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We walked around taking in the sights, deciding which neon carnival ride would make us feel brave and daring but the least ill, and avoiding a few seedy characters I’m pretty sure I saw on America’s Most Wanted. Does anyone else wonder how safe rides operated by toothless meth users are? We toured the livestock barns, got to pet some piglets, and decided that of all the barns, the swine barn smelled the absolute worst. Toward the end of the night, we happened upon a little trailer called the “Godmobile.” In big read letters, it read “Are you going to Heaven? Free two question test reveals the answer!” I immediately felt irritated with the Godmobile. Before I begin the rant, let me say that I’m sure that the intentions of the Godmobile creators and its staff were good. They want people to know God. I also want people to know God. But, I have to question the basic methodology. The Godmobile isn’t coming at evangelism from a place of love or grace or relationship. It begins with a gimmicky scare tactic and a not so subtle threat of eternal condemnation. What on earth is attractive about that? I watched people walking by pointing, laughing, and shaking their heads. I could almost read their thoughts. “Another nut job Christian.” I wanted to chase after them and shout, “Not all of us are like that! Not all Christians want to judge you and condemn you! Come to my house for coffee! Let’s have a beer!” I continued to watch the Godmobile for the next 10 minutes and no one, I mean no one, got in line to take the free test. I really believe that HOW we represent Christ matters. I’m sure the Godmobile staff entered into a few good conversations with people at the fair. But, I wonder how many more people were turned off to the idea of following Christ. How much damage was done? Many of you who read this blog know that I’m a Christian, a pastor’s wife even. I follow Christ, not out of fear, obligation, or intimidation. I follow him because I have been profoundly changed by the grace and love I have found in my relationship with him. So, I’m curious to know your thoughts on the Godmobile……. Discuss…..
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Comments
Wow, well said, Jodie. Other posts I have done would show how I feel about this type of "evangelism." Part of what I find interesting is how other Christians can feel "guilty" because they think they are less "spiritual" than people who are "bold." All the quotes mean I'm not really sure what those words mean!
I wonder how much of such work is for others and how much is for ourselves. It can be a tricky balance, as we plant a flag for God, then blame "spiritual warfare" for the lack of response to an outdated form of evangelism, while being honored by others for our "boldness for the gospel." It's a strange dilemma.
You bring up a great point, Mark, in that sometimes this type of "outreach" (I'm using quotes, too) is self serving. I actually think it's much easier to hide behind tools such as the Godmobile. You can check evangelism off your I'm-a-good-Christian list but not have to enter into any kind of lasting relationship with people. It can be easier to talk to a stranger than to really love your co-worker or neighbor....
A strange dilemma, indeed.
Jodie
Grace and Peace to you in the Name of the Lord Jesus. My eyes perked up when I got an emailed newsletter called the Conversant Life, which oddly enough I don't remember signing up for, but am glad I did. There are some good articles to read therein! Thanks!
I just read your attack on our Godmobile with sadness. I have worked that "little trailer" as you called it and am one of those "nut job christians". None of my friends own the Godmobile. I am just a working man who is on fire for Christ and love witnessing and evangelizing annually there.
In four years at the Illinois State Fair, I have led 17 people to Christ, in prayers of repentance and accepting Salvation from Christ. I have witnessed to dozens and dozens and scores of people after the ice breaker "Two Question" tests you detest so much. Less than a month ago, I led a Buddhist man, of Vietnamese descent to a saving knowledge of Christ and he loudly confessed his new salvation, with joy. That may mean nothing to those in the modern American church, but it does to Christ.
I don't know what state fair you saw the Godmobile in, but here in the Heartland, the harvest is there to be had. Over 95% of the young people we witnessed to , who came up on their own free will, go to church, youth group etc even have 2 or 3 bibles. Yet they can't tell us what sin is, why God should let anyone into heaven, why Jesus died on the Cross etc etc.....As a pastor's wife you know there is no one good, no not one. Yet all these people think 'we're all good enough" that He MUST let them in. I even spent over 20 mins with two young women who were experimenting with Wicca, showed them the verses, had them read it....it convicted them so much, the one who was heading into Wicca, put her head down and turned completely pale and broken....we had to pray for them.... This is real, ma'am.
Mrs. Howerton, this is not a game. People's eternal destiny depend on it. I have never met anyone in a Godmobile who scare people or spit fire and brimstone at them. We witness to EVERYONE of all ages, races and types, in love. This is the HOW you talked about. People who run churches don't like us, I know. But we don't see THEM doing anything to reach the lost for Christ. We plant the seeds, Christ waters and grants the increase. Last year, at the fair, we had over 400 decisions for Christ.
