This posting is rather unique. Tonight (January 13, 2010), I had the privilege of speaking at the Wednesday night service for my home church, Calvary Chapel Ft. Lauderdale. Pastor Bob Coy is the one who so graciously wrote the Foreword to my book, Engage!
Given the nature of my talk, I touched on a number of important subjects. Essentially, however, I suggested responses to three important questions:
• What is faith? (Melissa’s story)
• Why should one even consider belief in God? (Lucas’s story)
• How can one posit that Jesus is the only way to God? (Michelle’s story)
For those of you who were unable to attend (or view the live-streaming video), I will be posting a video of my talk and will provide a link at this site (though that may take a few days!). Regardless, you are welcome to join in on the discussion!
In the meantime, for those who did hear me speak, I invite you to post your questions here so that, along with my able assistants, Miguel Benitez and Lonzo Sheffield, we can interact with you concerning the questions and/or comments you may have. Of course, others may join in the discussion at will (and, of course, I do reserve the right to remove any comments that I deem inappropriate or irresponsible).
In anticipation of the question, “What were the names of those books you recommended?”, the list is as follows:
• Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
• Five Sacred Crossings by Craig Hazen
• The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel
• True for You, But Not for Me by Paul Copan
• The Gospel According to Mark (or, John’s Gospel)—two books found among the first four in the New Testament
I look forward to interacting with the questions and / or comments that follow!
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THANKS FOR YOUR EFFORTS TO BRING MORE PEOPLE TO CHRIST . I HAVE FOUND MY OWN FAITH TO BE ON A ROLL A COASTER RIDE FROM TIME TO TIME, BUT I THINK THIS MAY BE GOD'S WAY OF BRINGING US CLOSER TO HIM. I THANK GOD FOR ALL MY BLESSINGS BUT OFTEN FIND MYSELF ASKING WHY HE PUTS SUCH HURDLES IN MY PATH .
ReplyDeleteHi Carmen,
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I met you at the Calvary House picnic a few Sundays ago. Thanks for the book you sent us! You did a wondeful job tonight! I added you on Facebook too. Congrats! Jen Rose
Awesome bible study tonight Carmen.
ReplyDeleteLast night was the first time I heard you speak. I have been attending Calvary FTL since Oct '06. I realy enjoyed listening to you speak so I jumped on here to check your blog. It is realy difficult to speak with some friends about Jesus and how I know without any uncertainty he exists in our lives. Last night you talked about a boy (forgot the name) that you had suggested to just speak to Jesus instead of his late brother. I think that is a great way to maybe open a door to some of my "not sure" friends. Since I speak much better on paper than in person, it might be best just to get out of the way of Jesus. No better then Him to chnage their lives. What you think?
ReplyDeleteI would like to respond to the previous comment.
ReplyDeleteFirst, I sincerely appreciate your heart--a desire to convey to your friends the reality of your relationship with Jesus. In my several year (about 7 years to be exact!) "conversation" with my friend, Alan, there were surely those frustrating times as well as those times that he seemed to be making progress (i.e.--spiritually).
It was in the context of one of those frustrating moments that I encouraged him to, "just ask God." I really want to be careful not to have you think that such a comment is a good thing to tell someone with whom you've had little opportunity to spell out the truth of the Gospel (which I had done, undoubtedly several times, during that 6 - 7 year period). So...I would say that it is important to take my "advice" to Alan in the broader context of the relationship.
I would like to focus in on something else you said as well: "It is is really difficult to speak with some friends about Jesus and how I know without any uncertainty he exists in our lives." Though I do appreciate the important role of a personal testimony, it is important to keep first things first in our conversations. One's personal testimony can be used to validate a number of different worldviews. I would suggest that one's testimony (or describing the reality of Christ's presence in one's life) best follow the facts of the Gospel.
May I here suggest a principle for your consideration?
Experience should not be used to discern Truth, but all Truth should be validated in experience.
Finally, just because you may not think you are effective in communicating the Gospel to your friends, I am confident you one of the best people to do so--simply because this "thing" of sharing one's faith is a lot more about relationship than it is about presentation!. That's a really important point! And this is where it is really appropriate to ask God for insight and help.
What do you think?
I heard you speak at Calvary and bought your book...it is very enlightening and enjoyable...I was reading the chapter on engaging with Jewish people and at the end of the chapter you said you gave Sylvia a small booklet.....I would like to know what the booklet was....I have jewish friends that I witness to and I liked your ideas in that chapter....I also have a booklet that was given to me by Jack Heinz from Peace for Isreal, Inc. that is titled "Training Manual for Sharing Messiah with Jewish People"...it comes with a small booklet called "Do you know the 5 steps for perfect peace?"....have you heard of this?...anyway, I have a Jewish girlfriend that I witnessed to with his technique and after about 8 months of her seeking God in the Scripture, she gave her life to Christ....God is so amazing!...What a gift from God to have a long time friend give her life to Christ and now we can talk of the things of God...I am excited to try the things in your book...I pray God richly blesses you and your family...Maureen
ReplyDeleteThanks, Maureen! I think it is awesome that you obviously appreciate one of the very important "ingredients" in sharing the Gospel with Jewish individuals: relationship. Not that relationship trumps truth, but the combination of both is so very important (I would like to suggest that the Jewish people are very intuitive and they measure one's truth claims by how those claims are "lived out" in everyday life.)
ReplyDeleteThe booklet I often give people is: "Connecting with God" (published by Campus Crusade for Christ). However, I think the booklet you've mentioned (and specifically written for Jewish people) is better than the one I mentioned in Sylvia's story; it was the only one I had w/ me at the time!
Of course, as you know, not all Jewish people believe similarly. Some believe in a personal God, others (like my friend, Alan) really don't know much about God or even necessarily affirm His existence. So, as in any relationship, it is important to determine where someone "is" before jumping in! :)
Keep sharing your faith, Maureen! For, it is "the faith"--and the rewards sharing it w/ others pays eternal dividends.