Spam Evangelism
In light of my post last week where I interviewed the author of The Shack, I’ve again heard the ongoing battle of how we approach sharing our faith. Recently, I’ve heard different people talk about the damage that can be done by the book. So I want to take the opportunity to voice my concerns with evangelism on the opposite end of the spectrum.
There was an interview that World magazine did with author and speaker Mike Bechtle. In it, he coined a term called “spam evangelism” that I think nails a lot of the current styles of “spreading” Christianity today whenever we try and do it outside of a relationship. He shared a personal story to make his point:
“A college classmate decided to walk down Central Avenue in Phoenix at lunchtime and ask women to kiss him. He wanted to see how many people he would have to ask before someone took him up on it. After being repeatedly cursed, ignored, and slapped a couple of times, the 98th woman gave him a kiss. Using the logic of spam evangelism, he might say, ‘It was worth it, because I actually got one person to kiss me.’ I wondered about the other 97 women who might be more hardened than ever, more suspicious, and more wary of men approaching them on the street. In the same way, I think a lot of unbelievers have been hardened by aggressive witnessing technique.” – Mike Bechtle
Let’s just say that the biggest factor that pushed me into full time ministry was the desire to get the other “97 people” to give God and the Church another chance after being burned by the Spam Evangelism. There’s real meat out there, and it tastes terrific. But it means that you must take the time to earn the right to share your faith with someone.
This is the personal blog of Jeremy Jernigan. Husband, father, teaching pastor, and student of truth.
I can assure you that my friendship with those around me is genuine, and that I do not have an agenda for every friendship with a non-christian I have.
However, you are pretty correct in rebuking me for kinda jumping on this guy who ticked me off, and I can understand why this exchange could have led you to question my motives in other areas of my life. I wouldn’t treat anyone in person this way, so I guess I need to see this guy as more than just a Way of the Master puppet bent on my utter demise. He’s a person, and my brother.
Yo Jon, I’m sorry. I lost the point of the discussion when I started feeling attacked, and gave in to the argumentative nature of the comments. You aren’t a jerk-face. Next time I’m in Dallas we should have coffee or something.
-Richard
Richard,
Apology accepted. My email is jon@lostcauseministries.com. When you’re in town, please let me know, and we’ll get together.
Jon
I realize this post has been long and at times fiery. I don’t wish to add to the fire for flames sake, so please know that my motive is love, and I wish to relate some of my experience with preaching on Mill Ave.
I have been to Mill numerous times. Every time was to preach the Gospel. With that said, I have had great conversations with people who I had never met before that night. The majority of those people thanked me and shook my hand after we were done conversing. Many conversations lasted 30 or more minutes, and I was twisting no ones arm to keep them engaged.
Although we (confrontational evangelists)use a biblical principle (using the law to bring a knowledge of sin) so as to make Christ’s death and resurrection make sense, no 2 conversations I have ever had were alike.
Obviously the Gospel is not our idea, and is a not up for debate. Therefore there are elements of every conversation where the Gospel is preached that will be the same. That being said, when I talk to someone about eternity, death, life, sin, hell, judgment to come, the amazing grace God pours out on believers who repent and trust in Him etc. I am asking questions about that person, finding out a part of their life story, seeing what their views on eternity are. It’s never just a (this is what I have to say, and now I’m on to the next opportunity). People are people and I respect them as such, and it is always (when one on one) a conversation, not a speech. The whole reason any of us take time out of our lives and families to drive miles and miles to talk to people about eternal things is because we are motivated by God’s love.
Each witnessing encounter is as different as each unique person that I am speaking with. Do I have an agenda? You bet. I want to proclaim the everlasting Gospel, the only hope any human can have in this world to this person I’m talking to before it is too late. Does that make my efforts meaningless or not worth while because I have never met this person before, or because I haven’t developed a friendship with that person. No, it doesn’t.
Now, I’m not saying that most people I speak with on the street repent on the spot and believe the Gospel, but most are genuinely thankful that I took the time to share something so important with them. Most are happy to take the time to speak with me. The only experience on Mill I’ve had that was argumentative in a person to person conversation was with a very inebriated man who was bent on being irrational being adversly affected by the alcohol.
Have I been rejected on Mill handing out tracts? Sure. Does that make me a bad guy. Turning off people to the Gospel left and right? I don’t think people think badly of the guys on Mill handing out tickets to a free show, or for discount drinks. I believe the main issue people have with evangelists on Mill is the message. The bible clearly says that people who love their sin, (most on Mill Ave. will proclaim their open love for their sin with no shame)are enemies with God. How should we expect them to act towards the Gospel message?
