A Letter to the Editor I recently wrote to the local newspaper was published! It was a letter I wrote in response to one of the craziest events that has ever happened on the WVU campus. Last Thursday, a small group of people, including children, from a "church" in Virginia came to the center of campus to hold a protest. They held up signs with aborted fetuses, signs declaring that "God hates Homosexuals," and began yelling through a megaphone that everyone on campus deserves to go to hell. A group of over 500 students soon engulfed these people to yell back at them and try to block their signs (see picture above). This continued for most of the afternoon as dozens of police officers came as things started to get out of control.Meanwhile, it just so happened that our ministry (the same day) was giving out hot dogs and drinks in the same location to promote a watch party for the WVU football game that night. (We were promoting a safe, alcohol-free place for students to watch the game as well as receive a little information about our ministry). Throughout the day people were confused as to if we were a part of this protesting organization, but we told them we weren't.
The next day the local newspaper wrote a lengthy story about the mayhem that occurred in the middle of campus. You can read the article here.
Because of the confusion on campus and how we believe the protestors poorly represented a Christian, I wrote into the newspaper and they published my brief letter today. You can read it here.
While Brooke and I do believe that the Bible says that homosexuality and abortion is wrong, there is a right time and place and approach to explain this belief. The protestors came with a completely wrong approach. We believe that first and foremost, people need to hear about the love and forgiveness of God through Jesus Christ's death and resurrection. Only after they have realized this Truth, can we attempt to influence their moral standards. Without the Holy Spirit living in them after accepting Christ, the Biblical standards of right and wrong will never make sense.
We need to FIRST lead people to Jesus Christ through our love and actions, not by screaming hatred at them.
4 comments:
Right on target...good letter to the editor...the Holy Spirit is essential before a heart can be changed! Good job, Brian! D
I agree...the Holy Spirit is essential, and singular in regeneration. But the question is, what message must be preached in order to produce a Holy Spirit conversion? Scripture is clear in 1 Corinthians that the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, so it is God who must open their heart to the gospel. We are all born dead in trespasses and sins, and we must tell people that if they are in sin that God's wrath abides on them first, and then explain that they must beg God for His mercy and goodness toward sinners. I agree God is love, but it amazes me how many people will not say that He is HOLY, HOLY, HOLY first. A sinful person must see their destitution before God, along with the message of His love for sinful man.
"God's holiness demands that sin be punished, but God's love has provided the way of redemption from punishment through Christ"
"If it weren't for God's LOVE, we would have no hope."
I agree with your statements 100%. I am simply saying that with this approach of evangelism, what would your response be to a non-believer who told you that they didn't need forgiveness because God loves them just the way they are?
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