Evangelism Kirk Cameron Style
You've probably seen them on TV. Former child star Kirk Cameron and New Zealand-born Christian minister Ray Comfort hitting the streets to evangelize with a camera in tow. Their style is confrontational. Every session is basically the same. They approach a stranger and the conversation runs something like this.
“Do you consider yourself a good person?” Cameron or Ray asks.
“Um, yes.”
“Have you ever lied?
“Yes.
“Stolen?”
“Yes.”
“Lusted?”
“Yes.”
“So here’s what you’re telling me: you’re a lying, thieving, adulterer. How do you think God is going to judge you when you die? You’re headed to hell.”
As you can guess, things often turn ugly. The duo has been screamed at, spit on and threatened with violence. But they are unfazed. According to them, their ministry—which they call “The Way of the Master”—only mirrors what Jesus did.
I have two reactions. First, despite their claim to be imitating the “way of the Master,” their approach hardly resembles Christ’s. Yes, Jesus was confrontational and didn’t mince words when it came to truth. But Jesus’ methods were as varied as his audience. And he never resorted to formulas. Instead he moved from soul to soul, whetting spiritual appetites, baffling, probing, and at times, provoking. He was a master at speaking the language of spiritual longing. Just think of his exchange with the woman at the well. Kirk and Ray would do well to take a closer look at his example and follow suit.
My second reaction? I admire these guys like crazy. Sure, their methods might be a little clunky, even counterproductive at times. But I’m reluctant to dismiss the efforts of those who have done far more than I have for the sake of the gospel. I believe Kirk and Ray have a genuine passion to see people saved. I hope that they will consider refining their approach to become more effective in their mission. And I pray that God will bless me with even a fraction of their desire to reach the lost.
“Do you consider yourself a good person?” Cameron or Ray asks.
“Um, yes.”
“Have you ever lied?
“Yes.
“Stolen?”
“Yes.”
“Lusted?”
“Yes.”
“So here’s what you’re telling me: you’re a lying, thieving, adulterer. How do you think God is going to judge you when you die? You’re headed to hell.”
As you can guess, things often turn ugly. The duo has been screamed at, spit on and threatened with violence. But they are unfazed. According to them, their ministry—which they call “The Way of the Master”—only mirrors what Jesus did.
I have two reactions. First, despite their claim to be imitating the “way of the Master,” their approach hardly resembles Christ’s. Yes, Jesus was confrontational and didn’t mince words when it came to truth. But Jesus’ methods were as varied as his audience. And he never resorted to formulas. Instead he moved from soul to soul, whetting spiritual appetites, baffling, probing, and at times, provoking. He was a master at speaking the language of spiritual longing. Just think of his exchange with the woman at the well. Kirk and Ray would do well to take a closer look at his example and follow suit.
My second reaction? I admire these guys like crazy. Sure, their methods might be a little clunky, even counterproductive at times. But I’m reluctant to dismiss the efforts of those who have done far more than I have for the sake of the gospel. I believe Kirk and Ray have a genuine passion to see people saved. I hope that they will consider refining their approach to become more effective in their mission. And I pray that God will bless me with even a fraction of their desire to reach the lost.
posted by Drew Dyck at 2:30 PM
21 Comments:
While I appreciate reading your admiration of The Way of the Master, I think you miss a key point. You seem to compare (and thus criticize) Ray and Kirk's methods to those of Jesus and the fact that He used different methods of ministering to His flock.
The reason He did is because He is omniscient - read the Gospel of John for multiple references in which John notes - "Jesus, perceiving what was in their hearts...." If Ray and Kirk were omniscient, I'm sure they might try different methods to reach different folks, but I think it's reasonable to say that none of us have that ability.
Instead, Ray and Kirk minister to people as the Spirit guides them, or at least I would assume they both rely on the Holy Spirit to direct their steps. If that gets people angry at them, so be it. The Gospels do well in detailing that Jesus rubbed many the wrong way, to the point of death!
