My church requires that anyone who is licensed or ordained must lead at least one person to Christ per year to remain licensed/ordained. Now, I understand that we are to witness to those who aren't saved, but I thought it was God/Christ who actually changed the person's heart to make them believe. How does one go about being sure that someone is led to Christ? I can witness, beg, plead, shove my beliefs down someone's throat, but if God doesn't change their heart, how can I actually lead them there?
2007-07-02 09:11:59 · 25 answers · asked by Starfall 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I see the point, but I don't think it should be a requirement. Anyone who is called to preach has a spiritual gift of evangelism. If he can't win someone to the Lord at least once a year he may either a) not be called to preach, or b) not doing his job. However, that is just my opinion. You're right about witnessing. If the Holy Spirit is not working in a person's life, he is not going to get saved at that time. And you can't be sure if a person is really saved either. Some people say they're saved, go to church, etc. and look like Christians but may not really believe the gospel. Only God knows their heart. Just pray for those you witness to and leave the rest to God. I think I read that David Livingston, the missionary to Africa,never converted anybody, but he prepared the way for future missionaries.
2007-07-02 09:32:21 · answer #1 · answered by Cee T 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, I don't read of any "licensed" preachers in the New Testament so I feel that 1. that's a "man-made rule" and 2. it doesn't seem quite fair, 3. could the necessity of the quota be clouding the real reason behind leading them to Christ?
We all have the responsibility to "teach the Word" whether it is spoken or simply by the way we live. We do not need a "license" or be ordained to "preach the gospel to every creature" Mark 16:15. The preacher is not the only person that is expected to lead souls to Christ. However we cannot force someone to follow Christ, we can only provide the Bible and guidance in what Jesus has told us to do. Every person has a free will and each person makes the decision on whether they will follow Christ or not.
So what should a person do? Do your best to have the attitude of Christ (Phil. 2:5). Treat others as you want them to treat you if you were in their shoes and they in yours (Matt. 7:12). And remember that you are not perfect and you will make mistakes (I John 1:8). Yet even though you may sometimes be offended, it is better to try to teach the Lord's word and inadvertently offend someone, than to refuse to teach at all because you are afraid of doing so.
2007-07-02 16:34:58 · answer #2 · answered by TG 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are those among us who are spiritually curious. Looking for something but don't really know what it is.
It is our job to share our faith with them (not shove it down their throat) when the time is right. If someone asks about my faith I explain why I believe in Jesus Christ. If I get an opportunity to tell someone how Christ has changed my life I will do that also.
I feel that all I can do is to help intensify someone's curiosity enough to get them to begin investigating Christianity and if they ask questions I will try to help them find the answers.
It is this process that begins the life change process. When a person makes an effort to find the truth the Holy Spirit will touch the persons heart. Faith will not be thrust upon you but...seek and ye shall find.
As someone has already said...we can only plant seeds and try to help them grow. I'm not sure how you can put a quota on that. But I do know that the more seeds you sow the more likely you are to see some grow and perhaps this is the motivation behind the quota.
2007-07-02 16:33:35 · answer #3 · answered by thunderbolt_1963 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
So, what is Apollos? And what is Paul? They are servants through whom you believed, and each has the role the Lord has given. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. Now the one who plants and the one who waters are equal, and each will receive his own reward according to his own labor.
1 Corinthians 3:5-8
Using agricultural metaphors, Paul acknowledged that he had planted and that Apollos watered. They had done their work well and faithfully. But the real work was the Lord’s. God was causing the growth. No man, not even the best farmer or the best horticulturist, can give physical life or growth to a plant. How much less can anyone, even an apostle, give spiritual life or growth to a person. The most that men can do in either case is to prepare and water the soil and to plant the seeds. The rest is up to God. Neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. The human instrument is not anything but a tool. All the honor for the accomplishment goes to God.
2007-07-02 16:20:05 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Seems like a good rule, but really its every christians job to be effective in the witness !!! Putting a quota is another issue !!! Maybe a better rule is to have to witness to 5 people a month or 60 a year and let the end result with God and the person witnessed to !!!
2007-07-02 16:22:47 · answer #5 · answered by rapturefuture 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
What a lousy doctrine. The Holy Spirit draws a person to Christ. You only present the gospel and allow the Holy Spirit to work. I would change churches. It seems they believe salvation by works.
2007-07-02 16:22:54 · answer #6 · answered by Fish <>< 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
join a different church.
Any church which requires you to do that is not to be taken serious, for the reasons you mention.
You can not shove a particular religion down somebodies throat and expect them to swallow it. They are more likely to throw up.
It sounds more like a cult than a church. Also check, if it's only valid if that convert joins your particular church, run. If it's valid if "your" convert joins any other christian denomination, than maybe it's not entirely cult.
2007-07-02 16:31:23 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
we as Christians witness to others..God changes from the inside out, and alot of times we can't see no changes on the outsides but we will soon and when we do it will be so fast we won't know what to say...can't answer about licensed or ordained, sorry...Joy
2007-07-02 16:33:03 · answer #8 · answered by pops 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
"No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day."--John 6:44
We are to share the gospel, but we cannot save others. Only the Holy Spirit can open a person's heart to receive the truth, we just plant the seeds of faith. It is His responsibility to "water" them and make them grow. I'd talk to this pastor about what the Bible says concerning this--if he refuses to hear the truth and continues to push his own doctrine, I'd definitely find another church.
2007-07-02 16:32:31 · answer #9 · answered by beano™ 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
"My church requires that anyone who is licensed or ordained must lead at least one person to Christ per year to remain licensed/ordained"
Sounds like a pyramid scheme.
Ohh wait, it is.
2007-07-02 16:14:57 · answer #10 · answered by Dark-River 6 · 8⤊ 0⤋