| Author |
Message |
Susan
| | Posted on Friday, February 11, 2000 - 5:44 pm: |     |
Colleen, I didn't see your post prior to my last posting. But as always, a great big Amen to everything you said! I really appreciate your statement about your calling being "two-fold, being willing to speak the truth about adventism and willing to speak the truth about Christ". We can touch adventists with the truth of Christ, and educate mainstream Christians with the truth of adventism. Your calling is one that can apply to all of us. Thanks so much for your insight! |
Lynn W
| | Posted on Friday, February 11, 2000 - 6:46 pm: | |
I start conversations on the subject whenever I can. If I find someone who seems interested, I give them a book or a video. I'm still giving out "The truth about Adventism" videos when I can. I think it's very important to educate the church leaders whenever we can. Short books are more apt to get read & they're less expensive to purchase & distribute. Also, I've gotten the word out to all my friends that I've been studying this. They know they can give out my # to anyone they meet who's exploring Adventism. I've gotten many referrals of people whom I've headed off from joining the church.
This is a great web-site, but it's up to the SDAs to discover it & decide to join. I don't always wait for them to come to us, though. I also visit their web-site. (I'll print the address in the next post). I highly recommend for those of you who haven't yet been kick out to go visit them. You can challenge their thinking, but be careful. If you imply that Adventism as a whole is wrong you'll get booted. When that happens, you can still contact the individuals by e-mail. As long as I word the questions as an honest seeker, I've always been able to get a pretty good rapor going. The most rewarding part of all, is when I head off someone who's inquiring about joining and they write back to me telling me they've decided not to. One lady told me she's going back to her Baptist roots.
These are just some suggestions for starters. I have more. The most important thing is, PRAY, PRAY, PRAY.
I'd like to share this from a friend:
Memo from God
It has repeatedly come to MY attention there are some people that have forgotten (or were never informed of) the correct procedure to handle the problems that are presented in life.
PLEASE REMEMBER:
1. In all situations, consult ME first.
2. Do not attempt to resolve or circumvent problems on your own.
3. Please remember that I do not need your help.
PREFERRED PROCEDURE:
1. Put ALL problems into MY hands.
2. Do not hold on to them. (This will delay the resolution to the problems.)
3. Do not remove them. (This makes it impossible for MY attention.)
YOUR PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY:
1. Consult - ME daily in prayer.
2. Wait - you will experience MY strength as you endure.
3. Seek - only GODLY counsel during the waiting process.
4. Read - MY WORD daily. Many answers will be provided therein.
5. Watch - for lessons from this problem that I have allowed in your life.
6. Praise - ME in all circumstances.
7. Witness - to others of MY power and influence in your life.
IN CONCLUSION:
* Rest in Me my child ... I do not slumber or sleep.
* Trust ME with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. AND Remember I will never leave you or forsake you.
Always remember you are a child of the King.
Keep walking with Jesus. |
Lynn W
| | Posted on Friday, February 11, 2000 - 6:56 pm: | |
OK, here's the SDA forum address. http://online.adventist.org/
I also recently e-mailed the address of this web-site to a friend. I hope she'll join us soon.
Another tip: Save everything you write to SDAs on your word processor. Much of it can be cut-n-pasted to another post. It also keeps your scriptural references handy for answering questions quickly. |
Jude the Obscure
| | Posted on Friday, February 11, 2000 - 10:10 pm: | |
Colleen,
A great big thank you for your answer. You are so level-headed and insightful and gracious that it borders on being disgusting (just kidding!).
I especially profited from this remark of yours:
"I believe that God does place us where he wants us. When I resigned my position with Adventist Today, I had no idea God would want me back in the classroom."
Yes, I do need to learn more about letting God lead.
Blessings,
Jude |
Jude the Obscure
| | Posted on Friday, February 11, 2000 - 10:19 pm: | |
Susan,
What a powerful witness and resource you are! I especially benefitted from this observation of yours:
"It's not so important what we're doing but who's behind our agenda. I've found this discussion forum to be very theraputic and I feel such a bond with those who post here. We are part of the body, brothers and sisters in Christ. It's such a blessing to communicate this way."
Like Colleen, you urge us not to try to set God's agenda for Him, but instead to try to discover His agenda for us. Yes, you are absolutely right, as usual!
Blessings,
Jude |
Jude the Obscure
| | Posted on Friday, February 11, 2000 - 11:16 pm: | |
Lynn,
I just lost the entire e-post I had composed to you. Sooooo, here's to reconstruct:
Thank you so much for your tips. I took e-notes, and here they are:
1. "Start conversations on the subject [of the gospel vs. SDAism] whenever I can."
2. "If I find someone who seems interested, I give them a book or a video. I'm still giving out 'The Truth About Adventism' videos."
3. "Educate the church leaders."
4. Get the word out to friends that you've been studying the gospel vs. SDAism or the truth about SDAism.
5. Let them give out your # to anyone they meet who's exploring Adventism. "I've gotten many referrals of people whom I've headed off from joining the church."
6. Don't wait for SDAs to come to formeradventist.com. Visit their web-site http://online.adventist.org/ and post and/or e-mail them our website http://online.adventist.org/
7. Visit them. "Challenge their thinking, but be careful. If you imply that Adventism as a whole is wrong you'll get booted."
8. When that happens, contact individuals by e-mail.
9. "Word the questions as an honest seeker. I've always been able to get a pretty good rapport going. The most rewarding part of all, is when I head off someone who's inquiring about joining and they write back to me telling me they've decided not to. One lady told me she's going back to her Baptist roots." Absolutely excellent, Lynn!
10. "PRAY, PRAY, PRAY."
11. E-mail http://online.adventist.org/ to friends.
12. "Save everything you write to SDAs on your word processor. Much of it can be cut-n-pasted to another post. It also keeps your scriptural references handy for answering questions quickly.
13. "Always remember you are a child of the King.
Keep walking with Jesus." (I'm glad your tips numbered 13, because that shows that New Covenant Christians are not superstitious.)
Finally, thanks, Lynn, for sharing the wonderful "Memo From God."
Grace and peace as always to a wonderful Christ-truster,
Jude |
Lynn W
| | Posted on Saturday, February 12, 2000 - 10:29 am: | |
Jude,thanks for being so concise & organised (& fixing my spelling).
Have you ever noticed that one of the main criticisms we receive here is that we shouldn't even have such a website where we encourage one another to wallow in our miseries & swap battle scars - that we should forget it & get on with our lives. (This mainly from Adventists, of course.) Yet they have their web-sites where they spend most of their time quoting EGW & consoling each other that they are the only ones with the truth. Another double standard? |
Lynn W
| | Posted on Saturday, February 12, 2000 - 10:32 am: | |
I should have added this.
They seem to have to attitude that if you can't say anything nice about Ellen White or Adventism, don't say anything at all - how safe for them. Yet much of what they have to say is mud-slinging at the "gentiles," (or "whore of Babylon" if you prefer). |
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