Deep Dive into Apologetics and Evangelism by Dr. Michael Vlach & Prof. Jesse Johnson - Programs, Methods, and Balance
"The Way of the Master" evangelism method, while widely used and praised for its strengths, also faces several criticisms, categorized into "nitpicky" and "more serious" concerns.
One nitpicky concern is its perceived over-reliance on the law or logic to bring conviction, rather than allowing the Holy Spirit to work. Critics suggest that conviction derived from logical argument might be less genuine or lasting. Another point of contention is the lack of adequate focus on the resurrection within their gospel presentation, which can appear as an afterthought rather than a central, foundational element. Furthermore, there are questions about its consistency with Jesus's evangelism, as Jesus did not always use the law in every interaction, particularly with Gentiles. The direct application of the Ten Commandments to 21st-century Americans also raises a "knee-jerk dispensationalist concern," given that these commands were originally given to Israel.
More serious concerns include a lack of adequate focus on the call to deny one's life and follow Christ, often referred to as "counting the cost." The method can be seen as presenting salvation as a "reasoning to a decision" rather than a radical call to repentance and complete life transformation. Additionally, it tends to overemphasize the judicial nature of salvation—where Christ pays the legal penalty for sin—to the neglect of relational restoration with God. This can make the gospel sound like merely a "get out of jail free card" without fully addressing humanity's relational brokenness. Perhaps the most significant concern is that it is sometimes presented as the only valid approach to evangelism by some followers, which can lead to divisiveness and judgment within churches that do not exclusively adopt this specific method.
Reformed Theologian GPT: https://chat.openai.com/g/g-XXwzX1gnv-reformed-theologian
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