Latest / Reformed Thinking / Apologetics & Evangelism: Programs, Methods, and Balance

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Apologetics & Evangelism: Programs, Methods, and Balance · Reformed Thinking

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Welcome to Reformed Thinking. This is the Deep dive, the show
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where we sift through the information you share with us,
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all that material to find what's really valuable.
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We try to cut through the noise, give you the core insights,
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maybe a few surprising facts, and hopefully keep you engaged
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along the way. Our goal is to guide you through
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it so you understand what's most significant.
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A shortcut to being well informed on the topic.
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So today we're diving into something pretty interesting and
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sometimes a bit contentious within Christian circles, how
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believers share their faith. We're going to focus
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particularly on what people call cold evangelism, right?
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And then we'll really dig into one very well known method
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within that, the Way of the Master.
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That's the plan. We want to unpack how these
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things actually work. Yeah, you know, in the real
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world. What kind of results do they
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get, and what questions do they raise for us as we think about
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presenting the gospel? Yeah.
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What do these methods really bring to the table?
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And what are the potential, you know, downsides or challenges
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for believers trying to be faithful?
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OK, so let's start this deep dive by defining our terms.
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Cold evangelism. People might have heard it, but
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what does our source material really say it is?
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Good place to start. So at its heart, cold evangelism
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means approaching someone you have absolutely no prior
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relationship with. None at all.
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None. The sole aim, the objective, is
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to present the gospel message to them right then and there.
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So it's not like building a friendship over months and then
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sharing. Exactly.
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It's initiating contact with a complete stranger purely for
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that gospel conversation. The the relational bridge, if
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you want to call it that, gets built during the gospel
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presentation, not before. And what does that look like
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practically? The sources mention things like
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door to door. Yeah, that's the classic
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example. Literally knocking on a
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stranger's door or, you know, engaging people in public
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spaces. Like malls, subways, busy
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streets, places like that. Precisely.
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The key thing is the person doing the evangelism doesn't
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know the individual hasn't met them before.
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And probably won't see them again.
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Often, yes. It's usually designed as a
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single focused encounter aimed squarely at getting the gospel
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message across. OK.
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So it's distinct from other evangelism training programs
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people might know, like Evangelism Explosion or Alpha.
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Right. Those are different things, like
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EE or discipleship evangelism or the Alpha course.
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Yeah, they generally aren't cold in the same way.
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Why not? Because they usually focus on
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people who already have some connection to a church.
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Maybe they're visiting or they're friends of members.
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Or at least willing to come to a class or a study group.
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Exactly, They've already shown some level of interest or
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connection. Cold evangelism targets the
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person with 0 existing ties, the complete stranger outside your
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network. It's immediate, direct
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engagement. OK, that's clear.
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Now with that definition set, what are the upsides?
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Because the sources definitely point out some real benefits to
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this approach for the church body and for individuals.
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Oh, absolutely. One of the big ones is how it
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fosters and an evangelism culture within a church.
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Well, when a church actively runs and promotes cold
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evangelism programs, maybe regular teams going out to parks
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or doing door to door. It just puts evangelism front
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and center. It does.
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It encourages members to be active in sharing their faith
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and even for those who don't personally join those specific
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outreach. Teams just seeing it happen
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makes a difference. Yeah, just seeing it advertised,
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knowing it's happening, it helps normalize evangelism.
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It frames it as a regular, expected part of Christian in
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life, not just something for, you know, pastors or
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missionaries. It sets an expectation for
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outreach. Right, it says this is something
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we do. And what about the people who
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actually participate? The ones going out and doing it.
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Well, for them it definitely builds boldness and it helps
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reduce that feeling of shame or embarrassment about the gospel.
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I can imagine walking up to a total Stringer to talk about
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Jesus takes courage. It really does.
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It pushes people way outside their comfort zone and doing
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that repeatedly builds confidence in speaking about
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their faith. So they become less hesitant,
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maybe more articulate. Exactly.
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Yeah, that participation helps them shed hang ups they might
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have had about identifying as a Christian or sharing the
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message. It's a significant personal
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growth area. That makes sense, and the
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sources also mentioned something about understanding the gospel
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better. Yeah, that's a really key point.
