Approach to Evangelism

[ITS]

How has your approach to evangelism changed or been confirmed by the content of this course?

[RyanBareng]

How has your approach to evangelism changed or been confirmed by the content of this course?

My approach has not changed much. Christ is the issue in my evangelism. I do not make an issue out of personal sins. The issue at hand is ?what do you think of Christ.? I agree with Nicole that salvation rests on the work of Christ and not any works that we have done. However, I do not agree with him in that the confirmation of the person?s acceptance of salvation is to persevere in good works. The way I confirm with the person is to ask, ?did you believe in Christ for your salvation.? There is no number on the amount of good works that one must have before salvation is validated. Our assurance is in the work of Christ.

[Tony]

How has your approach to evangelism changed or been confirmed by the content of this course?
I think the real strength in this class is that it has really taken the burden of affect off of me. It has allowed me to see in a more articulate sense that the responsibility of pulling someone into the kingdom is not my responsibility. It is completely the working of the Holy Spirit that manifests the entire salvation process. My responsibility is to share the Word. Being able to articulate (and associate with) the infralapsarian view has allowed to to free my mind from the wieght of a seeming injustice and therefore impartial view to actual evangelism. There is less of an anxiety to share the Word with someone who may reject it, and more of an anticipation to find one who may respond as a member of His elect.

[Tony]

How has your approach to evangelism changed or been confirmed by the content of this course?

My approach has not changed much. Christ is the issue in my evangelism. I do not make an issue out of personal sins. The issue at hand is ?what do you think of Christ.? I agree with Nicole that salvation rests on the work of Christ and not any works that we have done. However, I do not agree with him in that the confirmation of the person?s acceptance of salvation is to persevere in good works. The way I confirm with the person is to ask, ?did you believe in Christ for your salvation.? There is no number on the amount of good works that one must have before salvation is validated. Our assurance is in the work of Christ.
Again, I don't think that we see eye to eye on this. The issue is not a person securing His salvation through works, but as the book of James testifies, True salvation PRODUCES good works. Thus we have direction from the Creator to manifest the good work that He has worked in us (an outward manifestation of God's inward regeneration), as well as a statement from the Same that we were created for and appointed to do good works. Nicole was not stating our need to do so, but our regenerate compulsion to do so.

[EvelynT]

How has your approach to evangelism changed or been confirmed by the content of this course? :P I have found this course to be quite affirming in the sense that it has added to the approach I take when evangelising. It has certainly grounded my understanding from a doctrinal standpoint, but has also served to provoke more research into the different views concerning doctrines. In other words, It has drawn up various questions that are possible to take place when approaching a non-believer. Nevertheless, the process by which we come to Christ, the basic message of salvation and how tranformation takes place have been explained throughout the study in detailed form. I believe this couse has provided a step by step outline to many important points, objections and opposing views on the entire subject of salvation which in turn has provided for very interesting theological debates among fellow Christians.

[EvelynT]

Again, in this question as well as the other, I find myself alone. However, it is quite beneficial to have extended my time with this study because it has allowed for me to come up with well rounded answers with not only the knowledge I had before I began the course but, in addition to the knowledge I've gained in taking this course. I cannot agree with Ryan's response as it sounds as if he at the time was responding from his sole knowledge prior to the course. I know some of the text is repetative in nature (knowledge of salvation) However, the emphasis of this course was not personal sins but instead an emphasis on the work of Christ. but, in response to your comment about our confirmation of our acceptance to salvation seen in the perseverance of good works? I don't believe it consists only of good works either. However, remember there are different views on and if all will persevere to the end and whether we will on our own by our "good works- obedience etc" persever or if in fact we will need the help of the Holy Spirit working in our lives to get us there. Yes, your view might be one of the many, once accepted always accepted as in the security of salvation, but in my opinion you need the work of Christ first and foremost although not dependant on..AND we must carry out our lives in obedience and service to God and our lives produce fruit to that effect if we are to be worthy of the asistance to persevere to the end.





How has your approach to evangelism changed or been confirmed by the content of this course?

My approach has not changed much. Christ is the issue in my evangelism. I do not make an issue out of personal sins. The issue at hand is ?what do you think of Christ.? I agree with Nicole that salvation rests on the work of Christ and not any works that we have done. However, I do not agree with him in that the confirmation of the person?s acceptance of salvation is to persevere in good works. The way I confirm with the person is to ask, ?did you believe in Christ for your salvation.? There is no number on the amount of good works that one must have before salvation is validated. Our assurance is in the work of Christ.

[Nathan Venton]

How has your approach to evangelism changed or been confirmed by the content of this course?

My approach has not changed at all, but I have been reflecting on the content of the course and what the theological implications could be for evangelism according to the Calvinist approach. It was interesting to learn about Dr. Nicole’s perspective on how God first regenerates the person and then they have faith and repent. I have always heard the gospel presented in such a way that we have faith and repent and then God regenerates us. If God is the one who regenerates first, and then come faith and repentance, it seems to say that we can do all we want, but if God does not regenerate the person, they will never have faith or repent. I wonder how this goes along with how we normally approach sharing the gospel and calling people to repent?

[cmoore]

I believe that evangelism is still the purpose of the Church. As a result of this course, I believe that it strengthened my fever for the Lord and to continue to teach that we should all be about doing the work of an evangelist. During the presentations of subjects such as the Calvinist’s approach to the doctrine of election and the teachings of calling, I began to wonder if that approach really emphasized evangelism. I began to wonder if because of the way that those subjects are approached if evangelism is important to those views. Nevertheless, I also began to think that evangelism is still very important to me. Even though I do not know who will be saved in the end and who will not, I cannot cease trying to introduce people to Jesus. I’m sure, if God doesn’t want us doing it that He’ll forgive us for being influential in turning hearts over to Him if we’re wrong. But I cannot just stop trying because of approaches such as some of the ones that were heard in this course.

As a result of this course, my passion is reenergized for the Lord’s work of evangelism. The harvest is plenteous and the laborers are few. I’m one of those laborers.

[cmoore]

I am in agreement with the statements in post #5 agreement because I to have begun to do more studying as it relates to evangelism. I am now armed with many arguments for and against evangelism. When I teach the subject, I am also more knowledgeable concerning other people’s opinions as to what should be done and why. I also have been given different things to think about that I have not thought about before such as the implications of election on evangelism. I’ve never related the two before this year. It is also a testimony to my own personal growth as a Christian.