OUTREACH FIRST (JHW)

We would like to see the New Church grow, we would like to see the Writings have a greater influence on the lives of our own people and on the peoples of the world. At the moment this influence hardly exists. Our church is decreasing in numbers.

CONTRIBUTORS (JHW)

This web page is authored by several people. In this revision there are two: Rev. Richard Keyworth (RK) and Rev. Jan Weiss (JHW). Behind each heading you will see the initials of the author. Other readers are invited to contribute.

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION IN THE NEW CHURCH (JHW)

In the New Church we should work on the religious education of our children. We exhort parents to do it, when we administer the sacrament of baptism to their children. We should back this exhortation with our own actions. Why baptize children into the New Church and then not educate them into it? But religious education is not the same as missionary work. Also, it is not the most fruitful field of evangelization.

Religious education of children takes place when parents follow up on their decision to have their children baptized into the New Church. It is their response to their promise they made in that service to bring the child up in the New Church. It is prompted by their love of children.

MISSIONARY WORK (JHW)

Missionary work among adults outside the New Church is also an activity and responsibility of the lay people of the church. But it is prompted by a totally different motivation. The love relationship of regenerating adults with the Lord will die unless these adults do something towards and for others. We need to respond to the law that influx is according to efflux. Love from the Lord will only come to those who first transmit it to others. The New Church in us will only grow if we help it to grow in others.

The New Church needs to be vitally interested and active in missionary work. If it is not, then exertion in child education will not result in growth.

Even if the New Church tries to promote its life as a community, but is not interested in missionary work, it will eventually fail. Missionary work is the lifeline of a living church. Without that lifeline it will die a spiritual death.

Therefore the individual members of the New Church need to be active in some way in missionary work. They need to believe in it, and work in it in some fashion. They do not have to actually talk with others, but they should support those who do.

Doing something for a "stranger" cleanses the soul, straightens out our thinking, and leads us to realistic church life.

Inward thinking is not productive, not enlightening, not self cleansing. It leads to division, arguments, fights and separation. New Church history has plenty of examples. It is hoped that the missionary booklet will enable members of the New Church to become active in missionary work in some way.

WHY DO MISSIONARY WORK (RK)

There are generally four reasons given for not doing missionary work. These are:

1. We must not destroy the faith of another person.

2. People must be left in Freedom.

3. People will profane the truth which we hold sacred.

4. It is the Lord's work alone to build the Church.

Where do these ideas come from? Some would say that they are what the Writings and the Scriptures teach. On careful examination we will see that it is what OTHERS SAY they teach!

FIRSTLY, Lets look at the argument that we do not want to destroy the faith of people in other religions. True Christian Religion 318 states: "Stealing means depriving others of the truths they get from their faith; THIS IS THE EFFECT OF FALSITIES AND HERETICAL BELIEFS."

The passage is essentially about priests leading people astray. In our spreading of the Heavenly Doctrines we are presenting the TRUTH not falsity.

These days, most people in the Western world are in a gentile state. Many countries have less than 10% of the population participating in organized religion. Our chief market, so to speak, consists of the gentiles, not the minority who have a religion.

SECONDLY, as we believe in the spiritual freedom of others, some say we should refrain from witnessing. The reality is, that true freedom only exists when there is choice! If we do not tell others about the truths contained in the Writings we leave them in ignorance and so not really in freedom. Only when people know about the truth are they in a position to choose for or against it. We may feel that our motives are good but the effect is opposite.

THIRDLY, sometimes we hear that we should not throw pearls before swine. We classify the truths of our religion as pearls and the people outside of the New Church as swine. This is not very nice. The thought is that through our missionary work, others will harm the truth, trampling on it like the swine do.

The reality is, that in adopting such a position, WE would be "giving to dogs what is holy and casting our pearls before swine" The text is from Matthew 7:1-6. It is about NOT MAKING such judgments, yet within the space of a few lines we can make them about others. The warning is there, 'with the measure you use, it will be measured against you". The dogs and the swine within us will be destroying holy things and pearls of salvation for all. The dogs and swine are the unregenerate feelings within us when we ascribe God's Goodness to ourselves and condemn others as unworthy.

The Lord's good gifts are for all who ask and seek.

"Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets." Mt.7:12

FOURTHLY, some quote that, "Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain." Psalm 127:1 They take this text to mean that there is nothing that we can do, or should do, to build the Lord's Church on earth. By the house they mean the Church. But surely, this does not mean that we should stand idly by with hands hung down, letting the Lord do all the work. That smacks of salvation by faith alone!