Thank you for inspiring me to tell of this. I shudder to think what will happen on Judgment day when the Lord looks at the 57% of EVANGELICALS who now tell pollsters from Barna and Pew that there are other ways to heaven than Him...and the churches that did nothing while this happened. God bless you and yours and God bless all the Godmobiles - all 32 of them - across the Fruited Plain. Long may they bring the Gospel to the streets of Fairs, Farm shows, etc etc...No one is obligated and they can and have laughed at us! We laugh with them....with the Joy of Christ, which we know we have within. Glory to the Lord on High.
IN Jesus Name
Amen
If I may.. paste your words:
We walked around taking in the sights, deciding which neon carnival ride would make us feel brave and daring but the least ill, and avoiding a few seedy characters I’m pretty sure I saw on America’s Most Wanted. Does anyone else wonder how safe rides operated by toothless meth users are? We toured the livestock barns, got to pet some piglets, and decided that of all the barns, the swine barn smelled the absolute worst.
Wow! does not take much to hear your love in this passage. First off calling people toothless Meth users is outrageous. Out of the mouth ???
Whether you agree with the mobile unit or not.. they are brothers and sisters in the Lord. Where is your love for them? You come across angry and very hostile in this note. I do not sense love from you one bit.
Perhaps you might get rid of some pride.. name calling and Judgment are all I see in your thread.
Peace and May the Love of Our Lord Jesus touch you today.
The Godmobile program grew out of the heart of men in the Northwest part of the USA, who saw the need to share the Gospel with the lost, a higher percentage of population there, but really, a high percentage of the population everywhere.
I have worked as a leader on Godmobiles in more than one state, as most of them have been purchased by chapters of the Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship, International (fgbmfi.org), a global, interdenominational evangelistic movement started by Demos Shakarian in the early 1950s in Southern CA.. I serve as a Director of that group.
Too many Christians say nothing. Most Christians don’t live their faith publically, or let it interrupt their lives! Jesus said “GO into ALL the World!” That means a follower of Jesus stops what he is doing and GOES! That includes going to your local fairs, community events, and festivals.
As a new Christian, I began to hang out with Christians. Consequently, I don’t know as many non-Believers who I can talk to, unless I am willing to seek them out and engage them. No, not all will want to talk, but for those that do want to hear, I carry a message that will bring them healing, set them free of addictions, and insure that they will make Heaven their home. When we pray, God shows up in power!
Keeping quiet will do nothing. I’d rather offend a few people by asking them in a tactful way, if they know they are going to Heaven, and bring thousands of people to Heaven with me, then be quiet out of fear that someone might not like it! In one County Fair event where I worked, we had 600 people accept the Lord through the Godmobile approach! In another State Fair, that runs 2 weeks, the count was nearly 2,000 new Believers! These efforts are typically staffed by a broad array of Christians from a variety of Gospel believing denominations.
Judging people for sin is ridiculous, because everybody has sinned. The Gift of God is eternal life thru Jesus Christ! The message that is shared at the Godmobiles will life people up if they will hear it!
Neil
It really is a challenge, and I appreciate Jodie's willingness to address the real issue that some of the tactics used by Christians to introduce people to Jesus are the same tactics that the enemy can use to steal hearts away from Christ.
I remember going to a U2 show in Seattle 3 years ago and saw a guy wearing a placard that was painted in bold, black letters: YOU ARE GOING TO HELL. He was yelling, "Repent! Repent! Repent, now!!" Now, I'm sure that he could tell me that he has good conversations, or that his "truth-telling" leads people to the Lord, and I wouldn't doubt him. (The Gobmobile certainly has stats of success that show it's a valid ministry and that people do respond to Christ.) But my problem truly is with the fallout, or the spiritual shrapnel that guy with the placard leaves behind. People were seriously turned OFF to all things Christian by that guy. I stood aside and watched. He was seen and heard by hundreds of people in just the five minutes that I watched. The predominant response was revulsion. People doubted his sanity. One guy did get into a conversation with him, and I thought maybe the evangelism tactic was working. But then I realized that the man was already a Christ follower, and he was begging the guy to stop shouting at people.
I've been a pastor for 19 years, and in churches that are successfully evangelistic. I've done ministry outreach on college campuses, I've hosted outreaches for students that touched 7500 young lives. I have been privileged to see incredible response to the gospel. I'm not at all bragging, I just want to make clear that evangelism is my heart, and as a pastor, it is my commitment.
But we seek to do evangelism in relationship with people. We seek to train our believers to live honest, winsome lives that are truly caring and friendly...and in that context, we train our church to reach out in love to friends, co-workers, neighbors, and classmates. God has given us a mission field right HERE, right NOW. It's called bringvitational living.
