Just Asking & Down Playing

I go to a Bible Study where a woman who doesn't believe in the teachings of our church also goes.  As you might imagine, that kind of takes the joy out of it.  Mainly because every time a point is brought out, she needs to snort, sniff, shake her head, or by other noticeable means make sure that everyone around the table - including newcomers investigating our faith - know that she does not agree with that.

That by itself is a staggering display of rudeness.  Because she has attended the church for years, she knows exactly what is going to be taught there, and so can hardly be truly surprised at it being taught. Yet she faithfully attends, and as faithfully makes such derisive and disruptive noises, so that no sincere person can get the full measure of that class.

But as the commercial says, "Wait!  That's not all!"

Yeah, we'll also then get her playing the "Just asking" game.  That's where you ask a question clearly designed to derail things, or sow dissension or plant seeds of doubt, but if anyone ever calls you on it, you were "Just asking".  Then you can for extra points play the martyr and be like, "Well, if questions aren't allowed..." you know, like then the newcomers will get to think that we're all afraid of honest questions.

"And I figured the DNC was the perfect place to ask."

It's a total farce, and the ONLY point of it is to destroy the efforts of the Great Commission in general, and the efforts of the church specifically.

Could it be honest questions after all?  Am I judging too harshly?  You tell me:

Teacher:  So as we know, the Mark of the Beast is Sunday worship -

Velma:  What scripture says that?

(Now, she knows that literally NO scripture "says" that, because she's not only a member, but is married to a guy who's on the Board of Directors of the church itself.)

Jane Doe:  Well, it's the verse about buying and selling -

Velma:  But does it say "Sunday worship"?

John Johnson:  There's the verse that speaks of changing the times and days of things -

Velma:  Which one says "Sunday worship"?

Okay.  Any of that sound like an innocent newbie "just" asking so as to learn?

Of course not.  Because she's not new.  And clearly has done this and put others through it before.  And is clearly not intending to be deterred from asking until someone finally admits that we know that Sunday worship is the Mark of the Beast due to the inspired understanding and teachings of Ellen G. White.

And sure enough, when someone finally says, "Ellen White shared in her book - " they'll be interrupted by a snort of derision and the dismissive comment of, "Ohhhh, Ellen White" in a tone dripping of sarcasm that once again she has "caught us" in some kind of lie.

And this is all in front of an audience of newer members still learning and prospective new members who will probably never seek baptism now.

This literally should NEVER be allowed to go on.  After the first time, it should be clearly explained to her that the point of the Bible Study is for members and non-members alike to learn more about the scriptures and various insights that Ellen White and our church has had about those scriptures.  That if she has literally any other concerns, she should save those for private.

And that snorts, sniffs and sarcasms have NO place in such a venue.

But wait - that's STILL not all!

Yes, in this Bible Study, we also get "Down Playing" where the shame game is played with the literal belief system of the church itself!  This is where the name of Ellen White is only reluctantly mentioned, even though it is her actual book that is being read from, and you'll hear at least a half dozen times things like this:

"Remember, Ellen White never claimed to be a prophet!"

"Ellen White always said, follow the Bible, not her!"

"Ellen White one time in this one book said that she was not a prophet at all, but just a messenger!"

"Our church is only about the Bible, this isn't about Ellen White!"

"We must always remember, Ellen White was only a 'lesser light'!"

Holy Moly, I guess I don't have to lay awake in fear that any will ever forget that now!  They would only need to attend this Bible Study once and they'd remember for the next five years, let me assure you!  And if they're so ashamed of Ellen White, then no wonder "Velma" (not her real name) feels comfortable "just asking" poor Ellen into oblivion.

Yet here's the real deal - Ellen White was modest about her own role, as various prophets have been known to do, and she did say to compare her to the Bible and if there was any contradiction go with the Bible.  Those are things that made her more inspired, and more to be seen as a reliable and trusted source.  Not less.

Yet these sayings of hers are trotted out and used to diminish and down play her, and said as if she is some kind shameful secret that we want to assure all newcomers that we don't take seriously.  It's very clear that the feel and mood is that we are to downplay her role, that we may be more perceived as one of the "mainstream" churches.

