Religion asks members to proselytize people to that religion; Jesus asks people to repent and follow Him.
I have done much of the former: inviting people to a religion. Here is the way it worked:
- Explain the basic precepts of the religion: Jesus died on the cross to forgive your sins and give you eternal life.
- The entry point into that religion: pray a prayer asking for forgiveness and inviting Jesus into your life
- Join the club of church-goers, read your Bible, follow Jesus AND follow the way of religion as prescribed by your fellow-travelers and church-goers.
The result is that people are sometimes caught up and in love with Jesus but, even so, often become club attenders and religion-subscribers over time.
It’s interesting that Jesus did not do this. His way was quite opposite:
- Tell people to repent of the sin and death that was destroying their life and their communities.
- Invite people to follow Him.
I am seriously reflecting on what this looks like. The former approach is much easier and less threatening. It does not even really call people to change their lives, just get the club membership ticket. “Come to our church, hear a good message, ask for forgiveness, receive Jesus.” Oh, yeah, change will come over time. But, we know the church today is not much different than the world so… it really doesn’t.
The latter approach that Jesus used is quite confrontational: “These things in your life that are destructive and that you know are destructive? Well, yeah, they really are. And the only way that you can step out of those things is to turn from them and turn to life by following a life-giver. The Source of all Life. Yes, that would be Jesus. No, you don’t receive or accept Him, you trust and follow Him. You give your life to Him. You exchange your ways of death for the way of Jesus. No I don’t have a formula for you. He will reveal Himself directly to you. He’s a Person, God of all Creation, incarnated through His Word. Life comes as you turn from your own ways in order to hear and follow… Him.”
By the way, church emerges quite naturally (and simply) as Jesus-followers gather and go in the way of Jesus.
Comments
12 responses to “Proselytizing vs Inviting People to Follow Jesus”
Really like this.
“No, you don’t receive or accept Him, you trust and follow Him. You give your life to Him.
(reminds me of Luke 9:23). Liked the whole article. I’ve been coming to the same conclusions.
I’ve been asking myself just what, precisely, it means to “preach Jesus.” What does that look like? Maybe you have some of that picture here.
Thank you for this thoughtful post.
Good word Roger. Have so appreciated your posts over the last while. We planted a Simple Church Network up here in Squamish British Columbia Canada (40 minutes south of Whistler) about 6 years ago. We have got all our Simple Church Leaders hooked into reading your posts as well. So thank-you. I especially loved this statement. “No I don’t have a formula for you. He will reveal Himself directly to you. He’s a Person, God of all Creation, incarnated through His Word. Life comes as you turn from your own ways in order to hear and follow… Him.” Causes me to wonder, how have we in the West exchanged this personal dynamic ‘God-On-the-Move’ non-domesticated, far from tame, dangerous, doesn’t want to be in a temple but comfortable in a tent, self sacrificing God for simple trite formulas the way we have? So much more to experience, yet we forfeit it for a formula. No wonder the gospel doesn’t have staying power for so many. It’s not enough. The formula was never meant to be enough.
Good word. Thank-you.
Brilliantly stated, and absolutely true.
Man, you said it very well. I’ve done my share of proselytizing myself, and I’m also in the process of seeking out what it would look like to follow Jesus’ methods of calling people to repent and follow him. Thanks so much for the thought-provoking post!
Amen Roger!
Question: Do you support this bible verse: Deu 22: 28-29?
What about this one? Deu 22: 11
and! 1 Tim 2: 9
or… 2 Kings 6: 28-29
Moving on! Matt 5: 40
Wait what about: Malachi 2: 3
I could go on for days like this…
I am not inciting you all, I just don’t understand why God would want to say this horrible, weird or disgusting stuff… I read the Bible and now I just can’t believe in God anymore…
Good stuff!
http://notesfromthebridge.wordpress.com
Christopher “Captain” Kirk
What you are actually talking about, is what is known as ‘Lordship salvation’
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lordship_salvation
See also the next quite good article:
http://www.jesus-is-lord.com/lordship.htm
By the way, I absolutely agree with this principle.
For the Czech (and others who might be interested), I have tried to described the process of salvation in this more biblical way. English version:
http://nasledovnici.jezise.cz/ucebnice/001-001-en.html
Browse next each time until you have read it all including false doctrine about baptism.
“…Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him COME UNTO ME, AND DRINK.
He THAT BELIEVES IN ME, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified” (John 7:37-39).
If THAT’S not an invitation to RECEIVE Him, I don’t know WHAT IS.
How about Matthew 11:28? “COME UNTO ME all you who are work-weary and heavy laden AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST”.
I’m with you on point #3, but strongly disagree on #1, and #2. Thank you.