Today in Evangelism lectures we covered what it meant to preach evangelistically in terms of various contexts such as weddings/funerals/baptisms and even church events. There seem to be different expectations and ways of going about evangelising at each of these things which an evangeliser would need to take into serious account.

There is an interesting blogsite called the Unashamed Workman which seems a useful tool for helping preachers develop their skills and techniques although this seems rather Americanized.

We also listened to a talk by Tim Keller on some defeatist beliefs that he has surveyed and thought about covered in a book he’s published called “The Reason for God.” I’m sure if I read the book, these brief points would be uncovered a lot more but listening to a 10 minute section of his talk, this is what I came away with. The six reasons we covered in class today were:

1. Other religions. Where people have a very particular view of God and other viewpoints can be viewed as having a privilege over another. The point in having these arguments is to try to transform people or to make them change sides over to one particular religion, whether they are a believer or not. In Keller’s view this was the weakest argument out of the six.

2. Evil & Suffering. In Eastern religions, suffering is seen as an allusion to other things and has different meanings and connotations to what the West see them as, in particular in a biblical perspective. Surely we as humans have a rite to live a happy life and not worry about this suffering and evil that pervades our life. Evil and suffering must be talked about in terms of the cross of Jesus so as to gain a rite perspective on it.

3. Sacredness of personal choice. This means we can decide what is rite and wrong in our lives and if we have a moral standard which is above us. Everybody has to live for something and therefore we’re all slaves to something (we have “Masters”) so that means we don’t have complete dominion over everything. We’re all ruled by something else.

4. The record of Christians. Do Christians have a bad track record or a good one over the Centuries? What about people like William Wilberforce? Was he seen as a giving Christianity a good name by what he stood up for and what he did? There seems to be people who use the bible as a self-critique exercise and the solution which Keller gives; which i think needs to be explored more is that we have to be true to Christianity in all senses. Let’s not compromise our Christianity just so we can look good or impress our friends with fake Christianity.

5. Problem of Anger. We deal with a God who gets angry – a God who judges! God doesn’t demand our blood but has instead used the blood of his own Son to deal with our rebellion and God’s wrath which was meant for us. God had to ’suffer’ by watching Jesus go thru death on the cross for us to be forgiven.

6. The Bible is socially regressive. Or to say that the Bible is unreliable. Keller just put it as saying what risks do we want to take by missing out on eternity because of our doubts and unbeliefs? I guess it’s like getting to the last box in 2 Ways to live and deciding which choice we’re going to take.