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6 Comments for 'An article I wrote for The Source 4 Youth Ministry'

1. On April 15, 2009 @ 8:19 am Kyle said:

   • All I can say is wow….awesome article.

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2. On April 15, 2009 @ 8:32 am Adam said:

   • Hey Greg,

     I enjoyed reading the salon.com article, as well as your response. You asked: “What would a well-balanced, relational and relentless 3-hour outreach experience look like in your opinion?” One of the things I’ve talked about with people in my congregation is: “Invite someone over to dinner before you invite them to church.”

     I think if people see that your agenda is to truly love them, without making assimilation into your church or Christianity a condition for that love, then they will respect who are you are, and subsequently what you believe.

     I think part of the problem of evangelism is we are not even in a position to be forming these relationship: we’re so involved in doing church stuff, that we’re completely out of touch with the people we exist for.

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3. On April 16, 2009 @ 4:46 pm Will said:

   • Hey, buddy.
     Great articles on both sides. Just an off the cuff response to your three questions at the bottom ofyour article…

     What would a well-balanced, relational and relentless 3-hour outreach experience look like in your opinion?

     I’m not a full time youth pastor or even a pastor at all. Just a guy who goes to work every day and has seen the power of God Work within my marriage, my family, my business, my clients, and most of all within me.
     I think a well-balanced, relational and relentless outreach CAN NOT be confined within any segment of time with the word “hour” included in the description. If there is one thing God Has Taught me through His Word, guys like you, gals like your wife, and the hurting people (including ourselves)
     God ministers to through us, it is this…to Love them in the Crazy Love of Jesus Christ in a Relational and Relentless Pursuit. I do believe that relentless pursuit without relationship is called ‘stalking’.

     What are some ways teenagers can have Jesus-centered conversations with strangers in a natural and less contrived way without being deceptive?

     I really get a rush from the ‘drive-by evangelism’ that I still practice. BUT…I know that ‘drive-by’ is no way nearly as effective as when I am sharing Christ with someone with whom I have built a relationship. Now all my relatives, friends, kids in our church, and 90% of my clients know that I am a Believer. My point is, how can we speak of Christ to strangers in a natural way when we so often don’t even relate to our friends with and through Christ. I can’t remember where I heard it, but this statement convicted me. “Are your friends stronger or weaker in Christ because of the time they spend with you?”

     What are some other ways to initiate relational and relentless evangelism?

     I LOVE your ‘Venti Jesus, Please’ book, buddy. A great conversation CONTINUER!! (I need to order more)! And I agree with you that we need to include discipleship in evangelism. I really love to get other guys thinking of God’s role for us in His Kingdom with John Eldredge’s ‘Wild at Heart’. But this is all crap if, as so many and you yourself have stated on your blogs, we don’t offer God’s Uncomparable and Unconquerable Love.

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4. On April 19, 2009 @ 5:13 pm Daniel said:

   • Greg,

     I enjoyed the Salon article. It gave an interesting, balanced view of an unbeliever’s attempt to witness for Christ. Very interesting article. I wonder what the author’s major is/was at Brown U? Sociology or anthropology or perhaps philosophy? One thing I took away from the article is the need to continually share about God within ‘the fold’ of Christ – those whom we believe are Christians. Many are not.

     I especially enjoyed your response to the Salon article. Have you forwarded your response to the author and Salon?

     God Bless,
     Daniel

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5. On April 21, 2009 @ 1:07 pm Jim said:

   • Greg,
     You asked how a 3 hour outreach experience can be relentless and relational. Being a 6 time veteran of Dare 2 Share Columbus conferences, I have been involved in many of the Saturday afternoon outreach experiences. One of the things that I have struggled with is the relational aspect of the outreach, but how do you do relational when you are in a city in which you do not live? At the Survive conference in 2008, I tried something a little different. My group stays at a sister church of ours on the west side of Columbus. I called Jeff Rose (he is the outreach coordinator, for those who don’t know) and asked to be given the area around the church for our outreach area. When we went out into that neighborhood, we not only took the Dare 2 Share material and asked for canned goods, we also had material from the church. As we talked to those in that neighborhood, if anyone was interested as we shared the gospel with them, we told them about that church and gave them their material. I guess what I am suggesting is this: is there a way to partner closer with the many churches in cities where conferences are held in order to make it more relational in scheme? Maybe it might entail giving groups options of what they might do for the outreach. I definitely want to see the ministries who get the collected can good items still benefit from that, but what about coming alongside of churches and doing outreach events through the churches and offering them the help of those attending the conference to pull off an outreach event that they sponsor. The sky is the limit of what might be done for those 3 hours. Just some thoughts.

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     Greg Reply:
     April 21st, 2009 at 5:57 pm

     Great idea Jim! Pray for us as we ponder your idea (and others we are toying with) over the summer. We want to be as relational and as relentless as possible!

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