What about the scriptural obligation to preach?

by lookingnow22 28 Replies latest jw friends

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  ozziepost

  G'day lookingnow,

  Here in Australia, some of the mainstream churches have been showing strong growth in recent years. I've read in the Sydney Morning Herald that the Anglican Church is at the forefront of increases in New South Wales. Also the Baptist church. Who'd have believed it? There is a church called Hillsong which has thousands attending, and other Christian Life Churches likewise are full for several services each Sunday.

  All withour door-to-door witnessing! But they do preach God's Word. "The sheep will hear my voice" our Lord said.

  Cheers,
  Ozzie

  Freedom is not having to wear a tie.
• 

  MacHislopp

  Hello Lookingnow22,

  a good question. You have already received
  many answers...get the sense of it.

  Btw MyMichelle/ thanks for the link, I had lost it...
  and now I've found it again..

  Agape, J.C. MacHislopp
• 

  Amazing

  Hi: The Apostle Paul asked this question: " Now you are the body of Christ, and members in particular. And God has set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?" 1 Cor 12:27-30

  Some transaletions use the word Evalgelizers in these verses. The point is, not all receive the same calling. Not all have the same gifts, not all members serve the same function. So, the commission to preach in Matthew 28:19-20, whihe general in nature to ALL Christians, not all carry out the same functions to accomplish that work. So, the Watch Tower Society insistence that ALL go door-to-door to carry out their preaching mission is in error.

  Also, the Society fails to tell the JWs that Christian denominations not only have many who witness, preach, teach, and serve as missionaries, but that the churches are often far more successful in this than anything the Jehovah's Witnesses have ever accomplished.

  Amazing
• 

  JWD

  It is a natural outgrowth of faith to want to tell somebody aboutit.
  The WT method ,however,namely counting time is non-biblical in the
  sense that it is making public religious actions by reporting it to
  men. It is also tremendously ineffective relative to the amount of
  time given over to it. In most parts of the world people open up about
  things which are on their heart to trusted friends not door-knocking
  strangers.Thus, when the WT method does work it always involves a
  long period of relationship developement. Overall,friendship evangelism would be much more effective and time efficient. JWD
• 

  esther

  As Amazing says "the Watch Tower Society insistence that ALL go door-to-door to carry out their preaching mission is in error." We also have the scripture in Matthew 10:14, which says "Wherever anyone does not take YOU in or listen to YOUR words, on going out of that house or that city shake the dust off YOUR feet." I have not seen anywhere in the bible where it says that you are to keep returning to people who are not interested. So how can it be scriptural to annoy people by frequently going back to them when they have said that they are not interested? There are several television programs with bible talks, which is also a successful method of preaching. Then there is the scripture in Acts 20:35 "There is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving." If this is read in context, it shows that we should be giving help physically, not just preaching to people. There is a lot more to be said on this subject, but I feel this is enough for now.

  esther
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  logical

  JW's have long taught that one of the identifying marks of true worship is the proclaiming of the kingdom message by door to door witnessing. This makes them different from all other religions, and is something they are famous for.

  The WTS call this a PRINCIPAL ACTIVITY. They use scriptures such as Acts 20:20 and Acts 5:42 to back this up.

  Acts 5:42 And every day in the temple and from house to house they continued without letup teaching and declaring the good news about the Christ, Jesus"

  Acts 20:20: "While I did not hold back from telling you any of the things that were profitable nor from telling you publicly and from house to house"

  The Greek expression kat oikous literally means "according to houses" and not house-to-house. The American Standard Version of the scriptures renders Acts 5:42 "And every day, in the temple and at home they ceased not to teach and to preach Jesus as the Christ"

  Ths scripture shows that the apostles taught, not only in the temple, but also in private homes where small groups could congregate.

  The private home was the home base or central location of where 1st century Christians has their meetings. They always met in private chambers, upper rooms etc (Luke 22:8-13; Acts 1:13-15). Group meetings for Christians could also be arranged in public facilities such as schools, auditoriums (Acts 19:9,10)

  The fact Paul said in Acts 20:20 'I have taught you publicly AND from house-to-house' shows there were two different ministries. One public, that is among the people in marketplaces, the temple, and other places people congregated, and one was private, in the homes of the friends where personal attention could be given. If this greek expression (kat oikous) was taken the way the WTS says, then the 'house-to-house' ministry would ALSO be PUBLIC. There would have been no need for Paul to say "Publicly" and "house to house", since both would have been public.

