A Word of Love

[TLFisher]

Originally Posted by countmeworthy

She always tells me about all 'these ones' as part of the LC lingo. It really plucks my last nerve OBW.

I've always thought of the phrase "these ones" as a reviling phrase. It's a way of referring to a person or person's whose name you don't want to utter. In other words someone you want to consider as unmentionable, you refer to in singular "that one" or in plural "these ones".
Personally I consider the phrase demeaning and disrespectful.

[countmeworthy]

Originally Posted by Terry

I've always thought of the phrase "these ones" as a reviling phrase. It's a way of referring to a person or person's whose name you don't want to utter. In other words someone you want to consider as unmentionable, you refer to in singular "that one" or in plural "these ones".
Personally I consider the phrase demeaning and disrespectful.

THANK YOU Terry !!! You wrote exactly what I was trying to convey.

Another LC word I detest when referring to the people being reeled into the LC is"contact". --" All these ones are new contacts." --

Uh... I have a feeling we might start a new thread on LC phrases we like but mostly DISLIKE !

Oh..here's a funny totally off topic but still referring to phrases Christians use in evangelizing. My girl friend and I were having lunch a couple of days ago. Our waiter was a newlywed. He was on fire but a fire that reminded me of the fire a brand new Christian is on when they first give their lives wholeheartedly to the Lord. He was telling us how he and his wife get up every morning and read the Word together before starting their day. Cute kid.

At one point he was telling us how he was a fisher of men. I don't know if there was a subliminal message in how I responded but I replied "So are we !"

And btw, if anyone here would like to wish me a happy 57th B-day, by all means feel free to do so ! >

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by countmeworthy

THANK YOU Terry !!! You wrote exactly what I was trying to and could not.

Another LC word I detest when referring to baby Christians is "contact". --" All these ones are new contacts." --

Uh... I have a feeling we might start a new thread on LC phrases we like but mostly DISLIKE !

Another "curse" was to say he is a "dear" brother.

When you hear that about a brother, then you know the brother is dead or blind or sinful or a mental case.

[countmeworthy]

Originally Posted by Ohio

Another "curse" was to say he is a "dear" brother.

When you hear that about a brother, then you know the brother is dead or blind or sinful or a mental case.

You're RIGHT OHIO !! We'd never say the 'dear' brother/sister backslid!

Then there was the phrase "so & so is a 'goooood' brother/sister ! DUH ! But we'd never say "so & so is a Baaaaaad brother or sister. Let's see, they were either 'negative' or 'poisoned'. LOL !! Such idiotic phrases !

[TLFisher]

Originally Posted by Ohio

Another "curse" was to say he is a "dear" brother.

What?
Aren't we all dear brothers and sisters?

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by Terry

What?
Aren't we all dear brothers and sisters?

The "good" ones are "precious" or "faithful" or "consecrated," but a brother is a problem to the LC, he becomes a "dear" brother -- not always, in every circumstance, but often enough.

Of course, many times this was in the context of TC' speaking. Another irony is his pattern of extolling outsiders, yet berating insiders.

[TLFisher]

Originally Posted by countmeworthy

Another LC word I detest when referring to the people being reeled into the LC is"contact". --" All these ones are new contacts." --

CMW, happy birthday! "Contact" or "new contact" sounds like a sales lead. I heard in OCS terminology it would be a "candidate". Those familiar with university greek clubs (faternities/sororities) it would be prospect.
Another term you might hear among lc circles would be "new ones". WOuld that mean new believers? Or new to the local church congregation? Why not refer to new ones as visitors?

[ZNPaaneah]

Originally Posted by Terry

CMW, happy birthday! "Contact" or "new contact" sounds like a sales lead. I heard in OCS terminology it would be a "candidate". Those familiar with university greek clubs (faternities/sororities) it would be prospect.
Another term you might hear among lc circles would be "new ones". WOuld that mean new believers? Or new to the local church congregation? Why not refer to new ones as visitors?

What if they have never visited? If your first contact with someone was preaching the gospel and since then they have appeared to be seeking and you have continued to fellowship, and you want to convey that concept in a testimony, that would be how I would understand "gospel contact". But you could also use colleague, coworker, student at school, friend, neighbor, etc. The key difference to me, is that by saying "gospel contact" you surely must have shared the gospel previously and this person must appear to be seeking.

