I haven't talked a lot about Ray Comfort on my blog. Ray Comfort, in conjunction with Kirk Cameron do the Way of the Master, an Evangelism and Outreach Program. Perhaps you have seen them on TBN while channel surfing. I have never been a big fan of the approach and methodology of Ray Comfort and the Way of the Master. I respect his heart for God and desire for people to come to saving faith, but I have had concerns about his approach to evangelism and it's implications.
Now I read that Ray Comfort is going to debate a couple of athiests on the existence of God.
And Ray Comfort is asserting that he can prove the existence of God without using the Bible. Perhaps at first glance, it sounds like a noble undertaking, but I think it is a major strategic mistake. Following the lead of Cornelius Van Til and John Frame, our starting point when debating God shouldn't be based on the foundation of "reason". What that does is it concedes that reason and reason alone is the sole arbitrator of what is true. Rather, we should, unapologetically, use the Scriptures to talk about God. We should operate out of our presuppositions that God exists and that the Bible is authoritative to discuss such matters.
Anyway, this should make for some interesting television viewing.
The debate will be shown on Wednesday, which is TONIGHT on Nightline, ABC
3 comments:
I do not think Ray's premise is that he can prove God's existence to someone, over and above the Scripture, or instead of using the Scriptures; or that the Scriptures are not sufficient.
Rather, I think he is saying the same thing that Paul says in Romans 1, that creation (because of design) should be obvious to the tender-hearted as proof of God's existence.
Just has he says in his example, a paintING is empirical proof of a paintER, and a buildING is empirical proof of a buildER, so a designed creatION is empirical proof of a CreatOR. That is, for the open-minded.
I do not think, through such examples, that Ray is denying the sovereignty of God in the conversion process, or that we need something other than the Scriptures, or that God can be "proved" without the moving of the Spirit, to the obstinate and arrogant person.
As far as The Way Of The Master goes, I have used it for several years now, and taught it several classes, in several contexts. I am amazed at the response of people when the Law is used to Bibically expose sin, as it was intended, and how that makes righteousness, judgment, hell, and the good news of the gospel "make sense" to people who have never understood it explained "that way."
I use the method not because it pragmatically "works," but because I find it to be supported Biblically. It does however; work, both for encouraging people to share their faith, and communicating the correct gospel to people who would otherwise reject a mis-communicated modern-day gospel.
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Thanks for your feedback. I understand how helpful it can be to use ""general revelation, such as Paul talks about in Romans 1. But my concern was that he was going to use it exclusively and jettison "Special" Revelation while doing so. In Christianity today, Doug Wilson and Christopher Hitchens have had a series of debates. And to some extent, I think what Doug Wilson attempted to do is something of what I was suggesting in my post. Wilson tried to get to the heart of Hitchen's unbelief by addressing his presuppositions. None of us come to life or anything as neutral beings. And when we exercise in the practice of apologetics, there is no neutrality, each side has with it their own presuppositions. I just wanted Cameron and Comfort to not run away from their presuppositons and to be willing to confidently use them in the debate - which I know they do when they share their faith in the Way of the Master videos.
And about the Way of the Master, I think there is charity in using different approach called "Two Ways to Live" by Matthias Media because of approach theologically and methodically. The issue for me is are we showing people Jesus, and winsomely, boldly and confidently communicating and calling people to repent and believe in Jesus. It is all about Jesus.
I think that Way of the Master has stemmed from a concern that evangelicalism is awash in easy believism, and I share that concern. Conversion is holistic issue. It is not just saving souls but transforming lives. Calling people to become Followers of Christ and Disciples.
Yeah, you make some good points, but I would not be concerned over Ray and Kirk’s general vs. special revelation. Also, I think their approach in this debate was a goal of preaching the gospel to many, not so much to convert Brian and Kellie. So their approach was a little different. They were talking to the cameras for sure!
I have visited Mark Dever’s church several times, and I bought the Two Ways To Live program there because I knew he liked it, and I respect him and his ministry a lot. I also saw it at the Together For The Gospel Conference. I do like it, but I think it could emphasize the law as our schoolmaster to Christ more. I do like it though, and use it in appropriate times (usually when the person is already humble, recognizing sin, and recognizing and a need for a Savior – the proud and arrogant need the Law, and The Way Of The Master program is the best I’ve seen in that situation).
I don’t disagree with your last paragraph, that it isn’t just about saving souls, but calling people to be disciples too. However, I see in many seeker churches and emergent churches, that there is an over emphasis of being a disciple, that minimizes the conversion process at the same disproportion that you are concerned about in the other direction. Both are important, and we have to understand that conversion must take place before living as a disciple is even possible. Calling people to live like Jesus without giving them the gospel message of conversion first, is as much of a problem in contemporary Christianity as those who just emphasis conversion. It is impossible to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, follow him, and live to please him, if you aren’t born-again.
The gospel is about conversion, and that is why The Way Of The Master is so effective, it gives the true gospel so that genuine conversion can take place. Once a genuine conversion takes place, the true convert will desire to follow Jesus, and that is when the church should emphasis “following Jesus” and growing as a disciple. Both are equally important, but we can’t ignore the order they must occur in.
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