We saw this guy at Dawg Daze yesterday. We want to hear what you guys think about this. What are some ways you are sharing the Gospel on campus? Comment below…
Six months ago Matt, Chris, and I were in Florida dreaming up what it would look like to have a College Advance at the beginning of fall. A few weeks ago, after much planning, very little promoting, lots of sweaty fund raising, some desperate last minute praying and Facebook posting, God brought about 90 college [...]
Conversations With A Skeptic 4 from Mars Hill College Mission on Vimeo.
The fourth installment in the series of conversations between President of the Secular Union at UW Michael Amini and Matt Jensen of Mars Hill.
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I didn’t stay to hear everything he had to say, but he seemed to not do much but scare people… not with his message but with his method of delivery.
The university campus today can be most closely be compared to Greek Areopagus in Athens. The apostle Paul’s described method of communication in this environment is “reasoning.” I am sure this man’s heart is huge and is doing what he believes is right, but his view of evangelism has been narrowed to proclamation. It is so much easier to hold a sign and to be martyred by the barrage of hostile comments passers by hurtle at him, than to actually engage, talk, listen, and reason with them.
This kind of activity only helps to solidify the Ned Flanders stereotype Christians seem to have in the eyes of many students at the UW. If this gentleman reads this, please, put your sign down and read Acts 17!
Keith
It also goes to show how disconnected this man is from those who he is trying to reach out to. The student of today wants to be engaged and active in their own learning, not barraged by the fire and brimstone of a 10′ tall sign. This only incites anger and defensiveness, not questioning and understanding.
I agree with Jason. Yea the message is true, but I would want to start out with something like “Jesus loves you.” That sounds much nicer to a non-Christian than “Join us or burn in hell!” and is much more nice and inviting for an actual conversation instead of feelings of hostility.
“That sounds much nicer” from the post above… Mt 23 wasn’t very nice. John the Baptist wasn’t very nice. We are to be known by our love for one another, so why crush this guy holding the sign? It’s not my cup of tea, but are you insinuating he’s lost because his outreach isn’t as ‘nice’ as yours? And get rid of the ridiculous idea that YOU have anything to do with your hearers anyways: No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. Mt 11:27. It’s God’s mission, he will save, not any man’s ‘effective outreach’. This guy is taking his free time to do this, leave him be, and focus your energy on the lost, needy, and weak. I love catching the MH vodcasts, but to gear an entire church (and name it) around 1 text, Acts 17, is starting to seem somewhat provincial. Love you guys, let’s enjoy God’s sovereignty as we endeavor on His Mission as brothers. In Christ, Blair
Blair, Matthew 23 is about the hypocrisy of the “scribes and Pharisees,” not about people who profess to be non-Christians. These scribes and Pharisees (religious people - see the “Religion Saves: and 9 other misconceptions” series by Driscoll) went about preaching, teaching, praying loudly in public, and proselytizing not for the glory of God and the salvation of others, but for themselves. They wanted to be seen by others and thought of as good and righteous. Jesus rebukes these people, calling them “child[ren] of hell.” I’m not sure what these guys’ motives are in Red Square, but I would argue that they are very much like these scribes and Pharisees, ironically. For if they were truly invested in leading others to Christ, they would become vessels for His redemption as commissioned in the Bible (Matt 28, Romans 10, 1 Cor 9), becoming “all things to all men.” I don’t believe waving fire and brimstone banners is becoming all things to all people. If these guys are Christians, they need to take a deep look at their motives and techniques (and the Bible) so that they spread the Gospel more effectively. If they reject gentle rebuke, they need a swift jab in the gut for “shut[ting] the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces.” Don’t do that - you’ll probably get arrested. We as Christians need to act as humble servants, like Christ, not cold, religious jerk-faces.
I wonder what criticism John the Baptist would get if he was in Red Square proclaiming “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
If the author of the video wants us to judge, by what standard shall we judge it by? Should it be based on style? If so, what shall we say about Jonah? What shall we say about Edward’s “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God?” Should we judge based on effectiveness? If so, what shall we say about the effectiveness of Jeremiah?
If Christians are to judge those in the church (and one of the things to check is if they really are), then it should be based on the truth of their words.
Now, it may be that those people with those signs focus much on the sinfulness of man. But that doesn’t make them liars. God will punish sinners, salvation does only come through Jesus, God is opposed to immorality. The fact that they neglect the love of God who justifies the ungodly might just mean that it’s your responsibility to fill in the rest. Let’s flip it around, how often do you inform people about their sinful nature? We need to work as a team to assist each other to present the full gospel.
So let’s be more like Paul who in Philippians 1:15-18 says “But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.”