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When you consistently have to explain the gospel to someone
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else, your own grasp of it gets much clearer.
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Like teaching helps you learn. Precisely.
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It's not just reciting facts. You encounter questions,
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objections, maybe things you haven't thought deeply about.
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Like why does God allow suffering?
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Or what about people who've never heard stuff like that?
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Right. And those challenges force you
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to dig deeper into the Bible, to find answers, to clarify your
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own theology. You sharpen your understanding
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in a way that just sitting and reading might not achieve.
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It forces engagement with the core truths.
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Definitely. OK, what else?
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The sources mentioned providing an outlet.
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Yes, for those who are, you know, particularly gifted or
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passionate about evangelism, every church has people like
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that. People with maybe the spiritual
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gift of evangelism or just a really strong desire to reach
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out. Exactly.
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Cold evangelism programs provide a regular, structured way for
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them to use those gifts and passions.
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And it gives the church an answer when members ask, what
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are we doing for outreach? It does.
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It's a practical, ongoing ministry they can point to and
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get involved in. And just practically speaking,
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it's seen as a good use of time. Yeah, the source frames it that
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way. It's a productive alternative
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to, you know, less purposeful activities.
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But better than watching football all Sunday afternoon,
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perhaps. That's the kind of comparison
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made, yeah. For believers wanting to be more
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active in outreach, it's seen as a worthwhile way to spend time
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investing in something with potentially eternal
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significance. There were some anecdotes in the
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material that really bring this to life, That story from Cal
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State Northridge. Oh yeah, that was striking.
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This group did campus outreach cold evangelism for a whole
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year. And saw nothing.
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Absolutely nothing. No visible results, no one
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sticking around. Must have been incredibly
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discouraging. You'd think so.
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But then the second year, things started happening.
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People began showing up to their Bible study.
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Some actually made decisions to follow Christ.
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Wow, so perseverance paid off. It really did.
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It shows that you can't always judge effectiveness by immediate
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visible results. Seed sowing takes time.
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There is also that that slightly odd encounter mentioned in that
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story, the guy in the teepee. Right, that was memorable.
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This older guy living in a teepee on campus identified as
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Native American, though he didn't look at, according to the
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speaker. And he had spices.
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Claimed to have all the spices God gave the world for healing
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have them in a satchel. The students apparently asked
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him about aloe Vera and he pulls it out and shows everyone.
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But the interesting part was as soon as they started actually
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preaching the gospel message, he was gone.
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Just illustrates the unpredictable, sometimes weird
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reactions you get. Not everyone wants to hear the
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message, even if they seem open initially.
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There was another story too, from the Speaker's own church,
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about door to door visits. Yeah, they have a systematic
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program covering a three mile radius around their church
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building. Hitting every home every three
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years or so. Something like that.
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And apparently this regular presence leads to people asking
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questions about the church later on.
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It builds a kind of long term awareness.
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But they also ran into some interesting situations, like
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that sign. Oh.
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Right, the sign on the door, it had a picture of a gun.
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And said, what do you believe in life after death?
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Knock on this door and find out. Yeah, pretty intimidating.
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Wisely, the evangelism team decided to just skip that house.
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Can't blame them. It just shows the real world
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stuff you encounter. It's not always easy or safe.
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You need discernment. Okay, so those are the benefits,
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but as you'd expect, this kind of outreach isn't without its
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problems. The sources list several
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potential difficulties. For sure, and maybe the most
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obvious one, the one people worry about most, is that it can
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come across as really obnoxious. If it's not done well.
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Exactly. If the person sharing isn't
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winsome, if they're pushy or insensitive, it can create a
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really negative reaction. Doing more harm than good,
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potentially. That's the risk, alienating
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people, turning them off Christianity altogether.
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There's this constant tension the evangelist feels.
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Between being bold and being, well, annoying.
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Yeah, the source used that chairlift analogy.
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You've got maybe 8 minutes with someone skiing.
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You want to share, but you don't want to be so forceful they
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regret getting on the lift with you.
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That's a good picture of it finding that balance.
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It's tough. What about the impact inside the
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church? Can it create problems there?
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It can A strongly pushed cold evangelism program can sometimes
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make people who don't participate feel guilty or
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inadequate. Even if they have good reasons
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not to like other ministries. Or maybe they just aren't wired
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that way. Right.
