Evangelizing Without Words

[LethalMouse]

2 notes.

1. You can just live a life that glorifies God. Be awesome and faithful, and when people see the tie ins it speaks volumes
2. I’d be careful in that from your previous posts you can be rather scrupulous, and that can actually not be horrible in dealing with a similar person. BUT giving your concept of things could scare many away… if I knew nothing of the faith and you presented to me some items in relation to your posts I would not think Catholiscm was a worthy endeavor. I don’t mean to sound mean, but it can be dangerous to evangelize an inaccurate version of the faith as it if not viewed as good will send one off with a misconception that will be most hard to break.

 

[johnnyc176]

You evangelize by the example of your actions. Live the Gospel.

Hmmm…that’s not how Jesus seems to have wanted it. For some reason we want to make Jesus out to be some sort of mime. Jesus was all about preaching and teaching with words…‘my sheep hear my voice’…‘whoever listens to you listens to me’… ‘teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you’. The apostles were not sent out to mingle.

 

[kkollwitz]

1 Peter 3:15
“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:”

 

[Bonnie]

1 Peter 3:15
“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:”

You nailed it - we need to be ASKED before we start handing out information. Preaching at people turns them off - at least it has that effect on me. But if I want to know something, I’ll listen to the answer.

 

[Geist]

I have heard that you can evangelize without words. I personally like how this sounds because I do not want to talk about faith to people who most likely couldn’t care less. I also don’t want to talk about God and faith to people because I know that if I were in their shoes, I would quite frankly be driven further away from finding God and feel slightly annoyed by proselytizing.

How does one go about evangelizing without words? Do you just act good like, for example, sharing your stapler if nobody else has one?

Ex-Atheist here…trust me, if you’re going to claim to be a person of God, we are watching what you DO much more than what you say. I think that’s what it refers to.

 

[Athanasiy]

I can tell my opinion from the Protestant view. I am a little familiar with Protestantism.
If we compare the multi-confessional world, there are those who have great success in the verbal evangelization. (Jehovah Witnesser’s, Mormons) Of course they are heretics, but they are very successful in verbal evangelization.
Some Protestant Christian youth-communities realized the ‘‘screaming existential necessity’’ for Christ’s commandments also preach this way. They realize that if you do not go and not preach the seats will be empty in the future. Therefore, some youth pastors impose the mandatory requirements to converts-to be involded in the mission, not to be idle in the community of Christ.
There are also communities who preach without words, the confessions like -Mennonites, Amish. (Nazarenes in West Ukraine)
They give birth to many children.
They are not in verbal evangelism like other denominations, but they preach by their form of life, by their clothes, by their opposition to the culture of death, by having rich(big) families.
I think that many Christians ( especially the countries patriots) do not perceive them as the correct form of confession , because these denominations live like a country in the countries, but I think that they as denominations can be called as those who ‘‘preach without words.’’

 

[Rosebud77]

I can tell my opinion from the Protestant view. I am a little familiar with Protestantism.
If we compare the multi-confessional world, there are those who have great success in the verbal evangelization. (Jehovah Witnesser’s, Mormons) Of course they are heretics, but they are very successful in verbal evangelization.
Some Protestant Christian youth-communities realized the ‘‘screaming existential necessity’’ for Christ’s commandments also preach this way. They realize that if you do not go and not preach the seats will be empty in the future. Therefore, some youth pastors impose the mandatory requirements to converts-to be involded in the mission, not to be idle in the community of Christ.
There are also communities who preach without words, the confessions like -Mennonites, Amish. (Nazarenes in West Ukraine)
They give birth to many children.
They are not in verbal evangelism like other denominations, but they preach by their form of life, by their clothes, by their opposition to the culture of death, by having rich(big) families.
I think that many Christians ( especially the countries patriots) do not perceive them as the correct form of confession , because these denominations live like a country in the countries, but I think that they as denominations can be called as those who ‘‘preach without words.’’

I would not call JWs successful evangelists/ They give evangelism a bad name.

 

[Athanasiy]

I would not call JWs successful evangelists/ They give evangelism a bad name.

