Evangelism Options

[yummy_delight]

A good friend of mine and I recently got into a heated debate about evangelism. We're both Christians, but we have very different ideas about evangelism. When my friend started getting really involved in church a few years ago, he also became a rampant evangelist. He believes that by bringing more people into the church he is not only saving them from eternal damnation, but also doing his duty as a Christian. He has often quoted Charles Spurgeon, saying "Every Christian is either a missionary or an imposter," essentially stating that you can't truly be Christian without evangelizing non believers.

I, however, don't like the idea of evangelism at all. Although I'm a devout Catholic, I dislike the idea of evangelism because I don't believe that anybody, myself included, has the right to force his or her beliefs on someone else. I think that everybody has a right to be whatever the religion they choose. Perhaps it's because I have a different idea about God than other people. I don't think that God sends honestly good people to Hell just because they don't believe in him. There are such things as Christian people who are hypocritical, paying lip service to God at church on Sundays, and still go about causing harm to other people. In my opinion, these people are less deserving of heaven than the good-hearted people whose only "fault" is that they don't believe in God. I think that my duty as a Christian is to be a good person and have a positive impact on the world, which doesn't necessarily mean that I HAVE to be an evangelist.

I'd just like to know what everyone else's opinion is on this, not merely from a Christian standpoint, but from another religion's or atheist's perspective as well. Do you approve of evangelism? Are you an evangelist? Do you think that evangelism is a necessary requirement for all good Christians?

[Kontroll]

A good friend of mine and I recently got into a heated debate about evangelism. We're both Christians, but we have very different ideas about evangelism. When my friend started getting really involved in church a few years ago, he also became a rampant evangelist. He believes that by bringing more people into the church he is not only saving them from eternal damnation, but also doing his duty as a Christian. He has often quoted Charles Spurgeon, saying "Every Christian is either a missionary or an imposter," essentially stating that you can't truly be Christian without evangelizing non believers.

I, however, don't like the idea of evangelism at all. Although I'm a devout Catholic, I dislike the idea of evangelism because I don't believe that anybody, myself included, has the right to force his or her beliefs on someone else. I think that everybody has a right to be whatever the religion they choose. Perhaps it's because I have a different idea about God than other people. I don't think that God sends honestly good people to Hell just because they don't believe in him. There are such things as Christian people who are hypocritical, paying lip service to God at church on Sundays, and still go about causing harm to other people. In my opinion, these people are less deserving of heaven than the good-hearted people whose only "fault" is that they don't believe in God. I think that my duty as a Christian is to be a good person and have a positive impact on the world, which doesn't necessarily mean that I HAVE to be an evangelist.

I'd just like to know what everyone else's opinion is on this, not merely from a Christian standpoint, but from another religion's or atheist's perspective as well. Do you approve of evangelism? Are you an evangelist? Do you think that evangelism is a necessary requirement for all good Christians?

Listen. You're friend is right about evangelism. Evangelism is simply telling people about the Gospel. The Gospel is Greek or Hebrew for 'Good News'. I know that's not really relevant, but it's a neat thing to know. Anyway, I am an evangelical Christian, and it is our duty to bring souls to Christ. Only through Christ can you be truely saved. Only through faith can you be truely saved. It's not works. Yes, there are people out there who claim to be Christians and probably are, but aren't living the life style. You cannot lose your salvation. There is no where in the Bible that states if you don't strictly follow the religion you will be cut off from Heaven.

There is nothing that can do that. I've heard people who believe that if you kill yourself that you will automatically go to Hell. You probably believe this considering you are Catholic, but I'm just assuming. Well, even murderers are allowed into Heaven. What is suicide? It is the murder of one's self. Logically, you are allowed into Heaven. Again, religion has nothing to do with you and Christ. What God want's is a personal relationship with you. He doesn't care if you go to church or not, because in reality it's just bricks and mortor. There is no intermediary between you and God. You can talk to Him directly. So, says the Bible. Just look for it. It seems that the Catholic religion is one of hypocracy. They go to church and when they leave they are no longer apart of it, until the next week. This is just what I've experienced.

Evangelism is not forcing your believe on some one. It's simply showing them your side of the story. It's not like we are holding guns up to their heads. So, you really can't say that we force them to become Christians. It really must not be that important to you that people have personal relationships with Christ, because I think that way to sometimes. Well, I don't want to force my opinion on them. That is really just saying that you're afraid of what the consequences might be.

That's what I have to say.