Well, we're not a "mainstream" church, Ellen G. White WAS a prophet, and we are the remnant church that is special.  True, others from other churches will have salvation, but it will be due to coming out of those churches, or because they perhaps were never exposed to the light and thus are judged differently to take that into account.

We do not need to hide this from new members and potential new members.  It is not the job of the Bible Study of a Seventh-day Adventist church to rush to assure people with that Ellen is fallible and no big deal.  Heavens, you could go your whole life in other churches and never hear anyone even mention Ellen White, let alone pan on her, so why should we be doing that?

"For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?" is the scriptural question to focus on here.  You may look that up in 1 Corinthians 14:8.  If we are not proud of Ellen White and believing in the wisdom her inspired insights, how can we expect others to be?

And let us make NO mistake here - without Ellen G. White, there is no Seventh-day Adventist church. Bible verses, in the Old and New Testament, are subject to varying interpretations by varying men and women in various faiths and denominations.  Good and honest people can disagree on various verses and the question then arises, "How are we to know which interpretation is correct?"

That is then one of the reasons that God blesses us with a prophet in the first place, that we may receive some guidance on those matters.  IS the Mark of the Beast Sunday worship?  Or is it your Social Security card?  Or is it bar codes?  Or wait, it's the microchip, right?  Some churches say one thing, some say another, I saw online that it was - see what I mean?

Ronald Wilson Reagan - six letters in each name, 666!  Was he then the Beast?  Or is it the Pope?  Or was it Obama?  Trump?  James K. Polk?  Vladimir Lenin?  Beaver Cleaver?

You can find some to claim any of those names.  But who is the Beast?  What is the Mark?  Look for an exact answer in the Bible in vain, you will NOT find it, thus PROVING the great need of a prophet for the end times.

Good news!  Our church has such a prophet, or "inspired messenger" or "lesser light".  And she's wrote lots of nice books helping shed light on these matters!  And it is for THAT reason that people attend a Bible Study at our church, to learn of those scriptures and to learn of those insights!

So here's me "just asking" that we remember that truth for each and every Bible Study, and that we "down play", for a change, the dissension and dispute that mars the bringing of a person to the salvation of Christ our Savior!

Board Battles

How good are church boards at dealing with the disciplining of problem members?  Particularly if one is on the board?

Probably not so good.  This is not a thing to specific to any church, what you will now read is applicable to Catholics, Baptists, Methodists, Seventh-day Adventists, Mormons, Presbyterians, and pretty much every other faith, denomination and sect in America.
 
Board meeting commences:

1.  The good people will have someone tentatively express their concern about a long standing problem person.  They won't expect much to come of their expressed concerns, and they won't be disappointed in their low expectations.

2.  The bad person/s will express that they take great offense over such expressions from the good, and that it's really that..."fill in lies here".  The lies will be tired and old, but will be sufficiently semi-plausible to let the uninformed neutrals figure there's truth on both sides, maybe a compromise would be in order.

The lies may not even be a flat out denial, but could as easily be the "pretend repentance", in which it's a hollow one of the kind that sees no reason for they to suffer any further consequences.  Certainly not any consequences that would prevent them from promptly committing the same offenses again.

3.  The leader will express that prayer and study and time and private discussion is needed and the goal is for all to stay in the fold.  Thus nothing of substance will be done now.

And really, that's any church leadership nowadays.  The horrible fear of losing anyone by a "commission" of disciplinary action against a wolf has made sure that churches in America have lost millions of sheep by the "omission" of disciplining those wolves.

4.  The bad person/s will heartily agree with the leader, knowing full well that such delays are the same as a "win".  Justice delayed, after all, is justice denied.  And it's not like the bad person/s aren't aware they're in the wrong.

5.  The good people will be intensely frustrated, because they also know full well that justice delayed is justice denied.  They also know that they will be asked all the more to be "Christ like" and "forgiving" even while the evil-doers run roughshod over them.  The good are to be merciful, the bad are to be as they please.

6.  At least one good person - inevitably, there's always one - will express intense anger over that, and will then be labeled by the bad person/s as "Un-Christ-like" and "judgmental" and "contentious".  The neutrals not wishing to have to take any stand will be happy to accept that assessment rather than have to exercise moral judgement.

