The poor in America

[Socialite]

Originally Posted by coadie

I learned that is not true the hard way. I made a serious mistake recently with that bad advice.

I had seen a poor woman in church a couple of times. Extremely poor. I was witnessing to 2 poor students that are immmingrants and recognized her face. I had never brought the 2 students to church.
I started conversation with her. I find out one of the reasons she was visiting our church, was her mom was dying and they knew it. It was for asking our church to do the funeral for the mother. Some time later after she had excuses I didn't follow up. The Holy Ghost convicted me to follow up but I said no, she is still grieving. Then she died. There are not good reasons to postpone witnessing. From Jonah on, we have seen people procrastinate on witnessing.

Then don't bother with relationships, grab your megaphone and join the freaks on our city's street corners that scream "Repent or Perish!" Have at it and let me know how that works out for you.

I have a strong conviction that the Spirit leads and guides people to Jesus. I'm not the center figure here. I listen, stay sensitive to the Spirit, address their needs, and in doing so, share the Gospel. I assumed you, or someone else, would sabotage what I said and require a disclaimer. I'm not a fan of never sharing the Gospel, or being timid about doing so. But knocking on a door and cold calling on the phone is not how Jesus discipled, nor is it how the Apostles discipled. Invite them to "come and see," and it won't be long until they confess He is Lord.

But my motive for compassion is not a ploy to add to my church fellowship. We are compassionate people because of the Gospel at work in our lives. Period. Even our serving is a picture of Christ serving us, a beautiful portrait of the Gospel. "Charity" Christians with motives are spotted a mile away. And yes, with those, folks would rather just have your dollar. They certainly don't have your ear or heart.

[sandie]

I'd be careful calling people "freaks" who stand on street corners and proclaim repent or perish.
It's the truth and if you take a look at the OT prophets, they did some things that are different then the every day person would do, (to put it mildly).
Paul was once accused of being "besides himself" when he proclaimed the truth of the Gospel.

My son and his friend developed a close relationship with a corner street preacher, after giving that fellow the "business", for lack of a better term.
They are all good friends now, and the street preacher is still preaching and praying for my son and his friend. I thank God for that.

[Socialite]

Originally Posted by sandie

I'd be careful calling people "freaks" who stand on street corners and proclaim repent or perish.
It's the truth and if you take a look at the OT prophets, they did some things that are different then the every day person would do, (to put it mildly).
Paul was once accused of being "besides himself" when he proclaimed the truth of the Gospel.

My son and his friend developed a close relationship with a corner street preacher, after giving that fellow the "business", for lack of a better term.
They are all good friends now, and the street preacher is still preaching and praying for my son and his friend. I thank God for that.

The freaks with the neon-colored signs, condemning everyone who walks by. Yup, I said it... FREAKS!

[Socialite]

Originally Posted by sandie

I'd be careful calling people "freaks" who stand on street corners and proclaim repent or perish.
It's the truth and if you take a look at the OT prophets, they did some things that are different then the every day person would do, (to put it mildly).
Paul was once accused of being "besides himself" when he proclaimed the truth of the Gospel.

My son and his friend developed a close relationship with a corner street preacher, after giving that fellow the "business", for lack of a better term.
They are all good friends now, and the street preacher is still preaching and praying for my son and his friend. I thank God for that.

I don't thank God for them. They aren't peddling Good News, they are peddling condemnation, judgment. They come into the big cities from their comfy suburban areas, don't live with the city, don't work with the city, don't pray for it, don't rejoice with it, don't mourn with it... they have no investment with the city. They are filling their religious coffers, that is, their moral vouchers that get them a more spiritual place among the brethren. They aren't sharing the Gospel at all. The particular "street preachers" on my City are not much different than the Westboro Baptist nuts. They are false prophets, preaching a false Gospel and doing 100x more to harm our work with the City than help it. They show up at events that are usually celebrations (games, festivals, parades, etc), and try to take advantage of the crowd.

The way I see, John the Baptist was outside the city, in a dessert, and he ATTRACTED a crowd. And if you really want to get technical, John's message was CENTERED on justice, yes, very similar to the OT prophets Like Jesus, his rebuke was not to the sinner, but to the religious.

Jesus didn't shout out the entire Story to everyone. He ate with them, discipled, them, prayed with them, wept with them, spoke in parables, watched growth happened and then rejoiced when the Spirit brought revelation ("Thou art the Christ").

