Developing Spiritual Street Smarts (with Greg Koukl)
Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith & Culture
Gardening vs Harvesting: Exploring Evangelism in the New Testament
The New Testament depicts evangelism as a process of 'gardening' rather than 'harvesting,' contrary to the common approach in Christian culture. The New Testament does not involve making appeals for people to pray to receive Christ or closing moments to sign on the dotted line, as seen in modern evangelism. Instead, the emphasis is on gradual persuasion through offering different teachings and the influence of the preacher's character and miracles. This aligns with Jesus' ministry of presenting various teachings over time. The concept of gardening reflects the idea that before a harvest, there must be a season of patient cultivation, akin to the sowing stage mentioned in John chapter 4, which is characterized by the investment of time and effort. The process of gardening in evangelism is compared to waiting for ripe fruit to fall into the basket, indicating that when people are spiritually prepared, the Holy Spirit is instrumental in their belief, without the need for forceful persuasion.
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