It actually points to a cooperation with the Lord and the fact that we are to build a house ourselves is indicated in the parable of the wise man who built his house upon the rock. Mt7:24-27. He is the one who heard and DID the Lord's sayings. This gives us a clue as to what the Psalmist is talking about.

The Lord is the ARCHITECT and the supplier of materials. We must labor according to His plans. The New Jerusalem can only be built according to the plan revealed.

Solomon built the first temple in Jerusalem. Not that he put everything in place, every stone and timber, every decoration, moulding and casting. He in fact had 180,000 workmen and 3300 supervisors on the job. Solomon didn't do the laboring anymore than Herod did with his temple, or Cheops with his pyramid. He did it in the same way as Christopher Wren built St Paul's cathedral in London. Solomon saw to it that the house of God was built according to Divine commandment.

We have been given the plan for the New Jerusalem. We must now work according to it to build it successfully.

THE BOOKLET (JHW) The missionary booklet I have written is titled "Facing Fears - Finding Happiness". Its subtitle is "a way of life". This booklet deals with a number of practical life problems from a New Church point of view, and it has had some initial success in getting people interested in our religion.

It would seem that this booklet could be a good tool in the hands of our lay people who would like to interest their friends and acquaintances in our religion.

Let me suggest how this booklet could be used to assure greater success.

FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES (JHW) This method is not proposed as the only possible approach. There are other methods, and they have yielded results. I suggest that we do not get involved in arguments that other methods also yield results or even better results. Nor do I want to waste my time on arguing that this method is perfect. Like every other method, it has to be practiced and then honed during that practice.

There are several principles that are fundamental to this method. If you disagree with these principles, do not read any further, and do not buy the booklet. Keep doing what you believe in. There is the 8S Percent Principle, the 20 Percent Principle, the Tools Principle, and the Need Principle,

THE 85 PERCENT PRINCIPLE (JHW)

Research by Dr. Peter Wagner of Fuller Seminary has demonstrated that 85% of the people who are converted to another religion are converted by their friends. About 1% are converted by crusades. I believe that library books, TV programs, and advertizing account for the rest.

The practical implication therefore is that if New Church people do not convert their friends, the New Church will not grow. This leads us to the 20% Principle.

THE 20 PERCENT PRINCIPLE (JHW)

The 20 percent principle says that only 20 percent of the people in the New Church will talk with their friends. Eighty percent of New Church people, for various reasons, are not strongly motivated to convert their friends and acquaintances. Also, some New Church people hesitate to talk about their religion, because they do not know it that well, and they do not like to face questions from their friends. They find it too difficult to learn more about the New Church. There are too many books to read, and these books are too hard to approach. And so missionary work is left to the twenty percent of the church.

THE TOOLS PRINCIPLE (GIVING THE LAY PEOPLE TOOLS) (JHW)

In the past lay people found it too hard to do missionary work. The results of their efforts were too discouraging. But today we can change this situation by giving people two tools to use in their missionary efforts. The FIRST tool is the booklet "FACING FEARS - FINDING HAPPINESS" which they can lend or sell to their friends. This booklet has been tested to arouse the interest of people outside the New Church. This booklet acts as it were as a spokesman for the eighty percent, so that now the eighty percent can also do missionary work.

It can be used in the contacts New Church people have with their friends and the people they meet. It can serve as the contact maker and interest evoker, and this can be done even by the New Church people who are scared of such contacts.

In addition our introductory booklet can be placed in commercial bookstores, in university bookstores, and in university libraries. Some people of the eighty percent can serve in missionary work by placing this booklet in many places. There is no need to face and answer questions. All that is needed is quiet work of product placing into sales opportunities.

After initial interest has been aroused, it has to be fed and maintained. Here our SECOND tool comes in.

Today we can offer every New Church person and also every newcomer the GRANDMAN PROGRAM, which is a computer program through which the Writings can be approached and questioned in a fast and efficient way. With the Grandman Program every New Church person can quickly increase his/her own knowledge. It can serve as a handy answerer of questions. It acts like the minister who is not nearby to answer questions.

The Grandman Program is like a psychological break through, where before we were all faced with 30 volumes on a book shelve which is quite imposing, but today we only see one page of a book on the screen, and we have a fast way to bring our answer to that one screen. New comers are not forced to layout a lot of money for the purchase of the 30 books, but can acquire one program that contains all these books.