[TLFisher]

Originally Posted by ZNPaaneah

What if they have never visited? If your first contact with someone was preaching the gospel and since then they have appeared to be seeking and you have continued to fellowship, and you want to convey that concept in a testimony, that would be how I would understand "gospel contact".

Why can't you refer to the individual as a person instead of "a contact"? Question for you ZnPaaneah. What is the objective when preaching the gospel; to preach the gospel to bring the Lord to someone, or preaching the gospel with the intent of bringing them into a specifc church?
If the intent of preaching the gosepl is to bring someone into a specific church, I'd say there's ulterior motive.

[ZNPaaneah]

Originally Posted by Terry

Why can't you refer to the individual as a person instead of "a contact"? Question for you ZnPaaneah. What is the objective when preaching the gospel; to preach the gospel to bring the Lord to someone, or preaching the gospel with the intent of bringing them into a specifc church?
If the intent of preaching the gosepl is to bring someone into a specific church, I'd say there's ulterior motive.

You are the one with an agenda. I didn't say you don't refer to the person, I didn't say you don't refer to them as a neighbor, or friend, or colleague. What I said is that the term "gospel contact", to my interpretation, refers to someone that you have previously preached the gospel to and who is interested in fellowship. Why do you want to pretend that it is some evil nefarious term?

[rayliotta]

Originally Posted by ZNPaaneah

You are the one with an agenda. I didn't say you don't refer to the person, I didn't say you don't refer to them as a neighbor, or friend, or colleague. What I said is that the term "gospel contact", to my interpretation, refers to someone that you have previously preached the gospel to and who is interested in fellowship. Why do you want to pretend that it is some evil nefarious term?

Terry ain't the one with an agenda, he's just pulling the curtain back on the agenda.

Personally I don't see these terms as evil or nefarious, just smarmy and patronizing...

[ZNPaaneah]

Originally Posted by Terry

Why can't you refer to the individual as a person instead of "a contact"? Question for you ZnPaaneah. What is the objective when preaching the gospel; to preach the gospel to bring the Lord to someone, or preaching the gospel with the intent of bringing them into a specifc church?
If the intent of preaching the gosepl is to bring someone into a specific church, I'd say there's ulterior motive.

I did the math. The most successful FTTT trainees at bringing gospel contacts brought less than 1% of those they preached the gospel to meetings. That % was also true of DC in Houston prior to the FTTT.

So, the group I was in had several thousand gospel contacts over the course of one year. If you enjoy what you are doing it is not about bringing people to meetings. Since we are all laboring in the gospel it makes perfect sense that we would fellowship with one another. If I met someone the night before named "Tom" I am not going to refer to him as "Tom" because that would confuse everyone, they would think this must be a Tom that I know. So I need a nice easy way to identify him so that everyone can follow the testimony. How is this "smarmy"?

[countmeworthy]

Originally Posted by ZNPaaneah

I did the math. The most successful FTTT trainees at bringing gospel contacts brought less than 1% of those they preached the gospel to meetings. That % was also true of DC in Houston prior to the FTTT.

I've never liked or used the word 'contact' when referring to someone I shared the gospel with.

I'm not a sales person but I know the the word 'contact' is often used to refer to someone who is a potential client in SALES. The LC used that word 'contact' to refer to people who they thought were good enough to bring into the LR. They wanted to 'capture' people for the 'church'. The church seems to be more important to Christ. (not only in the LC but through out the Christian institution. Everyone wants to build 'mega churches'.)

That's why I don't like using the word- contact-. I always refer to the person I shared the gospel with as "someone". "I talked to -someone- today about the Lord." "I met a person who was very hungry for the Truth and I got to share with him/her how Jesus IS the Way, the TRUTH and the Life."

I also don't like inviting people to go to 'church'. If I'm having or going to a fellowship / prayer meeting/gathering, I may invite the person I met to attend the gathering.

[TLFisher]

Originally Posted by ZNPaaneah

I did the math. The most successful FTTT trainees at bringing gospel contacts brought less than 1% of those they preached the gospel to meetings. That % was also true of DC in Houston prior to the FTTT.

The goal as I had heard was to bring an increase to the churches. The gospelizing on Taiwan was considered to be unsuccessful if there was not an increase. Same can be said for the door knocking in North America.
The real measurable should not be who was added to the church, but how many received the Lord and were baptized. Even with those that heard the gospel, but did not admit, believe, and confess; a seed was planted.