Ed Stetzer No such thing as the GIFT of evangelism. It gets us off the hook cuz we don't have it. All are called to the WORK of evangelism.
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GJ - Kelm, Patterson, and Ash were hotter than Georgia asphalt to have this genius lay a burden of law-guilt on WELS. Ex-SP Gurgle tried it in every issue of Forward in Confusion, a Generic Christian Magazine.
Lutherans--who trust the Scriptures and agree with the Confessions--agree that the Gospel does this work wherever the living seed is carelessly broadcast. Instead of worrying about their numbers, they realize that faithfulness to the Word, under all circumstances, will bring forth God-pleasing results.
God may be pleased to divide an organization, as He did the corrupt Medieval Church. He may drive the faithful from one situation to another.
He chose to make Paul, Luther, and John Bunyan more fruitful in prison than we are today, although we enjoy perfect freedom.
Who are we to doubt God's goodness and the effectiveness of His Word?
