Knock Knock

Today the small group leaders and I went to an apartment complex near University of Missouri - St. Louis (UMSL) to share 5-minute versions of the Gospel with students attending UMSL. Knocking on people's doors to evangelize reminded me of when Jehovah's Witnesses or other evangelical Christians would come knocking on my door at home to evangelize to us and give us some literature. I remember being polite toward these people but never really wanting them around.

It's hard to believe that now I have become one of those somewhat intimidating, pretty annoying, and perhaps crazy people who knock on people's doors to talk about Jesus. Though I feel like nothing else in life matters compared to having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, I am not sure what is the best way to share how I feel about this with other people. I think that going out with the mindset of converting people is wrong; they have the right to believe whatever they want to believe in regards to religion, spirituality, the meaning of life, worldview, etc. However, because I feel like there has been nothing more illuminating, heartfelt, powerful, and life-changing in my life as Jesus, it's something that I want to share with others. Is going door-to-door to talk with strangers about Jesus effective? When I was not Christian, it definitely didn't make a positive impact on me. While we can tell them how much it means to us and how much it could mean to them, we can't force them to become Christian or condemn them for not being Christian.

So do I go door-to-door with the disclaimer that I am not out to convert or condemn them? Do I just hand out literature? (I think I would answer no to that already - the most important part about outreach is the relationship) Do I befriend non-Christians and then share the Gospel with them after gaining their trust and piquing their curiosity?

Who's there? Ingold???

Intellectual Bucket List

Understand the main ideas of some the most important philosophers and theologians in history, including but not limited to:
-Socrates
-Plato
-Aristotle
-St. Augustine
-St. Thomas Aquinas
-Descartes
-Locke
-Hume
-Kant
-Hegel
-Kierkegaard
-Nietzsche
-Russel

Read the works of these writers:
-Shakespeare
-Tolstoy
-Dostoyevsky
-C. S. Lewis

Get to know these historical figures:
-Dietrich Bonhoeffer
-MLK Jr.
-Gandhi
-Mother Teresa
-Oscar Romero
-Grand Duchess Elizabeth

Become familiar with religious texts such as:
-Quran
-Dao De Jing
-Bhagavad Gita