, it comes back to a Christian's testimony and how he conducts himself.
Can a Christian lead a lost sinner to Christ by how he conducts himself in business, how he maintains his integrity and testimony as a Bible believing Christian? Absolutely. I am all for personal witnessing. The very fact that we are exhorted as Christians to maintain our testimony is proof that our Christian lives and our actions do have an effect and impact on the people around us.
But to say that street preaching, Gospel Tracting, holding Gospel Signs and Banners, Door to Door, and so forth is not effective is simply wrong on your part.
Do you not remember the account of Noah, and how he was a preacher of righteousness? (2 Pet. 2:5).
Let me ask you, how many souls were won by his preaching? How many were convinced to turn from their sin in repentance?
The only people that were saved by his preaching were his family members.
Now was Noah effective and successful from a Biblical standpoint? Yes he was. He was very effective biblically speaking. Why? Well because Biblical success and effectiveness is not measured by large numbers.
The world and Business marketing determine and define success and effectiveness on how much of a large crowd you have following you.
But again, the word of God, the Bible way of Success is how faithful and dedicated to God and His word are you???
Although Noah did not have any converts outside of his family; still though, Noah was found faithful and was even listed in the Heroes of the Faith in Hebrews 11:
Hebrews 11:7 Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)
7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
rsc2a said:
Tracting and those other methods which I mentioned does not cheapen the Gospel at all.
All those methods which I referenced serve as a grave reminder and warning to the lost world that there is Judgment to come and that they must be born again.
With Tracting as well as with all the other methods which I referenced, these soul winning methods have two types of categories which they come through.
Now just considering the Bible method of Tracting for example, the two categories of Evangelism are these: Evangelistic Tracting and Accountability Tracting.
Evangelistic Tracting is when a person finds a Tract on their car windshield, pick it up and take the time to read it and after considering what it said concerning the Gospel and their need of Salvation, they get converted, and are saved. That right there is a good prime example of what Evangelistic Tracting is.
Now Accountability Tracting is when a person sees a Gospel tract on their windshield, and instead of opening it and reading it, they just tear it up and throw it away without ever having a look at the Gospel message. That right there is accountability Tracting. Although he did not read the Tract, he still knew in his heart deep down what it was, and so it will serve as a witness against him at the Great White Throne Judgment. When that lost sinner is standing before God Almighty and trying to come with excuse after excuse, he can never say "well no one warned me." Because God will show him that very evening where he had a chance to receive the Gospel when a Christian labourer had planted that Gospel tract on the windshield of his vehicle, but he would not look at it.
Evangelistic Tracting will always be hard to do in places where people have become very hardened to the Gospel. IN places where people are so hostile toward preaching and the Gospel, a Labourer in the Gospel will only be able to get Accountability Tracting done in that very region.
