Why don't people want JESUS??

G'day SI people
I rarely post and mostly just read everynow and then but anyway.... I'm sure there are people out there who have been through my current experience and have gained much wisdom which I have yet to learn, which I hope you will share???

I have done a little bit of street evengelism, but not much. But I am growing in Fear of the Lord and desiring more and more to see people repent and glorify Him.

Last week I went and got a heap of $5 dollar notes (Australian Dollars) and approached the local skatepark and called out saying I had a heap of money to give out for free, if they would just listen to some VERY IMPORTANT Message I had to tell them. Just about everyone came over (there was only about 15 or so kids) and I proceeded to tell them the gospel.

I don't know if it's the fact that what I'm saying just doesn't make sense, or people are just blinded!!! Everyone I seem to talk to just doesn't want to have anything to do with Jesus, no matter what I seem to say or what method I use people just don't seem to care that they're damned!! Let alone care that they are blatently disobeying and offending a Holy God who sacrificed his son to save them!!!

I went back again to the skatepark again this week, I took a good camera so I could take pictures of some of the people skating. My plan was to do some good photo's and printouts and give it back to the kids as presents and try and "build relationships" etc. But most of them (some of them are around my age - 20) didn't want to even talk to me let alone have me take photo's, they just kinda made jokes and avoided me. I suppose it was good for my pride (I did feel pretty rejected) But to top it off, i think a parent or someone complained, and the police came and made me put away the camera (you know all those child pornography scares of teenage boys on skateboards and pushbikes ????). Then I was talking to police and they were saying how there have also been some complaints of someone giving out money and trying to brainwash young kids. To which I owned up, then recieved a lecture how I should leave the kids alone as young minds are impresable and religion is for the parents to decide etc.. and how I should leave the skatepark etc.. I did tell the police that I appreciated that they came (If I was being beaten up, I probably wouldn't mind if they came to that complaint) and I wouldn't mind if they were there watching, I mean I wanted to be completely above board...
they just took my details and did checks suspecting that I was either some creep or insane (which I suppose is understandable - I mean not everyone throws away money)....anyway

How FRUSTARTING that parents don't seem to mind their kids mixing with drug addicts and acohlics and skateboarding on ramps which are graffitied with "do drugs" and all other kinds of vulagarities. But as soon as someone is there talking about Jesus they complain.

I am just frustrated at selfishness I suppose, everyone wants to be their own boss, that's why people don't want Jesus isn't it?? Yet I even find this wicked thing in my own heart.

I am tired of seeing people reject the gospel and really feel like giving up and just taking the 1 peter 3:15 stance and only talking about Jesus when people ask me.

However I know I can't, particularly not after thinking about how patient the Lord is with me.
Also I'm not sure who said it, the concept of "you'll never be able to preach or see a sinner saved and transformed once we reach heaven" spurs me on.

I am planning to get my old skateboard and go down and "hang out". I don't know if this is unswise (apart from stacking and breaking my limbs) but if I'm down there skating and talking to people, how can I get in trouble??
Probably a little while ago I would have condemned this as "becoming like the world in order to win the world" but did not paul say something about being all things to all men in order that he might win them?? Could someone bring clarity to this issue.

Sorry for babling on a little.
Praise the Lord
Brother Ashley

Do pray more then you preach.

That's good advice.

Hi!

That "giving-away-money" thing sounds like Ray Comfort. I think I´ve heard him talk about it a few times that he did the same thing...

But I can understand you being frustrated and all, because my husband and I are going through the same thing here in Germany. People don´t want to hear about the Truth, but they believe in everything else you tell them. That´s the devil´s work, and right now I´m just praying for my people and when I get the opportunity (when I´m talking to someone 101) then I bring up Jesus and what He means to me and what He has done for me and all of menkind on the cross.
I believe it is important just to sow a seed and let the Lord handle the rest.

God bless,

Bea

I think what Greg said about the money is right. Though in someway's people's reactions were kind of interesting, like when I actually started giving it out (after I had preached and they asked questions etc.) Alot of people actually didn't want the money. At first I thought they might have thought there were strings attached, hence they didn't want the money, so I explained to them that I am just desperate to get their attention and for them to hear about Jesus and there was no other strings attached. But even then, people were saying "but you had to work for this money, don't give it away to us".

IT's amazing how hard it can be for some people to accept a free gift that they don't in anyway deserve!!! And I suppose the gift of eternal life is no different.

