Q: How would you justify a pastor telling someone who isn`t a believer and asked questions about salvation etc., and the pastor tells that person, well just try Jesus out for 60 days and see if you like him. that`s what a prominent pastor did on national TV. How would you answer that pastor? You don`t try Jesus out like a pair of shoes and if they don`t fit or if you don`t like `Him` just return Him. What kind of Pastor is that?????
A: Without knowing the exact context in which the statement was made, it is a bit difficult to answer one way or the other. However, being that this pastor was on television, and could have had millions of viewers listening in at the time, his comment could have been an attempt to get his audience to take time to ponder the things of Christ. The Apostle Paul said, "I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow (1 Corinthians 3:6)." In many witnessing situations there is not allot of time in which to give a full or in depth Gospel presentation. Many Christians give out resources like tracts, CDs and tapes, in an effort to plant a seed. The pastors request to "try Jesus out" could be his way of trying to plant a seed. As believers, our job is not to convince others of what we believe, but present the evidence that has convinced us of what we believe. Remember, we are to "be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have (1 Peter 3:15)." While some answers and responses may be better than others, God is big enough to use them all if those we offer them to are open to exploring His truths.
With that being said, I admit that your concern over the pastor's remarks is understandable. It is possible that this pastor is using the name of Christ for personal gain. As my friend said there are "hucksters" out there who only want you to try out Jesus so they can "hound you biweekly the rest of your [life] for funds." Many times the lure is not coming to Christ for salvation, but a false promise of earthly rewards that appeal to the flesh and can attract a wayward soul looking for a change in their life. Jesus warned of these types of people when He said, "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves (Matthew 7:15)." Sadly, even so-called Christians, who don't exercise discernment, have fallen pray to this type of deception. While a Christian should know better, it is not surprising when an unbeliever becomes a victim. They don't have the Holy Spirit to guide them and, thus, are governed by their flesh. These types of pastors rob the Lord of His power and diminish the necessity of salvation by making the Gospel seem like just another program designed to help a person "gain the world, and forfeit his soul (Luke 8:36)."
Thankfully, we can rest assured that God can be glorified in the midst of it all. In Philippians 1, it talks about those that preach the Gospel "out of envy and rivalry." While others preach it out of "goodwill." Some do it out of "love" and some out of "selfish ambition." However, the scripture concludes the "important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached (Philippians 1:18)." I admit that, like you, I cringe when I see a believer, especially one in authority like a pastor, struggle to make a clear presentation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Then, I am quickly reminded of times when I may not have made the perfect presentation. Hindsight is 20/20 when it comes to this issue. Our desire to be perfect extends to those around us when the subject is as important as salvation. Because of the importance of the Gospel we can almost root for others to make a great case for the Lord. And when we don't believe they have we can respond with questions like "What kind of Pastor is that?" But, rest assured that God doesn't need our ability, only our availability. As Christians, the life we live is not our own. Jesus Christ, in the Person of the Holy Spirit, lives the Christian life through us.
In the book of Romans a Christian's spiritual act of worship is described as offering our "bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God (Romans 12:1)." Therefore, as we grow in our relationship with the Lord, we will become increasingly dependent on Him. The byproduct of our dependence will be our ability to better communicate the Gospel. Perhaps, the pastor's actions are nothing more than an example of his level of maturity and trust in the Lord. I am sure that if we had a national television audience on us, talking about something as important as the Gospel, we might utter something as disappointing as "try Jesus out." When this happens, all we can do is trust God can use it and learn from it. You don't have to look any further than the pages of the Bible to see God using men and women who didn't have full understanding, or the greatest presentation, of the Gospel. Yet, it has managed to survive the past 2,000 years. What a testimony to the power of our God. The impact the pastor's response had on you was to ask a question about it. Rejoice in that fact. It shows that you are desiring a deeper understanding of the Gospel and how to present it. All of us, including the pastor you speak of, are ministers of the New Covenant. We are all at various levels of understanding and maturity in our walk with the Lord. Recognize and rejoice in that fact as you "contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints (Jude 1:3)."
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