Visitor Followup Techniques

20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win Jews; to those under the law, like one under the law-though I myself am not under the law-to win those under the law. 21 To those who are without [that] law, like one without the law-not being without God's law but within Christ's law-to win those without the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, in order to win the weak. I have become all things to all people, so that I may by every possible means save some. (1 Cor 9:20-22)

15 To be sure, some preach Christ out of envy and strife, but others out of good will. 16 These do so out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel; 17 the others proclaim Christ out of rivalry, not sincerely, seeking to cause me anxiety in my imprisonment. 18 What does it matter? Just that in every way, whether out of false motives or true, Christ is proclaimed. And in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice 19 because I know this will lead to my deliverance through your prayers and help from the Spirit of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:15-19)

 

Lets see.....what would draw me into a church

1. Great expository preaching
2. Being fed meat rather than milk & bread
3. Nice people that take an interest & are ready to help one another.

Thats it!:smilewinkgrin:

 

Again, good grief! I'm glad some of these folks don't go to my church. I'll enjoy being in heaven with them but here they tie their shoe laces a little too tight for comfort.

 

Did you stop to think for one moment, that instead of a knee-jerk denigrating comment that you might give a moment's consideration to what others are saying? If it were simply one person telling you it was wrong, I might not think too much about it, but there are several people saying it is not the right way to bring folks in to church. It deserves a good, close, quiet look and a few moments in prayer....don't you think???

BTW, I don't wear shoes with laces

 

I have considered what others have been saying. What we are doing was not entered into lightly. Here's the deal. You do it the way you are led of the Lord where you go to church and we will do it our way. So far, no one has produced one shred of Biblical admonition. All we have had are pious opinions. So, at my church we will stick to our pious ways and you stick to yours and in the end we will see how the Lord used both opinions to make a difference in His kingdom.

 

Okay, here's one Biblical admonition.....
Mat 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Go, not have a door prize but GO

How about Mar 6:7 And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits;

Here's another.......
What word does Paul use over and over again? 1Th 3:2 And sent Timotheus, 2Ti 4:12 And Tychicus have I sent to Ephesus.

Sent...sent....sent. Not anything about give 'em something to get 'em in the door. GO out, preach and teach the gospel. So now you've been admonished. You really shouldn't have NEEDED to be admonished. You asked to be admonished.

 

You might consider several other options for contacts:

1.) Email addresses for email blasts or persons sending individual emails to each person as a connection.

2.) Take pictures and offer to send them a picture or email them a picture taken.

3.) Use them for a post card mail out on a sermon series coming up. Or Bible School. Or something else.

 

Sorry Diamond but you are the one who should be admonished. Misuse of the Bible to support your pet peeves is not a correct use of scripture.

 

It's only misuse in your eyes because you don't happen to agree with those of us who are telling you what you are doing is wrong. You might as well take your fellowship hall and turn it into a Bingo Parlor, or an internet cafe. That'll bring the people in. I do not believe God will bless your endeavors because I believe it is scripturally wrong.

 

Great ideas. We will bring in a secular rock band, sell lottery tickets, and sell Starbuck coffee. Yeah, because we give away a few door prizes at a Trunk or Treat (I bet you think that Trunk or Treat, is wrong too) we are selling out to the world.

 

Now this is an interesting phrase. What are the marks, in your opinion, of a God-blessed church?

 

Of course it's only those that fit into Diamond Lady's pious cookie cutter.

 

I made no judgment on the church itself, simply said that I did not think that God would bless this door prize endeavor.

 

Are you an angry, bitter person all the time, or only here where people question you and disagree with you?

If it interests you to know, I don't have a "pious cookie cutter". I have no problems with churches reaching out to the community through visitation and other programs which preach and teach the gospel of Christ. Our church uses an AWANA program to reach out to children and through them their parents. We use VBS in the summer and other programs throughout the year to reach out. We do not give away Blu-Ray disc players and other things to bribe folks into coming. THAT is what I do not believe God will bless.

 

Yes, I am an angry and bitter person. You got me pegged. I use worldly things to bribe people to come to church. There's not a gimmick that I want use. Actually, we aren't bribing anyone to come to church. We are simply looking for a way to go to them.

AWANA has a store that gives prizes to children for memorizing verses, etc. So, what's the difference? According to your standard that is bribing children to come to AWANA, to memorize verses, and to bring a friend. It's a gimmick!!!

By the way, why have you not responded to preachingjesus? He's given very good reasons for the practice that you are so strongly condemning.

 

Sarcasm gets you very little with me.

You'll be interested to know we do not do an AWANA store at our church. They do get their patches, jewels, etc., but we don't do an AWANA store.

I love how you have taken my disagreement with this door prize giveaway and have labeled me pious, condeming, and ....I think I might have missed another one. I don't understand why you seem to have such a problem with someone who disagrees with you and says so. I'm not siccing the Bible-thumping society on you. All I said was that I had a problem with is. That's all. Why couldn't you simply accept that instead of bristling up and becoming ugly and sarcastic? I'm not on your board of deacons, I don't attend your church or sit on your church council. For you to be so upset tells me that you're struggling to defend your decisions and choices. Otherwise it wouldn't bother you so much that others disagree with you.