I would just encourage you not to criticize the methods when you are no more omniscient to know how the Spirit is guiding Ray and Kirk than they are in emulating every method that our Lord and Savior utilized.
One other thing - you don't mention in your blog whether you've tried their method. I tried it recently during discussion with a couple of agnostic family members. I was pleasantly surprised at how easily this approach made sense to them. When I explained that ALL of us fall short, not just them, and that we need someone to take the penalty - they looked at God in a much different way.
I'll admit I've not tried this method with a stranger but you can bet if I get in a conversation with someone and the Spirit guides me that direction, I'll boldly and confidently proclaim The Way of the Master approach.
Don't knock it until you've tried it!
I'm very familiar the "Way of the Master" teachings and ministry of Ray and Kirt. I've actually taught the material at my own church.
Ray and Kirt have an unprecedented zeal for the Lord and the lost. It's contagious and vitally needed in the church.
Ray's teaching on the law of God is very enlightening. It shows the purpose of the law (being a 'schoolmaster' or 'tutor' to lead us to Christ, Gal 3:24)
It's also obvious that Jesus did at times use the law to bring people to the knowledge of their sin. (See story of the Rich Young Ruler, Luke 18:18-22)
I have used "The Way of the Master" approach to evangelism with people I know as well as strangers and have seen some benefits from it.
With all this said,here are some questions that I'd like to present:
A) Should we be asking ourselves what Jesus preached or what the Holy Spirit through the apostles preached after Jesus died, rose again and ascended to heaven?
B) What was the main message of the apostles in the N.T.? (Do your own search, but I think the message is Christ crucified, 1 Cor 1:23, 2:2)
C) Is the message of the gospel complete just in words or does it also need to be in power? Where is the place of signs and wonders in evangelism? "And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power." (1 Cor 2:4)
I commend Kirt and Ray for their ministry to the Body of Christ. They have added to my own understanding of the gospel message. I don't criticize or condemn them one bit. In their teachings they do mock other methods of evangelism, but that is between them and the Lord.
I appreciate the article and dialogue, thanks.
So they could say to you like Bill Bright said to the guy who was criticizing his 4 Laws,"I like what I are using better than what you are not"?
I'm afraid you've misrepresented the way they share the gospel. It is not as you have listed! Neither do "things OFTEN turn ugly"-- though it's true it has happened a few times in the three decades Ray has been sharing his faith this way.
Instead, the method they teach is an amazingly effective and friendly way to approach people and segue into the gospel, and is an inoffensive way to help people see their true state before God. I can't tell you how easy it makes evangelism, how it removes the "fear factor," and how great it is to have the vast majority of people say "thank you!" for sharing this information with them in this way, because the gospel finally makes sense to them. Most importantly, it is biblical.
To learn the real method of "The Way of the Master," you can check out Ray's message "Hell's Best Kept Secret" at www.livingwaters.com/learn/hellsbestkeptsecret.htm (be sure to download the PDF of the study sheets on the right). To see this method in action, watch some video clips of witnessing scenarios here: www.wayofthemaster.com/watchwitnessing.shtml.
It is certainly biblical, and it is effective--both in equipping the Church to actually witness and in helping the lost see their need for the Savior. I urge you to examine it, and then go out and find the nearest lost person and give it a try.
Wow, harsh critisizm.
I'm confident Ray & Kirk would welcome it.
Most importantly, is what God our Father thinks. I believe he is pleased with Ray & Kirk.
The Way Of the Master series is a simple systematic approach to sharing the Gospel of Christ, & helping the Lost understand where they are & heading.
They demonstrate in difficult circumstances to show what can be accomplished. Giving the rest courage, so we can in turn share the Gospel, & ultimately lead a person to Christ!
It's almost as easy as Peanut Butter & Jelly. Poeple who would never know what to say, now have an idea of what to do, should the opportunity arise.
I have adopted the "Way Of The Master" technique & in turn have new friends in Christ.
Praise Be To God!
May the Lord Bless Ray Comfort, Kirk Cameron, and you, in JESUS NAME. AMEN!