That way, when I talk to my neighbor about church, Christ, or other spiritual matters, he knows it is in the context of our friendship. I've got to see him at the bus stop tomorrow morning. We stand together at the soccer game our kids both play in. He knows I love him, he knows I'm a pastor, and he sees that I'm a "normal-ish" guy who loves his family, who loves his church, and who loves Jesus. And I know that each interaction shatters a bit of his negativity towards Christ, and brings him one step closer.
That kind of relational ministry, or friendship evangelism, has no shrapnel. Nobody is wounded by this approach of bringing Jesus to people in tangible ways. There is nothing that has to be un-taught. I'm sure the guy yelling at the concert goers in Seattle might lead a person or two to Jesus, but as he does, he's damaging the reputation of Jesus in thousands of minds. Conscientious, relational Christians will have to undo that damage. They'll have to work harder to love the people who are now turned off, they will have to strive harder to show that not all Christians are like that.
The Godmobile is just a gimmick...an opportunity for conversation. I am certain that the volunteers are well trained, loving in their approach, and it obviously is an effective form of evangelism for those who take the test. It's not relational, it's not based in friendship, and there is no tangible follow up because that evangelism is not happening in the context of life together. But the value is in the conversation.
The Godmobile is also is a gimmick that leaves a footprint on a larger population than those who take the test. Everyone who sees it now has an opinion of Christians and of Jesus based upon that trailer and it's proclamation. And many of the opinions created make it harder for churches that are trying to do evangelism all year long, and not just when the fair rolls through.
I will say this: if there IS one place where I think the Godmobile is MOST appropriate, it probably is the place where they sell Deep Fried Twinkies.
There is the other issue of reducing a relationship of love with the Almighty God of the Universe to just "getting into heaven." I'm not saying heaven isn't going to kick butt...it is going to rock beyond anything we can dream up. But again, it's just a gimmick.
"We walked around taking in the sights, deciding which neon carnival ride would make us feel brave and daring but the least ill, and avoiding a few seedy characters I’m pretty sure I saw on America’s Most Wanted. Does anyone else wonder how safe rides operated by toothless meth users are?"
This is a comment from a loving Christian that can evangelise better? A Christian that doesn't judge? Your own words contradict what you calim. As Paul said, it doesn't matter who the messanger is or their method as long as Jesus is preached. Better to tell the truth than to candy coat a lie. becoming like the world does not convince them to give their life to Jesus. My B.C. days was very leery of people who wanted to show they were like me. They should show how they are different, and how God has changed them. Being a "Christian or a Pastor's wife" holds no value in it's self. The only value is who we are in Christ, and how He has ownership of our life, and heart.
Mr. Howerton
I respect your office of pastor, sir and all you said you do for the Lord Jesus Christ. However your arrogant answer and dismissive attitude to a group of Godly men and women who volunteer and give countless hours of their time to street witness and bring others to the Lord, IN LOVE, is extremely sad. I see the same kind of attitude from your fellow Southern California pastors and the main one is Rick Warren.
Your reply to Neil was to compare his fact-laden historical background of the Godmobile to some lunatic with a placard at a secular U2 concert. You boast of your "relational" type of "evangelism" "practised" by your church. How do you know the rest of us hicks in the hinterland don't do that ourselves, the rest of the time?
Sir, correct me if am wrong, but does the modern church preach the full counsel of God anymore? Jesus talked more about hell and sin than Heaven. When the Roll is called up Yonder, I would rather be caught doing His Work than sitting around sipping a latte and singing kumbayah.
One last thing, you have no idea if any of us do follow up, hook people up to churches or spend time counselling and praying with them at the tent behind the trailer. Prayer is something the modern, conversational and Emerging churches you describe, know little of, is my observation of modern "evangelicalism".
Ultimately, your disagreement is with Jesus. He is the One who ordained these units and called us to minister in there.....and by the way, you compared us slaves of Christ to "fried twinkies"....well, I had one of them deep-fried things, and they are good - 5 million calories and all!
p.s.....I don't hold up placards or yell at people or know anyone who does. I do have some gospel tracts I write and pass out at parades....hope that is okay in today's "christian" world!
God bless you and yours and thanks for your information.
By the way, without Repentance of sin - nobody is going to heaven "kick butt" or not!! Without Holiness, no one will see God. So, sir, you see, the man at your Bono concert had it right even if he had the wrong methods. I know you preach repentance and sin at your church, so am telling you nothing new.
Finally, I choose not to use language like "kick butt" etc to describe where my Lord and Savior resides. But it must be my age (53)!
Peace out!
As I articulated in the original post, I do not think the intentions behind the Godmobile tactic are bad or negative in any way. I believe the motivation behind the whole Godmobile ministry is to bring people into a saving relationship with Christ. That said, I think there is still room for criticism and discussion regarding the methodology.