Perhaps I haven't responded to PIJ because it didn't deserve a response. He's not the one calling me names....you are.

 

I don't have a dog in the hunt between you and sag so I am just asking in a friendly conversational manner (which is how I received your posts.)

I'm asking because you said that ministries which offer drawings, door-prizes, giveaways, awards, etc wouldn't be God-blessed. That is interesting and I was wondering what the marks, or results, of a ministry that is God-blessed would be.

For instance, we did a Fall Festival thing the night before Halloween this year at the church where I serve. We had several thousand people show up and have had a great response. We did "gate-prizes" and sent thank you notes and emails to anyone who showed up and registered for the event. We had live music, part of our Sunday team and part a local band that were playing popular songs you might hear on radio stations. We had a great time and see fruit from these events. We believe it is definitely God-blessed and love hosting them.

I just want to, respectfully and authentically, explore the possibilities that God's blessings have less to do with the method and more to do with our focus.

Not being snarky.

 

I appreciate you not being snarky (btw, love that word! LOL) I always welcome a respectful discussion and never expect everyone to agree with me. I just ask they keep the discussion to the topic and not make it personal and sarcastic.

I think having something like you mentioned, a special event, is far different than making it a regular thing in the worship (which is how I took what Sag does). For instance, if we did do an AWANA store, I don't look at it as bribery but rewards for the hard work of the kids. They earn anything they get in an AWANA store. We don't choose to do one instead doing a fun night for the kids. This year's fall "store" will be a carnival night with hot dogs, bounce houses, games, etc. They earn that night of fun through their hard work and efforts. We love watching these little ones grow in the Lord. Just last night one 5-year-old said the books of the New Testament and it was precious.

I agree with you on the focus being what is most important. I feel we have to be authentic and not simply looking to increase our numbers for numbers sake. You can have 2,000 in a worship service and the Lord not be there.

I have to correct your impression of what I said, "ministries which offer drawings, door-prizes, giveaways, awards, etc wouldn't be God-blessed." That's not exactly how I meant it. I think we must be very careful with our motives and attitudes in how we do things. If we are doing them with wrong attitudes or for wrong end results then I don't believe God will bless it. My problem with Sag is his attitude toward it. He doesn't stop to consider what others think or give them any credence. He asked for scripture and I gave him some and he proceeded to attack and call me names and hasn't ceased since. That's a lack of respect and God won't bless him for that. He has a snarky (I still love that word), sarcastic approach to anyone who disagrees with his tactics. Do you think God blesses that? I don't.

I would have a real problem with our pastor if he suddenly decided to start giving away door prizes to get people to attend a Sunday morning worship service. I'm sorry, I simply feel that's completely wrong and I'd let him know exactly how I felt about it. If he wanted to do a Saturday evening fun night like you mentioned, I don't see why there couldn't be goody bags/baskets/giveaways. I think there's a difference however. I think you probably do too.

 

Come on Diamondlady, I thought you didn't wear your shoes too tight. I haven't called you names. I simply said that you have a pious opinion. Your the one that said I should be admonished. I simply responded that you should be for the misuse of scripture to support your opinion. Sorry, if that offends you but it's the truth. And, you do present the idea that no other church or person is blessed unless they fit into your cookie cutter opinion of the way things should be. That's being pious. By the way, this is the first time we have ever given away door prizes period. We did so at our once a year trunk or treat event as a thank you for registering and as a way of being able to visit people in homes that would normally be closed to us.

 

My shoes aren't tight....especially since most of the time it's slippers or barefoot! In Florida it'll still be a long time before I absolutely have to bow down to wearing shoes...boo.

Do you know what being admonished even is? It's not a bad thing. Well, it CAN be, but not always. Were you also aware it means to advise?

If you took my opinion as something other than my opinion, I'm sorry, but I am entitled to an opinion and entitled to express it, even if it doesn't agree with yours. Did you know that someone who is pious shows reverence to God? Just because someone doesn't agree with you and the way you choose to do things, even if they feel that what you are doing is wrong on so many levels, it doesn't mean you can't go ahead and do it....it just means they're voicing their disagreement. Doesn't give you the right to verbally attack them and call them pious, or of having a cookie cutter religion. Other than calling you sarcastic and...hmm what was that word I liked so much...oh yes, snarky....got to find out exactly what that means! LOL...(ah just looked it up...testy, cutting....thought that was right) Sag, I don't dislike you...I don't KNOW you...but I still don't think it's right to give away door prizes to get people to come to worship services. Trunk or Treat...fine. Concert...fine. I'm not saying we shouldn't invite people in...we should. I'm saying we have to be careful what kind of face we put on the church and its people. It shouldn't be like Bingo Night at the VFW.