Maybe it's just me but I might be able to use this method of evangelism with a stranger that I will likly never run into again but I don't think I could use it on someone I know. Maybe I just don't have enough guts.
From one who for 35+ years fit the mold of 98% of Baptist of doing nothing. I headed the preaching of Charles Spurgeon who said "Do something. Do something. Do something."Two years ago I studied and now only use TWOM and untill you see conviction of sin come over an individual, you have no voice! To many "christians" will remain content to shine their light and sprinkle their salt within the church walls and only from their pulpits! Read "Hell's Best Kept Secret" and then you may spaek! go to www.livingwaters.com and :Be transformed by the renewing of your mind". Oh, the woman at the well, great example of the use of the 7th commandament. George Diaz
Well besides the fact of Jesus being omniscient and all the God that He is. Jesus presented a model that we may follow as the church, for the apostles followed Jesus as well. The Way of the Master evangelism technique isn't bad, and thats not what the author of the article is saying so everybody needs to relax. Realize that at the end of the day the technique that they use, is a technique, it isn't infallible, only the Holy Spirit is.
I believe that this provides a framework, but know that most people have heard of this before and will probably say yes to you so you can leave them alone, and you leave feeling good because the technique worked.
Once again, this evangelism isn't infallible, and I've seen the results on their site, and commend them in Jesus name for the boldness that they have, for I haven't preached even on the bus when the Lord asked me to "Tell them about Me". But don't make higher a technique than it really is. God Bless!
Greetings from Pasadena. (Tough out there in the real world world, huh, editor!) Regarding Jesus perceiving what was in a person’s heart, very good point, however, we cannot assume to have the same ability. Jesus was at once both human and divine. Sadly we are merely mortal. Empowered and made alive in Christ yes, but yet to reach our more glorified state. Jesus was here in a glorified state and thus in many ways, His “way” may never be properly emulated. Furthermore, Jesus did not speak to the petty sins in the life of a person the way Cameron presses. When asked what He thought of the great commandments that Cameron pulls from, Jesus responded that the greatest commandment was fulfilled in loving God and loving neighbor as oneself. In fact, Jesus appeared much less concerned with sin as we understand it (in terms of a list of sins or sinful things) rather sin was an entity woven into the fabric of society. Therefore, Jesus’ ministry was primarily spent in healing those victims of an unfair political system - those denied health care for lack of funds for example (like, the blind beggar, the paralytic whose friends lowered him down on a mat, the schizophrenic who lived in the tombs, the woman with the issue of the blood, lepers, etc.) and those simply denied love. All these people were healed by a man powerful enough to ignore them who instead lived amongst them and served their needs. Those he confronted in the way Cameron does were the powerful, influential, connected, privileged of society – religious and political; those men with access to healthcare. Jesus spent his ministry with those who had not even for fish and bread to eat hence the account of the feeding of the great multitudes. The men He confronted had money and resources for basic necessities, they were not common folk out on the street. It was to these privileged of society Jesus spoke confrontationally, and in a way that certainly did often led to repentance (such as in the case of men like Nicodemus). Yet it was to these men that Jesus spoke with mostly because they were continually threatening his ministry for fear of his growing popularity and power. Jesus did not come just to confront them, but in so doing his work as he states plainly in Luke (the spirit of the Lord is upon me...), he is also confrontational. With common folk on the street, the Master begins with first positioning Himself alongside a person, offering Himself to them, resolving some basic need denied them, and in so doing, what they experience is shared with another. They in turn go and offer to another person in need, and another and love is accomplished. Jesus said, the greatest of all is these, to love God and your neighbor as yourself. Perhaps He knew in our humanity, we could not accomplish ministry just as he did, we are all sinners, He was not! We are all imperfect and flawed, he was divine! We must first take the log out of our own eye! Jesus spoke often to his disciples of this struggle to be better than another, this tendency towards judging another and we Christians are like them. Conviction is the work of the Holy Spirit, for us, we are to do what Jesus has asked explicitly - Go, love your neighbor as yourself, pray for one another, be effective in this world in His name, make disciples. Especially in these critical times where so many around the world, even Americans, are in the midst of or on the brink of rough, rough times. We are at war, people are afraid, people are hungry, children are abandoned, young girls sold into sex slavery, men wrongfully imprisoned. Cameron could be more effective in ministry through offering a simple act of love to a stranger in the street in times such as these. Peace and blessings.
