On another point, I read an article recently which said that what we call Christian “missions” often is nothing more than acts of service. If missionaries dig a well so villagers can have fresh water, but do not preach the gospel, then it isn’t mission work but service. During Paul’s missionary journeys he preached the gospel. My pastor showed me 2 Thes 3:1 the other day, pointing out that we should pray for the spread of the gospel. Paul’s main concern was for the gospel of Christ, though he did have a heart for the poor. Nothing wrong with that, they go hand in hand.

Let us remember Christ’s great commission and the one of the purposes of the pouring out of His Spirit–to evangelize the lost in His power, and to make disciples.

We are completely dependant on the Holy Spirit to do His work — and we know that He has chosen to work through the Gospel message as revealed in the Scriptures alone. May we be ever vigilant in preaching that message with both passion and faithful accuracy to the text, not using sleight of hand or trickery — simply a demonstration of the Spirit and of power.

When we begin to believe that preaching is simply selling something, we will begin to use clever schemes and ploys to get people “saved.” What this too often constitutes is re-inventing and/or watering down the Gospel. After all, the Gospel is foolishness to the unconverted.

If we are preaching the Gospel in our own power, without the power of the Holy Spirit, it is bound to fail. When it does fail, we will try to come to the rescue with out own methods. We twist the truth to be more appealing and less “foolish” or harsh. This does not apply only to liberal pastors; I have seen many fundamentalist pastors and other conservatives do the same thing. They tell heart wrenching stories, dim the lights, and play just as I am until someone comes forward. That is no more the power of the Holy Spirit than Rick Warren’s Circus Driven church or the truth denying emergents.

This post didn’t even mention Rob Bell. Can you demonstrate how the post contradicts what you say about living a life as well as preaching? It seems as though Rob and others are confusing the “living the life” part with the “preaching the gospel” part.

Rob Bell seems to be saying that you are only half right. You not only need to be “preaching” but you also need to be “living” a life like Jesus did. If you are not living the life here and now then you are just an empty clanging gong.

You said, “If you take the definition of the Kingdom as the realm where God’s will is done, it seems that could include a whole number of things in addition to evangelism.”

What is God’s will? I can think of one specific aspect of it…he is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. God’s will is that we preach the gospel to those who have no power to regenerate themselves…to those who are born of flesh, but desperately need to be born of the Spirit. This happens by faith — faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. I am all for clothing the poor, feeding the hungry, etc. However, the purpose is a spiritual — sharing spiritual truth with them.

When Jesus fed the 5,000 was it a demonstration of the Kingdom? I believe it was, most definitely. Were all of those 5,000 born again? It seems most likely they were not. Yet these people were able to literally taste the Kingdom.

I’m not arguing against preaching, but I think Christians can expand the Kingdom in a lot of ways. If you take the definition of the Kingdom as the realm where God’s will is done, it seems that could include a whole number of things in addition to evangelism.