I've been working with Pam in the Library here. Since Pam and I have been coming over in 2001 the library has tripled in size physically, and just over doubled in size in the amount of books we now have. Ever since TCMI wanted to get its accreditation from HLC (the Higher Learning Commission, the academic arm of North Central Accrediting Association) they have had to put more books in the library. That's part of Pam's responsibility. This past year they put an addition on to the library and she is in the process of moving books, spreading them out over two rooms of library shelves. So I've been moving books in the morning.
Here's the 'thought'. While I was moving books, I noticed that the books I was moving were in the 'History' section of the Dewey Decimal system*. The next section I started moving was a section of books on 'Evangelism'. I was struck by the fact of how small the evangelism section was. Now I know that there have been far more years of history then of Christian evangelism, but I also noticed that most of them were only published with in the last half of the 20th century. Surely evangelism has been going on for at least 2000 years. But where are all the 'old' books on it? I guess it was either thought of as a personal responsibility or the pastor was the only one responsible for it. But it wasn't until the 70's and later did it become a subject that needed to be written about. Did it only now become something that must be done? How come we now need books to help us talk to others about Christ? Why is it was now need to read books to help us relate to others?
Just a question.
John
* Dewey Decimal System......... Give me Library of Congress ANY DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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About Me
- John
- This site will be used to journal the classes I teach while at TCMI Institute. Pam and I leave every summer to work with TCMI Institute. It's a seminary for students in Eastern and Central Europe that want a master degree in Practical Ministries. TCMI offers MA and MDiv degrees. Pam teaches a Research Methods course for the Institute and I teach a course on The Theology and Practice of Worship. We have been going over and working with the Institute since 2001. This blog will follow my classes as I travel and teach throughout eastern Europe and in Austria, where the Institute is located.
2 comments:
Good post - and to keep the comment from getting too long, there are several messy answers.
(1) Reading through the NT letters, how often do they write about "evangelism"? Lots of evangelism narratives in Acts, but not lots of "four or seven alliterative steps for evangelism" in Paul, Peter, etc.
(2) For many centuries, you were born into Church (RC or Orthodox and even many Prot denominations), so everybody you met was (in theory) Chr and didn't need to be evangelized.
(3) From 1700s on, many mass mtg style evangelists Wesley, Whitefield, Finney, Moody, up til Billy Graham. "Evangelism" was come-to-mtg w/ me, not as much go-and-be disciple influencing others in everyday life.
leave it to alex to get all theological... actually that's pretty cool stuff. still, i'm just glad you're there safe, have gotten some exercise moving books and I can't wait the here the stories...
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