Christians, particularly the more charismatic, evangelical types?

Question

Do you ever get to know someone and NOT have the aim of converting them to your own belief? Say, for example, you had a good friend who was steadfast in refusing to becoming a Christian - would you continue that friendship?

Answer 1

Sure, why not? But .... when I was newer in the faith, I tried to convert everybody. Some people have that kind of evangelistic gift, but I don't. I ended up running off lots of people and I never felt comfortable about it. It just seemed like a ploy to get to know people and they saw right through that.

Now, I just try to live my life so that I love people and more importantly that I don't embarrass Christ and give a bad name to Christians. I really try to be loving to people - not that saccharine thing - but to forgive people, help them, look for ways to be kind to them. I don't hide my faith - but I don't beat people over the head with the bible. I wasn't always a Christian and I hated when people did that to me. Right now I'm friends with people who aren't Christian. Basically I just try to enjoy people in general.

It is hard though when you have a much closer relationship. Because I think about the Lord a lot, I talk about him. If a person really doesn't like Christ, that would probably be annoying to them. I think it would be very, very difficult for me to be in a best friends or marriage relationship with someone who wasn't Christian because this is core to who I am.

But I wouldn't rule it out (the good friend - but not marriage). Years ago I would have and I in fact, I lost a very good friend as a result. I am so sorry now that I did that. At the time, I was so new in my faith that I was easily swayed. Now I'm not that way anymore. And I just accept people. I've grown so I can be in more different types of relationships.

If someone asks me about Jesus, I tell them. Or if I feel a prompting, then I'll do it. But otherwise, I just concentrate on being friendly and kind to people.

Answer 2

I am neither evangelical nor charismatic. But as a Christian? I live and let live. It has not been given to any of us to know the current state of a soul before God, so I would have no right to tell my friends they are going to Hell. How would I know whether this is the case or not? Like a couple of other yahoo users said, the door is always open if my friends want to discuss things. One should always try to set a good example. If you're not living a good life, then why would someone want Jesus? This is a big test for all believers of whatever religion; let your light shine!

Answer 3

Um, I'm not a Christian but a Muslim. I would try to convert them but if they refuse then I will be sinning,in God's eyes, if I tried to force my religion onto them. As for the friendship question, this is what I have to say. I have a lot of friends from a variety of cultures and I love them very much. I do not think that religion should be the reason of friendship. The sole purpose of a friendship is that you are friends because you like each other and not each others religion.

Answer 4

Non-Christians, non-charismatic, non-evangelical types:

Do you ever get to know someone and not have the aim of acting in their best interest? Say, for example, you had a good friend who stepped in front of a train and refused fought to keep you from pushing him out of the way -- would you continue to try to help?

Answer 5

There are 3 elementary form of christians: Catholic, jap Orthodox and Protestant. Catholics have been the 1st huge group made solid throughout the time of Rome by utilising emperor Constantine. while the Roman Empire chop up the two church homes additionally chop up finally, turning out to be jap Orthodox (Google "great Schism"). Protestants are the christians who do no longer in ordinary terms like the pope, the catholic institutions and can like their very own very own bible. This circulate began in the 1500s with Martin Luther. Protestant denominations have eversince been as many as leaves on a tree. extremely some protestant denominations have differing perspectives, lots of which you published up there. Non-classic catholics are often stated as heretics. even nonetheless non-classic catholic sounds lots extra suitable. The catholics are people who carry on with the Pope. Fundamentalists are those protestants who elect to adhere to the purest a danger form of biblical regulation. they often overdo it. Liberalist Christians are surely in simple terms soothsaying protestants. Suuuure God loves gays, care to furnish a donation? Evangelical Christians are the protestants who think of it somewhat is significant to unfold God's be conscious. they are in the back of christian involvement in American politics. Charismatic Christian may be a christian with 15 or extra factors of air of secrecy.

Answer 6

Unless that friend was causing others to do things that were morally and legally wrong (e.g. vandalism, prostitution, pornography), or was behaving in a completely immoral way, then I would have no qualms of continuing our friendship. Obviously, I would not allow the friend to 'badmouth' the God of the Bible in my presence without responding to the challenge, or at least rebuking them; nevertheless I would not lightly break the friendship. If I did break the friendship, then I would tell them why, and explain why their behaviour was reprehensible to God.
I fact, this is no theoretical question for me, as most of my friends are non-Christians, as are all bar one of my immediate family and, to the best of my knowledge, so are all my work colleagues.
Christ called us to witness, not to browbeat. I seldom fail to respond to any of their questions or statements re Christianity, but I tell them the things I feel they need to know at that time, and pray that God will give an opening for a true sharing of the Gospel.

The most important ingredient missing from many western Christians' evangelising, is asking (by prayer) where God wants us to minister. Jesus told His disciples to 'Wait for the promise of the Father, which ... ye have heard of [from] Me ... ye shall be baptized of the Holy Ghost not many days hence.' (Acts 1:4, 5, KJV): we also see, in Acts, the Christians doing as they were led by the Holy Spirit, including refraining from entering one territory and going to another instead.

But that must not be used as an excuse not to share the Gospel. All Christians are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, and He longs to guide us into all righteousness. Therefore, we Christians must follow the example of those disciples; humbling ourselves, seeking God's will in our lives, praying that God will fit us for His purpose, and never ceasing to pray for those lost souls around us, and for both the how and the courage to reach them for Him (see 2 Chronicles 7:14).

May God bless who truly seek Him.

Answer 7

My motivation in having someone as a friend is not so I can convert them. All of my friends know that I am a Christian. If they want to talk about it, then we do. If they don't, then we don't. My firendships are not contingent on my friend being a Christian or becoming one.

Answer 8

Oh yes, lots of people! I have enough knowledge now to know that it is not my responsibility to 'convert' people, only god can do that. But I do tell people about Jesus, otherwise how will they know? Not only do I stay friends with non believers, I have 3 very close friends who have come to know Jesus but do not follow Him in their every day lives, and I stay friends with them too. Our best witness is to live as Jesus did.

Answer 9

I could be professional or political friends with someone without having to accept their faith system. That is what America is about. Eventually everyone will want to know the truth.

Answer 10

Absolutely.