Sometimes even the business gurus use the term - Evangelism.
Yes, I agree JW give to evangelism a bad name, but we should not forget that this is one of the most successful and fastest growing religious organization.
Mikhail Gorbachev admitted that the eviction of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Siberia was a huge mistake. Many persecuted traditional believers from communism countries were granted refugee status in the US. (God Bless USA for this of course) but, we forget that the most persecuted in the Soviet era were no Baptists and Pentecostals, but Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Young people of military service age from the Baptist and Pentecostal churches were mobilized to the Soviet army(compulsory military service of 2 years) but did not take the oath. They usually served in a construction battalions, and did not take part in military exercises, but Jehovah’s Witnesses were going straight to jail. It’s been three years in prison. (And rarely you could avoid prison.)
In the early period of communism punishment for such pacifism was - 30-25 years of imprisonment. among the ministers of the older generation of Jehovah’s Witnesses still there are not a few who survived the prison.
-Do Jehovah’s Witnesses are heretics?
-Yes they are

• Do they give evangelism a bad name?
  -Yes
  Is their verbal propaganda technique is one of the most successful?
  -Definitely -yes.

 

[Athanasiy]

“Preach the Gospel at all times, use words when necessary”, is St. Francis’ answer

I was a child when communism fell, at the same time we revealed what is the freedom of speech. Christian preachers collected a huge stadiums.
All gathered a huge audiences, even the charlatans-healers.
The Word-Evangelism was just a crying need. But it took a lot of years since then.
For me its interesting to observe the dynamism in the post-Soviet Protestantism.
We should not forget that Christ calls to love one another.
What is interesting that the Protestant communities of the Soviet era did not have seminaries and universities, but there was much of brotherly love. Seminaries and universities have opened our eyes to many things but it seems to me that the authenticity and simplicity of brotherly love is not so noticeable… (It is still exist among the Mennonites and among the Evangelical communities of old school. I mean the communities which literally live almost like in the days of Acts.)
Although in general, the denominations have become rich, maybe some have inherited the ecclesiological pride, but looking at the Western European dynamism, we Eastern Europeans, can foresee our future.
In Western Europe, a lot of empty buildings who used to be the christian places of worship.
The fact is that in Protestantism, for example - we are witnesses of the era of creeping liberalism, therefore the further decay of statutory standards in many communities is inevitable.
Even now you can see the huge halls where only a few elderly visitors. And it is not difficult to predict that this buildings will not be able to take care for themselves in a couple of years.
OK
What is needed for the spiritual prosperity of the community?
Or how a community can survive in this era?

1. actively involved in verbal evangelism. (Charismatics, or heretics like Mormons and Jehovah Witnesser’s)
   or
2. when the families in the community give birth to many children.(Menonites,Amish)

If there is no active evangelization or in the other case, - if the women in the community will no longer give birth, then it is possible to foresee a sad future for this community.

Since the isolationism and closed communities are not a role model, and since the people are tired of words, there is indeed an urgent need for the evangelization by deeds.
I think that the more Christians of different denominations are involved in various educational, social and charity projects, the more they preach by deeds.

 

[Rosebud77]

No need to think or plan this… I learned that in my first few months here in Ireland,. The grown up son of my landlady;s cousin, used to chat to me… He had left mass as he could not cope with those who acted so pious in mass then came out and gossiped cruelly on the church step.

I did at first tell him not to “excommunicate” himself for the faults of others which brought a smile.

Nor did I tell him that his mother had been to see me separately; he was her favourite and she was very worried.

Just carried on with my new life,meeting and talking,to both separately!

Finally he decided to go out overseas to work with his brother, a much needed new direction for him.

He came round to say goodbye the night before and as he was leaving… turned at the door… " I am starting to go to Mass again. Because of the way you live and what we have talked about…"

Not us who change, Not us who evangelise,We act as we believe only and let Jesus shine though as He wills and in His time

 

[may_they_be_one]

Thank you Deacon Jeff! Not many people know the truth about the REAL St. Francis… if alive today, he would have been a soap box–or, more likely, stadium–preacher!

According to St. Francis’s biographer Thomas of Celeno (3 yrs after his death):
Francis actually said, “use all means necessary to proclaim the good news.” He regularly preached very vocally on the streets, and, “sometimes preaching in up to five villages a day, often outdoors. In the country, Francis often spoke from a bale of straw or a granary doorway. In town, he would climb on a box or up steps in a public building.
“He preached to . . . any who gathered to hear the strange but fiery little preacher from Assisi.” In fact, he was sometimes so animated and passionate in his delivery that “his feet moved as if he were dancing.”