7.  The leader will use that as a cue to definitely halt all discussion - in the name of avoiding further contention and not chasing the Spirit away - and offer up a prayer.  The prayer will ask for healing and reconciliation and I am not so sure it will be pleasing to God.

Why?  Because God does like mercy, but He doesn't necessarily love it being endlessly extended to the wolf that savages His sheep.  Sometimes mercy must be gave to the good, not always just to the bad. Jesus said to forgive 7 times 70 - He did not say "infinitely".

8.  As no one will wish to go through that facade again any time soon, things will lurch on as before, while more sheep are chased out the door.

9.  Wash, rinse, repeat.

The Contentious

Proverbs 26:20-28

20 Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.

21 As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife.

22 The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.

23 Burning lips and a wicked heart are like a potsherd covered with silver dross.

24 He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him;

25 When he speaketh fair, believe him not: for there are seven abominations in his heart.

26 Whose hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be shewed before the whole congregation.

27 Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him.

28 A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.

"Do I look contentious?  I love this family!"

Pictured is "Uncle Junior", a fictitious character from the show "The Sopranos", which was popular on HBO a few years back.  He serves well as an example of a contentious man who tries to poison the very family that he should love and depend upon.

Uncle Junior was an older man, in his seventies, obviously past his prime, but still alert and still desiring the authority he had been used to.  For this reason, he insisted on title and authority, which were given to him, mainly out of a desire of the others to have him be happy and maybe relax a little and not cause so much trouble.

But then he used his position to assume and pretend to greater authority than he really had.  He exercised it in petty ways.  He stirred up various members of the family against Tony, the actual leader of the family.  He would pit one side of the family against the other, he advocated courses of action that while destructive of the family interests, would have the effect of benefiting him.

He abused and misused his authority, gossiped, murmured and divided.

At each turn, Tony would try to bite back his frustration and talk to him.  To get him to see reason.  To reassure him that he could stop and just enjoy being a respected member of the family without going to all these divisive extremes.

Each time Uncle Junior would grudgingly agree, making himself out to be the wounded one, the martyr, the victim.  

And each time he'd start up again as soon as Tony left.

I use this fictitious character as an example for church contention, because we've all known an Uncle Junior in whatever church each of us goes to.  The murmurer.  The gossip.  The sneak.  The divider. The guy who thinks he's really running things - and desperately hopes he is.

Sometimes, like in the case of Uncle Junior, he actually did before.  Other times, it's an assumed authority due to what is perceived to be essential donations, though as regular long term church members know, there are no "essential donations", just the tithes and offerings that we make out of love of Christ and His bride, the church.

What's to be done with such?

Well, Ellen G. White gives good counsel on how to handle such, taking as inspiration Jesus Himself, who was not shy in outlining how such should be handled.  

With much love and effort to bring back into the fold, obviously.  As Jesus counseled.  As Ellen White counseled.  And as even the fictitious gangster Tony Soprano tried with his Uncle Junior.

If that fails though, there does come a point where a hard decision needs to be made.  Because no matter what love is had for the contentious one, he cannot be allowed to tear down the entirety of the family.  Or church.

In the case of a silly TV show, that was Uncle Junior being sent to prison as a fall-guy.  In real life, in churches that operate on love and care for all, it can be counseling.  Failing that, chastising.  Perhaps if that fails, or has already been done, removal of title and position.  

Titles are earned, and cause it to appear as if a person represents a church.  If they are doing wrong, they cannot necessarily keep them, it would reflect poorly on the church.  And positions of trust are earned, and actually do represent the church.  And if they are doing wrong, it would be precarious to allow them to retain such.

Ultimately, in the final extremity, a removal of fellowship or membership can be contemplated, but I think that in most all cases that is extreme.  Kind of like sending someone to prison.  Best avoided.

Better that such be allowed to be kept as a member, it allows them more opportunity to repent and atone, and heaven knows that if they do not it will be obvious enough soon enough.

For more on how dissension and contention should be handled, please check with your local pastor. Or google what Ellen White had to say on the matter.  But for all actual cases of contention, seeking counsel is always the safest course, from your pastor or any local leadership.

