Jordan and I once again had the opportunity to kick the gates of Hell down and poke the devil in the eye last night. Yes, Thursday night soul-winning…and it was GREAT!!! Middle-class neighborhoods have the nicest looking houses with the meanest acting people. This particular neighborhood is one which we've door-knocked more than a few times and the residents were prepared for our arrival. One guy opened the door with the greeting, "New Hope Baptist Church, right? You guys have been here like 10 times, and I already have a church I go to!" 'SLAM'When we go out, Jordan and I challenge each other to make sure everyone we talk to gets the opportunity to hear the Gospel. We use a point system to keep ourselves on track. If we are at a door and actually get to share the whole Plan of Salvation with someone, we get one point. If we are at a door and offer to share the gospel with them and they are bitter (slam the door, too busy to talk to us, etc), we don't get a point but we don't lose a point. If however, we invite the person to church, they take our tract and are open to talk and we don't give them the gospel (or at least try), we lose a point. I started doing this with myself in order to eliminate those times when fear gets the best of me and I don't try and win someone to Christ that is open to listening. I am totally opposed to incentives which focus on the number of people saved, because I don't have control over that, God does. When people have contests to see how many they can lead to the Lord it becomes fleshly and many times detrimental (people rush through the Romans Road and get the person to pray a prayer to "not go to hell" but there is rarely any repentance or genuine faith in Christ). I think my point system keeps things focused and fun.
It's amazing how much a teenager can challenge me. A case in point is the frequent "no soliciting" signs. Everyone has differing philosophies on how to handle these and I've typically just left a tract so as not to anger the resident. Last night when we encountered one and it was my turn to talk, Jordan jumped forward, knocked on the door REALLY LOUD, then quickly jumped behind me! I was terrified and absolutely sure that this would be my last door before I meet the Savior. The guy opened the door with his hand in his pocket (probably holding a gun) and looking like he had been smoking some illegal substance. He was bald and looked mean, his eyes narrow and sinister like a gangster, and his arms big enough to snap my neck. Clearly annoyed, he asked us with slurred speech what we wanted. I can't tell you the thoughts that were going through my head at that point about Jordan because I would have to repent. Fortunately he turned out to be friendly and took our tract. I'm not a martyr…yet. Oh, and at the end of the day the score was Jordan 0, me -1. Oops.
2 comments:
That is a really neat idea having a points system. Sounds like it is a definite incentive for you.
The points sound like a neat idea. I agree with you about not competing with how many people are saved. There are already too many people decieved into thinking they are saved, when they are still lost!
The story about the "no Soliciting" sign was too funny! Thanks for the laugh. :) It's a blessing that you were able to give him a tract though!!
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