The Top 3 Worst SDA Outreach Habits
The top 3 worst SDA outreach habits I have seen in my 10+ years of ministry:
1. Assuming What People Need: I once had a church member complain that they had tried giving a co-worker a book. The co-worker said they weren't interested and refused the book. The Adventist was upset that the co-worker didn't accept the book. After asking a few questions here is what I learned: The co-worker was a secular person who had no religious affiliations or background. The book the Adventist offered them was about the Waldensians. Now, I don't want to shame this dear member for giving outreach a go, but I think its obvious what went wrong in this whole scenario.
2. Explaining our Message in 19th Century Ways: I shared this story recently but heres a shorter version: I once sat in on a Bible study with an elder trying to explain to a secular seeker why the state of the dead was such an important topic. His reasoning? Because if we think people go to heaven when they die, Satan can deceive us by pretending to be our dead loved ones. The secular guy was lost, unamused, and unimpressed. This approach to the state of the dead might not be "wrong" but its outdated. And the truth is, we do this with almost all our doctrines. Sabbath vs Sunday? Dated. Investigative Judment as defending God's transparency? Dated. The Health Message as increasing longevity? Dated. We can preach the same message in modern ways that actually make sense to people in the 21st century, cause it ain't 1890 anymore.
3. Handing out Literature without Relationships: I get it, there isn't always time to build relationships and sometimes media is the best way to get the message out there. There is nothing wrong with that. But here's a quick story: A guy I knew was in rehab. Some local SDA ladies brought him a meal and with it, a bag with a whole stack of EGW books. He wasn't SDA so he called me to ask what that was all about. He said at first he felt really blessed by the food, but when he saw the bag with all the books he immediately felt like a project. Whats worse, the ladies never came back, never visited him again. It was as if, once they dumped the EGW library on him, their job was done. No relationship. No connection. Just drop and go evangelism. And it sucks.
The wild thing is each of these scenarios would have been 100% better if the Adventists did 1 thing differently. Not 10, not 5, just 1. No need for a degree, for special training, or for a unique set of skills. This 1 simple thing would have made all the difference and anyone can do it.
It's called listening. Thats all. Thats how you avoid being tone deaf. Thats how you avoid being disingenous. Thats how you avoid being agenda driven. You listen. And you listen with intention. To know, to learn, to understand, and to serve.
Had listening taken place in scenario 1, a book on the Waldensians would never have been offered to a secular co-worker. Instead, the Adventist would have gotten to know the person, built a relationship with them, and sought to serve them according to THEIR needs.
Had listening taken place in scenario 2, that secular seeker and elder would both have had a much more enjoyable, productive, and relevant Bible study rather than an attempted indoctrination session.
Had listening taken place in scenario 3, a lost soul in a rehab center would have encountered hope in genuine people rather than being repulsed by the phony kindness used as a guise to convert.
Listening. We're not very good at it as SDAs. We "have the truth" so we prefer to do all the talking. Well, we can keep talking all we want. Truth is, folk stopped listening a long time ago.
Its time we zipped our lips. Surrendered our pride. And learned to listen. This is the key to mission in our post-church age.
P.S. Adventists love a good conspiracy theory, so I decided to create my own secret society. 😅 Wanna join? Tap here.