Sinful Pasts

In an AA meeting everyone is sitting in a circle and you go around the room, each person speaking their peace.  It should generally be "on topic", but in reality, it's often just whatever they feel they need to say.

That can be a variety of things, but one of those things that comes up now and then is "Sinful pasts". This is where someone will relate how bad he was before he stopped drinking and/or drugging.  And sometimes, in context, it's appropriate that he gives such a brief description before moving on to the recovery part.

However, sometimes, there seems to be a bit of what I think of as "Bad-ass Bragging".  Where someone really wants you to know and believe that "back in the day" he was a real "bad ass" and that his sins were bigger than yours.

In some cases, this seems plausible.  Some tatted up biker dude lookin' like he did a stretch or three.  In other cases, you're looking at some CPA or MBA looking small guy and he's going on about some gang he allegedly ran with "back in the day".  And it seems a bit implausible.

Back when I was bangin' with the Wild Hogs, well, I killed
people.  When they gave me crap.  Can I say "crap"?

Worse, sometimes after one gives his story of bad-assery, then the next guy feels the need to "one up" that.  And then the next guy has to top that.  Etc.  I remember once a guy was talking about how he had robbed a liquor store.  Then the next guy robbed a bank.  The guy after him robbed "many" banks and stores.

I wanted to jump up and say, "Let's end this meeting fast, the next guy is about to confess to murder!"

This isn't exclusively an AA phenomena.  I was at a Baptist church get together one time and they were in a circle going around confessing how much better their lives were now with Christ.  But it had sadly turned into a bit of bragging on who had been the biggest sinner.

One woman confessed to one instance of pre-marital sex.  The next to a variety of fornication in general.  The next woman then wanted to allude to a variety of sexual vices under the general umbrella of fornication. Then came the woman who was going to top them all, she "confessed" that besides all that every other girl had confessed to, she had "done it" for drugs.

I was kind of fascinated by these cosmopolitan tales from these mousy looking drabs, and was waiting to hear from the next woman that she was in reality the Whore of Babylon, but no, the girl who had confessed to prostitution won the prize that day, no one cared to top that!

The point of all that though is that sinful pasts are supposed to be just that - past.  When you are washed in the Blood of the Lamb, when you've been baptized, then that's it for those sins, they're done, they're over, and they're forgiven.  There's no need to dwell on them any more, and certainly no need to "brag" about them.

Possibly - possibly in some rare case - it may be appropriate to reference some specific in the context of giving counsel to another.  And certainly I'm not saying that you should pretend to have never sinned, a general acknowledgment of that past is fine.

For myself, I generally allude to my past "active alcoholism and addiction".  But I don't give richly detailed examples and blow by blow stories of drunken debaucheries and ribald revelries.  Because I'm not bragging on them, nor are they brag worthy.

I wasn't a bad ass back then, I was a dumb ass.

My sins, like that of most everyone, were not exciting or glamorous or thrilling but small and cheap and pathetic.  Hurtful and dumb and tawdry.  And I won't go back and try to "re-brand" myself as some kind of cool kid who is only boring since he got Jesus.  I was an idiot back then.  And to the extent I'm not now, it's due to Christ.

That doesn't make me boring, either.  It makes me living a good and active and sober life for which I am blessed.  A life not lacking in excitement, but rather in the idiotic Jerry Springer type drama of my dumb - not cool - past.

People who have come out of such darkness forget sometimes that baptism is a re-birth.  You are "born again".  And no one can speak ill of you for the past sins that you already asked forgiveness for.  And that's refreshing and a real life saver.  But then having been blessed in not having those sins tied around your neck dragging you down for the rest of your life on Earth, you should not then start bringing back up select ones for some bizarre purpose of negative self-aggrandizement.

We are none of us really to think about pre-baptism sins, but to the extent we do, the emotion to be felt is "shame" at having done them and "gratitude" that Christ forgave them!

We're also expecting the mercy of not having those brought up by others.  It's a mercy we all need, for who could endure having to re-account and re-repent each day for the sins of an ignorant past?  And since our brothers and sisters in Christ do us this favor in not bringing up our past for ill, then we don't get to bring up our past for "good".

