Some of you may remember this great little song in kids’ class and babysitting:
This little light of mine
Ain’t gonna let it shine
This little light of mine
Ain’t gonna let it shine
Let it shine, let it shine, not one time
Hide it under a bushel, YES!
Ain’t gonna let it shine
Hide it under a bushel, YES!
Ain’t gonna let it shine
Let it shine, let it shine, not one time
Let’s let Satan SNUFF it out!
Ain’t gonna let it shine
Let’s let Satan SNUFF it out!
Ain’t gonna let it shine
Let it shine, let it shine, not one time
Knock all over the neighborhood….
You get the idea.
I had a lighthearted conversation with some people recently about recording a Stanton Sunday service on video. It occurred to me that most churches would be thrilled to have someone coming in and recording their services. In fact, some church have dedicated volunteers to do this, and larger ones might even pay someone to do it (gasp!).
But why doesn’t Stanton want to let their light shine? Why aren’t they pushing out their message across every social media channel they can get their hands on?
“We do that when we knock on doors,” they might say. Or “we’re more interested in ‘shining the light of truth’ than in reaching large numbers.” Likely story.
I’ll suggest that there are millions of reasons why NOT to let our lights shine. But there’s one good reason to LET your light shine, and that’s because you’re not ashamed of your message, and you truly want to get it out.
If you know your message is flawed, you’re going to “hide it under a bushel,” aren’t you? You won’t invite visitors to your public meetings, like they did in the first century. Instead, you’ll only invite them to a carefully staged “nonmember class.” But again, that’s grooming, not evangelism.
No, if you truly believe you have a message that the world needs, and you are the sole group prepared by God to deliver it, you’d be scrambling to live stream your sermons and nonmember classes to the world to reach as many people as possible. The fact that you’re not says all we need to know. If the salesman doesn’t even believe in his message, why should anyone else?
“In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” ~Matthew 5:16 (NIV)
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.” ~Romans 1:16
Well Kevin, you know why they won't! They don't want to be persecuted! They'd rather DO the persecuting to members who dare to leave their cult!
M Long, you are correct. Who’s persecuting them? They won’t attend a funeral of a family member because it’s in a religious building. They won’t attend their own child’s graduation because it’s on a class night. They’ll miss the family reunions because there is no Merie cult congregation in whatever city. They’ll get some attitude for a bit from family and call it persecution when they should’ve been at those events and letting their umm little bitty light shine. Lol. But they withdraw from nonmembers. Treat the smart ones that leave as they are withdrawn from. Many unscriptural withdrawals in… Read more »
Kevin, agree 100% and never understood why if they were the one and only true church they wouldn’t by all means get the word out. Nope let’s knock on doors like their cult founder Merie did. Huge waste of time and effort. Christ as we know and they preach will return and it can be today. Do they really believe it though is my question. If they did wouldn’t they really do all they could to preach the word of salvation. Come on GP the world wants to see you and hear your voice. Jk. You speak the truth right… Read more »
The SCOC won't ever record a worship, even for members who are shut-in. They believe the worship is not to be recorded. One can take copious notes and write down every spoken word, but it is not to be recorded. period.
They also don't record prayers during meetings or singing. ever. period.
Anon 6:30 that was what I always heard. However, never given a reason why. Makes no sense to me. With technology the way it has progressed since Merie started the cult they could get their rules and opinions out to the multitudes.
I value the livestream options different churches provide. I can't always get out due to an injury and it is so refreshing. Plus I'm able to send them to others, especially my kids who were traumatized by what they witnessed against their father and myself after we left. Plus being rebuked when they would go to visit. And I never thought about it before, but classes would turn nonmember when a visitor would show up outside of that normally scheduled class. Really makes you think.
Ronita switching like that is DECEITFUL. I was always uncomfortable with that. What are you hiding that you need to change the subject? And why isn't what is being taught relevant to everyone, including nonmembers?
I also hated that they called them Bible studies when it was just a sermon.
Good points. Every piece of technology, and every social media channel, can serve a purpose in communicating the good news to a hurting world. Are all of them ideal? No. But they can help introduce people to Jesus in a way they wouldn't have been able to experience before.
When I came back I could see how wrong personal work was being done to the people at the doors. Arguments would start in trying to prove that their religion was wrong. This turned people off more than anything. When you offend anybody like that you aren't going to get interest. I tried to peak their interest if they had a mind to learn more. Tried to make in more interesting in that the bible has a lot to offer. If they said that they are attending somewhere I would ask after spending the time that they do what do… Read more »
Great points everyone! When I was in Tampa I was constantly being rebuked because I was inviting people to classes. At that point we were doing "home studies", and the teachers wanted us to stick to just that. But I found that not everyone wanted to have a home study. Some wanted to "go to church", and so I would invite them to classes. To me "Personal Work" meant that we work with them in the way that best for them. Eventually I stopped talking "at the doors" because I just didn't have it in me to invite people to… Read more »
Ever notice how teachers rarely knocked on doors? I’m guilty, I was a ‘head honcho’ and very rarely knocked on doors. The difference in knocking on doors vs visiting babes, doing contacts and recontacts was like night and day.Question: when you first started attending how long did it take for ya’ll to realize there was a formula to nonmember class?Someone mentioned earlier that nonmember class is not a Bible ‘study’, it is a sermon/lecture – so true!Another point of interest – people are told ‘come as you are’. When they get there in shorts or jeans they immediately realize that… Read more »
We're not the only ones who noticed this. There are people in the ranks of Merie's church who know how deceitful their nonmember setup is. From calling it a Bible study or Bible class (it's a sermon), to "no opinions we just speak where the Bible speaks", to "you can ask questions" when they already run too long every time, at some point you figure out it's not kosher but by then you're brainwashed to excuse your reasons and keep searing your conscience with the little white lies..
Anon 12:09 great points. Also bring your questions. Questions IF they were answered would be at the end of class. Common practice with some of the teachers would be to discuss questions after class had ended. Rather than publicly. Switching up during regular class to a nonmember class if a visitor showed up would be suspect how the moderator would tie it in. Let’s just say they would make it sound as if this is what we were going into. Very disingenuous to say the least. Let’s just call it lies.