by Claudia Windal

Created on: October 02, 2008

There certainly in no pat answer to this question. Personally, I believe that many Christian evangelists are hurtful or at the very least, have the potential to be hurtful. The evangelists that we find on television tend to be very strong people. They present themselves as self confident, knowledgable of Scripture, and filled with the Spirit. If the listener is not particularly discerning, he or she might easily believe absolutely everything said by the evangelist.

How can believing a Christian evangelist be hurtful? These evangelists teach us not to question their message. The listener doesn't need to think, because the evangelist speaks for God and therefore, speaks the truth. Evangelists tend to be the most vocal about controversial concerns such as abortion, same sex marriages, teaching abstinence instead of protection and the like. There messages strongly present themselves as the ABSOLUTE TRUTH. "If I say that homosexuality is sinful and those who practice homosexuality will burn in hell...." the so be it.

We hear over and over that abortion is murder! There are no questions asked as to how this decision came about, what support the parent/parents have at this time, how a newborn will be cared for and nurtured, and many others. Abortion for many women, is an angonizing decision. The evangelist does not consider the environment the child would enter, risks to the infant, inability of the mother to function maternally, or any other situations that are possible. The message is simply that abortion is a sin and is against the will of God.

Certainly, the disciples of Jesus were called upon to be evangelists. Those of us who preach regularly recognize that these were simple men with simple understandings of what Jesus taught them. Despite that, they listened to Jesus and they learned. Ah, there is the key; they LISTENED to Jesus and carried his message to the faithful. Jesus worked long and hard with these disciples in order to instill in them the truth of what he taught. As he worked to not alienate the listener, but to turn their hearts toward their God and neighbors, he expected the disciples to do likewise. Jesus also lived what he preached. There are far too many examples of Christian evangelists today who do not do the same.

When we have serious questions about life, relationships, God, our futures and the like, we want someone to help us out; to assure us that God is indeed with us. When this assurance turns toward preaching absolutes and demands that the

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