This morning in my evangelism and apologetics class we had the priviledge of having Mike Seaver come and teach us 'The Way of the Master'. For those of you who don't know, Mike Seaver is actually Kirk Cameron. He was a child actor in the sitcom 'Growing Pains' and got saved around the age of 19. But he didn't really fully get everything until around 2001, when he started getting involved in Ray Comfort's ministry 'Way of the Master'. This ministry has a TV show, a radio program, a website, and more. They basically train people to walk up to strangers and share the Gospel.
The thing I like about this approach is that it does not start with calling the person a sinner, but gets them to come to that point themselves. We know that the Gospel is an offense to those that don't believe, but this gets them not to throw up a wall immediately. I know all of you at FBC will be going through this program and I would reccomend it. Romans makes it very clear that the law exists to convince man that sin abounds and Galatians speaks of the law being a tutor that brings people to the Gospel.
Kirk had a good point with an illustration. He said that when we look in a mirror, we look in it to see ourselves for who we are. When we realize that we need to get cleaned up, we don't take the mirror off the wall and rub ourselves with it. We go to the water to clean that which the mirror revealed. You can make the obvious connection.
One of the problems that I would anticipate is that this does not start with the existence of God. I don't know how someone would react that doesn't believe in God or believe that the law is the very words of God.
If you'd like to learn more about this, follow the link the the right under apologetics.
2 comments:
Mark Sohmer starts teaching the series tonight. He'll be doing it during Evening Service for the next 10 weeks, I think. So pray that people will be faithful to attend and to do the study he assigns us. [Poor Kirk Cameron...he'll never live down the "Mike Seaver" character - except for those too young to remember the show.]
Hey Tim (and others),
I'm a self-professed Way of the Master junkie. I love it. It's a bit sad that many of us today have to argue for using the Law of God in evangelism, as this was the norm in the Bible, and in church history up until about 100 years ago.
In my car this morning I was listening to a sermon by D. L. Moody and Moody (actually the actor reading the script) sounded just like Ray Comfort going through the commandments. Same with Spurgeon, Edwards, and most importantly, Jesus Himself.
Anyhow, as for presupposing God, this is the same tactic Paul used in Romans chapter 1.
"18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
19 ¶ Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man" (Romans 1:18-23, emphasis mine).
So those who claim to be unbelievers are actually deceiving themselves. There are no unbelievers. We all know the truth because God has given light to every man, and that is the conscience. One of the things I love about the "Way of the Master" is that they use God's Law to go around the intellect, the place of argument, to the conscience, the place of conviction.
So I wouldn't worry about the fact that they presuppose God. Paul did the same. Ray and Kirk are in good company.
I've heard them on their radio and tv show deal with atheists, and they basicaly say to them, "You can say there's no God, but that won't change the truth that 10 out of 10 people die and we'll all face judgment, and we'll all fail against the 10 Commandments."
Then it's up to God to convict the heart of the atheist or not. Being a Calvinist and being a "Way of the Master" junkie is a GREAT combo! :)
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