This living in a subdivision has been quite an interesting experience for me, since I haven't really ever had to deal with door-to-door sales people. It happens quite frequently around here.
To be honest, I despise door-to-door sales. That being said, I have never had someone interrupt me at supper time with a product that I am actually in the market for. I am slightly less opposed to those who just leave a friendly and impressive pamphlet of some kind, and from time to time will actually read it.
I have had J.W.'s and other folk trying to sell everything from vacuum cleaners to salvation. Unfortunately I, and I believe pretty much everyone I know, hate to be interrupted by someone trying to "sell" me anything. I feel it is disrespectful and rarely do I have any notion that it has anything to do with my well-being.
Let's face it, the purpose of door-to-door sales is to try to better oneself or one's product (the salesperson's) and has little to do with what's good for the interrupted home-dweller. Even those selling religion are in it for themselves, to feel as though they have "evangelized" or done their part in "spreading the good news".
I lived for YEARS under this lie that I was failing Him because I was not "winning" people to the Lord. I would try to imagine friends burning in hell to try to muster up compassion and a drive to evangelize them.
I am RELIEVED to be finally rid of this SATANIC BURDEN. I do not believe this or anything else is up to me. HE shepherds His church, He draws us unto Himself, He orchestrates the events of our lives, and works within our freedom of choice to bring about the best possible turn of events within our choices.
He is at work in the lives of my neighbours and that it would be UNJUST for their eternal lives to be dependent upon ME!! He invites me, all the time, to participate with Him in what HE is already doing in their lives. But it is an invitation. And invitation to join in with Him and experience life the way I was created to experience it, living in Him, having Him flow through me.
All of this is to say that I do not believe in door-to-door evangelism. I think it is Satanic and unfruitful. What I believe in is surrender. Surrender to Him in all and through all. And I believe that what He is speaking about is relationship. If we have to use the word "evangelism" than so be it. Relationship evangelism. Prophetic evangelism. For the love of God, if we can't even hear from Him before going to approach someone with a sales brochure for our church group, we have NO BUSINESS approaching them at all!
I don't think anyone should bring a flyer or a Bible or a neon pink brochure to their neighbours. I think they should PRAY and maybe bring them some cookies. Maybe help them shovel their driveway. Ask Papa for prophetic insight and speak, if He asks. Maybe it will be something simple like, "everything's going to be okay." Enough with the AGENDA. The world can smell it coming and they DESPISE it.
We live in a generation who is done with being lied to and manipulated. We live in a generation who would rather risk hell than serve a God who would send a good person there. That is the reality of our day. FEAR DOESN'T WORK TO SCARE PEOPLE INTO CHURCH ANYMORE. The only answer is love. That has always been the only answer. When His heartbeat resonates in our ears; when His love pulses in our veins; when the agenda is lost and we stop trying to perform for a father who doesn't exist and begin to really bask in the love that was given to us freely and live loved ~ that is when the world will watch us watching Him and wonder at what they see.
J.
This post, is in my opinion, one of the best I have ever read on Awaken - and it reminds me strangely of a comment by Christine Caine, who describes street evangelism as 'christians outward act of trying to evangelise as actually (the christian) needing to be drugged with ritalin, and demonstrating to whoever they are speaking with, all of the reasons NOT to come to church, NOT to get saved, and NOT to ever want to be like them.' And of course, all of this come from a place of feeling obligated (religion) to convert the masses... which if when we are speaking to someone is from a place of obligation and not love, will never be effective. Whether someone knows God or not, we still communicate from 'spirit to spirit'... and ppl know when we are not being genuine. And who wants to follow someone who sounds hyper, has difficulty breathing because they are so nervous, and might need ritalin to calm down, and doesn't really know the reasons for salvation (necessarily). Sometimes, the true salvation comes over the cups of coffee, the playdates, and time spent on the sidelines at your kids soccer games. Spirit-breathed evangelism will always win over a small brochure with drawings of a cartoonish devil on it. Because what is more real to people? Awesome post...loving it.
ReplyDeleteI guess we should also be praying for those in the church as well, right? Those that believe they are revealing the heart of God to people. Those that may not be comfortable to go out on their own (who may not be able to hear from Papa ...yet) so a bible and brochure give them the ability to share. Those that are bursting at the seems to have people understand how much they love this God of theirs, but for some reason are not seeing that the way to do that is just loving those around them.
ReplyDeleteGreat is His name! He can move mountains even in this institution ..amen!
Yes! That we would all know the infinite power of his love. That this would not be a catch phrase or a heart-warming concept but a reality that shakes our entire lives and world. ESPECIALLY inside His Church. Especially there.
ReplyDelete