THE NEED PRINCIPLE (JHW) People do not change their life style unless they see a need for it. If their present life style makes them happy, it is unlikely they will change. They do not need it. This is equally true for New Church people and people of other convictions. So successful missionary work will concentrate on the needs of other people. Observe those needs, and fill them with ideas from the Writings that fill these needs, and you will rind an interest and hunkering for more.

THE DISNEY PRINCIPLE (JHW)

This principle is that we always try to work with several approaches at the saqme time. For example, I wrote a booklet and got it printed. But I also will try to produce a video program where in several sessions I will be interviewed about the booklet, and as it were give the booklet in that form. Now these tapes can be played on community stations all over the country, and when we do, we can go to libraries and bookstores, and tell them about the broadcasts so they will display the booklet. In the broadcast we will try to tell them about the bookstores and libraries. Also, we will be able to produce audio tapes from the video tapes, and these can be heard in the car while our friends are on the freeway.

The IN and EF Principle (JHW)

This principle is based on AC5828:[3] ""It is a universal law that influx adjusts itself according to efflux, and if efflux is checked influx is checked. Through the internal man there is an influx of good and truth from the Lord, and through the external there must be an efflux, namely into the life, that is, in the exercise of charity. When there is this efflux then there is continual influx from heaven, that is, through heaven from the Lord; whereas if there is no efflux, but resistance in the external or natural man, the influx adjusts itself to the efflux, consequently that the influx of good draws back.""

This universal applies to everything that is in the human form, like the mind, the body, heaven and the church. If the mind does not put out things to the neighbor, the Lord does not flow in to give it life and power. I noticed that when I began to walk, my heart condition improved, and new blood channels were formed. The heavens cannot live unless they continually do things for other human beings. It is the same with the New Church. If that church does not try to put out to people outside the New Church, if it does not do missionary work, that church will slowly but surely die. Missionary work is not just commanded by the Lord, it is required for the church to stay alive.

If you want the New Church to stay alive, and be there for your children also, you must put out in missionary activities, or else that church may not be around for your children and grandchildren. It is more important what this church does for missionary work than what it does for itself and the people who are within that church. This means, I believe, that more than 50% of our budget should go to missionary activities. This may be a new and even shocking idea to some of us, but I believe it to be true nevertheless, but am open to arguments against it.

THE MESSAGE OF THE BOOKLET (JHW)

The message of the booklet is one of HOPE and VICTORY. First we preach HOPE on the long term (eternal). We can hope for a marriage to eternity, usefulness, self esteem, and happiness for ever.

Then we bring HOPE also for life in this world. We can have self esteem when we realize that God created us for a specific purpose, and this is true regardless of the kind of childhood and/or past we have had. We can hope and work for a good marriage, for good family life, and for a wonderful old age. The New Church can bring good goals and good ideas that can help us reach those goals.

All these things come only through struggle, so we will feel them as our own after we acquire them. But they can come only when we open ourselves to the Lord.

VICTORY is promised, because the Lord is with us and helps us in this struggle. On our own we may fail, but with Him we will not fail, but be victorious.

The booklet first of all deals with the Fears that mar our life, like the fear of death, the fear of losing self esteem, and the fear of rejection. Then it deals with self esteem and love to the neighbor. Guilt feelings are dealt with next. Then it explains how order and authority allow love and freedom. Being judged and making judgments is dealt with, after which judgment is connected with humility and gratitude. Marriage, the family and work are dealt with next, followed by a chapter on more benefits and the future.

LENDING THE BOOKLET TO FRIENDS (JHW)

After the booklet has been purchased, we could try to lend it out to friends and acquaintances. For such an action our friends should be prequalified. We should not spread it around indiscriminately!! We should first listen to people carefully to see if they exhibit one of the needs that are being addressed in the booklet. Here are these needs.

THE NEEDS THAT CAN BE FILLED BY THE BOOKLET (JHW)

Listen to people and see if they are:

1. Anxiously holding on to something.

2. Fearing loneliness.

3. Fearing to lose something, like affection, money, comfort, a loved one, money, life on earth, control, power, health. reputation, independence.

4. Fearing pain or hurt.

5. Experiencing fears, hurts, low self esteem.

6. Dissatisfied with what their religion does for them.

7. Experiencing the fear of death?

8. Missing the purpose of life.

9. Fearing rejection.

10. Shy, belligerent, or Judgmental.

11. Experiencing a problem in their marriage.

12. Single with problems.

13. Longing for the eternity of marriage.

14. Having a problem living with ideals and imperfections.

15. Having problems in the family.

16. