As a graduate of KNOX Theological Seminary, I have become very familiar with the Evangelism Explosion (EE) idea. Personally, I feel that it is a well thought out, non-confusing way to teach Christians to share their faith with unbelievers. I received a whole lot out of EE, and I praise God for the fact that many of my Brothers and Sisters in Christ can trace their Christian roots back to the outlines presented in this program.
However, I have also noticed throughout the years that many supporters of this program have erroneously taken the two diagnostic questions, (1) Have you come to the place in your spiritual life where you know for certain that if you were to die today you would go to heaven or is that something you would say you're still working on? and (2) Suppose you were to die today and stand before God and He were to say you, "Why should I let you into My heaven ?" what would you say ?, as some sort of way of proving one is saved.
And while I believe these questions can do a lot to determine whether someone is unsaved, I feel in many respects that it lacks in proving the antithesis of this statement. To make my point clearer, just yesterday I was sent an e-mail from a guy I previously worked with at Coral Ridge Ministries, Inc. (CRM) stating that he has now renounced his Christianity and has taken an agnostic outlook. Now putting aside the fact that Scripture is ridiculously clear that one cannot disconnect themselves from a true saving faith (Eph. 1:13-14; John 6:44, 65), and that if one does "fall from the faith" it is only proof that they were never a part of it in the first place (1 John 2:19), this guy--being totally unregenerate at the time-- was able to give the proper answers to these two questions in a job interview for a position at the ministry. Thus, he was considered to be a Christian despite the fact that he was notoriously known to have violent outbursts and constantly exhibited an attitude and behavior that many professing unbelievers would be ashamed to show in public. But because he heard things about Christ from childhood, and that CRM's interview process examined his "Christianity" solely from the basis of the two questions above, he was able to deceive a whole ministry into thinking he had a true relationship with the LORD.
When I examine Scripture and see how it defines a true Christian, it is funny that I see nothing about a declaration of allegiance alone being the determining factor (see John 7:21-23; James 2:18 and 1 John). In short, there is always an emphasis on the outward workings of a man or woman who professes faith, and I believe that we as Christians should not be gullible to the reality that, because of familiarity, many unbelievers could give just as solid statements of faith as believers and yet can be eternally damned. In my jail ministry, I always tell the guys to not take the EE outline as your evangelism tool as it is. But rather, use it to craft a witnessing instrument that fits your style of delivery and gets to the crux of a person's true salvific position. In short, we need not only to be workmen in interpreting Scripture, but we should also be workmen in our evangelism.
So, in the final analysis, I am deeply praying that God will be pleased to grant this young man a true salvation in Christ, and I hope that CRM (and other ministries that use the EE outline or any one like it in that manner) will do a better job in constructing interview questions that gets to the cornerstone of one's true eternal status, as well as being a careful watcher of one's actions, since this is usually the mirror of one's belief.
4 comments:
I am a six year veteran of EE and currently in EE. I will be in EE for the rest of my life and am certain there is no finer witnessing tool. God honors me often by allowing me to watch His truth penetrate hearts.
However.... I agree with you, that just answering the two DIAGNOSTIC questions correctly should NOT be the sole qualifier for someone to be placed in a position at Coral Ridge Church or Coral Ridge Ministries. I would also look to see if the person was witnessing consistently. Are they THRILLED to share the gospel? Do they seize every opportunity to share it? As Dr. Kennedy said, "I cannot believe that anyone who is not witnessing on a consistent basis can claim to be filled with the Holy Spirit."
To be brutally honest, I am shocked and dismayed that neither the leadership nor the full session at Coral Ridge, are active in EE, when Dr. Kennedy considered sharing the gospel "the main thing!" I am even more gravely dismayed to see emerging at Coral Ridge Church, a need for control so strong that it actually displays a visable and even verbal disdain for others who have contrary views or request discussion and clarification. I feel that within true Christendom, this is unconscionable and rivals the same sin we find in business in the outside world. As true Christians we should never miss an opportunity to show others what grace looks like.
I am sickened to see what Coral Ridge Church has done to Knox Reformed Seminary. Dr. Robert Reymond, probably the most respected theologian in the world has "Resigned Under Protest". Dr. Calvin Beisner was fired. Dr. Fowler White will not be returning. How quickly the session at Coral Ridge Church, who previously professed such great love for Dr. Kennedy, forgot the Godly way he handled challenges. He never would have let this happen to Knox.
So, I agree that the two diagnostic questions are
not enough to determine whether one's level of santification is high enough to handle any significant responsibility within ministry.
Pray for Coral Ridge Church. gotoheaven@bellsouth.net
I agree 150% with you Betty! As a KNOX alum, it breaks my heart to see what is transpiring at my wonderful Alma Mater. However, I am confident that the LORD of grace and mercy will prevail in this instance, and will restore KNOX (and all of CRM) back to the God-honoring witness it has always has been.
If anyone relies on the two diagnostic questions as the only measure of one’s relationship with Jesus, they have, indeed, “missed the boat.” The questions were/are designed to provide a quick, frequently accurate, measure of a person’s spiritual health. EE always has encouraged its users to dig more deeply into the person’s status during the sharing of the Gospel.
I do not know whether CRM relied solely on the two diagnostic questions in this situation. However, if any employer did, indeed, use the answers to those two questions as the sole determinant of the potential employee’s state of salvation, they were overly simplistic in their analysis. All of us have had experiences with people who “know the right answers,” but exhibit behaviors that demonstrate a non-Christian pattern of living.
You may want to explore the new “X-EE.” It seems to accomplish your goals in a different way than classic EE. I would be pleased to assist you in that process, if you like. You can reach me at Chuck@ProvenResults.us
January 29, 2008 10:38 AM
Yes! I have read about the new "X EE" and it is definently more penetrating than the original EE is. But I do want to say, like this young man, when I was interviewed by CRM I was not pressed beyond those two questions concerning my salvation, and apparently neither was anyone else that I knew at the ministry.
Again, I hope I am not giving EE a bad rap in this entry. I respect what it stands for and the many souls it has lead to Christ speaks for itself. However, I feel that relying on the outline alone and not digging deeper into a person's answers--even when they sound right--can only cause problems in the long run.
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