Lessons on Evangelism From RedFrogs
Last night I saw the RedFrog Crew at a big college party.
“What do you think of them?” a friend asked.
I replied, “I was talking to a [Christian] girl today who said she doesn’t go to parties because she doesn’t like seeing her friends like that.”
“I don’t like seeing my friends going to hell.”
“Exactly! I think the idea is spot on: go where the lost are, where we can serve them, and where culture is both lived out and created. These people need to hear about Jesus, and I wish more Christians would go to parties like this to tell them about Him”
We agreed that we were curious to see what they talked about, so we walked over and started talking to them, not letting on that we were Christians.
“What do your shirts say?”*
“Red… frogs” (Actually, they said Red Frogs Chaplaincy Network)
“And you guys are just giving out red frogs?”
“Yep”
“Do you get paid to do that?”
“No, we’re volunteers”
“Woah! Why do you do it?”*
“Well, we don’t like seeing people get smashed. And it’s a lot of fun!”
“Wait, you do it just to stop people getting smashed?”*
“Yeah – at Schoolies last year we prevented 7 suicides.”
“Who pays for it all?”*
“We have sponsors… Allens donates the frogs…” (oh yeah, he forgot to mention CitiPointe Church, Brisbane.)
“How do you get involved in it?”*
“Oh, through community groups, and churches and stuff.”
“Churches? What churches are you guys from?”*
“Well some of us are from… Hillsong… there are a few from, you know St Barnabus on Broadway?”
I said “Yeah, actually, we’re Christians and-”, my friend continued, “I go to Barny’s.”
We talked about some other things before I had to dash off.
It was a very disappointing experience.
Christians need to bring the gospel to the lost, and we need to do it where they are and in a manner which makes contact with them. But we need to bring the gospel! The gospel of Jesus’ death and resurrection. It’s absolutely fantastic that these Christians are serving the community at parties, but unless Jesus is proclaimed, it is of no eternal significance.
When I asked, as a Christian, “so do you guys come out here hoping to talk to people about Jesus”, his answer was along the lines of “People see that we’re doing a good thing and want to know more”. I pointed out that I had asked for more and still had not heard it connected to Jesus.
Read back over the conversation above and count the number of easy entrances (*) into a conversation about Jesus. We could not have made his job any easier…
On their table, next to cups of water, were brochures titled “Love”. They invited the reader to search for a deeper love than the superficial ‘love’ of the world, but there was no mention of anything spiritual, certainly no mention of Jesus.
There is a lesson here. When ministering in Jesus’ name, as Christians ought do, we must do it in Jesus’ name. Jesus must be named! And as we contextualise the gospel, such as, apparently, the brochure, we must include the gospel! The gospel will always be unpopular. But nothing is gained by forgetting it in order to spread ‘it’ better.
There is no new lesson here. But it is a vivid reminder of an old truth: preach the word. Preach the word.
September 13th, 2008 at 9:34 am
Comments
September 12th, 2008 at 12:14 am
intersting also, i just searched there whole site and couldn’t find the word Jesus anyway. shame.
September 12th, 2008 at 8:00 am
I would really, really like to know how they know they prevented 7 suicides.
September 12th, 2008 at 8:08 am
VK – good idea! And yes, what a shame! (Another interesting search)
SmartLX – I suspect that has to do with the Chaplaincy arm. How they did it methodology speaking, I don’t know, but it could just be a case of being in the right place the right time, and providing support.
September 12th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
Haysey:
the link should be http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&q=site%3Acoastlifechurch.com+jesus&btnG=Google+Search&meta=
i.e. coastlifechurch.com not coastlife.com
September 13th, 2008 at 10:44 am
Stop lying haysey you don’t go to parties…
September 14th, 2008 at 9:05 pm
haha watever
& Joel – good pickup! That’s a much better link!
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:07 pm
The problem with your argument is that you assume all outreach involves preaching and teaching. From what I’ve seen of the Redfrog crew they provide a practical way of reaching out and showing God’s love in a relevant way. See the problem is that most Christian clubs on campus have their once a week bible studies where they huddle together and hang out, and occassionally someone might invite a friend to come along, but they’re missing the fact that outreach also involves getting OUT amongst the real world!
The bible calls us to go and make disciples. Now the basis of discipleship is relationship, and in order to have a lasting impact upon peoples lives we need to develop relationships with them. They need to see that our lives are genuine and that we truly care about them, they can’t feel like they’re just “another convert” or that the Christians are just trying to “up their numbers”. This is where serving comes in, and simply being God’s hands and feet.
To tell the truth I actually find it encouraging that the person you spoke to didn’t bible bash you straight away, or start figuring out clever little ways to name-drop Jesus. Why? Because A. it’s really not an effective way to evangelise, and B. it’s biblical.
Read through the gospels and examine the life of Jesus. Time and time again when he performs a miracle he instructs the people involved not to tell anyone. In Mark 1:40-45 Jesus heals a man with leprosy and instructs him, “See that you don’t tell this to anyone.” The man ended up disobeying Jesus and told everyone, it got to a point where, “As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places.” The mans eagerness to tell everyone actually restricted Jesus’ ministry!
When Jesus does something in our lives we automatically want to tell everyone, but if it is done in an inappropriate way we can actually inhibit the effectiveness of the Word. If it happened to Jesus it can happen to us!
October 2nd, 2008 at 2:06 pm
Completely agree with this:
See the problem is that most Christian clubs on campus have their once a week bible studies where they huddle together and hang out, and occassionally someone might invite a friend to come along, but they’re missing the fact that outreach also involves getting OUT amongst the real world!
