I Was a Door-to-Door Gospel Salesman
/When I was about twenty, a friend dubbed me "Baptist Girl." This nickname wasn't just about the church I attended; it encapsulated my entire lifestyle.
I was the epitome of a "good Christian girl," meticulously following every rule and expectation. I looked the part, spoke the language, and walked the walk with unwavering dedication.
One of the hallmark practices in my Independent Fundamental Baptist church was "door-to-door soul winning." Weekly, members of our community would gather at the church, pray together, and then disperse into nearby neighborhoods or apartment complexes, armed with Bibles and Gospel tracts. Neighborhoods that hadn't been recently canvassed were targeted with everyone working in teams complete with maps, street names and team goals.
At the end of each “soul-winning” session, groups would reconvene to share results, focusing heavily on numbers: doors knocked, people engaged, homes entered, and souls "saved." It felt more like a sales report than a spiritual endeavor.
While the practice likely began with good intentions, rooted in an era when door-to-door sales were common, I never felt comfortable with this approach to sharing faith. It felt intrusive and disrespectful, interrupting people's dinners, weekend relaxation, and even social gatherings.
A picture often illustrated to us was from Revelation 3:20, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” This was our example - we knock on the doors to let people know they are sinners in need of a Savior and all they have to do is invite Jesus into their heart.
When given the choice, I preferred inviting people to Vacation Bible School rather than trying to "win them to Jesus" on their doorstep. Even as a teenager, I sensed something was amiss with this method. Our opening line, "If you died tonight, do you know for sure you'd go to Heaven?" was fear-based and off-putting. To accompany the punchy starter questions were scripted responses for skeptics, turning faith into a rehearsed performance.
I was trained to be a door-to-door Gospel salesman.
Since leaving that culture, my perspective on Christianity has transformed dramatically.
I've come to understand that authentic Christianity isn't about loud proclamations on street corners or forced conversations through strangers' doors. It's about the small, daily decisions in how we treat our family, neighbors, and colleagues. It's about creating safe spaces for those who don't fit in, showing love and compassion to those in need - whether their struggles are physical, emotional, psychological, or spiritual. It’s not about having all the right answers to life’s questions, but rather being present, always trying, caring and admitting when you’ve messed up.
True faith, I've learned, is about loving people unconditionally, regardless of their beliefs, without expecting anything in return or trying to mold them to our “higher standards.” It's a quiet, consistent demonstration of love and acceptance that speaks far louder than any rehearsed gospel pitch ever could.
Authentic Christian practice is about opening your door to strangers, not knocking on theirs to be let in. Coercion, salesmanship and guilt trips not allowed.
