Burning buildings, drowning victims.......and evangelism

In a conversation on Facebook, a person stated he believed he must point out people's sins in order to love. He then used the illustration of a burning building. If a person was in a burning building, is it loving to tell them everything is ok or to tell them to get out because the building is on fire? When I asked why are there only two options to love--pointing out sin or telling everyone everything is ok, he asked what the third option is in the illustration of the burning building. Perhaps the answer to that is going into the burning building and helping the person out. His response was the person doesn't believe the building is burning or that they need a way out. So his way to love is to tell a person the house is on fire. If they don't listen, he moves on to the next house.
I have heard this illustration before. A preacher attempts to motivate his listeners to evangelize by employing the illustration of the burning building. The unsaved are in a burning building. You as the Christian must warn them of the fire and offer them Christ as the answer. Or the preacher used the drowning illustration. We Christians are in a boat and all around us in the water are lost souls drowning. Jesus is the life preserver. 
Is this the best illustration for evangelism? The emphasis falls on the moment of conversion. The object of salvation is to save someone from Hell. Yet when I read Scripture, I never find conversion to be central to the Gospel. I find discipleship to be the emphasis. I find God is interested in re-creating me from a self centered being to a God-centered being. I am reborn and must learn to walk again in steps of a peace which seeks everyone's wholeness and talk again using the language of self sacrificial love. 
In my experience, we are not in a burning building but on a journey. God wishes to join us on this journey, invade our space, and redeem all of the journey. I am not saved from my sins in some vague eternity. I am saved from sins now and forever. The journey is redeemed. That which would break me on my journey or break others through my journey, God offers healing and wholeness. At some point in this journey, I joined God's Story, not to get to Heaven, but to bring Heaven to me. The Presence of God is mine in the here and now.
So does the burning building or the drowning victim imagery inspire you to evangelize? What imagery would you use to paint the picture of what God is doing in your life?

Hell and God's ways

Earlier this week, I was at a table with colleagues and the discussion came around to a new book about Hell, responding to Rob Bell's book, "Love Wins." I can't remember the author or the name of the book in rebuttal. All I recall is my colleague highlighting the argument which reinforced his understanding of Hell. So this blog is not a defense of either books, since I have not read either, but a discussion on my friend's argument. My colleague stated the argument which he agreed with was the thought that God's ways are higher than our ways--Isaiah 55:9. And so when we have a problem with God sending someone to Hell, God's ways are higher than our ways.
I have a couple of issues with this argument.
1. Using Isaiah 55:9 in this manner is an easy way out. If you don't agree with me, "well, you know God's ways are higher than our ways, so it may not sound right to you." Those who disagree with the author or my friend's view of Hell could use the same argument against them. "I know you believe that only those who accept Jesus as Lord and Savior will be saved, but God can pardon who ever he wants. You know God's ways are higher than our ways." I do not believe we can have complete understanding this side of Glory of all spiritual truths but I don't think we can simply dismiss different views with "God's ways are higher than ours."
2. What is the context of Isaiah 55:9? Isaiah 55 begins "if anyone is thirsty, come and drink." It is an invitation to come back to God. Turn from your wicked ways. Verse 7--right before the "my thoughts are above your thoughts, my ways are above your ways," states, "God will abundantly pardon." What? God's thoughts and ways are above ours.....in the context of God will abundantly pardon. It is not our way to pardon so greatly. It is not in our way to expect to be pardoned for the wrong we have done. But it is God's way. Now this is in no way near a complete exegesis of Isaiah 55. But I think we need to look at the context of a verse before we quote it to back our position. We can and should respect the Bible more than simply using it as a bunch of loosely connected Proverbs we can whip out whenever we need a defense or even a word of encouragement. God's story is much bigger than mere snippets.
So those are my thoughts on my friend's defense on his view of Hell. No, I didn't share it with him at the time. There were an awful lot of social dynamics at play and well, lets say I wasn't comfortable. But I share it with you. What is your take on Isaiah 55 and how we use verse 8-9?

I just want to love Jesus

I just want to love Jesus.
But so much gets in the way.
I just want to love Jesus by spending time quietly in prayer and Scripture.
But instead, I press the snooze button or the laundry suddenly becomes a desperate need.
I just want to love Jesus by serving others.
But instead I many times treat people as interruptions to my daily tasks.
I just want to love Jesus in all that I do.
But doctrinal differences, political differences, cultural differences all get in the way.
I just want to love Jesus.

The Southern Baptist have reinforced their understanding of Hell in light of Rob Bell's book. There are numerous books out to combat Rob Bell's "unorthodox" view. "God's ways are higher than ours so just because an eternal Hell is repugnant to us doesn't mean it isn't God's way." And anyone who doesn't believe in a literal hell is dismissed or better yet, a heretic. We assume we can know completely about Hell, Heaven and all Spiritual Truths beyond any shadow of a doubt. And that assumption drives a wedge between us.
There is the debate over homosexuality. Actually it isn't debated much. We simply talk over each other, around each other, at each other. And somehow, if you believe one way you are a liberal heretic who doesn't take Scripture seriously or you believe the other way, you are ignorant, narrow minded and don't understand Scripture as well as you should. And our assumptions destroy our trusts.
The political realm is heating up for the presidential campaigns. And the Christian propaganda is churning. "We need to save our country, take it back." And we pray God's Kingdom come but we cannot understand why its taking so long to get here despite the fact we seem to be living for the glory of America instead of the glory of God. And our zeal burns so hot, we burn each other.
I just want to love Jesus. I just keep getting in the way. And I just keep letting lesser things get in the way.