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It can foster this feeling of failure, like, oh, I don't go
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door to door, so I must not be doing evangelism.
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Which isn't necessarily true. Not at all, but it can be
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damaging to their sense of calling or contribution.
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And there's a bigger concern, too, right, about overshadowing
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other kinds of evangelism. Yes, this is a major one.
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The risk is that evangelism starts to feel like just a
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scheduled program, something you do on Tuesday nights or Sunday
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afternoons. Instead of a natural part of
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everyday life. Exactly.
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Yeah, it can unintentionally diminish the focus on building
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actual relationships with neighbors, Co workers, friends,
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you know, for the purpose of sharing Christ over time.
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Like how we see it in the book of Acts.
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More organic, happening everywhere.
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Precisely, Acts shows evangelism woven into the fabric of life,
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not just a formal program distinct from daily living.
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The dangers? Compartmentalizing it.
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And that can even lead to division in the church.
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Sadly, yes, it can create an US versus them vibe.
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Those in the program might start looking down on those who aren't
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thinking they aren't really serious about evangelism.
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Judging others faithfulness based on participation in one
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specific method, right? The source mentioned that
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anecdote about someone challenging John MacArthur
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because he wasn't part of their door knocking group.
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Wow, assuming if he wasn't doing their thing, he wasn't doing
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anything. It shows how that exclusive
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mindset can creep in and cause friction.
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Another practical issue mentioned was follow up,
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especially with St. outreach. Yeah, that's a real challenge.
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Someone makes a decision on, say, Venice Beach or college
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campus. How do you effectively connect
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them to a local church for discipleship?
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Especially if they live far away or have unstable lives.
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Exactly that person on Venice Beach might face A2 hour bus
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ride to get to the church. Consistent follow up and
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integration become very difficult.
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The connection is often briefs. And finally, the point that
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maybe not everyone is called to this specific type of
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evangelism. Right.
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While some might push it as the way the source suggests, it's
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not universally commanded for every single believer in
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Scripture. It's more like a tool a.
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Valuable tool, yes, especially for training and for those with
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the specific gifting or desire for it.
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But it's part of a church's overall strategy, not
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necessarily the only strategy or one that fits everyone.
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OK, that gives us a good handle on cold evangelism generally.
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The definition, pros, Cons. Now let's zoom in on the Way of
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the Master WTM. It's a very specific, very
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influential version of this. Definitely one of the most
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visible examples of cold evangelism out there today.
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So who's behind it? The sources mention Ray Comfort
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and Kirk Cameron. That's right.
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Ray Comfort, originally from I think New Zealand or maybe
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Australia, came to the US feeling a call to help American
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churches with evangelism. And Kirk Cameron, people know
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him from growing pains. Yeah, the actor, and
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interestingly, the source notes that his royalties from acting
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actually fund his work as a full time evangelist with the
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ministry. He doesn't take a salary from
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them. That's quite something, and
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their ministry is pretty broad. Oh yeah, they have the TV show
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which shows real encounters. They have the radio show now
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called Wretched with Todd Freele.
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Who's described as what? Clever and sarcastic.
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Moderately sarcastic, precise theologically.
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It's a call in show dealing with theology and evangelism.
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Plus they have large training academies online and in person
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with thousands involved, so a big reach.
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So what's the core method? What makes Wotm distinct?
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The core is using the 10 commandments, or, as the source
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clarifies, often about nine of them, to bring someone to an
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awareness of their sin. OK.
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Using the law? Why?
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What's the goal? The goal is to make the person
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see that God's standard is absolute perfection, absolute
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holiness. And that they don't need it.
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Exactly that. They fall short, often
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drastically short. And because of that, God's
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justice means they face, well, a very difficult eternal outcome,
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Hell. So it's about establishing guilt
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first, showing the disease before offering the cure.
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That's a good way to put it. It's about demonstrating your
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need before presenting the solution in Christ.
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This ties into their theology, right?
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Described as very God centered. Yes, very much so.
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It starts with God's holiness, His law, and our offense against
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Him. Not starting with say God loves
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you and has a wonderful plan. Right, that scene is more man
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centered. WTM argues you can't properly
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grasp God's love or His plan until you first understand His
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absolute holiness and your own deep sinfulness against that
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standard. Which leads to their emphasis on
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the bad news before the good news.
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Precisely, you need to understand your condemnation
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under God's law, your desperate need for a Savior before Jesus
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is presented as the answer. They use that analogy of a fine,
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right? Yeah.
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You need to know you have a massive fine you can't possibly
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pay before someone offering to pay it for you makes any sense
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or seems valuable. The bad news creates the
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necessary context for the good news to be good news.
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And there's a strong focus on the judicial side of salvation,
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like a courtroom. Very.
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Strong lots of courtroom analogies.
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We're guilty criminals before God to judge.
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Christ pays our fine, satisfies justice, makes us legally not
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guilty. It emphasizes that legal
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transaction. So how does a typical WTM
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conversation actually? Go.
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It often starts very simply, usually with the question, Are
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you a good person? And most people say.
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Yes, usually based on comparing themselves to others or their
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own internal standard. Then what?
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Then the evangelist gently guides them through some of the
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10 commandments. Have you ever lied?
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Ever stolen anything even small, everlusted, which Jesus equated
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with adultery? Ever coveted?
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Not to beat them up, but to show the disconnect.
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Exactly to help them see that their claim of being good
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doesn't line up with their own admission of breaking God's
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commands. It exposes that self
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righteousness. Right then the evangelist might
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summarize it quite bluntly, like so by your own admission, you're
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a lying, thieving adulterer at heart.
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The point is to bring conviction, to show them they
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aren't good by God's standard and therefore stand condemned.
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Creating that sense of need. Yes.
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And then once that awareness of sin and condemnation is there,
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Jesus is presented. As the one who died on the cross
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to pay the penalty for those sins, offering pardon.
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Exactly. Offering forgiveness, pardon,
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peace with God. It's a structured path, self
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righteousness, conviction via the law, then Christ as the only
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solution. And they claim this follows
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Jesus's example, specifically with the rich young ruler.
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That's their primary biblical model.
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Yes. They point to Matthew 19, where
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Jesus used the commandments to expose the man's true heart
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issue, his love of wealth, before calling him to follow.
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They see that as the pattern law first, then grace.
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They also use some pretty creative tools to start these
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conversations. Don't.
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They Oh yeah, very creative beyond just tracks asking are
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you a good person? They use things like optical
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illusions, riddles, brain teasers.
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That wallet track sounds memorable.
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One shaped like a wallet full of cash.
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Yeah. Yeah.
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You pick it up, it calls you a thief and then walks you through
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the law. Very direct.
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And those $1,000,000 bills? Right, the novelty bills.
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There's that funny story about the early ones with Grover
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Cleveland. Getting confiscated by the
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Secret Service. Because one actually tried to
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spend 1, so now they use rather food behaves, apparently because
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he's less recognizable. Or spurgeon on a billion dollar
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bill. Exactly, just trying to avoid
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legal trouble while still having a provocative conversation
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starter. And their public tactics can be
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quite theatrical. Sometimes, yeah.
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Especially this stuff filmed for their show debating hecklers
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using a microphone kill switch to control the conversation and
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draw a crowd. Using body bags to illustrate
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death and resurrection. Yep.
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Wheeling out a body bag, someone jumps out.
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Very visual. Or setting up those generic
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information booths that are secretly gateways to gospel
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conversations. And that Russian roulette thing
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in Vegas? That was definitely attention
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grabbing, offering people a fake chance to play Russian roulette
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for money to illustrate the gamble people take with their
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souls. It's designed to shock people
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into thinking. But despite some of the perhaps
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more unusual tactics, Ray Comfort himself is often
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described positively. Yeah, the sources consistently
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mentioned comes across as winsome, funny, very outgoing.
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Which helps make the message more palatable.
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It seems to his personality distinguishes their approach
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from maybe more abrasive or judgmental St. preaching styles
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people might have encountered. He connects with people.
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OK, so let's consolidate the specific benefits of Wotm,
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building on what we said about cold evangelism generally.
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What makes this particular method appealing?
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Well, First off, as we touched on, it provides really
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practical, easy conversation starters that are you a good
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person question the tracks, the novelty bills.