Gossiping about a Sister's pre-baptism past says so much
more about the gossipers than her.

Sinful past?  Well, all have sinned and fell short of the glory of God, as Romans 3:23 tells us, so "sinful past" is really a redundancy.  We can just say past.

As in dead past.  As in past and over.

Coffee's for Converters!

There’s a movie called “Glengarry Glen Ross”, and while the language in it is strong, offensive and even horrific, it’s a powerful movie.  And there’s not a salesman in America - worth his salt - who hasn’t seen it.

In the pivotal scene by Alec Baldwin - and you may find the cleaned up version on my timeline on facebook - he chews out a group of salesmen who have been falling short in their goals.  One of them tries to get a cup of coffee and he says, “Put that coffee down!”  The guy looks surprised at the anger and hostility, but Alec isn’t backing off.  He lets the old salesmen know that coffee’s for closers, and the guy is no longer a closer.  

All of them seem surprised at the anger - but why not anger?  Why shouldn’t Alec be angry? They’ve a job to do, and they’ve been failing!  And whether they don’t know how or don’t care to learn, the bottom line is that real estate isn’t being sold!

His speech then is an impassioned one in which he is basically letting them know that excuses do not matter.  How nice they are doesn’t matter.  How much they are “triers” doesn’t matter.  All that matters is to get the customer to sign on the line that is dotted - as he puts it!

I thus say to all of you, coffee - or any other pleasing thing - is for converters!  And while I’m not angry like he was in the movie, might Jesus who overturned tables ever be angry at us when he sees some of the missionary moments we are missing?  Might he at least be sad, as he was in the garden when his disciples kept falling asleep?

That gets forgot, doesn’t it?  Yeah, see, Judgment Day is real, and one day we’ll all be up there to see if our name is in the Book of Life.  Perhaps all of our names will be in there - yay! But here’s the thing - what if we must stand by and watch while all those whose names are not in the Book get cast out?

Who will we see?  One of our neighbor’s who we never invited to church?  One of our former co-workers who never knew we were Seventh-day Adventists?  One of our relatives who since we know how he gets, we never really made any effort to share our faith with?  

Will we have to look at each of those who we failed to minister to, and while maybe they are cast out for ignoring others who ministered to them, we must then wonder if we might have succeeded where others failed?

Or even worse - from a personal perspective - will we be judged unworthy for our failures to follow the command to “Go ye into all the world and preach my gospel to every creature”?

Points to ponder.  And why we need to treat spreading the word at least as seriously as some treat selling real estate!

Truth is, just as the Holy Spirit can heal, but we still need doctors, likewise, the Holy Spirit will convert, but ultimately we still need good hearted people out there "selling" it, even if it is free!

All "selling" in this sense means is a person's willingness to speak glowingly, persuasively and consistently - even persistently - about a given subject (in this case Salvation) so that the listener then responds in a positive way!

Will salesmanship alone win baptisms? Of course not! They won't at all. But will the Holy Spirit, without your aid, win baptisms? Of course not! Not at all. Or at least very rarely.  Like Saul of Tarsus rarely!

The two must be joined. You need the Holy Spirit, but the Holy Spirit needs you to be trying. The heck with trying, the Holy Spirit needs you to be DOING! You thus need to learn all you can about presenting the Salvation of Christ to others with the same enthusiasm that that guy who sold you that lemon had!

And guess what? Since you aren't selling lemons, since you are instead presenting a priceless gift at zero cost, this shouldn't be that tough a sell.

ABC - Always Be Converting! Charitable work? Who are you speaking to about the Bible while doing lawn work with them? Who are you sharing your testimony with while painting their house? Whose questions are you answering while helping them move?

You at Church? ABC! Who's sitting in back alone? Who's sitting alone in general? Who were you not introduced to? Who's loitering in the lobby while the service is going on? Who's dressed a bit less appropriately? Who is no one talking to? Who's eyes are cast down? Do you even know to look for these things? START!

A guy wanders onto a car lot you think he’s trying to get out of the rain?  He wants to buy a car!  Will you sell it to him?  Are you salesman enough to sell it to him?