Just ask any of the atheists that gather there to come against the word of God. They hand out tracts, they engage people on the street, they even have speakers and open air preach their garbage, but it isn’t the fact that the Christians are on Mill doing what the Lord commanded us to do that offends them, it is what they see as an ignorant message that is offensive to them.
I have spoken with Muslims, homeless street kids, ladies selling flowers, sports fans, drunks, ASU party kids, business men, etc. Did I know any of these people? Nope. Did I hold any at gunpoint to listen to my Gospel message? Nope. Was the Gospel preached to someone who may have not heard it otherwise? Was I loving them by warning them of wrath to come? Food for thought. You make your own determination.
It isn’t my responsibility or any of ours as followers of Christ to save anyone. God alone is capabable and responsible for that. It is however our responsibility as believers to preach the Gospel to all creation. Why not Mill Ave? It is a dark place where sin abounds. What better place for the light of the Gospel to shine brightly. It won’t shine however if it isn’t preached. People can see our good works, kind acts, etc. which are inherently good, but they will still perish on the day of judgment without hearing and responding to the Gospel.
Just thought I’d give you a side of Mill Avenue Gospel preaching you may not be aware of.
And see, it is those thirty minute conversations that are what it should be all about. That isn’t spam evangelism, I don’t think. In Jeremy’s post, he talks about a guy just asking girls to kiss him. I think that is what the tract stuff is without backing, with a focus on dissemination of info, would be akin to. That is the spam.
Now, when you are having conversations, getting to know people, it’s as if the guy were on the street looking for a date instead of just a kiss. He would take time to get to know a little bit about a girl, try to put his best foot forward, be presentable and sensitive to whatever her words and body language may be telling him… a beautiful, intricate interplay of two personalities.
I can’t speak for anyone else, but I myself have actually done that, and I see beauty in that. Especially in the follow through, where the relationship blossoms into a discipleship relationship and a true friendship. That is not spam.
I think perhaps this argument has been a bit misguided, looking back on it. It became a bickering between two methods of sharing the gospel that can both be amazingly effective if done right, and horribly detrimental if done from the wrong heart.
Tracts can go where you can’t. That’s part of the point. A dashboard, nightstand, book mark, pocket. It continues speaking when you cannot. I don’t think that’s spam, do you.
Zoe
The point is though Richard, that the 30 minutes conversations began with a tract to a person walking down the street that I didn’t know.
All the street evangelists that I know are looking for conversations. Unfortunately, not everyone is open to a conversation, and that is cool. We aren’t forceful, if someone will take a tract but not stop long enough to have a meaninful conversation, at least the Word of God has been placed into their hands, and the Gospel has been presented.
Many times I have to hand out many tracts, and watch the majority of the people continue on before someone is open to having a conversation.
Is it unsolicited? Yes. So in that sense, I guess you could call it SPAM. Is it unwarranted? I’d say definitely not.
Those who are perishing are blinded by the god of this world, the Bible tells us in 2Cor 4:4. It is truly as if these people walking down Mill Ave. or any street for that matter, are walking toward a cliff with a 1000 foot drop to their destruction, and they don’t see it. If we see the reality of it, the frailty of life, and the end that waits for the majority of the people around us on a daily basis, it doesn’t seem out of place or strange to lovingly get their attention and warn them of the impending danger, even if they didn’t ask to be warned.
I have a couple of audio clips of a friend of mine witnessing on the street to complete strangers. You may be interested to listen to them to hear the message being presented as well as the response of the person. I think you may be surprised.
http://www.calvarychapelchandler.org/Portals/0/streetfishing/interviews/mp3/Joey%20at%20CGCC%202_23_09.mp3
http://www.calvarychapelchandler.org/Portals/0/streetfishing/interviews/mp3/_Micah%20at%20CGCC%202_23_09.mp3
I hope you find these informative. These are indicitive of the kind of street witnessing that the people that I run with are involved in.
As I stated in my original post on this blog, there are crazies out there who regardless of motive are not accurately or biblically presenting the Gospel. I think many of the posts on this site by people who are engaged in and proponents of unsolicited or confrontational or street style evangelism may have been sensitive to this issue becuase they felt lumped into a group of people or a generalization that isn’t representative of their style of ministry.
Hope that helps.