What's Your Best Method?

I heard a story about a person criticizing a preacher years ago for his method of evangelism. When the preacher asked what style of evangelism they used the person was left stammering for an answer. Then the preacher said, "I prefer my style of doing evangelism to your style of not doing evangelism."
So, what is your style of evangelism? Kinda forces you to choose after reading that story doesn't it?
But seriously, what's your preferred approach? We know that we are to make disciples and preach the gospel "as we go." So how would you prefer? A door to door style hit and run expression of the gospel? A soapbox on a busy urban corner? Leaving a gospel tract on a plane or in a restaurant? Or maybe you just want to talk to children in Sunday School, or folks at a rescue mission. So what is it?
It has been suggested for sometime that "Friendship Evangelism" is a more effective method. To do this though, you have to be a genuine friend. Not just a surface friend by asking "key" questions suggested by EE or FAITH evangelism programs. But the kind of friendship that earns the right to say something to someone when they are going through tough times. The kind of friendship that earns the right to be heard on weightier matters than what's the score of the game or what's happening on your favorite TV show.
In fact one of the complaints I've heard from students of evangelistic programs is that they seem to suggest a utilitarian friendship, one that is friendly for a purpose. The purpose is noble, even great, to share the gospel. But people don't like to be 'utilized.' By used car salesmen or evangelists. It is no wonder that post-moderns view truth-claims as a method to control or abuse.
Now, I always think sincerity trumps a utilitarian approach to anything. (Unless maybe you're an executioner.) And the idea of making friendships to be a genuine friend and perhaps have an opportunity to share the gospel at the right time is right.
But, does it take God time? Is sincere friendship the power of God unto salvation? Well I think most would agree that both of these answers are "no."
That being said it does appear, as in my life, God does 'take' time to pursue and reveal Himself, and to bring about regeneration and salvation thru the communication of the gospel.
How do we account for the effectiveness of friend sharing the gospel with a friend as opposed to a more confrontational style? I'm not sure I know the answer to this. But I suspect it may have something to do with the truth being communicated in love. God does seem to use the love of a caring friend. THis is not to say evangelists from Billy Graham to Whitefield didn't love the masses that gathered to hear them. I believe they loved the Lord and He gave them a love for the lost.
Still, when you get to know someone and love them, even if they're difficult to love, it may be akin to preparing the soil for the seed.
The problem with friendship evangelism is that almost any other kind is easier.
Did Jesus call us to the easiest methods of sharing the gospel and making disciples?

JFK and CSL Made Their Marks

I remember that my parents did not vote for him. When I heard he had been shot I was only 9 years old and unsure how to respond. The general tone of my school was one of sadness and reflection. I didn't know how to feel. It was sad that a man had been shot. It was sad that so many people I knew were sad. But my parents really thought JFK was not good for America. So was it good he was gone? I didn't know.
I also don't remember knowing he was a Catholic. Maybe I did. I don't remember knowing what any of our president's denomination was until JC, Jimmy Carter came along. He was a Baptist. That was nice I guess.
But on this 50th anniversary of the assassination of JFK people are remembering its the 50th for other men as well. One writer looks at the proximity in death of Kennedy, Lewis and Huxley here: http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/eclipsed-in-death-we-remember-jfk-but-what-about-aldous-huxley-or-cs-lewis-8957192.html. Ed Stetzer writes of the greater impact of Lewis here: http://www.christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/2013/november/narnia-and-camelot-tribute-to-cs-lewis.html

     I remember browsing through a tiny bookstore at a Catholic Monastery near Pecos, NM. It was just a few miles down the road from Glorieta Baptist Encampment. I was close to my 19th birthday when I discovered these books. These Chronicles of Narnia. And the Perelandra trilogy. I hadn't seen these at the much larger Baptist Bookstore at the Camp, so I wondered... are these Catholic? Are they contraband? To be fair, I hand't been looking for these books, but I stumbled across them at a Benedictine Monastery of all things.
Later I found out this was one of the least "Catholic" monasteries around.
     It was 1973 and I couldn't read them fast enough. CSL, Clive Staples Lewis, had been dead some 10 years now. He died the day JFK did. I was sad there would be no more tales like Narnia. That Summer I tried to wrap my brain around The Problem of Pain and the Great Divorce etc. They were hard, and profound, and I wanted to 'get' what he was saying. I had only been a Christian a year at this time, though raised with the Bible stories and the gospel being preached. I didn't 'get it' till I was almost 18 and now I was trying real hard to 'keep it.' It would be sometime before I understood He was "Keeping" me!
     Can I say, my life has been much more influenced by CSL than JFK? The stories of Narnia were life like in my mind and as I read them a few years later to my little girls. The concept Lewis dealt with in His other works caused me to think more deeply about things than I ever had.
     JFK was a smart man, a proud veteran, and a fairly centrist democrat. I think he would have been re-elected and become one of those presidents who goes on to be a statesman. But I don't know that he would ever have had the long term effect on folks that Lewis did. Because Lewis' effect's touch the eternal. And he taught us that Aslan is no tame Lion.

