Fearful Ohioans

[Woody]

LISTENING TO THE WRONG VOICES

by Loren Seibold, Editor, Best Practices for Adventist Ministry

A few weeks ago I received a letter from a church family asking us to drop their membership because, they said, the Adventist church has reached such a point of apostasy that they could no longer be members. They specifically mentioned spiritual formation and contemplative prayer, and said we were the spiritual equivalent of the Witch of Endor.

When I visited them (they’d moved to a remote place in the country) I told them we would of course respect their wishes, but pointed out that in our congregation we hadn’t ever brought up spiritual formation or contemplative prayer. That we were an ordinary small congregation, believing, teaching, and practicing our faith in pretty middle-of-the-road Adventist ways - and in most ways an unusually accepting and gracious congregation. People in the church, and pastors before me, had ministered to them and their family. They were leaving us for offenses that hadn’t happened among us.

They would have none of it, though. They were attached to their fears. They held us responsible for everything they believed existed somewhere in the denomination. In a world with real spiritual dangers, their enemy was the church. When I asked where they got their information, they cited a particular preacher connected with 3ABN, and several other independent ministries. These were their pastors, they told me, and they were sending their tithe and offerings to them.

I wish they hadn’t left. Their lives appeared chaotic, and they could have found stability and balance worshiping with a group of kind and dedicated church members, rather than in their own home through a television set.

(They also accused me of practicing neolinguistic programming - which made me laugh to myself, because although I’d heard the term, I wasn’t sure what it was until I looked it up later and learned it was regarded as a technique for mind control. I will only say in my defense that if I was using it on them, it didn’t work!)

How do we minister to those who consult their fears rather than the facts? Sadly, the people who encourage them in these ideas are still considered legitimate voices by some church leaders - still invited to camp meetings, the ministries still operating with ordained Adventist pastors on their boards. Meanwhile, dear people like those I visited are becoming increasingly disconnected from the real world.

How do we minister to people who are listening to the wrong voices?

[Gail]

He asks a good question.

[Tom Wetmore]

And how do we minister to people who are the wrong voices?

[Gibs]

Well folks, Really nothing to worry about. His True Sheep know His the True Shepherds voice because of a certain quality. That is the Truth. They know His Word and will not follow any other.

The only thing any should ever attempt to minister to anyone is the truth of His Word. Leave all other slick well oiled teachings lay.

The reason that is so effective is His Spirit can attend it and move the heart of the true at heart to see and receive it.

Perhaps those folks did not move out because of fear but that they are seeing something you all are not. Maybe they may be a teacher of righteousness. Maybe they are not radicals at all.

We don't know their side of the story. I just pray they are following that voice of TRUTH.

1Jo 4:4 ¶ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

[Kevin H]

Good answer Gibs: Sadly there are people who are going to use fear to try to get them into their groups. I heard this one guy talking about Nerolinquistic programing in the church and everything that he was acusing the church of doing you could hear in his talk as he was trying to build distrust in the church and a trust in him and his movement.

Paul tells us not to stop gathering together as some were in the habit of doing. If we read the scriptures and trust in Jesus we will be foundational. We are to go to church with a critical mind, to learn new information that can help us grow, as God's body is us spending time together. And if there are problems, God gave us the promise about picking up serpants and drinking poison without being harmed. I will be where I am suposed to be Sabbath morning, willing to learn and willing to agree to dissagree and trust in God to continue to guide me. The church will not be perfect. Jesus could have told the widdow not to give her mites to the corupt temple where the money was going to bribes to Pilate and tell her to instead give her mites to the true church that was actually doing the ministry of God, and then calling over his treasurer to collect the mites. But whether she gave her money to the corupt temple or to Judas, her heart was giving to God and God blessed her and Jesus praised her.

Some of these sub groups are using a lot of righteousness by fear to get people into their groups. Greater is he that is in me than he that is in the world, I will spend Sabbath where I connect with him as he commanded me to do.

[Naomi]

[Gibs]

An addendum from EGW.

This may not be easy reading for many but all should read these few paragraphs with thought of what is being said,

"I was shown the necessity of those who believe that we are having the last message of mercy, being separate from those who are daily imbibing new errors. I saw that neither young nor old should attend their meetings; for it is wrong to thus encourage them while they teach error that is a deadly poison to the soul and teach for doctrines the commandments of men. The influence of such gatherings is not good. If God has delivered us from such darkness and error, we should stand fast in the liberty wherewith He has set us free and rejoice in the truth. God is displeased with us when we go to listen to error, without being obliged to go; for unless He sends us to those meetings where error is forced home to the people by the power of the will, He will not keep us. The angels cease their watchful care over us, and we are left to the buffetings of the enemy, to be darkened and weakened by him and the power of his evil angels; and the light around us becomes contaminated with the darkness. {EW 124.3}

There is no nook or corner of the world, however secluded, where error and sin have not found their way. Error is often presented in a specious garb, so that it requires more than human wisdom to detect the falsehood under the pretension of truth. If error was never mingled with truth, it would not be so subtle in its influence upon the mind. If error stood forth alone in its true, hideous form, souls would not be deceived. But there are many who see attractions in error, and will eagerly feast upon it, although it poisons the mind. Error always injures the soul and deforms the character. Error may, at first sight, appear plausible, but its tendency is to corrupt the heart, and to ensnare its victims. We often hear it stated that it matters not what one believes if his life is only right. But the life is molded by the faith. If light and truth, are within our reach, and we neglect to improve the privilege of hearing and seeing the truth, we virtually reject it, and choose darkness rather than light. Said Christ to the Jews, "Ye will not come to me, that ye might have life." {RH, December 2, 1875 par. 3}

I beseech you, my brother and sister, to inquire of God, as those who are willing to know the right way, What is truth? Do not willingly cheat your own souls of the light which you may have if you will. Like the noble Bereans, search the Scriptures daily, and see whether these things are so. And be true to your convictions of truth and of duty. Many infidels are compelled to be such because they cannot consent to accept truth the living out of which would require a sacrifice on their part. Convenience is consulted by many who profess Christ. There is a desire to climb up some other way--one that will require less sacrifice." {RH, December 2, 1875 par. 4}

1Jo 4:4 ¶ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.