Does it work?

Here's a question for all my readers, saved or unreached.

Does a confrontational approach ever work?    I have two viewpoints.

On the one hand, I have seen a confrontational approach work on two men.  One, my husband, was debating "religion" with a man named John.

"Ron" he said "You've never even read the Bible!  You are ignorant!  Go read a Bible and then we'll talk."  Ron was so furious he went and stole a Bible, reading it and getting saved.

Another time my husband told a fellow passenger "You need a Bible, sir" and gave him one.  Amazingly, the man accepted it and began reading it immediately.  We rode with him months later and he thanked us again, for the Bible.

So, on a few occasions, I guess an evangelist can be a little brash.  I have to think, though, that most of the time, God calls us to mercy and compassion.

I told Ron "I just share my faith and offer them a Bible, and they take it."  That's my approach.  I have this wonderful faith and I want to share.   Or, I put a Bible or scripture booklet into a bag of candy and share that - but again, it's sharing.  That's my approach, sharing in love.

Some people are really fond of certain approaches, "Way of the Master" for one.  link  I read the book and determined it is not for me.

I am more an intuitive, "guided by the Holy Spirit" evangelist.  Show God's love to people, share my testimony, and offer them a Bible.  God takes it from there.

WOTM isn't a bad approach.  I have to say, firstly, it's a formula.  I think it is restrictive to use a formula, but understand it may be more comfortable for others.  I'm not a fan of formulas.  With my memory problems, I'd probably forget a vital step!

Secondly, it basically tells the person "You are a sinner, and you are going to hell unless".  Again, not a bad approach.  Some of us need that.  That's the approach used the night I got saved.  I wanted to go to Heaven, and I wanted Jesus in my life.  It took me a long time to realize what that entailed!

I am happy to serve Him, and wouldn't give Him up for anything.  I'm never alone.

So, good for them.  They are getting the Word out.  It's an interesting approach, and, while a little edgy, not ugly.

Then we get to the shouters.  You know who I'm talking about, don't you?    I bet I could find some GOOD links.

Here's a little one:  http://youtu.be/bgIjGID9HSE

Notice how he is waving his Bible as he insults everyone?

Now look at this:

First, I am a sinner.  I am a liar, a fornicator, I have committed adultery in my head.  I have hated my parents, I have stolen, I have committed many sins.

I am honored that God has chosen to forgive me and use me in spite of all my flaws.  God, in me, makes me great!  I'm just a crazy woman with brain damage.

Ok, that said,  I wave Bibles in this video but notice my language.  I love the unreached.  I feel a tremendous love and responsibility for my recipients, whom I view as my spiritual "children".  I may not say that in the video, but I do.

http://youtu.be/bZq8SsiwXrg

Funny, that was just 2 years ago.

God has called me, and every Christian, to preach the gospel to everyone.  A famous evangelist (Corrie Ten Boom) once said "The world does not read the Bible.  The world reads you and me."

As I read about Jesus in the New Testament, he was always very kind to the unreached.  He deliberately sought out the undesirables in society, and treated them with kindness and respect.

I have to emulate that.

Edit: Ron thought of another approach, but I don't advise it.  http://youtu.be/eowuu9rVjZw