Handing out things for your church

[Albion]

I don't dispute the presence of the Gideon Bible is standard, the question is where we draw the line between what's acceptable and what isn't.

Right.

Some would argue, not inherently unreasonably, that if the Gideons are allowed to leave Bibles in a hotel room there's no reason why a comparable group shouldn't be allowed to leave copies of the Qu'ran or the Gita or whatever other text they choose.

They're not comparable.

Sadly true, although that group probably don't feel any desire to read the Bible in the hotel room because, you know, they are Christians (their uncle went into the church, don't you know) and don't need anything more than that.

I am not so confident about that scenario. People in motel rooms often have time on their hands until the next day rolls around or else they're bored. And some even check in when they are in distress and have nowhere else to go. For all of these, the following can happen: "Well, here's something to read. Oh, it's the Bible. OK, I have nothing against that, so maybe I'll take a look."

It's been said before on these forums that you never can know for sure when or where someone will feel the need to turn to God. Ergo, the Christian who wants to reach others with the Gospel knows not to stick to the most obvious methods of doing that--publicizing a revival meeting about to start in a local church, for instance.

That's a pretty common happening and not a very effective one because the person targeted thinks it's too formal or official an occasion, or that showing up, just to see what's doing, risks them being questioned and pressured by the hosts.

 

[Messy]

Right.

They're not comparable.

I am not so confident about that scenario. People in motel rooms often have time on their hands until the next day rolls around or else they're bored. And some even check in when they are in distress and have nowhere else to go. For all of these, the following can happen: "Well, here's something to read. Oh, it's the Bible. OK, I have nothing against that, so maybe I'll take a look."

It's been said before on these forums that you never can know for sure when or where someone will feel the need to turn to God. Ergo, the Christian who wants to reach others with the Gospel knows not to stick to the most obvious methods of doing that--publicizing a revival meeting about to start in a local church, for instance.

That's a pretty common happening and not a very effective one because the person targeted thinks it's too formal or official an occasion, or that showing up, just to see what's doing, risks them being questioned and pressured by the hosts.

But what's wrong with a simple explanation of the Gospel, not promoting some church or meeting? I had a Bible, but it never got me saved. I didn't even read it and when I did read some texts, I did not understand them.

Even when I went to a pentecostal church and believed God existed, I had no clue what that man was talking about.
I got saved by a tiny Gideon's Bible with a sinner's prayer in it and praying it.

 

[Albion]

But what's wrong with a simple explanation of the Gospel, not promoting some church or meeting?

However, it never seems to be a "simple explanation of the Bible" that someone leaves in public places for unsuspecting people to find. If adequately explaining the Gospel in a pamphlet were even possible.

The people who paid to have them printed and did the work of distributing them want to direct the lost souls to that church and its distinctive doctrines, whatever they might be.

 

[Messy]

However, it never seems to be a "simple explanation of the Bible" that someone leaves in public places for unsuspecting people to find. If adequately explaining the Gospel in a pamphlet were even possible.

The people who paid to have them printed and did the work of distributing them want to direct the lost souls to that church and its distinctive doctrines, whatever they might be.

I hardly ever see someone doing that here, except the JW's, but it's like even they have had enough of it.

I just bought a Dutch version of something like this:

The Greatest Gift (CHRISTMAS TRACT) – Mercy & Truth Ministry

mercyandtruthministry.com

By the way, that's a great idea. I'm gonna put it in that retirement home. They have church meetings there too. Every week someone else preaches there from different denominations.

 

[tango]

They're not comparable.

Care to elaborate?

If we are allowed to leave our holy book in a hotel room why shouldn't another faith group be allowed to leave theirs? Obviously they would need the same permission from the hotel but assuming they had that permission why shouldn't they do it?

I am not so confident about that scenario. People in motel rooms often have time on their hands until the next day rolls around or else they're bored. And some even check in when they are in distress and have nowhere else to go. For all of these, the following can happen: "Well, here's something to read. Oh, it's the Bible. OK, I have nothing against that, so maybe I'll take a look."

Those situations could always happen. But since we're talking about people who already identify as Christian, even if only nominally, and probably have at least one Bible in their homes, one would have to wonder why they would read a Bible in a hotel drawer when they apparently couldn't find time to read the one that's gathering dust in their home.

It's been said before on these forums that you never can know for sure when or where someone will feel the need to turn to God. Ergo, the Christian who wants to reach others with the Gospel knows not to stick to the most obvious methods of doing that--publicizing a revival meeting about to start in a local church, for instance.

We can never know what might drive someone. But trying to second-guess where some specific yet hypothetical person might be in their journey through life ends up drawing all sorts of weird conclusions. It's very easy to end up in a situation where we're either holding back from doing anything because it might come across as pushy to the wrong people, or doing everything in sight with no regard to the costs because "if it saves one person it's worth it".

That's a pretty common happening and not a very effective one because the person targeted thinks it's too formal or official an occasion, or that showing up, just to see what's doing, risks them being questioned and pressured by the hosts.

... which perhaps indicates ways in which churches need to change. If people are truly afraid to enter a church because they don't want to be set upon by armies of old women wielding files bristling with personal questions and invitations to supper I wonder whether the church has truly lost its way or if people have become so afraid of their own shadows they don't see the option to simply decline to answer lots of questions.

 

[Albion]

Care to elaborate?

If we are allowed to leave our holy book in a hotel room why shouldn't another faith group be allowed to leave theirs? Obviously they would need the same permission from the hotel but assuming they had that permission why shouldn't they do it?

Because a majority of Americans are Christians and only something like 1-4% are Muslim, according to various studies of the matter.

Therefore, there is a presumption that the Bible is something familiar to most visitors. The same cannot be said of Islam, so this action would look to most people like proselytizing for a completely unfamiliar set of beliefs, a deliberate challenge to Christians who were responsible for placing the Gideon Bibles, and would logically prompt all sorts of faiths in this country with almost no following to demand equal treatment.