Cross carrying and cost counting

Rick Davis at aintsobad has some worthwhile thoughts on the importance of asking the right questions when it comes to evangelism. He contrasts the modern marketing approach to Jesus' own:

He pushes cost counting on His folks, even those who have followed Him for awhile. He talks about deciding if one has enough to finish a tower before you start to build or about determining if you can beat an army that outnumbers you two to one. He starkly insists on cross carrying and self denial.

"Tepid Christianity" in the West comes from asking the wrong questions in our contacts with those outside Christ. We need to be asking, Davis says, if they're willing to make an eternal commitment.

Jesus teaches cross carrying. We can teach the same. In fact, we ought to teach the same, from the start.

That's something to remember if we're ever tempted in our preaching to softpedal the hard truth of discipleship.