 

[Reuben_J]

I have heard that you can evangelize without words. I personally like how this sounds because I do not want to talk about faith to people who most likely couldn’t care less. I also don’t want to talk about God and faith to people because I know that if I were in their shoes, I would quite frankly be driven further away from finding God and feel slightly annoyed by proselytizing.

How does one go about evangelizing without words? Do you just act good like, for example, sharing your stapler if nobody else has one?

Use your tongue honestly, righteously, upbuildingly, lovingly, gently, prayerfully, so that by the words that come out of your mouth you give glory to God.

Your friends, collegues, relatives and family members will not be afraid of you, knowing that your speech will not hurt or bring them down.

You are already evangelising without saying a word.

 

[Daniel1982]

I believe the Second Vatican Council taught that modern man is more open to witnesses than to teachers, and we should certainly aim to be witnesses of Christ by consistently growing in holiness.

Having said that, I think it’s important to really honestly and sincerely take a look at our lives and determine whether or not we should be establishing ourselves as some sort of model of what a Christian looks like.

As the OP actually insinuates, “evangelizing without words” can mostly be an excuse since we often lack the guts to really open up and let people know that we’re serious about our faith.

St. Thomas says that the wicked man is concerned with exteriors, but the man of God is concerned only with what is on the inside of his own heart. Being concerned about witnessing to others out of human respect is probably a sign our lives aren’t really as holy as we might try to convince ourselves of.

 

[Rosebud77]

I believe the Second Vatican Council taught that modern man is more open to witnesses than to teachers, and we should certainly aim to be witnesses of Christ by consistently growing in holiness.

Having said that, I think it’s important to really honestly and sincerely take a look at our lives and determine whether or not we should be establishing ourselves as some sort of model of what a Christian looks like.

As the OP actually insinuates, “evangelizing without words” can mostly be an excuse since we often lack the guts to really open up and let people know that we’re serious about our faith.

St. Thomas says that the wicked man is concerned with exteriors, but the man of God is concerned only with what is on the inside of his own heart. Being concerned about witnessing to others out of human respect is probably a sign our lives aren’t really as holy as we might try to convince ourselves of.

Talking about faith in a situation where it is not appropriate will turn folk away very fast, Wait until you are sure it is the right time and meanwhile live the faith fully and let God speak through you, He will…

 

[may_they_be_one]

What grew the Church so rapidly for the first 2.5 centuries in the midst of horrible cultural darkness and paganism?

The Divine Operation (Charisms) of the Holy Spirit! Our “enlightened” and overly rational education has removed the wonder from creation, and removed the hope for miracles to be the most concrete way God communicates His heart to the human race.

Miracles, signs, and wonders are how Jesus , then Peter and Paul, and the rest of the apostles, and their disciples, attracted so many followers. Then they backed up the signs with powerful inspired preaching of the Word.

The Church has almost completely lost the knowledge of and desire for the Divine Charisms. In a culture steeped in paganism or “New Age” seeking, you get people’s attention with a sign–like a healing, or miracle, or prophecy. Then you preach the Gospel, testify to the works/miracles God has done, inspired by the same prophetic Spirit.

St. John (Revelation 19), “The testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of prophecy.”

St. Paul (1 Cor 12), "Now in regard to spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be unaware. You know how, when you were pagans, you were constantly attracted and led away to mute idols. Therefore, I tell you that nobody speaking by the spirit of God says, “Jesus be accursed.” And no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the holy Spirit…
To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit. To one is given…wisdom; to another…knowledge…; to another faith…;
to another gifts of healing :thumbsup:by the one Spirit; to another mighty deeds:thumbsup:; to another prophecy:thumbsup:; to another discernment of spirits; to another varieties of tongues; to another interpretation of tongues.

But one and the same Spirit produces all of these, distributing them individually to each person as he wishes."

We must restore the teaching of ALL the Holy Spirit’s gifts. These GIFTS are ours! We only need to ask…

“If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:13)