"Overheard" at Seminary "50 of 52 conversions [to belief in Christ] in the New Testament occurred between strangers." [i.e., a Christian shared about Jesus with a stranger and that stranger believed.]
This quick Missiology quiz is for Christians who read their Bibles on a more than semi-annual basis. " True or False:
What do you think?
Thursday, September 14, 2006
Quick Missiology Quiz
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4 comments:
I am going be brave and answer this: I am going with true because I am having a hard time thinking of a time when that wasn't the case. When we are going to get graded on this quiz?
With the benefit of five hours of hindsight, this post is looking like the ultimate non sequitor. Well, maybe not the ultimate, given that I'm at seminary, but a very convincing one.
I was reading professorial notes scrawled in the margins of an old paper, and came across what was in essence this "quiz." Reacting strongly to the topic, I rattled off an insta-post and sent it winging into the blogosphere...ah, catharsis. But so much for background.
I appreciate your bravery, Paul. I guess my reaction to the idea is negative on several counts:
1) What, only 52 conversions to Christ? 3000 believed at Pentecost alone.
2) What about Jesus' family? I'm assuming here that, being perfect, Jesus did not "be a stranger" to his mother and siblings.
3) What about the disciples? We know that they didn't "get" the picture of Christ as God until late in his ministry, long after they knew him well.
4) Other instances can be given.
5) So much for the "only share with strangers" theory (the upshot of the statement), which I think has a crippling effect on the transmission of the gospel.
This may have been a mini-rant, but I don't think it's theologically insignificant.
Preach it brother! It seems to me that after the ressurection, Jesus appeared to more than 500 "brothers" before his ascention. 3000 (probably only a count of the men) + 500 + 12 equals at least 3512, oh plus the 2 left out of the 52 that makes 3514. This is slightly more than 50. I guess you see what you want to see.
The importance of asking questions. I should have asked how the number 52 was arrived at. I thought 52 was too specific of a number when you take into consideration the household conversions of Cornelius, Lydia, and the Philippian Jailer.
Then you can factor in Andrew bringing Peter to meet Jesus, which goes to show us the evangelism and conversion is a process (That intial intorduction was essential for Peter to believe)- Paul planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.
Next time I will get a clarification on the question before answering.
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