Let me be so bold as to say if Hillary Clinton said she would devote her tenure as president to fighting to stop abortion, I would vote for her and send her money for her campaign.

You are right. it is not a partisan issue. Actually, it is our national sin and Southern Baptists lead the way. In 1971 the SBC meeting in St. Louis vote abortion on demand as a proper thing.

We opened the door to Roe V. Wade. It is our sin too.

cb

Good question about the “woe”. “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.” But, then again, I’m not sure that was the point Jesus was making here. In any case, I have seen plenty of believers who have played the role of “stumbling block” to unbelievers.

I’m not quite sure what you mean by “one man’s ‘stumbling block’ is another man’s ‘building block’. Could you maybe give me an example?

“Woe”. Do you see this as the Believer upon which the “woe” will be bestowed?

Probably what bothers me most within our endeavors to lead others to a saving knowledge of our Lord, is that one man’s “stumbling block” is another man’s “building block”. And when Believer’s get to grabbing at the blocks, one to rip it out of the wall and the other to place it into the wall—that becomes the greater stumbling block which comes through the believers. Don’t you think? selahV

Also, in my opinion, the biblical position on abortion is quite clear. We are not engaging in partisan politics when we openly oppose abortion. We are just being obedient to God’s will.

A-men to the post, but remember it is both Democrats and Republicans that have that problem. It has not historically been a Republican thing only.

One more thing, abortion is the greatest issue in our nation. Mike Huckabee has the strongest biblical worldview of any person running in any party. Therefore,

VOTE HUCKABEE, FIGHT ABORTION

cb

Yes, I agree with you. This is the most effective evangelism, especially in the context in which we live now in the US. So much of the way we organize our time in “churched” America militates against this, though. It does help if you work with non-Christians. But, I agree with you, we should be more pro-active in seeking out these kind of relationships.

A valid question..and one that I’m facing now as I get ready to plant a church. My time at a parachurch taught me a lot and it showed me a lot of ways not to evangelize lost people…

I think some times we forget that the best transfer of Jesus from our lives to someone else’s comes as we are walking down the road with them. We see this is Jesus’ walk down the Emmaus road. And I think we would see it in our own lives.

I think sometimes once we become Christians that we think all we need to hang around now are church people because “that’s what church people do”. What we lose is that we still have to do life with those around us (our neighborhoods, our marketplaces, our schools, our bars, our auto repair shops, our golf courses, etc)..

So as we are in those places, it’s not so much of do we “do” evangelism, but more of whether we are “in” those places as regenerate Christians who will influence them.

I don’t know that I have very practical suggestions as I don’t think you can “make” yourself have friendships. They have to occur naturally. As an outflow of genuinely wanting to spend time with someone who is lost.

And once a friendship does bloom, we have to let time do what it does best. Let things sink in. We get in too big of a gosh darn hurry because we don’t believe in a sovereign God.

We try to nuke the process and in turn end up obliterating friendships because the lost person sees right through our “feigned” friendship…

So practically, are you making relational space to hang out at the hardware stores, bars, restaraunts, pubs, golf courses, stores, whatever in your area with the express hope of finding someone you can befriend…

Better yet, are you simply looking for them as they cross your path..

Thanks for your contribution. How sad (about the joke, and the attitude it evidences). May God break our hearts, and bring us to repentance.

Marc,

I agree with you about one-off canned Gospel presentations. Relationships are key, and add so much needed authenticity to the message we proclaim. Yet, as I am in the States for this year, I am finding it hard to form meaningful relationships with unbelievers. Your words are definitely a challenge. I think perhaps many of us in “full-time ministry” would benefit from some practical suggestions about how to build relationships with unbelievers.

Cyle & Lew,

Thanks for your contribution as well. I don’t claim to be the best example in my own life and ministry. But, perhaps, by challenging, encouraging, and praying for each other, we can make a difference.

Good post. I think this is a very important issue for us today. Not only because of racial prejudice or sexist prejudice but also from our zeal for politics (as the previous commenter eluded). I’m sure this discussion could extend to all walks of our lives.

Thanks again.

God’s Glory,
Lew

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