  Quite simply, this ministry was one that Paul conducted in "private homes". Simple! Think about it.

  Acts 2:46 "and day after day they were in constant attendance at the temple with one accord, and they took their meals in private homes* and partook of food with great rejoicing and sincerity of heart"
  * Greek kat oikou

  NWT Reference Bible footnote says, this can also be rendered "house-to-house"

  What modern translator would render the above as "house-to-house", as does the KJV? It just doesnt make sense. They wouldnt be going around from house-to-house to get their meals, surely not!

  The greek rendering for kat oikous should be the same in all three verses.

  The WTS chose to use the correct and most reasonable rendering of this Greek expression in Acts 2:46 of the NWT, they DID NOT however, choose to render it the same way in Acts 5:42 or Acts 20:20. WHY? Simple... their doctrine of preaching from house-to-house would not stand! People would see the scriptures they use to back this up actually refer to personal instruction being done in private homes!

  But, what about Matthew 10:12,13 and Luke 15:5,6?

  Did Jesus not specificially outline the procedure in engaging house-to-house ministry? Was he not establishing the rules of conduct when one recieves a negative response in his door-to-door service? The answer is NO!

  Verse 11 of Matthew chapter 10:
  "Into whatever city or village you enter, search out who in it is deserving, and STAY THERE until you leave"

  Now if we took this scripture literally as specific instructions pertaining to the door-to-door ministry, that would mean that when the disciples found ONLY ONE 'deserving person' in their so-called house-to-house ministry, they would CEASE in this work since they were told to "stay there until you leave". How ridiculous! See also Luke 9:4

  Luke 10:7 reads: "So stay in that house, eating and drinking the thing they provide, for the worker is worthy of his wages. DO NOT BE TRANSFERRING FROM HOUSE TO HOUSE"

  The thought being, not to search out throughout the village or city fir the best possible accomodations, just accept whatever Jehovah provides. This makes more sense does it not?

  Obviously, Jesus was giving them instructions in establishing a HOME BASE for launching their ministry in that particular town. This would thus provide them with a place to confidentially give personal instruction to those who would listen - yes in the privacy and relaxed atmosphere of a home belonging to a "friend of peace" (Luke 10:6). However, if by chance in "searching out" the town or village, they encountered an unappreciative person, or even an inhospitable village or city, Jesus said to "shake the dust off your feet for a witness against them" - Luke 9:5; 10:8-13

  Therefore this particular form of proselytizing does not serve in any way, shape or form as being a distinctive, identifying mark of true religion today. Regretably, it only serves to highlight the weighty burden placed upon the enslaved JW's to a lifetime career of book and magazine selling and for the sole enrichment of the WTS. - Matthew 23:4, Ezekiel 34:27; 2 Corinthians 2:17

  http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/forum/thread.asp?id=2384&site=3
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  lookingnow22

  Logical - Thanks for copying that information over here. Sorry that I didn't catch that topic before posting my own.

  Any further discussion here is still definately welcome though.

  Thanks to all,
  Looking
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  Gopher

  Lookingnow,

  In response to your question from May 25 at 10:21 a.m., an example of a group that grew more rapidly than the JW's:

  The Assemblies of God. Worldwide, this church has 35 million members, with 2.5 million in the USA. This Pentecostal group was established in the southern USA in the late 19th century.

  (In comparison, the JW's have roughly 6 million publishers, with over 14 million attending the annual Memorial. Nearly 1 million publishers reside in the USA.)

  Gopher
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  d0rkyd00d

  Don't know if this has been said yet, but once again, many things change from bible times. Just like if they had blood transfutions in bible times, might they be allowed had Paul or whoever known they were safe, and lclean? Preaching.....if witnesses wanted to follow the Bible's teachings, wouldn't they go door to door talking about the Bible? not handing out their literature looking for new converts. Jesus didn't look for new Jehovah's Witnesses. Also, if witnesses are that bent on preaching, why don't they put computers in the hall and go into chatrooms preaching? Seems to me they're more like quakers.

  "No cool quote yet. But i'll think of one soon."