[Socialite]

Those freaks may as well wear black robes, tassels down the side, and carry stones, pelting the crowds as they walk by.

The Gospel is GOOD NEWS!!!!!!!!

What part of that is so hard to get! If what you are peddling isn't such a great proclamation, it's not the Gospel.

[coadie]

Originally Posted by Socialite

Then don't bother with relationships, grab your megaphone and join the freaks on our city's street corners that scream "Repent or Perish!" Have at it and let me know how that works out for you.

.

We don't have to answer to you. Your little dishonest exageration of "freaks"
and "scream" is out of place.

You are a know it all. If people don't see it your way, they can expect an insult.

My question is when you just started your insults and calling someone ignorant early on in this thread, if you don't do that with the lost sheep.

Post#12

Originally Posted by Socialite

Respectfully, that's extremely ignorant of you to suggest that... But unfortunately, it's a common talking point, and thousands say the same thing. I encourage you to take a closer look at poverty, not just the images of cardboard signs at the street lights.

If you start calling pentecostal brothers ignorant, we know relationships are not how you operate.

I don't have a real problem being yelled at and being called ignorant. I have witnessed next to a park and 30 feet from gunshots and beatings.

Words don't rattle me.
You have a pattern of hostile rhetoric in your vocabulary.

[coadie]

Originally Posted by Socialite

Those freaks may as well wear black robes, tassels down the side, and carry stones, pelting the crowds as they walk by.
The Gospel is GOOD NEWS!!!!!!!!

What part of that is so hard to get! If what you are peddling isn't such a great proclamation, it's not the Gospel.

More drama and exageration. You are arguing against a strawman.

[Socialite]

Originally Posted by coadie

More drama and exageration. You are arguing against a strawman.

"may as well" -- that's not exaggeration. Don't you have an English degree from an Ivy League school too?

That means, Mr. Coadie, that there behavior is similar to those judgmental Pharisees, who went around accusing sinners, and even ordering their deaths (ie, adulterous woman). Get it?

What's the strawman I'm arguing against?

[Socialite]

Originally Posted by coadie

We don't have to answer to you. Your little dishonest exageration of "freaks"
and "scream" is out of place.

You are a know it all. If people don't see it your way, they can expect an insult.

My question is when you just started your insults and calling someone ignorant early on in this thread, if you don't do that with the lost sheep.

Post#12



If you start calling pentecostal brothers ignorant, we know relationships are not how you operate.

I don't have a real problem being yelled at and being called ignorant. I have witnessed next to a park and 30 feet from gunshots and beatings.

Words don't rattle me.
You have a pattern of hostile rhetoric in your vocabulary.

Ignorant? That's what you did to "get dirt" on me? Found a place where I said someone's opinion was ill-informed, ie ignorant? You can do better than that Art Bell! Come on!

Oh yes, you are always polite and respectful to those who disagree with you

Oh... and I still think this is a misinformed (ignorant) perspective:

most "poverty" issues are lifestyle choices

[coadie]

Originally Posted by Socialite

Then don't bother with relationships, grab your megaphone and join the freaks on our city's street corners that scream "Repent or Perish!" Have at it and let me know how that works out for you.

I have a strong conviction that the Spirit leads and guides people to Jesus. I'm not the center figure here. I listen, stay sensitive to the Spirit, address their needs, and in doing so, share the Gospel. I assumed you, or someone else, would sabotage what I said and require a disclaimer. I'm not a fan of never sharing the Gospel, or being timid about doing so. But knocking on a door and cold calling on the phone is not how Jesus discipled, nor is it how the Apostles discipled. Invite them to "come and see," and it won't be long until they confess He is Lord.
But my motive for compassion is not a ploy to add to my church fellowship. We are compassionate people because of the Gospel at work in our lives. Period. Even our serving is a picture of Christ serving us, a beautiful portrait of the Gospel. "Charity" Christians with motives are spotted a mile away. And yes, with those, folks would rather just have your dollar. They certainly don't have your ear or heart.

More drama. No If Jesus had used a phone, none of the pople had phones to answer his call.

You have severe and cold rhetoric. It reeks of lack of compassion.

that's extremely ignorant of you

freaks

carry stones, pelting the crowds