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It just overcomes that initial hurdle of how do I even begin?
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Exactly, that's a huge barrier for lots of Christians wanting
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to do St. outreach, and Wotm gives them concrete tools to get
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started. And the God centered approach is
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a big plus for many. Especially within, you know, our
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theological tradition, starting with God's holiness, His law,
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our offense against Him. It keeps the focus where it
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should be. Rather than starting with felt
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needs or personal benefits. Right.
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It lays that solid theological groundwork.
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First, God's character is paramount.
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It's also very effective at backing people into a logical
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corner quickly. Yeah, it's quite skilled at
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that, highlighting the contradiction between claiming
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to be good and admitting to breaking the very commandments
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many people, especially in America, vaguely accept as a
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moral standard. It exposes that inconsistency
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right at the root of their thinking.
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Within minutes, Often, yeah. It quickly cuts through self
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deception. And the bad news?
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First, strategy is seen as a key strength.
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Definitely explaining the fine before offering the payment,
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making sure people understand the depth of their sin and God's
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righteous judgment. So that the grace offered in
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Christ seems all the more amazing.
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Precisely, it gives the Gospel its proper weight in context.
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Understanding the disease makes the cure meaningful.
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It's also credited with reigniting passion for
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evangelism in churches. Yeah, particularly in more
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conservative churches, it provides a clear structure,
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training, a method. Giving people confidence in a
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framework to actually go out and do it right.
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It can lead to increased participation and enthusiasm for
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outreach among people who might have felt intimidated or unsure
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before. And and finally, that point
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about the winsomeness, particularly of Ray Comfort.
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Yes, his engaging, humorous, outgoing style makes the
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approach itself seem less confrontational than it might
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otherwise be. It draws people in.
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OK, but like any method, it's not perfect.
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There are concerns and criticisms, some minor, some
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more serious. Let's start with the the NIT
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picky ones as the source calls. Them right the theological
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discussion points. One is this idea of potentially
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over relying on logic or the law itself to produce conviction.
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Instead of relying solely on the Holy Spirit.
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Well, the concern is that conviction based only on a
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logical argument. You broke the law, therefore
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you're guilty. Might be overturned later by a
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clever counter argument. Whereas spirit wrought
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conviction goes deeper. That's the idea.
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The Spirit certainly uses the law, but true conviction is his
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sovereign work. The source even points to Romans
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8, suggesting the law can expose sin, but can't by itself save or
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empower change. Another point was about the
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resurrection maybe not getting enough focus.
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Yeah, sometimes in the WTM structure the resurrection can
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feel a bit like an add on at the end rather than being fully
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integrated. Is the absolute cornerstone it
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is. But Christ's victory over death
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is essential to the gospel, isn't it?
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Absolutely foundational. It validates everything Paul
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says. If Christ isn't raised, our
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faith is futile, so giving it its full weight is critical.
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Then there's the question of whether it truly reflects all of
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Jesus evangelism. Right WOTM leans heavily on the
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rich young ruler encounter. But did Jesus always start with
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the law, especially with non Jews?
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Paul certainly didn't seem to in Athens, for example.
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Exactly. Acts 17 shows Paul starting from
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a different place with Gentiles. It raises questions about
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whether a single method, even 1 based on a specific incident,
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should be applied universally. Which leads to that related
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dispensationalist concern about applying the 10 commandments
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directly to Gentiles today. Yeah, that's a theological point
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some raise. The 10 commandments were part of
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the Mosaic covenant given to Israel.
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So the argument is, are they directly applicable in the same
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way to, say, 21st century Americans?
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That's the debate. While most of the moral
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principles are timeless and repeated in the New Testament,
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applying the specific 10 Commandments package given at
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Sinai to Gentiles is questioned by some theological streams.
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They might argue the real law for Gentiles is God's law
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written on the conscience. OK, those are the nitpicky ones.
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What about the more serious concerns?
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One Big 1 is a potential lack of focus on counting the cost of
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discipleship. Meaning.
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Meaning the method can sometimes feel like it leads people to a
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logical decision. OK, I see I'm a Sinner.
