What: The Gazette takes a look at the door-to-door contacting ("confrontational witnessing") approach used by Christians (but mainly focusing on Latter-day Saints and Jehovah's Witnesses) and analyzes its ability to truly change people's hearts.
Quote: "Mormons are witnessing with more restraint, Leavitt said. They are instructed that if people 'ask you about your faith, they are not asking to know everything about it,' Leavitt said. 'If they ask for a sip of water, don't turn on the fire hose.'"
Reaction: By noting that Latter-day Saints have recently modified their "soul-winning approach," The Gazette accurately identified the Church's position that door-to-door contacting is not the most effective way to spread the gospel. However, the real focus of the Church has been not to simply encourage missionaries to respect the faiths of those they teach, as the Gazette says, but rather to encourage members to refer their friends. How members can effectively share the gospel with friends before getting the missionaries involved is a secondary aspect of that.
Is going door to door soley designed to grow the church, or is it also designed to grow the missionary? The thought of approaching strangers and talking about my faith is terrifying. I so admire the love and courage a missionary has to do that. love, deBBie
ReplyDeleteGood point. I, for one, have nothing but fond memories of the hours I spent knocking doors in Indiana.
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