Selling the Gospel
“The optimism and synergism prevalent in America have made such inroads into American Lutheranism that the Augsburg Confession’s ‘where and when it pleases God’ has for practical purposes been given up. Evidence of this is the uncritical taking over of ideas and programs of stewardship and evangelism from such groups as the Seventh Day Adventists. The pastor schools the people so that with the right kind of pious talk they will then be equipped to win other people for the church. In place of the office of preaching reconciliation comes the training of ‘soul-winners,’ teaching them just the right way of talking with people, to make maximum use of the techniques of psychological manipulation. The system admittedly derives from the methods of American business. Thus people are to be brought into the church, made to feel at home there, led to a decision, and then all together are to carry on their building of the kingdom of God. What the Word of God is no longer trusted to do is achieved with the psychological techniques of modern evangelization. There is of course talk of the Holy Spirit, but one no longer knows who He is. It seems He can be measured and quantified. Such evangelism produces results. Thousands are won for church membership. On the other hand we may recall the failure of the Biblical prophets and of our Lord Himself. When one considers the latter, one begins to understand the full earnestness of ‘where and when it pleases God.’ Jesus said: ‘…so that they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand; lest they should turn again and be forgiven’(Mark 4:12; cf. Is.6:9-10). Whoever is not awed by what is hidden deep in these words will never truly know the Holy Spirit.”
- Hermann Sasse, “On the Doctrine of the Holy Spirit: Letters to Lutheran Pastors, No. 51 July/August 1960 in “We Confess the Church,” translated by Norman Nagel (St Louis: CPH, 1986)
What a priceless analysis by Sasse. Luther was right. Adam and Eve were the first enthusiasts wanting to walk by sight (feelings, etc.) and not by faith, and we sons and daughters of the Son are sorely tempted to revert to the lineage of Adam when they see their churches struggling. Lord, I believe. Drive away my unbelief.
Close, close, close. Make the sale. Move on to another transaction.
The Church is becoming the very marketplace of religious wares that it once overturned.
Dan,
The current mission movements tells us not to “close” the sale, just advertise for Jesus.
@Rev. Olson
Right, that’s what we hear, but on the inside they are measuring which “ministry” — youth ministry, singles ministry, model railroad ministry, etc. — is responsible for the most new members. That certainly pressures “ministries” to close like a car salesman.
I agree with you completely. It is when the measuring comes in that the business model is in action.
It is similar to a pastor trying to measure the ‘effectiveness’ of his preaching by the sanctification of his members.
While I agree–especially as one who was raised and trained a Baptist, the bigger problem I see is that Lutherans tend to not share the Gospel outside of the church at all. Forget techniques, simply affirming the creed to the friends isn’t done. I don’t care if people “use a purely Lutheran technique” (whatever that is) to share who Jesus is with their friends and family. Just share. Sow the Word and let the Holy Spirit do the rest. Most Lutheran laypeople I know (who were born here in the states—it’s very different for those who come from countries where they fled persecution) —you wouldn’t know they were actually Lutherans (or Christians) as the behavior and speech matches the pagans and they never talk about spiritual things.