Reflecting on the nature of faith in a recent sermon, I pointed out that believing that Jesus died for your sins and rose from the dead is not sufficient for saving faith. Too many people in America believe that they are Christians, that they are “going to heaven” simply because they believe the facts of the gospel. That is not saving faith. Faith is requires more than agreement with the facts of the gospel; it actually treasures a Person, Jesus Christ. Because faith is the result of a process of hearing the gospel, seeing the gospel, and embracing the gospel over time, our evangelism needs to accommodate this reality, as well as nurture true faith, not just mental assent. I was recently asked what I think about Evangelism Explosion (EE) as an evangelistic tool. Although it provides a clear explanation of gospel basics and is very good at training people to parrot biblical answers, it does not do the hard work of contextualizing the gospel. Moreover, I have a few other concerns about EE and evangelism programs in general. In short, our evangelism methods must change if we are to see true, saving, perservering faith emerge. Many evangelism programs are deficient on these counts:
- Deficient view of Heaven. Many evangelism programs are focused on “getting people to heaven” not treasuring Christ or living out his mission. Ultimately, we don’t GO to heaven; heaven comes to earth through the already/not fully lordship of Christ. Moreover, going to heaven is not the goal of biblical discipleship. Treasuring, obeying, and sharing Christ is.
- Tend toward a mental assent view of Faith. Although many cover some of the gospel basics, they lend themselves to a mental assent understanding of faith. I realize there is a statement in the EE process that denies this. However, the 7, 8 or 9 steps are typically information-centered and mechanically driven. Less open to process evangelism. The Kennedy Questions operate on the assumption that “knowing the right answer” is central, answers that have been conditioned through modern lenses, answers that many Christians can provide without truly “believing.”
- They aren’t in the vernacular of most Americans. Most Americans are inoculated to the EE way of “sharing the gospel.” –“If you died tonight and stood before God and he said: “Why should I let you into My Heaven?” what would you say? — Most Americans can answer that question, and many believe it, without a modicum of desire for Jesus. We need a new language for evangelism that is biblically faithful and culturally relevant.
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September 30, 2008 at 11:52 pm
randy
I have lots of ideas of what should be changed, but not a lot of what should be new.
What are your thoughts on what should evangelism methods look like … practically?
October 1, 2008 at 6:18 am
Daily linkathon 10/1 « BrianD blog
[…] Jonathan Dodson on why evangelism methods must change. […]
October 1, 2008 at 7:30 am
Alex van Nes
Hello Jonathan,
My name is Alex van Nes and I am leading EE here in Belgium and Holland. I totally agree with what you said in this article. But…. are you aware the EE has gone through a major shift already this last year? Because of the change of society, culture and ways of learning, our complete revised version is called XEE (designed and meant for GenX-ers). Have a look at it at http://www.xee.info
It is a lot less preaching and a lot more interactive, build much more on relationships before we share the Gospel with them. I am especially happy with the first four lessons about Connecting, something that needs to happen before we share the Good News.
I have been working with now for over a year, and those who have done the old version you refer to in you article, and very happy with this revision. EE is ready for the coming generation.
Alex
October 1, 2008 at 12:39 pm
jdodson
Thanks for sharing this update with us, Alex. XEE looks much better than EE and it is wonderful to hear of its effectiveness in Belgium! Love the emphasis on eternal life starting now.
October 2, 2008 at 9:38 am
Stephen
Jonathan have you ever come across Two Ways to Live? My denomination is kind of saturated with 2 Ways in the same way that a lot of American groups are saturated with EE. If you have looked at it have you got any thoughts on it – particularly on how one could improve it.
October 2, 2008 at 12:32 pm
jdodson
Yes, I am familiar with Two Ways. Love the pictures and theology in that one, but I still have concerns about it:
1. It is driven by information, not dialogue.
2. The rich descriptions of the gospel are too lengthy for a five minute conversation.
3. It seems to be tract-driven? Do they offer a Two Ways training that is conversational?
4. No real apologetic. We have to surface the need for the gospel through loving inquiry.
I wish I could find something that trained people on loving inquiry, soft apologetic, strong gospel, and multi-faceted understanding of how to bring the gospel into lives, e.g. counseling, service, film, books, that work within the vernacular of our cultures.
Joe Thorn offers a very helpful approach: http://thesubtext.org/2008/08/01/gospel-connections-in-suburbia/
October 4, 2008 at 7:33 pm
Nathan
I agree and have preached that same kind of message of an active and lived faith springing from the grace of God. In a consumer world though, it is tempting to think in terms of what needs to be mentally purchase to get the big return.