I am also very familiar the "Way of the Master" teachings and ministry of Ray and Kirt. I have and read "The Evidence Bible." I have also used the material to bring sinners to Christ.
So far, I have not seen good results.
I don't think this article is overly critical or negative against "The Way of the Master" techniques. He's absolutely right when he said that Ray and Kirk's methods are FAR from what Jesus actually did.
True, Jesus used the Law to convict the Samaritan woman at the well of her sins. But most of the time, when Jesus quotes the Law of Moses, it's because SOMEBODY HAS WALKED UP TO JESUS AND ASKED HIM A QUESTION, not the other way around.
Read the Gospels again, and you won't find Jesus walking up to anyone and saying, "Pardon me, but do you consider yourself a good person?" You only have to go to 'YouTube' and type in "The Way of the Master" to see that often times Ray and Kirk create anger and hatred by such questions. When you ask people such pointed questions, you immediately put people on the defense, which is a far cry from the way Jesus ministered.
I don't believe that Ray and Kirk minister to people as the Spirit guides them. If they did, then their presentation wouldn't be exactly the same, with the exact same questions being asked each time.
Now, if you have used Ray and Kirk's approach with success, good for you! I'm glad. Really!
But the true "Way" of Jesus was to heal the sick, and then to speak to the crowds using parables. Jesus would then explain the parables to the disciples in secret.
Acts of healing and mercy.
Parables and stories.
That's the TRUE Way of the Master, and it goes along way to buidling bridges with people instead of burning them.
I do not think you were too critical at all; I appreciate the fact that you commended these two for their zeal.
I too have cringed as I have watched some of Ray and Kirk's confrontations. Though I cannot question that they have done some good, I wonder if they have added to the impression people have of Christians today being judgmental, opinionated, and uncaring. Perhaps televising their conversations is a mistake.
I would love to see in them some of the love of Jesus expressed-- not that I think we need to compromise at all. If, after care and concern is shown to those they approach, someone were to ask them where their actions have put them with God, there should be an honest answer.
I would like to add, though, that we all have different gifts. Someone with the gift of showing mercy would have a different approach than those who are prophets, as these two may be.
All in all, I think your editorial was fair and the dialogue if generated is good for us all-- if for nothing else to remind us to get involved in reaching out, how ever we do it!
Blessings,
Irene
I love the first reply which uses Jesus' omniscience as his way of evangelism. Remember, Jesus was in tuned to the promptings of the Holy Spirit but gave up the privileges of being God while he walked the face of this earth. When he discerns the hearts of the people it's in the same manner you and I are doing. I wasn't aware that the readers of this blog were omniscient. Amazing.
Second, to compare the angry rebuttals given to Ray and Kirk as equivalent to the one's Jesus received is stretching it. Jesus did not tick off the sick. He ticked off the religious. Kirk and Ray are ticking off the sick. There's a huge difference. By using this "style" of "I'm better than thou" evangelism they are actually turning people off to the gospel. Just doing something is not a good approach if that something is actually detrimental to the cause.
Why do you think so many churches are growing and shrinking solely on transfer growth? Two reasons. One, people are afraid of getting involved in people's lives to the point where they can have relational evangelism so therefore no evangelism is being done. Two, Christians look crazy because of the in your face approach to evangelism. If you were sick and didn't know it, would you want a perfect stranger coming up to you pointing their fingers at you telling you how horrible you were? You wouldn't listen to them for a second. Why? Because you'd think they were crazy. Don't kid yourself, you definitely would think they were crazy.