John Chapter 2: Outline and Footnotes

Joh 2:1 On the third day there was a wedding at Cana

in Galilee[C1] , and the mother of Jesus was there.

                2 Jesus also was invited to the wedding 

                 with his disciples.

                3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus 

                 said to him, "They have no wine."

                           4 And Jesus said to her, "Woman[C2], 

                           what does this have to do with me[C3]?

                           My hour has not yet come."

                           5 His mother said to the servants, 

                           "Do whatever he tells you[C4] ."

                6 Now there were six stone water jars there 

                for the Jewish rites of purification[C5] , each 

                holding 20 or 30 gallons.

                           7 Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the 

                            jars with water." And they filled them 

                            to the brim[C6] . 8 And he said to them 

                            "Now draw some out & take it 

                            to the feast-master." So they took it.

                9 When the master of the feast tasted the 

                 water now become wine[C7] ,

                                 and didn't know whence it came

                                   (though the servants who had 

                                    drawn the water knew[C8] ),

                                 the master of the feast called the 

                                 bridegroom 10 and said… 

                                 "Everyone serves good wine first 

                                 and when people have drunk 

                                 freely[C9], then poor wine. But 

                                 you have kept the good wine

                                            [C10] until now."

11 This, the first of his signs[C11] , Jesus did at Cana in Galilee,

                and manifested his glory[C12] .

                And his disciples believed [C13] in him.

12 After this he went down to Capernaum[C14] , with 

his mother, brothers and disciples, and stayed there 

a few days.13 The Passover of the Jews was at hand, 

and Jesus went up to Jerusalem[C15] .

                14 In the temple he found those who were 

                selling oxen [C16] and sheep [C17] and pigeons, 

                and the money-changers sitting there.

                                15 And making a whip[C18]  of cords 

                                he drove them all out of the temple 

                                w/ the sheep & oxen.

                                And he poured out the coins [C19] 

                                of the money-changers and over-

                                turned their tables. 16 And he told 

                                those who sold pigeons, "Take 

                                these things away[C20]; don't make 

                                my Father's house [C21] a house of 

                                trade[C22] ." 

                                17 His disciples remembered it was 

                                written, "Zeal for your house will consume me."

                18 So the Jews said to him, "What sign do you 

                 show us for doing these things?"

                                19 Jesus answered them, "Destroy 

                                this temple, and in three days I 

                                will raise it up[C23] ."

                20 The Jews then, "It's taken 46 years to

                build the temple, will you raise it in 3 days?"

                                21 But he was speaking about the 

                                temple of his body.

                                22 When therefore he was raised 

                                from the dead,

                                                his disciples remembered 

                                                he said this, and they

                                                believed the Scripture [C24] 

                                                and the word Jesus had 

                                                spoken.

                23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the 

                Passover Feast, many believed in his name 

                when they saw the signs [C25] he was doing.

                24 But Jesus on his part did not entrust 

                himself to them,

                           because he knew all people[C26] 

                           25 and needed no one to bear witness 

                           about man, for he himself knew what 

                           was in man.

---

 [C1]In Jn 1 Jesus is in Judea then suddenly appears in Galilee.  But, 1 ends with story of Nathanael and acc to Jn 21.2 he is from Cana!

 [C2]Woman, like Ma’am, not in a motherly way but respectfully

 [C3]OR: Jesus said to her, `What--to me and to thee, woman? ‘

 [C4]Obedience is vital

 [C5]Jesus redeems the OT

 [C6]Not ½ or ¾ - fully obedient

 [C7]The miracle changed the substance of water, transubstantiation doesn’t!

 [C8]And so word got out

 [C9]Ref to inebriation

 [C10]Jesus didn’t make bad wine

 [C11]Called signs not miracles because signs point to something

 [C12]Joh_12:32  if I be lifted up

 [C13]The purpose of “Signs”

 [C14]From Cana – up in the hills, to Capernaum on the coast of Galilee

 [C15]South in Judea but “up”

 [C16]Some say this is cleansing just b4 crucifixion, but details are different!

 [C17]Not in Synoptics (oxen, sheep)

 [C18]Not in synoptics

 [C19]Not in synoptics

 [C20]Not in synoptics

 [C21]Not in synoptics –  doesn’t quote scripture but claims His Father’s house

 [C22]Not suggesting thievery just a wrong use of God’s house and impeding to true worship.  Zec 14:21 every pot in Jeru-salem… shall be holy to the LORD… so all who sacrifice may come…boil the meat of sacrifice… And there shall no longer be a merchant in the house of the LORD… on that day. Mal 3:1

 [C23]Mt 26:61 and said, "This man said, 'I am able to destroy the temple …

 [C24]A purpose of His teachings

 [C25]Purpose of signs

 [C26]Omniscience