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I need Jesus, I believe without fully emphasizing the radical
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call to repentance, self denial, and total life transformation
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that Jesus stressed. Making salvation seem more like
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an intellectual agreement than a costly commitment to follow
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Christ. That's the concern Jesus spoke
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often about, taking up your cross, forsaking all.
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Is that adequately conveyed if the focus is purely on the
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initial decision based on the law?
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Related to that is the focus on the judicial aspect, perhaps
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neglecting the relational side, right.
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It heavily emphasizes the get out of jail free aspect.
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Christ paid the legal penalty, which is true and vital.
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But maybe misses the relational restoration part, being
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reconciled to God as Father. That's the critique.
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Salvation isn't just escaping judgement.
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It's being brought back into a relationship with God.
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A fully rounded gospel includes both the judicial satisfaction
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and the relational reconciliation.
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Relying too heavily on just the courtroom analogy might miss
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some of that relational warmth. And the last major concern,
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which we touched on earlier is when it's presented as the only
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right way. Yeah, this is pastorally
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significant. Even if the leaders say it's one
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tool among many. Sometimes followers can get
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zealous and exclusive about it. Thinking if you're not using
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their method, you're doing it wrong.
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Exactly. And that trickle down attitude
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creates division. It leads to judging other
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believers, friction within the church, undermining the very
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mission they're trying to advance.
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That US versus them mentality again.
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Unfortunately, yes. So all these critiques lead us
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to think about the wider spectrum of evangelism, the need
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for a balanced view. Absolutely.
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God uses many approaches. Paul's example in Athens is key
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here. Right, X-17.
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He didn't start with Moses or the Law for that Gentile
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audience. No, he started where they were.
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He observed their culture, their altar to the unknown God.
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Use that as a starting point, yeah.
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Talk about God as creator, Lord of heaven and earth, humanity's
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origin, even quoted their own poets.
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Finding common ground before challenging their idolatry and
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calling them to repent based on the coming judgment and Jesus
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resurrection. It was a master class in
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contextualization, adapting the starting point and the argument
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to the specific audience, unlike a rigid one-size-fits-all
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approach. And the sources briefly mention
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other programs too, like EE Alpha.
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Which tend to be more for people already connected or willing to
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come to church events. And just walk across the room.
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Bill Hybels material focusing more on natural relational
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opportunities in everyday life. And the speaker's own church
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uses grace evangelism. Which sounds like it focuses on
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knowing the gospel points thoroughly and finding
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conversational entry points flexibly, rather than one
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specific script being ready for any open window.
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So the big take away seems to be about having a toolbox.
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Exactly. There isn't 1 magic tool for
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every situation. Different approaches fit
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different people and different contexts.
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Like the law based Wotm approach might be perfect for someone
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proud and self-righteous. Right.
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They need that mirror of the law to see their need.
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Yeah, but for someone already crushed by guilt or grieving or
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sick. You'd need a different tool,
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maybe emphasizing God's comfort, grace, relational healing.
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Precisely. The goal isn't to master one
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system, but to know the gospel so well and be sensitive to the
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person and the spirits leading that you can connect with them
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wherever they are. Seizing opportunities rather
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than just following a program. Yeah, seeing evangelism more as
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a lifestyle and ongoing readiness than just a scheduled
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event. We've certainly covered a lot of
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ground today on the deep dive. We looked at cold evangelism,
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then really drilled down into the Way of the Master.
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We unpacked how they work, the benefits they bring, but also
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the valid concerns and criticisms raised.
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It really shows that God works in diverse ways to draw people
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to himself. Different tools have different
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uses. No single method has a monomaly,
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but many can be useful in a balanced spirit.
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Guided Outreach. So as we wrap up, maybe the
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thought to leave you with is this considering all these
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different approaches, what does it really look like for you to
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see sharing the good news not just as a program, but as part
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of your daily walk? How can you be ready to speak
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truth, share hope wherever God's Spirit leads you, using the
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opportunities and gifts He gives you?
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Especially from a Reformed perspective, how do you balance
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God's sovereignty in drawing His people with your responsibility
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to be a faithful instrument ready to share the amazing news
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of Jesus Christ? Something to reflect on.
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Until next time, keep thinking deeply and applying that
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knowledge. This has been reformed thinking.