Also I think it really made some people think, to see someone that didn't really care about money enough to give it away!!
But in saying that I definantly would not classify it as an effective means of evangelism.

do pray more than you preach

The question strikes very deep into the mindset of ministry today on many levels. There are lots of so-called 'promotions' for kids to get them to feel as though church is 'fun' and that Christian folk care about them. In our circles this involves giving away prizes or money in contests, etc. The reasoning behind it is that kids get the idea that "sit down", "shut-up", "sit-still", or your getting a spanking is all that kids will remember of church when they grow up unless something happens to change this. The psychology behind this stems from the notion that kids do not understand that love is shown in many ways, this is why they don't yet appreciate parents who work 8 hours a day to make a living; they only want to know if they are going to the ZOO and if not- then somehow they feel left out (or something). The idea is trying to express love on their level. I am not saying I agree with it, that is just the mindset behind the practice.

The problem is that this is often wildly out of balance. It is easier to get folk coming on a bus program or to sidewalk Sunday School if you have a steady dose of treats and prizes. But many times the Gospel becomes secondary. On top of this the philosophy of ministry then filters into the junior ages, then low-teen, then high teen, and then adult. Pretty soon few come for Jesus and most come for whatever else they can get. This is a serious problem in youth groups. Pizza, popcorn, Pepsi, and ping-pong used to be the method; now its X-BOX.

By and large I say away with these things unless they are in the setting of genuine Christian fellowship. Breaking bread from house to house entails genuine Body fellowship and ministry. This is not a party, it is an edifying element of our Christian experience.

None of our means of promotion take the place of a FIRE. You don't have to market a FIRE. It is self announcing. It gets peoples attention. Nothing can take the place of it.

AMEN BROTHER!!

This is a serious problem in youth groups. Pizza, popcorn, Pepsi, and ping-pong used to be the method; now its X-BOX.

By and large I say away with these things unless they are in the setting of genuine Christian fellowship. Breaking bread from house to house entails genuine Body fellowship and ministry. This is not a party, it is an edifying element of our Christian experience.

I suppose there is a fear in getting rid of these things, becuase it polarizes those that come for lollies and those that come for Jesus. And perhaps proves that the ministry is not quite as "succseful" as it seemed to be.
I used to go to a youthgroup that had alot of people and crazy games, but then they stopped all games and just focused on prayer, praise and preaching (and genuine fellowship). All of a sudden the youth group went from about 60 odd to about 10. But I praise God that the fire that was kindled there is still burning in my heart!!
Recently my Pastor stop taking hot chips into his lunchtime bible study at the local school, all of sudden kids stoped coming???

Hence my anguish.
It seems people don't want Jesus, just handouts!!

AshleyJnr,

I praise God for the passion you have to tell others about Christ. Please keep speaking to them and telling them about the Lord.

I pray that God would give you wisdom to know what to say, when to say it, and to whom.

God Bless.

Dude, there will always be those who come just for the "loaves & fishes." Recognize that. But if someone comes because of the gimic and is converted - then, WOW!

bro ashley
i got to listen to "hell's best kept secret" yesterday and the question you're asking in this thread is pretty well answered in it. People are unaware that they need salvation hence the disinterest. this is the tragedy of our state, we don't even know we need to be saved unless God quickens us to it, Help us Lord! hence nobody can come to the Son (who is the only way to the Father) unless the Father draws Him.

we need to know that we have offended God before the gospel can make any sense at all. Ray comfort explained that as the major reason for backsliding and i agree. we don't know how much we have offended God and that needs to be made plain by confronting men with their sins and also us being confronted with our own for the gospel to really make sense. noone will take anything they don't think they need and hold onto it.

Thanks Compliments for you're word, it was encouraging. It is God who gives increase in his time. So I guess I'll just have to keep being faithful regardless!!

IRONMAN, I have listened to "hell's best kept secret" several times lately and have been trying to implement this teaching. But the response is either
"There is no God, so how could I offend him?"
or
"I don't care, I could use a sun tan when I die".

Now if I try and use logic against both these claims, people just start becoming irrational.
Such as "I like pain" (even though I won't hold my lighter under my hand for more than 6 seconds)
Or "Look, I just don't believe in God"

hence nobody can come to the Son (who is the only way to the Father) unless the Father draws Him.

Dude, there will always be those who come just for the "loaves & fishes." Recognize that. But if someone comes because of the gimic and is converted - then, WOW!

In regards to gimics, To what extent does the ends justify the means??

bro Ashley
i remember Ray Comfort making mention of a book called there's no such thing as an atheist, i wonder if you have read it.

for those who say there is no God, they do know of Him but are are trying their darndest to escape Him. in that situation, follow whatever our Lord leads you to do/say. we know that they can believe there is no God but that won't fly on the last day, perhaps we ought to tell them that. at the end of the day it all rests on God so we ought to follow whatever He says to do or say because He will draw in whomever He will draw in whenever He decides to do so.

this should not cause us to be complacent because we have a work to do in that also since we should share the gospel.

learning...

God bless you bro