Method matters folks. If not, there wouldn't be a need for blueprints in building a house. Actually, you know what since so many like the do something approach. Why don't you try getting on your next flight with a pilot who has a passion to fly but has never flown or opened a book before on flying. At least he's doing something.
Stick to "Growing Pains"
"Growing Pains" said, "If you were sick and didn't know it, would you want a perfect stranger coming up to you...."
If that perfect stranger helped you understand that your sickness was fatal, and that they had the cure to your disease, I suspect you'd be overjoyed.
Drew -- hey, what's up? :-)
2 Timothy 2:22 Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith,
love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 2:23
But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate
strife. 2:24 And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle
to all, able to teach, patient, 2:25 in humility correcting
those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance,
so that they may know the truth, 2:26 and that they may come to their senses
and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to
do his will.
2 Timothy 2:22 Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith,
love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 2:23
But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate
strife. 2:24 And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle
to all, able to teach, patient, 2:25 in humility correcting
those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance,
so that they may know the truth, 2:26 and that they may come to their senses
and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to
do his will.
I have used the Way of the Master type witnessing and it works. I preached a crusade meeting once and used it....8 people came forward for salvation.
I think it is a sound Biblical method.
The Bible isn't a rule book, nor is it a book of methods. It's purpose is to lead us into a living relationship with the Living Word, and then allow the Holy Spirit to daily direct, and interact with, us. Anytime we reduce the Bible to rules or formulas, we do disgrace to our love affair with God.
Rev. David Foreman
President of
Re-Union Ministries.
www.reunionsingers.com
There are some good points in most of the comments regarding "Evangelism Kirk Cameron Style", I'd like to offer a couple more thoughts:
This "method" (I'm sure this is not the right word to use) is about reaching the lost with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. There are many ways to do this, not just the Cameron Style. The problem with some of those other ways is that they can also produce false converts. The method used and taught by Kirk and Ray, on the other hand, is a way to present both the Law and the Gospel to the lost and this with a total dependency on the work of the Holy Spirit to produce Repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.
Fifty years ago people understood the concept of sin, my experience is that today most people, the ones who I have spoken to at least, do not understand sin. Too, most people seem to only view God as LOVE: "A loving god would understand...". Well, one of the points of this way of evangelism is to let me people know that God does understand and He is going to judge them based on His understanding, not their understanding; that God will condemn them on the day of judgment, not condone them.
Evangelism Kirk Cameron Style is a way both to correct people's uni-dimensional view of God's nature and help them understand the consequences of their sin and that the only way to escape those consequences is through the Cross of Christ.
Evangelism is a responsibility of all Christians, the Cameron Style puts personal evangelism within the reach of all believers and, when applied, builds a boldness and zeal for reaching the lost that many Christians lack.
If this isn't the Way of the Master, I don't know what is.
I have seen these people doing this on Christian television. I am not saying that God can’t use this, but I will say that the logic is terribly flawed.
When asked, “have you ever lied?” the response is well, “that makes you a lair”. What happens with a different set of questions? Consider:
“Have you ever told the truth?”. Would the response be “that makes you an honest man?”
“Have you ever paid for something in a store?” That makes you “not a thief”.
“Have you ever decided you needed an aspirin and taken it?” “So you diagnosed your own condition and prescribed your own treatment; that makes you a doctor.”
It is known fact that bears sleep in the woods. I have slept in the woods; that does not make me a bear.
I have seen these people doing this on Christian television. I am not saying that God can’t use this, but I will say that the logic is terribly flawed.
When asked, “have you ever lied?” the response is well, “that makes you a lair”. What happens with a different set of questions? Consider:
“Have you ever told the truth?”. Would the response be “that makes you an honest man?”
“Have you ever paid for something in a store?” That makes you “not a thief”.
“Have you ever decided you needed an aspirin and taken it?” “So you diagnosed your own condition and prescribed your own treatment; that makes you a doctor.”
It is known fact that bears sleep in the woods. I have slept in the woods; that does not make me a bear.
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