Bad evangelism says: I'm right, you're wrong, and I would love to tell you about it
Interpretation
This quote critiques a confrontational style of sharing beliefs that alienates others. It emphasizes the importance of dialogue over dogmatism.
Timothy Keller highlights the shortcomings of aggressive or confrontational evangelism, suggesting that a mindset that prioritizes being 'right' over understanding others can lead to disconnection and hostility. Rather than establishing meaningful conversations, this approach can often create barriers between individuals. Keller advocates for a more respectful and empathetic approach to sharing one's beliefs, promoting understanding and genuine dialogue over merely asserting oneβs correctness.
In practice
In a debate about beliefs, this quote can remind participants to engage respectfully.
Falling in love in a Christian way is to say,'I am excited about your future and I want to be part of getting you there. I'm signing up for the journey with you. Would you sign up for the journey to my true self with me? It's going to be hard but I want to get there.
Only in Jesus Christ do we see how the untamable, infinite God can become a baby and a loving Savior. On the cross we see how both the love and the holiness of God can be fulfilled at once.
All human problems are ultimately symptoms, and our separation from God is the cause.
While your character flaws may have created mild problems for other people, they will create major problems for your spouse and your marriage.
To be loved but not known is comforting but superficial. To be known and not loved is our greatest fear. But to be fully known and truly loved is, well, a lot like being loved by God. It is what we need more than anything. It liberates us from pretense, humbles us out of our self-righteousness, and fortifies us for any difficulty life can throw at us.
God's Kingdom is "present in its beginnings, but still future in its fullness. This guards us from an under-realized eschatology (expecting no change now) and an over-realized eschatology (expecting all change now). In this stage, we embrace the reality that while we're not yet what we will be, we're also no longer what we used to be.
A man sooner or later discovers that he is the master-gardener of his soul, the director of his life.
Man is a dream about a shadow. But when some splendour falls upon him from God, a glory comes to him and his life is sweet.
There is all the difference in the world between the criminal's avoiding the public eye and the civil disobedience's taking the law into his own hands in open defiance. This distinction between an open violation of the law, performed in public, and a clandestine one is so glaringly obvious that it can be neglected only by prejudice or ill will.
It is because God is infinitely great and good that his glory is the end of all things; and his good pleasure the highest reason for whatever comes to pass. What is man that he should contend with God, or presume that his interests rather than God's glory should be made the final end?
The moon of Mahomet Arose, and it shall set; While, blazoned as on heaven's immortal noon, The cross leads generations on.
The phoenix hope, can wing her way through the desert skies, and still defying fortune's spite; revive from ashes and rise.
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