CPM day four

No converts today - so it was a waste of time, right? No!
One of the great things about the T4T process is that when we knock on doors, rather than expecting to bring everyone we meet to faith, what we are doing is looking for the people in whose lives God has already been working. We don't have to persuade them or win an argument - they are ready - like the Ethiopian Official in Acts 8. They often need to have the Gospel simply explained to them, and gently told how to respond to Jesus - but like my friend of yesterday, there is a clear sense that God has already been working significantly in their hearts. Do you see how that takes the pressure off us as we knock on doors?

One of the hardest people groups we have encountered are those who have experienced nominal Christianity. They have seen people going though the religious motions, but know nothing of the transforming love and power of Christ. "I tried that already and it did nothing for me." In effect they have been inoculated against the Gospel. I can't help but wonder if our emphasis on 'Friendship Evangelism' is doing the same. We make friends, but avoid sharing the Gospel in order to allow the friendship to develop naturally. They know we are Christians, but the last thing we want to do is to push Jesus on them. So we wait. And as we wait, they know we are followers of Jesus, they may even see us pray before a meal, or spot a Bible lying around - but we deny them the opportunity to experience the transforming love and power of Jesus, for now, and perhaps in doing so harden their very hearts we are hoping to soften. What do you think?

Thanks to all of you who have emailed words of encouragement - every one has been shared with the team. Nothing I have ever done with Church Army, here in New Zealand or back in UK, has provoked so much response. God is on the move, and people sense it. Many evangelists and Christians are longing to find out how we can share faith effectively, and disciple new believers, and see a movement spread, and maybe, just maybe, this is a significant part of the "how" for New Zealand.

I am excited as today we catch up with the guy who made a commitment to Jesus on Wednesday - I'll let you know how it goes. Any suggestions as to how we baptise a guy in a wheelchair?