[OBW]

Originally Posted by Terry

Vern's speaking on functioning blew my concepts. For years the practice had been to function, one had to speak. If you weren't speaking, you weren't functioning. One aspect to consider is if all thr brothers and sisters want to speak in order to function, who is really listening to what's being spoken? There so much emphasis on speaking that no one is intently listening.

If this is the recent conference that Nigel, Vern and John did, I read some of the transcripts. I guess I did not read this particular one, but maybe I should.

I think you are onto something here. We were all trying to come up with the right thing to say so that we would be “in the flow” and get a lot of enthusiastic “amens.”

When you say “intently listening,” I think that was the key. If what was being spoken was really of value, we should have been intent to listen, and even contemplate what we had just heard. But instead, we were thinking about our own words while we left one ear marginally tuned in to hear the buzz words that warranted an “amen” or “hallelujah.” There would be no pause at the end of any speaking for contemplation. Someone was spring-loaded and pulled the lever to pop-up and continue the free-for-all.

So functioning looked more like a circular massaging of each others’ shoulders. I’ll make you feel good if you make me feel good.

I really enjoy taking time to consider the things I read and hear. Sometimes that extra time results in revelation that could never come from straining to get my own two cents worth into the fray. My function is not popcorn speaking. It is not active evangelism. It surely wasn’t door knocking in the mid-80s.

On that last one, I think that is among the reasons that we left. Not simply because of door knocking, but because all the energies of the LC went into that activity and there was nothing for those who weren’t gung-ho for it. My wife I needed more than door knocking and “just call on the Lord” but it was not to be found.