Counting Conversations, Not Conversions
14/10/07 16:24 Filed in: Evangelism
Counting Conversations, Not Conversions
Pastor Kirk Wulff
14 October 2007
Statistics
57% of evangelical Christians believe they have a personal responsibility to tell others.
94% over 18 are unlikely to respond to the Gospel as it is currently being presented.
90% of Americans believe in God but only 30% are in church on Sunday.
Seismic shifts in our civilization
Modernism
Dominated by development of science, math, rational thinking, analysis, industrialization.
Objective truth is a system of propositions laid like bricks and cemented by logic.
Individualism
Evangelism
Confrontational
Proof based
TELL people the good news
Post Modernism
There is more going on that the rational mind can explain? Open to supernatural.
No need for objective truth…..What’s true for you isn’t necessarily true for others.
Hostile toward any belief system that tries to impose its beliefs on others.
Peer driven, communal, feeling driven
Certainty is impossible
Evangelism:
Is it real for you? Is Christianity working for you?
Do you like me? Are you like me?
Are you normal?
Post-Christian
Have decided what Christianity is about and don’t want it
Huge trust issues with God, the church, and Christians reinforced in the news about priests molesting children, pastors preaching against homosexuality and then living a Jeckel and Hyde life style, pastors laundering money
Evangelism: we don’t start at 0 we start at a -5.
Research by Karen and Kathy
Conversation leads to Community, which leads to Conversion.
Modern world trusted experts. Post modern world does not.
The silent questions: Who are these people? Can I trust them? Do they just want my money?
Belong before you believe.
Look for your “Person of Peace”
Someone you connect with, have chemistry with.
Drop spiritual clues …..not a bait and switch thing.
The spiritual art of noticing.
The spiritual art of “small talk”…..we chat our way to change. Speeches are over rated.
The emotional on-ramp to deeper conversations. Are we normal?
The ministry of active listening. You can’t argue a post-modern into the kingdom you listen them in.
Pastor Kirk Wulff
14 October 2007
Statistics
57% of evangelical Christians believe they have a personal responsibility to tell others.
94% over 18 are unlikely to respond to the Gospel as it is currently being presented.
90% of Americans believe in God but only 30% are in church on Sunday.
Seismic shifts in our civilization
Modernism
Dominated by development of science, math, rational thinking, analysis, industrialization.
Objective truth is a system of propositions laid like bricks and cemented by logic.
Individualism
Evangelism
Confrontational
Proof based
TELL people the good news
Post Modernism
There is more going on that the rational mind can explain? Open to supernatural.
No need for objective truth…..What’s true for you isn’t necessarily true for others.
Hostile toward any belief system that tries to impose its beliefs on others.
Peer driven, communal, feeling driven
Certainty is impossible
Evangelism:
Is it real for you? Is Christianity working for you?
Do you like me? Are you like me?
Are you normal?
Post-Christian
Have decided what Christianity is about and don’t want it
Huge trust issues with God, the church, and Christians reinforced in the news about priests molesting children, pastors preaching against homosexuality and then living a Jeckel and Hyde life style, pastors laundering money
Evangelism: we don’t start at 0 we start at a -5.
Research by Karen and Kathy
Conversation leads to Community, which leads to Conversion.
Modern world trusted experts. Post modern world does not.
The silent questions: Who are these people? Can I trust them? Do they just want my money?
Belong before you believe.
Look for your “Person of Peace”
Someone you connect with, have chemistry with.
Drop spiritual clues …..not a bait and switch thing.
The spiritual art of noticing.
The spiritual art of “small talk”…..we chat our way to change. Speeches are over rated.
The emotional on-ramp to deeper conversations. Are we normal?
The ministry of active listening. You can’t argue a post-modern into the kingdom you listen them in.