Bully Evangelism?

I read this article on bully sales techniques and thought about how this can apply to evangelism. In case anyone was unsure, it's 2008 and bullying people into believing in Jesus went out of style a long time ago. Actually, I'm not sure when it was in style. You know, the person standing on the street corner with a huge sign reading, "You're going to HELL." Doesn't really attract a lot of listeners, does it? Jesus had an amazing ability to draw the company of sinners and AT THE SAME TIME point the to the truth that sin will kill them.

What do YOU Celebrate?

This is a video from a friend of mine, Scott Whitaker. Scott is the Lead Pastor at Stonepoint Church in Newnan. They are a church that is only 10 months old and meets in the Georgia Cinemas theatre. I wanted to share this video because I watched it and it absolutely made me cry. Seriously. This guy's name is Matt and he recently died of cancer. He decided to meet Jesus and be baptized ON HIS WAY TO THE HOSPITAL! This is what we should be celebrating. One person gives their life to Christ in another church and it pumps me up! We should be celebrating changed lives for Jesus!

How would Jesus share the gospel?

I recently came across an article on a blog I regularly read. It is insightful and thought-provoking. Christians today are dealing with an image problem, whether we like it or not. To see that, just check out www.fermiproject.com. Some guys from the Barna research group just wrote a book called "UnChristian." The books sheds light on the perception of Christians by nonbelievers. Anyway, back to my original thought. Gone are the days of street preaching and asking diagnostic questions like "If you were to die tonight, do you know where you'll spend eternity?" Arriving are the days where it is more and more important to build relationships with nonbelievers and start where they are in order to get them where they should be: meeting Jesus. I welcome your feedback on the article.

Here it is: http://www.theresurgence.com/es_blog_2007-03-27_beginning_a_conversation_about_christ

It's Not Just the Coffee!

Well, you may not be as excited as me. Starbucks is coming to Milledgeville this Saturday! I've been anticipating this day for some time. When I go to a Starbucks, I am going not just for the coffee. I'm going for the atmosphere. I'm going for the aroma of freshly brewed beans. I'm going for the environment to converse with friends. For some time a book has been out called "The Starbucks Experience." It's on my list of "books people tell me about." I read on Amazon.com that the book shares the Starbucks way for readers to do these things:

1. Reach out to entire communities
2. Listen to individual workers and consumers
3. Seize growth opportunities in every market
4. Custom-design a truly satisfying experience that benefits everyone involved

WOW! What this says to me is that the church can learn a lot from Starbucks. They have mastered the art of creating environments where people come together for a common purpose. They listen to people's needs, and reach out to new groups of people. What if Starbucks were a church? I think I would attend.

Reserved for the Wedding Party

I was honored to perform the wedding ceremony of two friends last Friday. This was wedding number four, but the first on a golf course! It was exciting to see some of my friends who I don't get to see very much. The ceremony was simple (at the request of the bride and groom) and everything went according to plan. It seemed to me that everyone who was there was invited. I didn't notice any "wedding crashers."

When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: "When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, 'Give this man your seat.' Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, 'Friend, move up to a better place.' Then you will be honored in the presence of all your fellow guests. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
Then Jesus said to his host, "When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."

Invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. In other words, invite someone who never gets an invitation. What do your dinners look like? Are they full of the "distinguished?"

The kingdom just might be full of the uninvited.