About the broad brush, I’m well aware. Missionaries and proselytes vary greatly in capability and goals in and outside of Christianity and even theism. It’s a huge area, I hoped a broad call would give something.
Thank you for the break down. It makes sense given what pieces I’ve seen.
How results rather than scripture guided would you say these methods are? (Or is that a difficult question to unpack?)
Do you have any sense as to the relative efficacy and target populations of these techniques? (Especially if there anything surprising going on there—like 30-45 single women are a prime Rock-n-roll based demographic.)
There is scriptural relevance to each of these approaches and any one practitioner of any technique can be overly focused on results. Then, of course, you have to ask the question, “what are results?” or “how do you know when you’ve Jesus-ed someone to the point that they are now a God-follower?” More on the “what are results?” if you’re interested, but not now...
There is definitely generational significance with regard to which approach is more effective. For example: the post-modern, doesn’t really respond to the “I’m a sinner” idea. Since their response would be something like “sin is socio-culturally imposed ideologies and therefore isn’t a religious problem, but more one of culture and context.” Therefore #1 and #2 work less well on the post-modern than than they did on the modern or previous generations, who had to at least deal with the “problem of sin.” The post-modern is more accepting of the idea that, if God exists, then he’s been telling as story of creation-fall-restoration-redemption in mankind and through Jesus. Which of course, lends itself more toward #3.
With regard to #4, let me say that it usually “attracts” anyone who finds the church exclusionary or non-accepting. Usually, though, within a younger demographic (less than 60) only because they are methodologically “hip”—literally using rock-n-roll, rock climbing walls, and mini-circuses to attract the un-churched community.
To bring up my previous comment though, there are definite spectrums even within these four groups—both in their approach and how they themselves define efficacy?
On results vs. scripture based:
If you want to divide it that way, there are a few schools of thought. Some say that God only demands a “best effort,” and the missionary is not personally responsible for the conversion (that’s between God and the proselyte). Others believe that certain people are chosen by God to be converted, and it’s up to the missionary to make that happen. So these missionaries tend to be more results-based, whereas the first category strive for better “technique”. There are obviously a lot of other categorizations that could be made, this is just the first I thought of.
About the broad brush, I’m well aware. Missionaries and proselytes vary greatly in capability and goals in and outside of Christianity and even theism. It’s a huge area, I hoped a broad call would give something.
Thank you for the break down. It makes sense given what pieces I’ve seen.
How results rather than scripture guided would you say these methods are? (Or is that a difficult question to unpack?)
Do you have any sense as to the relative efficacy and target populations of these techniques? (Especially if there anything surprising going on there—like 30-45 single women are a prime Rock-n-roll based demographic.)
There is scriptural relevance to each of these approaches and any one practitioner of any technique can be overly focused on results. Then, of course, you have to ask the question, “what are results?” or “how do you know when you’ve Jesus-ed someone to the point that they are now a God-follower?” More on the “what are results?” if you’re interested, but not now...
There is definitely generational significance with regard to which approach is more effective. For example: the post-modern, doesn’t really respond to the “I’m a sinner” idea. Since their response would be something like “sin is socio-culturally imposed ideologies and therefore isn’t a religious problem, but more one of culture and context.” Therefore #1 and #2 work less well on the post-modern than than they did on the modern or previous generations, who had to at least deal with the “problem of sin.” The post-modern is more accepting of the idea that, if God exists, then he’s been telling as story of creation-fall-restoration-redemption in mankind and through Jesus. Which of course, lends itself more toward #3.
With regard to #4, let me say that it usually “attracts” anyone who finds the church exclusionary or non-accepting. Usually, though, within a younger demographic (less than 60) only because they are methodologically “hip”—literally using rock-n-roll, rock climbing walls, and mini-circuses to attract the un-churched community.
To bring up my previous comment though, there are definite spectrums even within these four groups—both in their approach and how they themselves define efficacy?
On results vs. scripture based: If you want to divide it that way, there are a few schools of thought. Some say that God only demands a “best effort,” and the missionary is not personally responsible for the conversion (that’s between God and the proselyte). Others believe that certain people are chosen by God to be converted, and it’s up to the missionary to make that happen. So these missionaries tend to be more results-based, whereas the first category strive for better “technique”. There are obviously a lot of other categorizations that could be made, this is just the first I thought of.