The Problem With Door-to-door Evangelism
The Southern Baptists are in town. Actually, they're always in town since their governing body is based in Nashville. But this week we are hosting a nationwide gathering of the Southern Baptist Convention. To kick things off the Baptists have gone door-to-door, stopping at over 40,000 Nashville homes, trying to win converts.
Fortunately, they did not come to my house. I cannot stand doorstep evangelists. And now that I have a toddler who runs to the window adjacent to the front door whenever he hears a knock, I cannot pretend not to be home.
My main problem with door-to-door proselytizers is that they let my cats out. Whenever someone props open my screen door to save me (even though I am a devout United Methodist who goes to church every week), Curtis, my youngest cat, makes a run for it. I think Jesus would want the front-porch preachers to set down The Holy Word and chase after my cat. They don't. Instead, they continue preaching, following me, while I track down Curtis. Personally, I don't want a part of any faith that doesn't show more concern for the well-being of house cats.
A few years ago, during a seminary-induced faith crisis, I had left the church. The evangelists that brought me back were not those who came to my door in the middle of the afternoon, but those whom I saw getting their hands dirty doing work in the name of Christ that is slowly transforming the community and the world—living the gospel, not just talking about it. For example: Rev. Becca Stevens, who rehabilitates prostitutes and drug addicts; Father Charlie Strobel, who helps homeless persons develop job skills and gives them places to stay during the winter; Rev. Bill Barnes, a tireless advocate of the poor who initiated several programs to assist people living in the Edgehill projects; Harmon Wray, who will go to any lengths to protest capital punishment, and who does so in Christ's name; Jill Shashaty, who is a professional Christian environmentalist; and I could go on and on. The point is: show me Christ; be Christ to the world; and don't let my cats out.
Fortunately, they did not come to my house. I cannot stand doorstep evangelists. And now that I have a toddler who runs to the window adjacent to the front door whenever he hears a knock, I cannot pretend not to be home.
My main problem with door-to-door proselytizers is that they let my cats out. Whenever someone props open my screen door to save me (even though I am a devout United Methodist who goes to church every week), Curtis, my youngest cat, makes a run for it. I think Jesus would want the front-porch preachers to set down The Holy Word and chase after my cat. They don't. Instead, they continue preaching, following me, while I track down Curtis. Personally, I don't want a part of any faith that doesn't show more concern for the well-being of house cats.
A few years ago, during a seminary-induced faith crisis, I had left the church. The evangelists that brought me back were not those who came to my door in the middle of the afternoon, but those whom I saw getting their hands dirty doing work in the name of Christ that is slowly transforming the community and the world—living the gospel, not just talking about it. For example: Rev. Becca Stevens, who rehabilitates prostitutes and drug addicts; Father Charlie Strobel, who helps homeless persons develop job skills and gives them places to stay during the winter; Rev. Bill Barnes, a tireless advocate of the poor who initiated several programs to assist people living in the Edgehill projects; Harmon Wray, who will go to any lengths to protest capital punishment, and who does so in Christ's name; Jill Shashaty, who is a professional Christian environmentalist; and I could go on and on. The point is: show me Christ; be Christ to the world; and don't let my cats out.
Related: A positive development from the Southern Baptist Convention gathering.
posted by Tinley | 3:29 AM
2 Comments:
I'm sorry that doorsies always let your cat out. I personally don't answer, even though they can see me through the front window. I didn't invite them to solicit, so it's not me that's the rude one.
I am a Southern Baptist, though, and would like to point out that we DID have CrossOver Nashville the week prior. Doorsies were only one facet--other ministries were free medical missions, free car repairs, clothing drives and sewing projects. My church alone (First Baptist Nashville, downtown) has homeless ministries, operates a halfway house for women leaving prison and provides goods and services to those who knock on the door. We also have regular community outreach projects like medical missions which are NOT tied to the SBC conference.
I try not to brag about it, because we don't want to be Whited Sepulchures and Pharisees touting our good works with raised hands in the square. But it is important to emphasise that we are getting out there and not just freeing housecats.
Josh,
The Problem with Not Doing Door to Door Evangelism.
Josh, I'd like to ask you a question? How do you think the United Methodist Church came into existence? Was it through programs of prostitution reform, homeless shelter's or prison ministry?
Actually, it was through agressive evangelism, much of which was door to door. As circuit preachers in the early frontier days went out to establish Methodist churches in unreached areas, much of their first contact with people was at the front door of their log cabin.
I fear Josh that your problem is not with Door to Door evangelism or evangelism, it is with the gospel of the Lord Jesus that confronts you with sin and with a call to take up your cross and preach the gospel to every creature.
Southern Baptists use door to door evangelism as one method among hundreds of other methods to take the gospel of deliverance from sin out into the world as Jesus Christ the Lord of the church commanded His people to do. You might read Matthew 28:19-20, Mark 16:15, and Acts 1:8 and spend some time meditating on the meaning of these passages for your own life.
Not only do Bapists evagelize we also have established orphanages, ministries to widows, worked with AIDS children in Africa, partnered with Habitat for Humanity.
Josh, can you answer the question, What must I do to inherit eternal life?
Josh, Romans 10 declares that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God, not only by the actions of God's people.
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