I introduced myself and after some small talk I asked, "Would you like to be on a Christian Radio program to talk about your faith?" "Sure." She kindly responded. "What religion are you?" I inquired. "I am a Muslim". She said. .JPG)
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Hala listens intently to Todd sharing the Gospel.
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After she got off the phone we pretty much had to agree to disagree. She told me that she was a different type of Muslim. "I believe that as long as you have God or believe in a god than you are fine...and I also don't believe that Jesus had to die on the cross." She explained. We shared with Hala that the bible documents that Jesus did have to go to the cross and die but that He is alive today - he has risen from the dead. We continued to share all of the good news and we gave her invites to Sovereign Joy and tracts. She invited us over to our home. Oh and did I mention that it's always nice to have Emilio witnessing with me (he's really good at talking with Muslims - I learn a lot from him).
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Meet Chris. He was on Hour 2 of Wretched Radio.
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Chris laughs with Todd on air. Todd's a very funny guy.
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Chris said that he was a Christian but when I asked him, "Chris, say I was a Muslim...why would I want to switch to your Christian religion?""I don't know." He answered honestly as he shrugged his shoulders.
"I think that as long as you have a god than you'll be fine" He continued.
Chris also shared that he was going through a separation and that he had two small kids (this broke my heart).
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I wish I could zoom in on this picture (below) of Chris's eyes. He really looks like he's understanding what Todd is saying.
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After Chris got of the air he was very grateful and wanted to listen to more of what Emilio and I had to say. We invited him to church to talk more and we hope that he'll take us up on the offer. As he walked away he said, "Thank you for doing this today."
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Chris, if you're reading this...we'd love to see you at Sovereign Joy someday. Thank you for being on the air. And Hala, if you're reading this...that goes for you too. :-)
7 comments:
It never ceases to surprise me though that more and more people are starting to believe that as long as you have "a god, any god" that you are okay. I think it is really just another way of saying, "As long as I am a good person, I am okay." It breaks my heart that so many are deceived like that.
Love the pics!
Trish and Emilio,
Though I appreciate the sentiment I believe you make a mistake, that you are not being wise, when you invite the unrepentant to Church. I wouldn't even tell them where I go to Church unless they had repented.
I give the lost my email but that is all I do - I NEVER follow up.
I recommend you do the same.
Why?
1. Those who are found do not need follow up - they will find you or a godly Church to go to, just as I did, just as you did.
2. There are more unbelievers than believers and if you fill your church with the unrepentant lost you will not have a Christian congregation anymore.
3. Church is not a place for unbelievers to go and hear the Gospel but rather is for Christians to fellowship with one another as they worship God together.
We want to ensure we do not encourage the lost in a false sense of hope. We want to ensure they are SAVED first and foremost. If they desire the things of God they will contact YOU. Believe me.
Narrow is the Way, and few there that find it...
Your brother in Christ,
Patrick, OnlyJesusSaves.com
Praise the Lord!
You have a wonderful ministry, Ms. Trish. I get so excited when I hear Mr. Friel say he's going fishin' in Texas... I know you're coming up next!!
I hope to meet you at the Psalm 119 Conference. Praying I'll get to go! (I live about 6 hrs away.)
Christ's blessings,
Shelby
Patrick,
Thanks for writing.
Below are Emilio's thoughts.
Take care!
Trish
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Patrick,
Thank you for your input on this issue. Although I would agree with you that church is for believers to be equipped, I would strongly disagree with your understanding of Scripture as regards to unbelievers and inviting them to attend the church service.
Unbelievers are in every church service. Children, teenagers, and even adults many times are already there as unbelievers and thus, you would not have a "Christian Congregation" anyway. Paul clearly expected unbelievers to be welcomed at church in 1 Cor. 14.23-25. Often times it is through the preaching of the Word of God in church that many people actually get saved. Spurgeon and John Owen both were converted in church by the preaching of the Word of God.
At our church, we place a high premium on church membership. We believe membership is only for believers that have a credible profession of faith and therefore, children and many teenagers are not allowed membership until they possess a credible profession of faith, are baptized, and can articulate the gospel accurately. These are all prerequisites for being a member at Sovereign Joy Community Church.
I think the premises that you are operating under are false, at least for our church. What you should not be concerned with are unbelievers being invited to church but rather gearing the church service towards unbelievers so as to preach particularly to them as so many seeker sensitive churches do. If you have heard any of our sermons you will realize that we do not do this at all. We preach in such a way that one of two things will happen…
Either people will get saved, or they will be insulted and leave (2 Cor. 2.15-17).
I hope that helps you to see a fuller picture.
Sincerely in Christ,
Emilio Ramos
Hi Trish,
I have had the "invite the lost to church" conversation recently with my sister. The conclusion I came to is that if you invite a lost person to church, the one requirement should be that you should have already shared the gospel with them.
So many times after being saved, I would invite someone to church and then tell the pastor (now my father-in-law) that I had invited a lost person and to "be sure to give a good altar call at the end". Yikes!
That was before Way of the Master :-)
And I love what Emilio said about preaching in a way that people either get saved or be insulted and leave. That's awesome!
Buddy
Emilio (and Trish),
I understand, and this is what I believe is a problem with Americanized churches today. The Preaching of the Gospel is for making Disciples for Christ on the Street, whereas the Church congregating together is for the fellowship of the Saints to grow up in their faith with the meat of the WORD, with one another, in the mutual worship of the one and only LORD Jesus Christ.
SO MANY Pastors think as you do and either end up starving the sheep or keep them so lean they never mature beyond mere milk, the simple Gospel.
Pastor, I pray you reconsider what Church is for.
The only people who come to Church, or a Christian event, are those who have already heard the Law and are convicted, or, are already Christians themselves.
Church is for the Fellowship of the Saints and those who Fear God - no one else. Why else do think we see so many denominations turning away from the Truth?
Discipleship, Sanctification and Mentoring are what we should see happening in Church, not merely street witnessing from the pulpit. You can give the Gospel occasionally, of course, but that is merely to ensure that the God Fearers continue onto Salvation.
But if you starve the congregation, feeding them only milk, you will have only the Lost left because the Believers will leave for better pasture your church will go the way the major denominations have today.
I pray you see what I am trying to say,
Patrick Burwell
Response@OnlyJesusSaves.com
OnlyJesusSaves.com Ministries
Ordained Minister
Emilio (and Trish),
I understand, and this is what I believe is a problem with Americanized churches today. The Preaching of the Gospel is for making Disciples for Christ on the Street, whereas the Church congregating together is for the fellowship of the Saints to grow up in their faith with the meat of the WORD, with one another, in the mutual worship of the one and only LORD Jesus Christ.
SO MANY Pastors think as you do and either end up starving the sheep or keep them so lean they never mature beyond mere milk, the simple Gospel.
Pastor, I pray you reconsider what Church is for.
The only people who come to Church, or a Christian event, are those who have already heard the Law and are convicted, or, are already Christians themselves.
Church is for the Fellowship of the Saints and those who Fear God - no one else. Why else do think we see so many denominations turning away from the Truth?
Discipleship, Sanctification and Mentoring are what we should see happening in Church, not merely street witnessing from the pulpit. You can give the Gospel occasionally, of course, but that is merely to ensure that the God Fearers continue onto Salvation.
But if you starve the congregation, feeding them only milk, you will have only the Lost left because the Believers will leave for better pasture your church will go the way the major denominations have today.
I pray you see what I am trying to say,
Patrick Burwell
Response@OnlyJesusSaves.com
OnlyJesusSaves.com Ministries
Ordained Minister
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