Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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GAMECOCK LXXIV, No. 89 University of South Carolina Friday February 26, 1982 Students Sh Witnessing - Good Or Bad? [ By FORREST BROWN and JULIE JAMESON Staff Writers Witnessing is the practice by religious groups of telling about a religious experience to influence another person's beliefs. Some students agree with the practice while others feel it becomes a high-pressure tactic. Ralph Stice, a journalism major and member of Campus Crusade, talked about witnessing and addressed the issue of high-pressure tactics. Answering charges from some people that some crusaders are too forceful, Stice said, "I am sure there are times when they are not as sensitive as they should be. Sometimes you just get so concerned about someone that you don't realize that you are pestering them." Stice continued, "Our motives are good, we are not just trying to add to the rolls. I hate to see people get gobbled up in groups, too." Stice cited two reasons for a Christian to witness. "The Bible tells us that people that don't have ChrisJ will never live life the way that they can. They will be separated from God forever. Also, when I take into account all that Christ has done for me, I want to share it with others. I would like other people to know that life with Christ can be better. A lot of people are looking for answers, and He is the answer," Stice said. Stinp cniH hp fpplc cvmnathu fnr snmpnnp u'hn rfnps nnt u*?vv ,,v vv*M j "'K"?; ~ ?* have Christ and does not want Him. Pi! !J II i L. ~11 T auce saiu, u someuiie uuesu i wain iu near ai an, i ice* sorry for them. But I will not force them to listen to me, either." Stice said he believes a person who witnesses with words must back those words up with action, and follow Christ's example in order to be an effective witness. "Of course, no one is perfect," said Stice, "but Christ does show us the way to live." tHinlrc tho mnct ^ffpntivp uiav tn u/itnMS is thrnn0h friendships. He said, "witnessing through friendship yields the most successful results. However, I believe in witnessing to those around you even if you don't know them. Often that person needs a Christian to talk to, and you are there at the right time. When I was on summer missions at Daytona Beach last summer, I saw it happen all the time." Stice said when he witnesses to people, they usually listen to him, and many times he discovers that these people are already Christians. Stice said in the North, many people will not let you witness to them. In the South, however, he finds nearly everybody is willing to listen. Stice added, "I always give people a chance to get back together again. Usually, they don't want to get back together. If I get a positive response, I usually talk with those people again." Manv students are Christians and believe in the value of ? witnessing, but they do not agree with random evangelism. Barry Powers, an international studies major and a j Christian, said he shares his faith with others but he does not like some of the high-pressure tactics used by other Christians. Powers said, "in my opinion, grabbing someone and witnessing to them, without prior knowledge, and then imnlnrt Hir-Aiirtli cnmo momnri'/p/t uprhflffp Hn#?S not rOTYl 1 milling till VUgll OVIIIV IUVIIIV* >UVM T v-. ..w? ' municate love. It's just very offensive. It is invading the other person's privacy." Powers said, "I think one of the things we do wrong in witnessing is putting the facts together about the Christian life, then drawing their own conclusions for them. Christians should let people draw their own conclusions. Powers said he believes that Christianity should speak for itself. Gary Mallard is a graduate student studying law, and he related an experience he had a few weeks ago in the Russell House. Mallard said, "I was sitting upstairs when a couple oi nonnin nn and started aeeressivelv Questioning other -r- cw . . _ people if they believed in God. They didn't seem to go through a formula like I had heard about, but I just had a few reservations about the whole thing." Mallard said, "I think the Gospel is better communicatee ait iiuna vu ? Ak ^Ifl Jl^L ! 1I rH?r ! I II i 5 > : ! i J J JhBl Staff Art by MJKI FISHEK Some students agree with the practice of witnessing to change a person's beliefs while others feel it is a high pressure tactic, through the context of a real friendship." Mallard said he believes that one way in which a perse can show the world his Christianity is through taking publi stands on controversial issues. "Christians need to speak out against hunger, brutalit' and other issues," Mallard said. Pat Whitely, resident hall director in the Wade Hamptc Hotel, said that while she is concerned with witnessing in th dorms, she herself has not encountered any particuli problems. Whitely said, "our staff is real aware of the rules. We I these people know that this is a possible concern of ours." She said, "Maranatha wanted to knock on doors to do survey. Once they were informed of the rules that it wi illegal to do this, they were very cooperative. Whitely said she has never had any personal problems wi people bothering her on religious matters. "I've been very honest with people, and I let them kno , how I feel. I have not experienced any harassment, and r know of no specific students in the hotel that have be* trintimc r\f roliuinuc haraccmnnl pifhnr " Whitplv Kflid T 1VVI1IIO VI A VltfjtV/UkJ IIMt UUIvIIIIV/KV *y? VIIV/? f ?? wv.j I I See EVANGHBM page < Witnessing o Campus Advanced Spreads The Word By FORREST BROWN and they're being bugged," mi if v4mfcom Prince said. He said he was suhwriters aware that if people don't want to go to a Bible study "I was 22 years old before "they don't say 'no,' they'll I found what the Bible has to say 'maybe.' When say," said Guy Prince, vice someooay tens me mayDe, president of Campus Ad- that indicates to me they're vanced. "It took someone to interested. If people say 'no' point it out to me ? that God we won't go back." really does expect The president of Campus something from my life." Advanced, Ben Jones, said Campus Advanced is a his witnessing was different legal organization sponsored from Prince's in that he was by the Shandon Church of raised in a strict religious Christ that "spreads the household. "Although I ... ) 11 ?:,j ?u? ? ?n?? wuiu, r i uiLC Sdiu, uy tame 11 uiu a vci y icugiuuo going around and meeting background, I didn't have a people in classes or in clear view of what the Bible dormitories if the doors are was about. I want to help open. other people out like I was "One thing that makes me helped. The Bible study want to spread the word helped me understand things more is that so many people Iwasn't sure of. have an inaccurate concept Jones said, "Look around of Jesus. He's not a flower and see how people are child, but Jesus cnrist is a living. Morany, u s preuy demanding person. He was a bad ? drinking, drugs, man. The very best man." immoral sex. We know we Prince said, "I know what have an answer to it. We Christ has done for my life want to help. and I want to share it with "We know what we had " hpfnpp wasn't fulfilling ? wp K^V/p'V. . "? ? o He said he realizes that know what we found, and we cults make people wary of want to share that." religious groups, "yet the Jones added, there's a lot main thing is not who's right, of groups in Christianity. A it's what's right." lot of them have become He said, "A lot of people very liberal to the point that are just accepting what some don't believe in the someone else telis them resurrection." about the Bible. Each person When Jones tries to enis responsible for finding out courage people to partake in what the Bible has to say. the Bible study, he said, "I think there's a lot of "generally, I don't walk in inaccurate teaching about and sit down in my first visit the Bible, because we go to someone. I just try to talk back to the source. It doesn't and get to know him. Let him always agree with other realize I'm not a fanatic. I denominations." try to be their friend. I don't J Prince said he realizes want to pusn tne Kioie study, many people view the Bible I ask if they'd be interested differently than the people in in studying the scriptures. If Campus Advanced. "If you they're not interested at the put the whole book together time, I'll say fine." you can get an accurate Campus Advanced holds in interpretation. If you take a Bible studies once a week in cinrtln fvin/in rt( cnrir>t 1 rn onrl H i f fprpnt Hnnnc [C Oll.S?v ?. ON,.iKvu.v U..U interpret it, the meaning Curtis Christian a senior in v may become warped." religious studies and He said he fears some philosophy said, "some m people view him as carry it to excess. Often ie hypocritical. "Some people times they'll exclude the |r are waiting for someone to other person's faith. They initiate a Bible study, but try to win souls over for et don't react favorably, Christ." usually because they've had Personally, they don't a a bad experience ? because appeal to me ? it strikes me JS they've seen a lot of as salesman like." Another hypocrisy and mat s going reason wny unrisuan is ^ to turn them off. skeptical to such "As they get to know us, organizations is "they w they'll realize that Christ is blatantly tell the person he * not just a part of our life, he should blindly accept, ^ is our life and that we're not whereas I believe it's a good nypocriticai. idea 10 oe educated on "I would imagine that the religion and then choose people who complain feel *? witnissinc, w 4