From: REXLEX@linac.fnal.gov
Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian
Subject: Re: Door-to-Door evangel.
Date: 15 Nov 92 23:33:42 GMT
Organization: FNAL

In article <Nov.13.02.14.37.1992.19211@geneva.rutgers.edu> mmrwlm@sn535.uca
(Wanda L McCrae) writes:

and Antony Benitiez


>>I don't think CLH was trying to stagnate others' witness or judge
>their level of maturity.  There is a lot wisdom in what was said.  Someone

That's why I noted with understanding the caution.

>who is not firmly rooted in the Word could stumble upon the
>house of someone who could draw them out of the truth and into
>something satanical.

This is very rare.  Also, most new converts bring family members or very close
friends to the Lord in their witness.  Too often I have seen churches and
Christians alike, take new converts aside and tell them they are doing this or
that wrong.  I get so upset with this.  They are quenching the Spirit.  One
does not need to have his or her PhD in theology to be an adequate witness for
the Lord.  Nor does one even have to be living a holy life!  In one of his
epistles, Paul talks about those who are witnessing while he is in jail.  Their
attitude was to cause hardship on him, but he didn't care, the gospel was being
preached.
  
>
>The key is "...we should be sure that we understand the Gospel..."  The
persons
>who want to do the witnessing must pray and search themselves to
>see if they have enough spiritual maturity to witness to someone
>else.  

Oh no.  You are doing the same thing. I'm not arguing against maturity or
polishing their effectiveness.  Rather it is the quenching of the Spirit
because of our own narrow sightedness.  Why do you put God in a box and say He
has to do it this way or that.  One thing a new convert often brings to their
witness that older, more "mature" men and women do not, is life and even
reckless abandon.  We need more reckless abandon in our evangelism.  The
problem is too many view moderation or conservativism as maturity.  Actually,
many times it is old age and seditariness.  As Arche use to say, "Go stiffle
yourself,"  and too often that is exactly what too many Christians do.

>If they do not, they may be putting themselves or someone else in
>spiritual danger.

I'm trying to think of examples of what you are alluding to.  Maybe in area's
of No Europe where neo-paganism is gaining strength, or as the Christians that
I write to in China who if they reveal that they are Christian are punished;
you have to be very careful in what you write and say.  But in good old US of
A,  D-T-D is so uncommon by Christians that your point is almost moot. If I
were a youth pastor taking the youth out D-T-D, then yes, there should be
guidence and counseling, and there should be someone close by to over see, just
as the JW's do, but that counseling should leave adequate room for the
individual and the Spirit to manuver.   However, I was alluding more to the new
converts and their *natural* responsive witness.  It is natural for a new
Christian to want to share his/her new found love.  It 's just that as we get
older that we wrap it in the sanctified blanket of "rationalism" and cold/dead
orthodoxy, and being so "comfortably numb" we don't want anyone rocking our
boat.  Notice I said "we" because I too have to make a conscious effort not to
stagnate the new convert.  They're more like bottle rockets that need a little
guidence.  The burn is short, unfortunately, but like in the sci-fi movie
"Blade Runner", Turrell tells Roy,"a candle burnt at both ends burns twice as
bright".  

So please, next time you're in the company of a new convert, or the company of
one that is enthusiastic for the Lord, but in your opinion is naive and
immature,  show some restraint and if you must speak, guide, don't quench.

Rex