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The Snowball Effect — 9 Comments

  1. Lillianne, I’m struggling to find the correlation between the disciples experience and what the lesson is suggesting. There doesn’t seem to be any indication that they kept a running list of each witnessing endeavor they were involved in from their beginning as disciples nor after Christ’s ascension. The memory text in Mark was not the beginning of their work as disciples, “As Jesus ministered to the vast multitudes that gathered about Him, His disciples were in attendance, eager to do His bidding and to lighten His labor. They assisted in arranging the people, bringing the afflicted ones to the Saviour, and promoting the comfort of all. They watched for interested hearers, explained the Scriptures to them, and in various ways worked for their spiritual benefit. They taught what they had learned of Jesus, and were every day obtaining a rich experience.” Desire of Ages, pg 349
    On a practical level of reporting to the church, I don’t know how a church body of 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000, etc, would hear the reports of each member’s witnessing activities during the week. I do appreciate the value of communication in the church body, of both the good and the not so good but how to make this week’s lesson meaningful and impactful to the people in the pews is something that remains to be seen.

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  2. YES, I do remember the days when the attendance record asked about the litrature distributed, visitors brought and a few other things. I also remember distributing lit. right after church so we could have it listed in the Sabbath records.

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  3. Lillian I love the quote you shared, “Let those who gain such an experience in working for the Lord write an account of it for our papers, that others may be encouraged.”( E.G. White, Colporteur Evangelism, p.85). It's like Ellen White saw Facebook and blogs from her day too! 🙂 I love facebooking and blogging for this very reason.

    Also, in one of our conference worker's meetings a while back, we discussed that we no longer keep the Sabbath school records anymore because it was too legalistic with all the numbers and seemed to be works orientated. I think what encourages people more than the numbers are the stories of how peoples lives have been changed when the gospel is shared, which is what your post here points out.

    Thank you for this post!

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  4. We have a very limited time in both Sabbath School and Divine service. All the programs are arranged and an order is followed and where is the time to hear reports of people involved in ministry. If this is so and if the reporting is so vital How can we accommodate this important aspect of reporting in our churches so that other members could be inspired to work for the Master? Do we meet as a church on another day to hear reports? Or Do we allocate appropriate time for this in Sabbath School or Divine Service?

    How? and When?

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    • Yes, I agree Lillianne it is a good question but I don't know if most of the churches are willing to commit to such a thing at this point. In my opinion we are first going to have to get serious about our relationship with our Lord and when we do then I believe all the other peripheral junk that we have will be replaced by the more important things, not because we are told to do so but because we are on fire for the Lord "And His commandments are not burdensome" (1 Jn 5:3 NKJV).

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    • In our little church group, we reserve 15 minutes about every other Sabbath for testimony and witness stories. We do this every other Sabbath before we close Sabbath School. There are some things that can be cut in order for lay members to tell/share how God is working in their lives and ministry. It is important to reserve a slot at least once a month for testimonies--I've found that hearing others tell of the wonder working power in their lives and ministry (big or small) has helped encouraged me in my own walk with God.

      In another church I visited, they had testimony/share time right after children's story during Divine Service.

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  5. Unless some change suggested from the top level organization, usually the pattern of worship doesn't change in most of the churches. I mean the order followed in Sabbath School and Divine service. We also stick to a certain time frame for these two. To be honest, Most of us do not like to come to church any more if it goes beyond 12 noon. If churches realize the need for the importance of reporting Then must accommodate this in the worship. I cannot think of the New Testament complete with out the book of Acts of Apostle, Full of spirit filled reports. This encourages preachers, members and all to engage in work of the Lord. Our reporting I am sure will inspire and encourage the other members to involve in finishing the gospel work. Let us pray about it and do the needful. I will with prayer sell this idea to be accommodate in my church.

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    • I think in a lot of cases you are right but I don't believe it has to be that way. If a pastor sees that the church is moving in a biblical direction - if he is any shepherd of the flock at all he will not impede that movement and in most cases will openly support it.

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