Do you still preach? (page 6)

Theocrat

I guess the scriptures that I had in mind when starting this post were: Matthew chapter 25 and James 4:17. In Matthew 25, Jesus' parable about how we spend our time preaching is very clear, and James 4:17, saying "if someone knows what he should be doing and still doesn't do it, it is a sin for him."

Badger

I share with those that listen...and yes, some of my faith (Quakers) do preach...but seen sermons are far more effective than spoken ones.

Leolaia

About contributions, here's a hint:

1 Corinthians 16:1-3: "Now about the collection for God's people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. 2 On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made. 3 Then, when I arrive, I will give letters of introduction to the men you approve and send them with your gift to Jerusalem."

Romans 15:26-27: "For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. 27 They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews' spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings."

Acts 24:17: "After an absence of several years, I came to Jerusalem to bring my people gifts for the poor and to present offerings."

I think the contrast is quite telling. Christian alms-giving as been turned into contributions for the "preaching work", which is used not to help the poor but to sustain the production and distribution of magazines and books by a religious printing corporation. What type of work did the Gospel Jesus say will "lay up treasures in heaven"??? The preaching work or helping the poor?

a friend in need

leolaia:

You are a day late and a scripture short. All that about feeding the poor was covered on another post yesterday. This post is about preaching. Theo didn't introduce the 'poor' factor here.

little witch

Ok, there you are dear. Mattew 25...about the lamps you mean?

Ok, let me read it and catch up. It has been a while. Get back with you in a bit. Thanks for staying with us and being interested. I thought for a minute there that you were being a "hit and run" type. Sorry for that.

Valis

Hmmm...the best witness those tossers could ever give would be to get down into the mire of humanity and help thier fellow man...but alas..."door to door" is so much more important than charitable works...Unless of course one is delusional enough to think the poor would rather live forever on a pair ' dice on erf rather than help with food, housing, a job, education, etc...How lazy the dubs really are...

Sincerely,

District Overbeer

Country Girl

Theokrat:

I am a born-again Christian. I am not obnoxious about it.

It's kind of like telemarketers. That is why the US has a "do not call" list. People don't want something for sale thrust on them without personally looking for that service or product. That's why there is such an active trend lately to keep people out of our homes, land, lives, that we don't actually want there.

Yes, Christ urges us to evangelize. But that does not mean doing it in an aggressive and threatening manner, which is what I consider that the Witnesses do. They thrust themselves on your doorstep at 8 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. They ring the bell, or knock on the door, with utter disregard for this country's notions of privacy or etiquette. Everyone knows that you don't call someone before noon on the weekends, and you don't make them get out of bed before noon. That is *why* we have this "do-not-call" list now, because people are constantly invading the space and privacy we have accorded ourselves.

Unfortunately for the Witnesses, if they have awakened someone on the weekends before noon, they have essentially shut off this person's tolerance, and have become a pest, to be avoided at all costs in the future. If you cannot abide by community notions of decency, how do you expect to have a good audience in the field? Most of us work, have children, have chores. It's a busy world, and we all don't have the time to spare for being visited on our doorsteps. Nor do we have the inclination, especially when the person has not called ahead, visits us when we have "NO SOLICITORS" posted on the gate, and INSISTS on giving us something when we say we are not interested. There is no tolerance for that. When someone says they are "not interested" they mean it.

In Texas, if you have NO TRESPASSING signs posted at your gate, you mean it. If it says "NO SOLICTING" we mean it. We dont' want your ilk there. If we want to wonder about your religion, or want to investigate it, then we'll call up the local Kingdom Hall.

There is many ways to evagelize, and the sooner the JW's realize it, the better off they'll be. You don't go to them, they come to you. Sure. Christ teaches us to evangelize, but he doesn't teach you to annoy the dog-snot out of anyone. He doesn't teach us to be obnoxious, which is exactly what JW's are. They are so obnoxious that they have the wherewithall to come to your house on Sunday morning, at 8 a.m. and get your fanny out of bed! If someone doesn't want to hear it, they just don't.

Many churches evangelize. They believe that showing off the greater Christian attitude will be their best show to the world: charity, testimonies, etc. They have revivals, advertisements in papers, word of mouth, example, etc. The best testimony is living a life like Christ, which all of us strive for. We are all not perfect, nor do we say we are. That is a testament to their belief, but they don't FORCE it on people by invading their space. That is the WORST testimony because you are going directly to a person's home and invading their lifestyles. If people want Christ, they will come and find out about him. Christ's command to 'go therefore and preach the word' doesn't necessarily mean going door to door, although it can. It can also mean proclaiming throughout the land through whatever means is accessible and most expedient, be it a food pantry, a women's shelter, or merely just having a good Christian life.

CG

Theocrat

Being a perfect man, Jesus could have no doubt organized the most extensive and perfect "charitable efforts" and "relief efforts" that would have encompassed the entire earth and fed every hungry mouth. But was that his purpose in coming to earth?

Jesus himself said that he came to earth "to bear witness to the truth." He was more interested in giving people something that would benefit them eternally than just something that would bring temporary relief.

Valis

He was more interested in giving people something that would benefit them eternally than just something that would bring temporary relief.

Old dubbie logic not adopted by other religions interested in easing human suffering... You also Have a private message which I suggest you check. See where is says Inbox by your user name?

Sincerely,

District Overbeer

Leolaia

Theocrat did not introduce "the poor factor," but it should be mentioned imho because he/she asked what it is a Christian's "responsibility" to do, and I believe helping the poor, healing the sick, etc. was part of the original "preaching work" (cf. Matthew 10:1-10; Mark 3:14-15, 6:7-13; Acts 2:42-47, 4:32-35, 5:12b-16). It wasn't just about spreading a message but doing works to help people in the community. And I think it is telling how this aspect of Christian life is totally devalued by the WTS, inferior at least to the door-to-door "preaching work". And as I said in my last post, this is nowhere as obvious that instead of alms-giving, JWs give contributions to "fund" the "preaching work".

Do you still preach?

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