While Neil relayed that 2,000 people came to know Christ at one state fair, I have to ask this. How many of them continued on in their faith? How many were followed up on or got connected in a local church? Sometimes I think we count "salvations" like notches in our belts. Is success measured by how many "prayed the prayer" or by how many actually experienced lasting life change through a relationship with Christ? And, since the Godmobile rolls into town and then rolls out just a few weeks later, what is going to anchor these "new converts" to faith?
Jesus did "evangelism" through direct relationships with people. He dined with sinners in their homes and entered into lasting friendships with those he was ministering to. Too many Christians completely insulate themselves from non-believers. Too often we have our kids in Christian schools, we only socialize with other Christians....We find ourselves unable to list even one non-believing friend.
The most effective form of evangelism does not come from a gimmick or a salvation test at a state fair. It comes from Christians really loving their neighbors or co-workers and entering into meaningful relationships with them.
All the points you raised are fair and should be answered. But you continue to call this a gimmick, when we, who actually talk with the folks talking the tests, tell you otherwise. What is so offensive about a small private trailer trying to reach the lost (most of them inside the church) for Christ? What is so offensive about asking people why God should let them into heaven....because if we don't, I guarantee you not too many others will.
You make a good point about most christians doing no evangelizing. But if there is no teaching on the absolute depravity of man, unmerited favor, repentance or perseverance of the saints, most don't want to become disciples. People like me are through playing plastic banana good time rock and roll church. We seek and have a remnant that operates outside the modern church structure. Also, given the state of public schools and their hate towards Christians, if people can, they SHOULD take their kids out of there.
Again, as I told your husband, how does he or anyone know we are not already doing daily or other outreach the other 350 days of the year when we can? Jesus did most of his work in the marketplace one on one, but He also was the first Megachurch Pastor, preaching the Full Counsel of God. Us Godmobile veterans can and do both, and make no apologies to any mortal man or woman for it...and the Lord Jesus does know we are not into gimmicks here. This is serious business. Eternal Life depends on it!
As a follow up to the foregoing: If a tool will assist someone to get past their head, so that we can reach their heart, and because of receiving the Gospel at a heart level, they change their eternal address from Hell to Heaven, I will use any "gimmick" that does not violate the Word or cause harm to the Name of Jesus.
That said, what many Believers don't recognize is that their beliefs of what is the "right" approach to reach the non-believer is usually rooted in their personality type, and their giftings. Why did God have four Gospels written by 4 guys? Because each had a different personality type, and was able to share the message in a way that people of his personality type could hear. The teacher hasn't taught till the student actually hears and internalizes the message.
In my case, I have a very direct personality. If you want to sell me on something, you better be direct in your approach or I won't give you the time to try twice. That is the way I am wired - and that's how I was created. My wife, predictably, is opposite - and is the type of person that is cautious in nearly every message she is speaking, because her main personality type is interested in everybody getting along. She reaches people like that - I reach the ones who need a direct message.
In case no one has noticed, there are far more loud, demanding approaches to get people's attention - things like blogging, E-Mail, downloadable music, etc., which make it far harder to cut through the fog, so that a person is confronted with the central reality of life... "Have you come to the point in your spiritual life where you know for certain that if you died, you'll go to Heaven? The Godmobile is there so people will take a moment to consider that question.
But in operation, that question's answer is only the prelude to the real question... "Let's say you did die today, and you were standing at the Gate of Heaven, and the Lord said to you, "Why should I let you into Heaven?"? What will you tell Him??
The answer to that is where the rubber meets the road. Most people will say "I guess I'm going to Heaven..." - or something close to that. Very few will come out and say "No - I'm not going to Heaven!"
The problem is that there is only One Name given under Heaven, whereby we must be saved! Without the Name of Jesus being involved in the response to "Are you going to Heaven?" - it is unlikely that the person being interviewed has ever followed the instructions of Romans 10: 9 - 10. If they have not made Jesus their personal Lord and Savior, they are in danger of not making Heaven.
Is that hard? First - that is Bible. Second - since we all know we have sinned, exactly how hard can it be, when all we have to do is admit we can't make it on our own, and allow Someone else to pay the sin bill for us! ALL that is required is to make the choice to ask Jesus to take control of your life, and to look to Him as the only reason you can get into Heaven. How hard is that? If we humble ourselves before the Lord, it is not hard.
But if we think that we are already "good enough" based on our so-called good works, and without a change of course, continue to believe that, then the only thing you are guaranteed is that you won't like the outcome at death!
This IS URGENT! THIS MESSAGE must be proclaimed! Without it, the people that knew the Gospel, but didn't want to share the message with their friends and family, for fear of offending them, will be the most hated people in hell! They will have known the truth - and they didn't love their fellow man enough to tell them!