As I listened and watched the group from a baptist church in Knoxville shout (actually scream) their incendiary message of sin, hellfire and damnation at Bele Chere Friday night, I could not help but appreciate the different approach of the group from Texas with Revive Asheville who visited our city last April. The latter group made numerous advance trips here to build relationships and to learn what they could do to help the people of Asheville.
In April they came for a week (no one-night stands for them) and during that week they served 6,400 meals not only to their invited guests but to all, including the homeless, who were hungry. They had numerous work projects such as the makeover of nine houses and landscape, maintenance and cleanup jobs. And when they went out to evangelize, they went out in twos (as in Mark, chapter 6) and spoke quietly with people and only with those who accepted their invitation to hear of the joy of having Jesus Christ in your life .
They did not insult, abuse or provoke people by calling them sinners and liars. I suppose all Christians share the desire to expand the kingdom of God, but there is a huge difference of opinion on how to do that respectfully, lovingly and effectively.
— Joe Myers
Asheville
Joe,
I agree with you and as a conservative orthodox Christian, I find their methods to be as hellish as their message. If you tell someone repeatedly that they are going to hell, they are just as likely to tell you to go to hell. It is a self defeating “ministry”.