Being clever

We have a new business in town but all I know is its location and its name--"Solutia Tas Inc.". I'm sure the name means something, in Latin I suspect, but it doesn't mean a thing to me. In fact, I suspect it is probably something clever, if you happen to know Latin. Instead of helping me (and everybody else) know what this business does it, the name just makes it more confusing.

Brethren, sometimes our preaching is just like solutia tas--in trying to be clever we lose the audience. Perhaps we use big words that sound educated, and may indeed be the perfect word for the thought we are trying to express, but if no one understands them the point is lost. Or maybe our reasoning is so stretched that even we have trouble following it. The end result is that our "profound" teaching is lost on our audience. The object of preaching is to teach, clarify, and/or motivate the audience--if that is not accomplished then our preaching has failed.

People don't remember what they don't understand. And as Brother N.B. Hardeman said, "Never underestimate the ignorance of your audience." We are all ignorant of some things and in most audiences for the Gospel there are some, who because they are children, or new converts, or visitors, know practically nothing about the Gospel. There are others who know something, but have gaps in their knowledge. Unless you lay the foundation the conclusions of your lesson will likely be lost on them. When people don't understand what is preached they aren't likely to remember it and are even less likely to put it into practice.

Tol

Looking for Bible studies in Antigua

Around 1993 I was in Antigua to help with a Gospel meeting and one of the brethren who had lived in Puerto Rico for awhile wanted me to go with him and try to study with some of the Dominicanos (natives of the Dominican Republic) there. Of course I agreed and we were to go on Saturday morning--they would be working at other times.

Saturday morning we went to the houses of a couple of contacts he had made, but with no luck--one was busy washing and the other was not there. Because we were walking this took about 45 minutes. He then said he knew a place where we would find people who spoke Spanish. After walking about 10 minutes he told me the place was just a block away now. As I looked around I didn't see anything except a small, neighborhood bar and yes, that was our "goal". He didn't really know anything about it, he told me, but he had heard music in Spanish coming from it.

We went in--it was about 12' X 8' feet in size, with two doors and that many windows, which of course were all open for the breeze. By this time it's about 11 AM so there's only one customer, besides us, and he is quietly sipping on a beer. We sat down on the bar stools and asked for 2 cokes, which we promptly received. The music is soo loud you can barely hear yourself think--I had to shout to ask for the cokes. There are two women working there--the one serving us is busy taking beer bottles out of cardboard boxes and stacking them into a small refrigerator. The other is cleaning up and you can tell is preparing for the afternoon/evening, when business should be brisk. We sit there for a few minutes--he's waiting on me, the older, more experienced preacher, to "say something" and I'm trying to figure out what to say--I've never looked for prospects in a bar before (or since).

Finally, after about 3-4 minutes the women approaches me again and I tell her that I am here preaching the Gospel and we are looking for people to study the Bible with in Spanish. I acknowledge that a bar is not the place we usually come, but ask her if either of them would be interested. She doesn't even acknowledge what I said either way, but goes back to stacking beer bottles as quickly as she can. I wouldn't even guess how many beers she put in there, but she had been doing it rapidly the whole time we had been there. After a few more minutes the casette stopped and about a minute later she had filled the refrigerator. She approached me and said (in Spanish) "Well, tell me something about the Bible." I began a short Bible study and the three of them entered into it, listening and even asking a few questions. Then customers began to arrive so we left after getting the address of the first customer.

Now brethren, I do not relate this to encourage you to go to bars looking for people to study with. My purpose is to open our eyes to the fact that many people we "know" would not be interested in the Gospel may at least be willing to study a little. Once the seed is sown we have done our part and what they do about it is up to them. Even the smallest portion of His Word can have an effect; if not now, maybe later. While not real common in the States, there are many people who have been converted in just such sessions, being baptized that very day.

Let us not be weary in well doing, for we shall reap, if we faint not.

Tol

Serious preaching

My sermon tonight was titled "After death, what then?" My last point dealt at some length with heaven as home. I then made the point that if heaven is so much greater than this life, should we go to extraordinary lengths to preserve life? It was a sobering sermon, but of course that was my intent.

One couple politely criticized the whole sermon as too serious--she was feeling so good until she came to services then she was down.

There are a couple of observations I will make about this.

1) You can't please everybody. I had a number of people who thought (or at least so they said) that it was excellent. Any sermon can offend someone and any action you take can do the same. Knowing this, you prayerfully do what you believe is right, making provision for the opinions of others. If you wait to move only once everyone agrees you will soon be unable to move--you've been still so long.

2) There is a need for serious preaching from time to time. Certainly preaching needs to be balanced but there is a need for serious preaching. Much motivational speaking moves the audience all the way to their car. Then they promptly forget it and go their merry way. Serious preaching/teaching is needed to help the audience realize their sins/shortcomings and then motivate them to change.

