Miano: One of the questions I got was: Why didn't I share the Gospel through friendship evangelism; establish relationships with these people and get permission to share the Gospel of Christ with them?
Sunny: Being attacked from unbelievers is expected, but friendly fire from Christians is painful and dishonoring to God (Gal 5:13-15). Sorry that happened brother. How did you respond to this friendly fire?
Tony: I told them, "The mindset in Christianity to earn the right...that kind of thinking is blasphemous because we serve the King of kings. No herald of the Gospel goes into vanquished enemy territory and asks permission of the King's enemies to declare the King's edicts. But that's what American evangelism has become—that believers ask the unsaved permission to do what God has commanded them to do.
I answer to the King of kings and the Lord of lords. I don't answer to men; I serve my King (Acts 4:19-20,Gal 1:10).
~Sunny Shell, excerpts from interviewing Tony Miano on the events of his arrest for preaching at Wimbledon last summer, italics original
Tony is right. We who are not only slaves of the King, but also children of the Most High, do not ask the Kings' enemies permission to obey His command to proclaim the Good News. This is, after all, my Father's world. He created it, owns it, and rules over it. He has already given the command to preach the Gospel in season and out of season. We aren't to look to His enemies for approval nor permission to obey HIM.
I think that perhaps friendship evangelism is more like near-evangelism or almost-evangelism. It's a way to put off proclaiming the Gospel to someone while at the same time enjoying their friendship (and let's be honest---it's a way to be liked and not be rejected). I know this firsthand, to my shame. The result is that Christ is rarely or (more realistically) not even mentioned and the unsaved person remains hostile toward God and dead in his sins and trespasses.
The Book of Acts and the letters of Paul are replete with examples where the disciples confronted people with the Law of God to bring them to the knowledge of their sin, before explaining forgiveness of sin through the penal, substitutionary atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Well over 80% of the combined evangelistic efforts of Jesus and the apostles would be characterized as “confrontational evangelism,” in many segments of the modern-day American Church. Sadly, many Christians have bought the lies of extra-biblical traditions and man-centered pragmatism, and no longer preach the gospel as did Jesus, his disciples, and as much of today’s persecuted church around the world still does.
Well over 80% of the combined evangelistic efforts of Jesus and the apostles would be characterized as “confrontational evangelism,” in many segments of the modern-day American Church. Sadly, many Christians have bought the lies of extra-biblical traditions and man-centered pragmatism, and no longer preach the gospel as did Jesus, his disciples, and as much of today’s persecuted church around the world still does.
End quote.
Miano has also stated in part in his "Bait and Switch of Friendship Evangelism" article:
You have been told over the years that you have to earn the right to share the gospel. You have been told over the years that you must establish a relationship with a person to show that person you care before you can share the gospel with them. You have been told over the years that people won't care what you have to say until they see that you care. You have been told over the years that people must first see Jesus in you (after all, you might be the only Jesus some people will ever see) before you can tell them about Jesus. But here's the problem.
None of these traditional American Evangelical mantras can be supported with Scripture. Modern evangelical tradition holds that the Christian has to do a great deal to make the gospel more palatable, to cushion the blow of the truth, before the truth can and should be shared with lost people. The Bible says otherwise. But, American evangelicals are convinced that the gospel needs their help. The gospel can't be simply, honestly, and lovingly shared up front. The gospel has to be eased into a conversation, after the Christian has eased into the unbeliever's life.
End quote.
Please read the entire article for the full treatment along with Scripture references.
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