A guy wanders into church, you think he’s trying to get out of the rain?  He wants salvation!  Will you help lead him to it?  Are you Christian enough to lead him to it?

Always Be Converting! The guy pumping gas next to you, the cashier you pay, the woman in front of you at the grocery store, waiting in line with you! Does your postman have a clue you're a Seventh-day Adventist? Do you have a clue that you've a postman?

Okay, so your heart is in the right place, you’re now up for following Christ’s command, you’re ready to gather in the lost sheep - great!

But do you know how?

Well, if you don’t, I’m here to tell you!

First, quantity has a quality all of it’s own!  Vladimir Lenin said that, but it’s true anyway!  By that phrase I mean you should be sharing your faith all the time, with so many people that it won’t matter if you do it “wrong”, as some percent will respond anyway!  And it’s actually pretty hard to sincerely share your faith “wrong” a sincere share will always be appropriate, even without any “salesmanship”.

Look, if you are sharing info about a great real estate deal, then even if you are the lousiest salesman on Earth, it’s a given that some out of a hundred or a thousand will finally see past your clumsy presentation to the value of what you are trying to explain!  And again, do not underestimate the value of sincerity.

First and foremost, and some will forget I said this, if you’re sharing sincerely, you will never go wrong even if you sleep through everything else I say!

Second, it can’t hurt to learn some things, just to have a better chance, just to increase the odds, just so that you can present what you need to better!  Tossing in a little quality with the quantity, as it were.  You know to speak to everyone - at least I hope you do - but now you can try and learn what needs to be said.

Little needs to be said but that Christ died for your sins and getting to know Him and what He wants of us is the most important thing there is!  AND how that impacted your life.  You have to share that part - that’s the part you personally know!

However, some won’t want to hear it.  Most, in fact, will not care to.

So third, learn to deal with shut downs.  What’s a shut down?  That’s where you ask them if they’ll come to church or Bible Study and they say something besides “yes”.  Like, “I already have a church” or “Not interested” or “I’m more spiritual than religious” or “I’m pretty jammed up scheduling wise”.

What do you say to each of those things?  Well, that’s where you APT.  A, P, T.  Acknowledge.  Pause.  Transition.  

Acknowledge what they just said, so they know you are not being dismissive of them.  Pause so it doesn’t looked rehearsed and rushed.  Then transition back to what you want of them - which is their salvation, but specifically that they come to church!  And by “transition”, that must be in the form of a question - yes, like Jeopardy!

A statement you make can be ignored - but few are so rude as to not answer a question, they feel uncomfortable not answering.

So when you hear those shut downs, you APT with a question.  Those questions will tend to overcome those shut downs, and mean that the conversation is continuing.

“(Acknowledge) Oh, I’m glad you go to church (Pause)  (Transition) Does your church worship on the Sabbath?” or “You’re not interested in eternal life?  How come?”  or “I’m glad you’re spiritual, but is there no benefit to learning insights collected over the centuries, or even just communing with fellow believers?”  or “Yes, schedules can be hectic in these modern times, but did you know that it was God’s plan that we’d always have at least one day to rest and relax from the cares of this world?”

Does this make a difference?  It makes an eternity of difference.

“Would you like to come to church with me this Sabbath?”

“I already have a church”

“Oh, okay.”

Result?  He’s not going to our church and probably not to his.

Instead, try this:

“Would you like to come to church with me this Sabbath?”

“I already have a church”

“That’s cool, it’s good to hear of people going to church in general.  But would you do me a favor and try mine this Sabbath?  It would mean a lot to me.”

See, he’s probably not actually going to church at all, and while that’s fine, now you’ve tossed in that it would mean a lot to you.  He knows you care now.  He also knows it would be rude to decline when he actually has no other commitment.

In short, unless he is a literal stalwart member of another church, who was actually going to attend, he is now at least inclined to go with you.  He may still not, but he’ll have a harder time refusing.

Fourth, to an extent, you need not accept a “no”.  Persistence pays and all that.  Will you annoy some who will still not go?  Probably.  But there’s only two outcomes here - or should be only two outcomes.  Either they’re coming to church, and they’ll be glad you persisted, or they won’t, in which case why do you care if a non-member isn’t thinking you’re all great and nice?