Amen! Before I say anything else, I want to unreservedly affirm the rightness and necessity of being witnesses in deed as well as word. I’m 100% with you there.
Yet, while your comment is an interesting counter point, I think its fundamentally flawed on both points you offer.
A) “It’s not an effective way to evangelise”
Very strange thing to say. It was right of you to separate this from “Biblical”, since, frankly, this is not a biblical statement. The gospel is news, of which our deeds are only an example of what it looks like and a witness to its truth. The gospel is not something to be ashamed of, but rather “the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16) In Philippians 1:12-18, Paul makes abundantly clear the importance of the gospel being proclaimed.
The problem with your argument is that you assume all outreach doesn’t necessarily involve preaching and teaching. It certainly shouldn’t involve those alone, but it could not be clearer from the New Testament that the word of Christ must be taught:
“How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? … So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” (Romans 10:14-17)
It is the word that brings about the new birth (1 Peter 1:23, James 1:21) and there is no other name by which men can be saved but the name of Jesus (Acts 4:12). Where Christ is not named, he must be.
You’re right to say that “in order to have a lasting impact upon peoples lives we need to develop relationships with them”. In general, this is true (but not always). Long term relational evangelism is very effective – but the Red Frogs guys aren’t forming relationships. The environment is not conducive to the formation of relationships in any way. A different model is needed here. Obviously, if done obnoxiously, bible-bashing and name dropping would be a terrible model. However, what lasting fruit (eternally-speaking) do they expect to see when they mention neither the name of Christ nor any way for people to follow up and find out more. The website is of no practical help. I really cannot see how anyone would be pointed towards Jesus through their ministry. The impetus behind this blog article was that I gave so many opportunities in which it would not be bible bashing or name dropping to mention Jesus, but instead an honest sharing of their life. (I wonder if the root of the problem is that they were answering truthfully – perhaps they were not there out of a loving desire to joyfully rescue souls from hell.
But, in sum, there is only one effective way to evangelise: the sharing of the gospel. Anything that leads to that is awesome, but the effective part must be present.
B) It’s Biblical not to ‘bible-bash’
I hope the discussion of A) convinced you that it is very biblical to talk about Jesus. Here I want to challenge your counter-evidence.
I think you wrongly apply Jesus behaviour. Could there possibly be another reason why Jesus didn’t immediately tell people who he was? What are the reasons Jesus gave? He “did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.” (John 2:24-25) and “My hour has not yet come” (John 2:4)
Could it be that Jesus was not setting us an example at this point? Could it have simply been expedient for him to have not been made into the leader of a military revolution, since that was not his mission?
You forget that Jesus did spend a massive proportion of his ministry teaching. In fact, his ministry supports exactly the model I support: the teaching of the Word, backed up by action as an example and as a witness.
On multiple examples Jesus taught that he must suffer, die, and be raised again, that he came to give his life as a ransom for many, and that “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.” (luke 4:43). Mark reports in chapter 1 (v14-15) that “after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
Study John 4:1-41 for an example of Jesus’ word-deed ministry, which culminated in “many more believed because of his [Jesus'] word. They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.” (v40-41).
Jesus’ ministry was word saturated.
Certainly preaching and teaching, “if it is done in an inappropriate way can actually inhibit the effectiveness of the Word” – there is no doubt about that. The answer though, I would argue, is not to remove the preaching and teaching but to do it better. It is wrong to only minister for ulterior motives, but lasting ministry always involves the word at some stage. My disappointment with the Red Frogs was due to the loss of a great opportunity in an area of immense need for no discernible gain.
October 30th, 2008 at 1:48 pm
i totally see where everyone is coming from..
Im going to be a part of the red frog crew this year at schoolies, and i cant wait! i cant wait to show these kids a love that can pull them out of their old ways a love that only Jesus can provide!
I too was dissapointed about the conversation above! although i dont believe its right to force the truth onto them, as that usually just pushes people away, But i believe we MUST preach the name of Jesus as well as show these kids his love through serving them. After all, how can we tell them how much Jesus loves them, if we dont love them..
I just think its a bit harsh to say that you cant see anyone being pointed to Jesus through the Red Frogs ministry when there is a huge service held at surf city church on the wednesday night that last year saw 200 people saved.. But i see how you can be dissapointed after speaking to those redfrogs who didnt even speak of Jesus.
Anyway.. I still cant wait to stand strong in his truth and i will make sure he is exulted in honour
October 30th, 2008 at 2:09 pm
Aimee – fantastic to hear! I thank God that you are filled with love for Jesus and the lost, and are going to go and make his name known!
Praise God for the 200 people being saved. Perhaps I should have said “I can’t see anyone being pointed to Jesus through this Red Frogs ministry”, in that, I was never invited to any church services etc.
I pray that God works powerfully through you as you proclaim his gospel, and I pray that if there is a culture of not talking about Jesus you will be able to change it.
October 30th, 2008 at 3:29 pm
There we go! Yeah like i said, it is dissapointing but hopefully thats just a rare case!!
Coming from a non-christian background, the majority of my friends are not christians, (but im not complaining, praise God that i get so many opportunities to shine my light!). And one guy said to me, are you doing red frogs! oh i hate those people, all they do is say ‘hi! come to this service tonight’.. then another one will come over and say ‘hey COME TO THIS’ ‘oi COME’ and he said thats all he heard from them.
So that is another thing i want to break off.. i believe that if we can go in there and have real conversations with people and tell them about jesus and show them that i actually am living for him it will mean so much more then JUST telling them to come to this service! (but ill be sure to chuck in a few of the ‘hey this night will be good, check it out’ along the way! ahah
Have a good day!