Last Saturday my two youngest daughters participated in the Awana Games. Karen and I drove in to Papillion Nebraska in order to watch the competition. We sat in the bleachers along with several hundred other spectators and watched the kids run races around the Awana circle. It was quite a large operation as they had four circles in full operation. Despite some mistakes during the contest, our girls took first place against their opposing teams.
I must say that I was a little disturbed though at the opening of the afternoon games. As the kids filed in and sat with their respective teams, a man walked to the center of the gym with a microphone. He took the opportunity to welcome the children and their parents and then proceeded to share the gospel. I know that doesn't sound like something that should disturb me, however, with the kids all keyed up for the competition and the parents and grandparents waiting to watch the show, it seemed out of place.
No, "out of place" isn't the right word. It seemed trivial. Flippant.
As I looked around, the kids were thinking of the games. They had been in Awana all year. They had heard the gospel during times that were much less distracting. They weren't being bad, but they didn't perceive the seriousness of the message. Why then was the gospel being shared at that time?
The man giving the presentation sounded as if he were talking to children but he stated that the gospel was for the parents as well and asked them to listen too. In fact, I was left with the distinct impression that it was almost a trick. He was pretending to talk with the kids who had been in Awana all year but his intended audience was the parents. It made the gospel seem cheap, a canned message.
Should the presentation of the gospel be a gimmick? Am I being too hard on the people who put the program together? How serious should we take the presentation of the gospel message? Do people become callused to the message when it is something that we put them through when they are not willing participants? It was almost like dues that they had to pay in order to watch the game. Which reminds me, they had to pay a $3.00 entrance fee as it was.
I know that some of you are thinking that I am a little too judgmental. You are probably right. Yet there is more. I found out later that evening that the same thing had been done before the morning games. There was a difference however. The morning message was given by a woman. Her intended audience was everyone in the room as well. The children and adults alike.
Am I being too critical? It wasn't a church service. Women are allowed to share the gospel.
For you Calvinists, I know that in your mind no damage could be done. Or can it?
8 comments:
Don't Christians believe that their only job is to saturate the world with their gospel, regardless of method or effect?
It seems to me like it was done just to appease the conscience of AWANA. Can the gospel honestly be settled down to a 5 minute presentation? Thankfully people can still be saved regardless of the method or messanger. I think you're asking, can a person's heart be hardened because of how the gospel was presented? ...Consider Pharoah
I agree with Michael. I am, however, disheartened by the last paragraph...It shows a total misunderstanding of someone who is labeled a "Calvinist." Now...if you said a "Hyper-Calvinist" I would agree with you. Not sure why the last line was necessary.
Jim
I forgot to say...I am more disturbed by a woman giving the message in the morning than anything else!
Jim (Male Chauvinist Extraordinaire!)
Jim,
The last line of the post was included to stimulate the comment section of this blog. It worked!
I would say though, that the line between "Hyper-Calvinist" and "Calvinist" tends to get rather blurry at times. My guess would be that most would say that the Hyper-Calvinist sees no need for evangelism. I know that most Calvinists are pro evangelism.
The question is, can we do something that would prevent the "elect" from coming to Christ?
The way that I worded the last question of my previous comment lends itself to this answer..."Obviously not or they wouldn't be "elect"."
How can I re-phrase the question so that I can find out if you think it is possible to harm to the hearer?
Could damage be done?
Respectfully,
Jon
In response to Your Brother, I don't think all Christians believe that it's our job to saturate the world with the gospel regardless of method of effect. I think there's something in the Bible about "casting your pearls before swine." I wonder, what's the difference between giving the message at AWANA games or at the closing ceremony of Vacation Bible School? Or is it different because VBS is in a church and people expect to hear the gospel message in church? I'm not giving an opinion here--just asking the question.
Maybe the answer then is that you can't hinder the elect, but you sure can make everyone else hate you even more. (For the *wrong* reasons?) :)
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