SDAs Campaigning in my Area

by NotFormer 15 Replies latest jw experiences

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  blondie

  Here are some ways SDAs proselytize. I had a relative who was SDA. https://heavenwardyouth.wordpress.com/2023/03/24/promotional-talk-evangelism/ "Evangelism can take many forms. While traditional methods such as preaching and Bible studies are important, there are many other ways to share the gospel message with others. It can be as simple as sharing your testimony with a friend, this involves sharing our own personal testimony of how Christ has changed our lives and how He continues to work in our lives. This can be a powerful tool for reaching others, as it shows them that the gospel is not just a theoretical concept, but something that has a real impact on people’s lives. Inviting someone to church, or handing out a tract. It can also be more involved, such as going on a mission trip, leading a Bible study, or becoming a full-time missionary.

  Another form of evangelism is through acts of service and compassion. As Christ Himself modeled for us, showing love and compassion to others is an important part of sharing the gospel message.

  The gospel message should be shared with everyone, regardless of their race, ethnicity,or social status. We are encouraged to be bold in our evangelism efforts and to rely on the Holy Spirit for guidance and strength. Technology has also become an important tool for evangelism in recent years. Through social media, websites, and apps, we are able to reach people around the world with the message of Christ’s love.

  Evangelism can also take the form of creative outreach initiatives. This includes events such as health expos, community seminars, and Vacation Bible Schools. These events allow us to reach out to people in our communities and share the gospel message in a way that is engaging and relevant to their needs." I talked to the head of SDAs in my area and this is way they basically told me. I see that there activities are more extensive than anything jws do. I found them to be very caring people, nothing like jws.
• 

  NotFormer

  "Another form of evangelism is through acts of service and compassion. As Christ Himself modeled for us, showing love and compassion to others is an important part of sharing the gospel message"

  This was their approach with us thirty or so years ago. They always made sure we had transport to their church and back on Saturday. Invited us to church dinners*.They even offered to pay for our kids to go to their private school. The price of that: getting re-baptised into their religion and making a declaration at that baptism that Ellen G White is a prophet. A deal breaker, if ever there was one. 😳 But probably familiar to many here who went through a similar process when joining the JWs.

  As for the local SDAs, I'm not sure if the occasional leaflet dropped into my letterbox is a church-wide campaign or some highly motivated lone-wolf**. I might give the church a ring today and find out.

  In agreement with others here, I've always been struck by the similarities between JW and SDA literature. They are both branches of a similar doctrinal tree that took root during the restorationism era.

  * Don't ever believe that those tasty looking chunks of "meat" in their casseroles and curries are real: back then, it was all TVP (textured vegetable protein). One taste and you know, instantly, that it's not really meat! 🍖

  ** I imagine that he's spending a pretty penny for those booklets, if he's letterboxing the whole town. Again, it might be the church, rather than one lone individual. I'll hopefully know after I ring them.
• 

  WingCommander

  @NotFormer:

  Wow! That having to declare at Baptism that Ellen G. White is a Prophet, is strangely familiar! It's like the JW baptism vows of being baptized "in the name of the Father, the Son, and God's spirit-directed Organization on Earth".

  It's total blasphemy, idolotry, and a total deal breaker for anyone with critical thinking and 2 brain cells who knows anything about the bible. However, cults sway and swoon you and by the time you've reached baptism stage, it's a minor thing.

  @Blondie:

  Wow.....that piece you copied from the SDA's about how THEY have outreach programs, schools, etc and about showing love and compassion to others is truly striking. You'll NEVER hear or see that coming from the JW's. Never! Now, it's all about what can you do for THEM, give to THEM, worship THEM! Total cult BS.

  I'd like to note this about SDA's of today: There have been several splits among the SDA's. Some believe in the Trinity, some don't. Some allow women pastors now, some don't. I also believe there are some regions that no longer consider Ellen G. White a "prophet", but merely a bit inspired.

  From the SDA's, there's also been many splinter groups. Most notably, down thru the years.....The Branch Davidian's. (Davish Koresh)

  I once viewed like a 2 hour lecture from a college professor or something on Youtube, and he laid out using visual aides and specified how they all branched out from the Millerite Movement and The Great Disappointment. It was absolutely fascinating!
  
• 

  blondie

  BTW, the WTS charged publishers for the publications they used from door to door, and included subscriptions to the magazines. If those publishers did not get money from the non-jw, that individual ate the cost, the WTS got their money already, since jws paid the WTS upfront for publications. My info comes for my SDA relative. SDA approach is not the same as the WTS model.
• 

  HereIam60

  This topic brought back a few memories:

  One "recruitment tactic" once (possibly still) used by Seventh Day Adventists was related to a set of books for children published by them "The Bible Story" which related the Bible from Creation to Armageddon in story form. They were lavisly illustrated in color with many pictures similar to the Bilble and Paradise illustrations in Watchtower publications.

  A sample volume was often placed in Doctor's Office Waiting Rooms, with postcards that people could send for more information. When I was about 7 years old my mother must have done this, as I came home from school to find her talking with a man who was apparently selling her the set. They must have sent out a local representative. I very dimly recall being briefly invited to join the conversation, and seeing a picture of a child in an armchair reading one of the books, with Jesus standing behind the chair looking on.

  At that time I was attending a Methodist Sunday School, but when I came home would read in the books. It was mainly from these that I first got knowlege of the Bible. I learned the name 'Jehovah' from these as it was extensively used in the chapters about the prophet Elijah, because of the showdown between Jehovah and Baal.

  They also offered a study the Bible by mail correspondence course which my mother took. Lessons were sent out, you were to look up the cited Scriptures and write answers to questions on the blanks provided. They were then mailed back, then sent back to you graded and with comments. My mother completed this but I don't recall her ever saying anything specific about it.. There was also a children's version that she signed me up for, but after a few lessons I got tired of it and stopped sending them back. I got a couple of (form) letters urging me to resume, asking what had happened and suggesting "...sometimes children are embarrased because they have misplaced the lessons.." In my case I was ignoring them and they stopped sending them.

  My mom never committed to any one church, but always has been interested in learning about various religions.She never wanted an in-person study with Witnesses though. Much later she took a long correspondence course with a New Age group called Astara.

  I must have taken after her because even as a Witness I've never stopped checking out other religious publications and broadcasts.
• 

  HereIam60

  Some of the comments brought back other memories:

  The free magazine that was found by newspaper stands was probably Herbert W. Armstrong's 'The Plain Truth"' (Worldwide Church of God).

  ...and I once spoke to Harold Camping on the phone. He did a radio call in show on Bible Questions and, for some reason I wanted to know what 2nd Timothy 3:6 was talking about. I could not follow his explanation at all, and he had such a droning, sonorous voice that it was almost hypnotic and I nearly dozed off! This was about a year after his first failed End of World prediction.

  Another crazy I used to listen to was R. G. Stair. Today of course we have easier access to so much information. When these were just voices on the radio their conviction somehow seemed to give them more credibility..