Confessional Evangelism
Hey everyone...I had a monumental thought! Since the Ablaze!(tm) counter does not count baptisms or adult conversions....let's help them out! On top of the "sharing the Gospel," let's report the other two aspects and keep a tally. Nothing says "critical event" like being born again by water and the Word! What do you think?
Let me start with who I've done:
1. A really confused Oneness Pentecostal heard the Gospel.
2. My Jewish friend heard the meaning of the Gospel over a pint of beer at Granite City.
3. My Indian friend (;-x) heard the meaning of the Gospel the same time as 2.
4. An atheist in two of my philosophy classes heard the true meaning of the Gospel.
That's just off the top of my head! Seriously, I think we can demonstrate that the non-Ablaze! method works just as good, if not better!
P.S. The point of this post is that evangelism can happen, even if one does not count what are seen as "critical events." To deny baptism or teaching in Lutheran grade schools as "critical events" and still call yourself Lutheran tells me you haven't read the Scriptures or the Confessions very closely.
Let me start with who I've done:
1. A really confused Oneness Pentecostal heard the Gospel.
2. My Jewish friend heard the meaning of the Gospel over a pint of beer at Granite City.
3. My Indian friend (;-x) heard the meaning of the Gospel the same time as 2.
4. An atheist in two of my philosophy classes heard the true meaning of the Gospel.
That's just off the top of my head! Seriously, I think we can demonstrate that the non-Ablaze! method works just as good, if not better!
P.S. The point of this post is that evangelism can happen, even if one does not count what are seen as "critical events." To deny baptism or teaching in Lutheran grade schools as "critical events" and still call yourself Lutheran tells me you haven't read the Scriptures or the Confessions very closely.
posted by Chris | 8:30 PM
2 Comments:
All the Ablaze!(tm) counter does is make us feel good about ourselves. I doubt there's any substance behind it...if there were, our Synod would be larger than the ELCA at least.
It's a marketing gimmick....oh wait, Ablaze!(tm) isn't a marketing program.
Sorry...ignore the whole thing.
I do like your idea though. Baptism is more a critical event than pretty much anything else. You are right...you deny baptism as a critical event, are you even a Lutheran?
Exactly...and what is interesting about the Ablaze!(tm) counter is that there is even a numerical goal...why 100,000,000? Why stop there? Isn't Christ's message for the whole world by the Second Comming?
I find it troubling that this program downplays the Lutheran language and theology (if not ignores it), treats worship as if it were evangelism for those outside the church (it can be, but it is deffinately for those in the church - at least the "liturgy of the faithful" is), and listen to the Emergents speak of mystical practices as if they somehow have the market cornered on the idea...at least the Orthodox have our Christology and make more definitive statements than Tony Jones or Rob Bell!
Ah, the days when those you disagreed with actually said what they mean...so you could realize in just what way you disagreed.
It's okay though...the historically and psychologically (and of course Confessionally) sound principle of lex orandi, lex credendi is lost on most of the Ablaze!(tm) supporters...but history and doctrine is for chumps! :-D
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