Tol

When you can't think

If you preach, write articles, or anything else creative you've been stumped from time to time--you need to prepare a sermon but nothing comes to your mind. Or you have a bulletin article to write but just can't get in the mood. You sit there and stare into space, or worse yet you are distracted by every little thing. What do you do when you just can't think?

A mistake the inexperienced frequently make is to wait until the mood strikes them. What most of us eventually notice is that at the eleventh hour, when you cannot wait a moment longer the mood will suddenly overtake you. We make the mistake of thinking our mood brings about certain actions, when actually it is the other way around. If you will sit down and make yourself write, even when you don't really know where to start, you will usually get it done. Our actions influence our moods much more than the other way around.

So next time you don't know what to write (like I haven't for most of this month) force yourself to sit down and begin.

Tol

Fields ripe unto harvest

I just received Elkin's report (that's him in the photo) from Dominica. During the months of November and December he had 107 Bible studies and 17 that were scheduled did not meet--they were sick, had to go to town, etc. That's over 50 Bible studies each month, over 60 if you count the ones that cancelled.

I've done that before, for 3-4 months at a time, but there aren't many places you could find that many people who will commit. In the States most people are "too busy" or satisfied, so while Bible study may be a "good thing" it's not urgent, it's something you do only if you have nothing else to do. But in Dominica and other islands like Grenada and St. Vincent, where most people live on agriculture, there is a greater recognition that they need God. It seems that when any minor crisis can disrupt your whole life, it is much clearer that you need help from God. I'm certain this same willingness to study is manifested in other agrarian societies throughout the world--I'm just familiar with the Eastern Caribbean. While there are always those seeking the truth at home, many times the opportunities are greater in other places.

Or perhaps the reason we don't have as many studies in the States is also because we Christians are not talking to as many people. If someone comes to us for a Bible study we are glad to teach them, but we don't really go out seeking them. We tell ourselves "no one is interested" or "I can't do that" or even "I just don't know how to approach people". The first excuse is basically untrue--there are always people looking no matter where you live--I've preached in Texas, Tennessee, Kentucky, St. Croix, and in every place have found those who are looking. I've preached meetings, etc. in 10 other countries and always meet those who were seeking and found the truth, besides those that are still seeking. The other two excuses reflect more on the one making them than anything else--like everything else we can learn how to approach people. Even if we can't teach them ourselves we can make the initial contact and set them up with someone who can study with them.

Tol

Saving it for "special" occasions

I was listening to a song the other day about Grandma's crystal. Grandma had received some beautiful crystal glasses--12 in number, which sparkled so, but spent most put away in a box because they were sort of fragile, much too fragile for everyday use. When Grandma died they were passed on to the daughter, who left them packed up for 10 or more years, but when she finally unpacked them used them regularly, not just on special occasions. She had received 10 glasses (2 had been broken) and when she passed them on to her daughter there were only 4 left. But she had enjoyed them and their sparkle in the light, which Grandma only rarely did.

Brethren, what do we do with the abilities the Lord has given each of us? Do we save them only for special occasions, or do we use them every day? Some preachers just can't preach regularly for a small congregation. Are you only willing to help others when it: a) benefits you or b) you get praise and glory from it? There's not much "glory" preaching in small congregations and there can be many heartaches because of the immaturity of the brethren there, the lack of leadership, etc. You're not going to be asked to preach too many Gospel meetings, Lectureships, etc. but the Lord needs men in those situations too.

We bought some new bath towels before we finished our temporary house in St. Croix. Dana put them until we got finished because she didn't want to ruin them. We finally got to the point that all we lacked was 3 sheets of sheetrock for the bathroom ceiling, but before we could finish it Hurricane Marilyn came calling and I guess she needed towels because she took those brand new towels with her--she scattered a couple of them through the brush on our hill but we never found some of them. We decided we would never hold anything back again like that, because who knows what the future will bring.

What about you?

Tol

Young christians preaching

Jose Barros (in the green shirt) and Carmelo Fricano are the preachers working in Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela. The church there is small--10 or so on Sunday and has been meeting about 2 years. Puerto Ordaz is a good sized city and is one of the petroleum centers in the Eastern part of the country.

Even though Carmelo and Jose are young physically and spiritually, they are the most knowledgable and mature in the church there. Paul told Timothy to let no one despise his youth, yet often we do. It's easy to say,"What do they know? They're still young." or perhaps "Just wait until you 'grow up' and then we'll see what you think about that." If what the young person says is Biblical, does their age matter? Or for that matter, if what they say is not scriptural, does their age matter?

To be sure, younger people often lack wisdom in the ways they deal with people, how to hand certain situations, etc. Looking back, it is easy to see that I've learned alot in these areas through the years and I see mistakes I made, but remember that God expects my best, no matter who or what age I am. The Lord recognizes the inexperience of young people and accepts their best efforts; so should we.

I would ask you to pray for these two brothers as they labor in Puerto Ordaz. They don't have mature Christians close to them--the closest church is a couple of hours away. They are both single, which also brings it's own set of temptations. They need our prayers.

Tol