evangelism

I admit, I wish the Presbyterians had the cajones (and the theological commitment behind it) to do what the United Church of Christ is doing in their God is Still Speaking campaign.

A new ad is out April 3. Check it out early, and learn why CBS, ABC and other stations consider a message of tolerance “too controversial” at http://www.accessibleairwaves.org/viewnew/. More at Media Matters for America.

The religious center and left need to stand up and stop ceding ‘religious discourse’ to the right. It saddens me that ABC will allow a Focus on the Family ad on its airways but not the UCC blurb, but its not new. I don’t see how one is more or less controversial than the other.

Maybe someone will find a way to get it on youtube and I’ll post it here.

I’m sure I’m going to be tempted to post lots in the next few days as I read over the blogs that are part of the presbyterian bloggers blogring. I’ll try to keep posting about it to a minimum.

The first one I ran across was Andrew Seeley’s blog Doogie Houser Did It, So Why Not Me. Some fascinating thoughts on evangelism:

I don’t know and don’t really want to know how many people have decided to follow Christ because of me.

I don’t want to find myself saying things that point to a person and say I was responsible for their faith. I’m not responsible, God is.

I think one of the underlying themes in “evangelism” is that we become personally responsible for people’s relationship with God. I saved this person, now I am responsible to make sure they grow in their faith. Or I saved this person, now let me find someone else to save.

There is something about the “conquest” or the messiah-complex to the drive to save a soul by a spontaneous decision. Andrew seems to be getting at something important about bringing Christ to people–that sometimes its a slow process, not akin to a flash decision. More food for thought.

God is still speaking….

Evangelism…