Friends Day

[colporteur]

     You have friend's Day coming up next Sabbath. The congregation and the pastor has invited many non SDAs to visit the church. Some of these are local statesman. What type of service would you have and what would be your message ? The pastor said with a smirk that he would not be preaching on the mark of the beast. This was no surprise as he has never preached on prophecy. I asked him what he thought the church should do to present before visitors that which would show that we are not just another church accepting we hold services on another day ? He replied that we will lift Jesus up higher than the other churches. Hmmm. That sounds good on the surface but how to we do that? Do we get more animated  and compete with Pentecostals ? We would loose that one. Just how do we lift Jesus higher than "the Baptists" do?  Do we use the word " love" more times than they do as in a mantra ?  Or do we sing praise music throughout and raise our hands ?  Do we speak like Joel Olsteen  and tell people that Jesus is so loving that it is ok if you are selfish and worldly ? Is that lifting Jesus up higher ?  If we are looked upon by visitors as Methodists that go to church on a different day why would anyone want to come again to a Methodist service that is out of sync with the rest of Christianity ? 
   
    I would submit that we must come close to visitors but at the same time reveal to them that we are not just another church but one that has services on a different day. If we are truly SDAs then we do not bury our message to visitors in order to make them think we are not a peculiar people.

When expecting visitors on a certain Sabbath and you only have one chance to reach them what would you preach on ?

[JimB]

This is a good question cp. We shouldn't be shying away from our distinctiveness but we are also told to not at first bring forth things that we know "they'd" find objectionable. I'm not sure I have a direct answer for you.

[Richard Myers]

What is our message to a dying world? That message  is to be given in its order. It is not the "love, love, love" that comes from Babylon. What is the "great controversy"? Why not present the same message Jesus gave to Nicodemus? Is that too strong for those from other churches? Maybe so. It is not very popular in God's church. But, we are not looking to argue with those not seeking truth, but those wanting truth.

What message did Jesus share with Nicodemus, and does it coincide with Revelation 14 where we find the three angels' message? If so, how?

[Ed Sutton]

If Friends Day is just a sermon - the Church remains icebergs in the midst of their community - things will fail.   

if Friends Day is a culmination of the whole Church working to genuinely desire their good AND HAVE sympathy for their members neighbours ( by praying at home & in Church to be born again & be given that sympathy - then go and act out those prayers personally ) it will be the first of the ten steps of success.

Christ's method alone will give true success in reaching the people. The Saviour mingled with men as one who desired their good. He showed His sympathy for them, ministered to their needs, and won their confidence. Then He bade them, "Follow Me."  {MH 143.3} 
     There is need of coming close to the people by personal effort. If less time were given to sermonizing, and more time were spent in personal ministry, greater results would be seen. The poor are to be relieved, the sick cared for, the sorrowing and the bereaved comforted, the ignorant instructed, the inexperienced counseled. We are to weep with those that weep, and rejoice with those that rejoice. Accompanied by the power of persuasion, the power of prayer, the power of the love of God, this work will not, cannot, be without fruit.  {MH 143.4}   
Step 1- Pray to get it, go out and live like you had it, so God can and will send it.
Step 2 (Level 1) The Saviour mingled with men as one who desired their good.
Step 3 (Level 2)He showed His sympathy for them,
Step 4 (Level 3)ministered to their needs,
Step 5 (Level 4)and won their confidence.
Step 6 (Level 5)Then He bade them, "Follow Me."
Step 7 (Level 6) build their desire to take Bible Studies
Step 8 (Level 7) Give them the Bible Studies week by week praying with them tutoring them
Step 9 (Level 8 ) Baptism
Step 10 (Level 9 ) Discipleship Training / Mentoring / teaching them to work for souls.

[colporteur]

I have seen head elders use the  "Christ's method alone"  quote and misapplying the "mingling"  part. Their idea is that it is "Christ's method alone" to join (mingle) by sitting for hours at ecumenical meetings and listening to error. This was to prove that SDAs are "nice people." In my mind it just says that the person is a weak person who has lost vision and mission.  The "walk to Emmaus" is a Catholic sprouted ecumenical movement run by Methodists all over the world. It is very cult like beginning with the fact that the "church leader" must be invited to the event and is then picked up and taken to the meeting often a place they know not ahead of time the location. They are asked to give up their watch and cell phone for the entire 72 hour gathering. The participant is not allowed to leave the building unless they get angry and walk out which sometimes happens. Their spouse is not allowed to contact them and no one is allowed to drop in and visit the meeting during the 72 hours. What takes place is to be kept secret even from the participant's spouse under the guise of " we do not want to spoil the secret." The walk to Emmaus event differs some from  event to event but those things listed thus far take place at EVERY event. Sometimes windows are covered and sometimes the participant is not allowed to go to bed until certain spiritual exercises are performed. Participants are urged to confess their sins to another and some have emotional experiences as related by a head elder from my previous church who attends this event yearly. Some, not all are sleep deprived as they are told they will be awakened at  6:00 a.m. and then they are purposed awakened at 4:00 a.m. after going to bed at midnight. Participants listen to hours and hours of meetings by various church leaders. The Sabbath of course is treated like any other day. Communion is served daily, and bacon and eggs, sausage and pancakes etc,, is served for breakfast. The head elder rationalizes missing church on Sabbath and spending three days and nights at the meeting because he is "mingling" as did Jesus" and he left a box of Steps to Christ on a table for people to take if any wanted one. Jesus did not sit in with cults and listen to their error. Jesus was always in charge and had a message for the people. Participants at the Walk To Emmaus event spend three days and nights with the Chrysalis group. The fourth day is the rest of their lives.  They are much encouraged to maintain a weekly contact with the ecumenical participants. Since there are sometimes marital issues because of the secrecy the application form for the event has a waver regarding any marital problems that could rise up because of the Walk To Emmaus participation. When I shared the history and issues regarding this event and the pastor and I talked with the head elder he more or less brushed it off and continues to attend the event each year. In his church he has allowed people to announce invitations to attends a breakfast at the Masonic Lodge as well as Baptist camps for our children where naturally the Sabbath is ignored as is the health message. Let's be careful how we apply SOP quotes about using " the Christ's method alone" quote and misapplying it in order to join Babylon and her worship.