You’re warning people in fast cars about the bridge out around the bend - you going to just whisper “stop”?  Or maybe be a bit more forceful?

Fifth, do a post game analysis after each failure.  You know how after you get shut down, you’ll think of what you could have said later?  Yeah, don’t wait for that “ah ha” moment, but actively try to ponder what you could have said differently, where it went wrong, what if anything could have been done.

Maybe nothing - some just won’t go to church no matter what - but usually if it goes wrong, I like to find a mistake I made, and what I could do better.  Because if it’s on them, I can do nothing about that, but if it’s on me - as I hope - then I can grow and improve and win next time!  So don’t be afraid to find your mistake - you WANT to find your own mistake, it’s the only hope of improving!

Sixth, do you have answers for the type of questions you may get?  There are two kinds, you should be able to handle both.

Do you know all the answers to questions some may have of Christianity in general and our faith in particular?  Coming to Sabbath School and Services each week, and Bible Study each week, will aid in you having those answers.  Who is Ellen White?  Why do we worship on Saturday?  Why can’t Sunday be okay?

Know these.  Or at least have the phrase handy, “I think I’d like to learn more of that myself, can you come with me to Bible Study this week, I know a guy there who’s sure to know!”  That turns a failing into a success pretty handily, huh?

Then there’s the other type of questions, the “stumpers” that some atheists, agnostics and smart alecs in general will try to put you off with.  Where did Cain get his wife?  What about dinosaur bones?  What about how evolution is a “fact”?  

Can you answer these?  It’s handy if you can.

If you can’t, then know this, and repeat this:  “I can’t claim to be any kind of great theologian.  I just know what a difference the sacrifice of Christ, and my acceptance of it, has made in my life.  I’d not be where I am today without it.  I’d like you to have the joy I have.  Could you at least come with me this Sabbath and see if you in any way feel that spirit?”

Remember - sincerity works.  If you can’t answer some stumper, just fall back on that bedrock of honest faith and sincerity.  You’ll never go wrong.

Seventh, WIIFMs.  What’s in it for me?  No, not for you personally, this is where you have to convey to the person you’re attempting to persuade why they should be persuaded.  In other words, what’s in it for them?

If they’ve a family, then focus on how we’re a family friendly church!  If he’s looking for truth, focus on how we follow ALL the commandments!  If she’s looking to get involved in the community, focus on our charitable missions and local aid programs!

And focus most of all, no matter who it is, on the greatest benefit of all - salvation through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ!  And the eternity of happiness that we get because of that!

I used to persuade people to pay off their repossessed car - that I specifically told them they would NOT get back after they were done paying for it!  If I can persuade someone to pay a huge price for a gift which they will never receive, surely anyone can persuade another to accept a huge gift for a price that’s already been paid!  

That gift is salvation and eternal life!  It’s been paid for by Christ!  Will you persuade them to accept that gift?  Are you Christian enough to get them to accept that free gift?  I don’t expect you to be able to go out and sell ice to Eskimos - but surely you’re up for giving away free ice water to those dying of thirst in the desert?

Because honestly?  That’s all that’s being asked of you here, and all that Christ commanded.  And if you aren’t up for that, wow, must be a heckuva reason why, eh?

Eighth, never be embarrassed.  That being the number one reason “why” for those who do not wish to give out free water to those dying of thirst, or share free salvation with those in need of it!

Stand with Christ and He will stand with you.  This is where most will fail, and this is why you won’t “close” or “convert”.  And why you get no coffee!  You will not want to look like “that guy”.  You know, “the Fundy”.  The “kook”.  The cult member, the kool aid drinker!  You won’t want those looks at work.  Or to jeopardize that promotion.  Or to annoy the neighbors.  Or to have anyone any place any time give you those looks.

When you fail to spread His word, due to not wanting to look silly or strenuous or simply too “into it”, you are at that moment NOT standing by Christ.

Nice person?  No doubt.  Good church goer?  Sure.  Tithe payer?  Maybe.  

But you aren’t standing by Him when you meet a lost sheep and keep your mouth shut and fail to give that lost sheep directions to safety.