Thoughts on Door-Knocking

So I watched this video telling me how to witness by door knocking.



1. Most people are not going to talk to you for 10 minutes when you interrupt their T.V. time, let's just be realistic about that. The only ones who really care to talk to door knockers are preachers or bible college students who like to argue when the mormons come around.

2. Why does everyone who posts anything about witnessing online always feel the need to push the fact that people are going to hell versus heaven. It is a scare tactic to coerce people into saying a prayer, but it never gives them any of the reality of what it means to live as a child of God or discipleship.

3. The prayer mentality in itself is a joke. Dietrich Bonhoffer discusses this as 'cheap grace' in his book The Cost of Discipleship. True grace is that which calls people into discipleship, not just to simply say a prayer to be saved.

4. I thank God that I am Calvinist for this reason: If the man at the door rejects the preacher, then the preacher gives up on their salvation and moves on taking it as a personal rejection and then sins in judgment of this person. But, if God's Spirit comes into this man's life, it doesn't matter how long it takes, God won't give up on him - He will come to salvation.

5. Just a quick though towards "The Way of the Master" style of evangelism. I don't think Jesus ever did this. Ever. Just saying.


I thank God for the Gospel, but door knocking is never used in the Bible for evangelism. Instead, Jesus called His disciples to give their lives to the demonstration of what it means to live in God's Kingdom. If we will truly worship God with all our hearts, souls, strengths, and minds, then God will shine through our lives and words without ever handing a tract to anyone. I am not saying don't tell people what the Bible says, I am just saying that we need to be witnesses to the people at work, school, library, in traffic, at sporting events, in restaurants, etc. Not just when it is convenient to put on a suit, grab our King James Bible, and spend an hour disturbing our neighbors.

"Go and Make Disciples"

If you have been a Christian long I am sure you are familiar with the passage found in Mark 16 (or at least Matthew 20) where Jesus tells the disciples to go into all the world preaching and making disciples. It is at the end of His earthly ministry and even after the resurrection has taken place. It seems as if He is telling them, I am leaving, but you are ready to do what I have been doing.

This week I have been faced with a few Christians who have all said things to the effect of, "I am just not prepared for outreach" or "I am still working on myself." This sounds spiritual and we could probably say that there needs to be some time 'settling in' this Christian life before we go out and try and make converts.

We could even look at where the disciples find themselves standing three years into it getting a commission from the Lord and say, well, He had trained them until they were prepared so we should be trained and ready before we try our hand at evangelism. The problem I find with this interpretation of what is going on is that it is a lie from the Devil. What I find in scripture is that not only is the last call to the disciples, "go and make disciples," but it is the first as well.

In Mark chapter 1 we find Jesus walking along the shores of the Sea of Galilee. When He comes across the brothers, Simon and Andrew fishing He calls out to them, "Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers for people." He is essentially saying, "Come be my disciples so that you can make disciples."

As we follow the story line along it doesn't take long for Jesus to be followed by huge crowds in which he heals the sick, casts out demons, and preaches salvation from the Lord. But He never says to the disciples, "sit close and take notes because you will take over when I am gone." One day, in fact, He just tells them to go out in pairs and heal the sick, cast out demons, and preach salvation. Essentially, "Go and make disciples." (You can read about this in Luke 9.)

When they return to Him, sure, I am sure they had problems, but Jesus then returns to a time of instruction before sending them out again, and this time a larger number of them. (You can read this in Luke 10).

When we look at the disciples we can plainly say that they weren't ready. I mean Peter is soon to deny Jesus three times, so we can't say His faith was solid yet. And even Judas Iscariot was one of the ones sent out. But Jesus never said that they need to work on themselves before going out. What He taught them was that the Kingdom of God is too big to be contained and must be taken into the world.

This week, my challenge to you is to get over yourself and preach the Good News wherever you are. I will also be posting some stuff on evangelism through the week so check back.

Waiting on this book... total nerd.

Ok, so I intended on writing something today on Mark 1:17, and I will get there, it just apparently isn't going to happen today. Maybe tomorrow night. Anyways, just wanted to promote this book. It comes out Sept. 30 and is going to be deep theological ideas simplified for anyone to get. I can't wait.

Always amazed by Crowder

Ok. On David Crowder Band's newest CD, Remedy, my favorite song in Neverending. I will get in the car and play it 10 times. So I was looking for a live video on youtube and came across this little treasure. Not only does he play the song Neverending, but he plays it on a Guitar Hero controller that the drummer programmed with chords. Check it out.

A couple of videos

First, Dr. Tim Keller, Founder of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan talks about his new book 'The Reason for God'. Thought this is a great lecture, wish it was longer. What I really enjoyed is the attitude of humility he holds to during the questions at the end:




And second, Do Christians get on your nerves? Surprisingly to me, only 44% said yes:

Ancient Gates???

"Open up, Ancient Gates! Open up ancient doors, and let the King of glory enter. Who is the King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty; the Lord, invincible in battle. Open up, Ancient Gates! Open up ancient doors, and let the King of glory enter. Who is the King of glory? The Lord of Heaven's Armies - he is the King of Glory" (Psalm 24:7-10, NLT)

If Christ is the King of Glory, then humanity must be the ancient gates. Since the time of Adam and Eve we have shut ourselves off from Him. It is time to open up and let the King of Glory in.