October 6, 2008 at 11:31 am
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October 22, 2008 at 8:08 pm
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September 13, 2010 at 3:10 pm
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October 9, 2012 at 8:29 pm
Betty Francis
I have come to realize that my heart cry is even more for the church,
than for the lost.
–Philemon 6– I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith,
so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we
have in Christ.
“So that… ”
Christians who do not witness… are missing so very much.
Too much.
I used to ask myself, why in the world would God allow us to participate
in His regeneration? For certainly He can do it by Himself.
Then it hit me …. it is also… FOR us!!
Indeed, witnessing provides unique supernatural experiences from God like nothing else. I cannot imagine anything that can strengthen our faith,
and reveal the immense power of God, more than witnessing.
Watching an adamant Muslim want to pray after understanding the
gospel message… is God’s purposeful shock to our soul.
Recognizing that God has brought the same stranger back to you
in the form of a AAA car rescue, a year later, who remembers
your sharing with him and and asks to hear it again and then prays..
is God’s purposeful shock to our soul.
Through witnessing … God so strongly reveals …. “Yes, I AM really really really here!!”
Countless previous EE people have been “turned off” to EE for various reasons. A careless remark from the EE leader, a poor trainer, arguments on an EE team, an embarrassing EE witnessing experience…
all the results of not doing EE properly. But…
“perseverance shall finish it’s work so that you may be mature
and complete….”
When Original EE is taught properly, Christians eventually see the bigger picture, recognize how personally rewarding it is, and return semester after semester to train others.
Accommodating people who “want it easy”, simply doesn’t work.
Just as a freshman in college does not realize what his studies will do
for him, the freshman EEer does not realize yet what EE will do for them.
When we make it easy, are we not, in reality telling them that the end result is not important enough to warrant the effort?
In Universities, (any school really) students study, they apply themselves
so that they will become strong and proficient. Sure, at first they see it as
burdensome. Naturally, they don’t “want” to study hard.
Should the University accommodate them? Of course not.
So they plow through… for the “carrot”. Which is the potential to earn
a great income. The potential to live on their own.
The potential to be their own person.
So what is the EE carrot?
Isn’t it really the thrill of knowing God intimately?
I would say, even more intimately than in any other way.
People in EE need to be encouraged from the leader to accept that
we are all very imperfect, and that “the goal” (of being capable of witnessing to friends, or complete strangers, and capable to showing others how to) is far bigger and more rewarding than literally anything else in life can offer.
I was an EE trainer under Dr. Kennedy for many years. (ORIGINAL EE) and this training taught me to (1) unoffensively witness and explain what grace is and (2) train others how to do it.
EE is very different now. Originally, under Dr. Kennedy and Tom Stebbins (Int’l), EE was a TRAINING ministry… training people how to train others in sharing a fantastic gospel presentation. It kept EE’ers in the church, training others, as we watched our “trainees” become trainers training others. Very rewarding.
Currently the new EV2 (now under EE) is simply the original EE outline, verses and illustrations. It does NOT provide for either the presentation excellence as Original EE (they now call it “classical”) nor for the same training excellence that Original EE did.
I pray that EE will eventually come full circle and the EE Board will recognize that EE (Original EE) is by far the greatest witnessing tool available.
“Multiplication” means making other trainers.
September 10, 2013 at 8:07 pm
http://www.pronfwriter.com
Hmm is anyone else encountering problems wit the images on
this blog loading? I’m trying to figure out if its a problem on my end or if
it’s the blog. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
September 13, 2013 at 11:12 pm
Go to Heaven ??
Thank you for sending!
I would love to hear YOUR full answer to “Why should God allow me into heaven.”
I am now teaching Original EE at our church. It is not as you say it is …when it is done “correctly”. It can certainly be done “incorrectly” and perhaps that is what you heard.
I so agree with you that too often people are pushed to false professions. I know EXACTLY what you are referring to. In my immaturity, I did it too. but now, after literally hundreds of witnessing situations I understand CONVERSION that the person MUST “acknowledge” Christ is his savior. and acknowledge his own “repentance”
The reason we talk about “eternal life” up front is because it is far more attractive to talk about eternal life in the beginning NOT tell them that they are a sinner which turns people off. That comes after the “good news”!
I honestly believe that if you were here, and saw really correct ORIGINAL EE at work you would absolutely love it.
When we say “Does this make sense to you?”. it does not stop there CLARIFICATION is ESSENTIAL before you lead them in prayer. Clarification excludes the possibility of them simply saying the right words.
And it is not our responsibility to make certain they are saved anyway we just share the truth for regeneration is ALL of God. It is not our responsibility.
Please do give me your answer to the second question. Please.
~~Betty Francis 954-562-3292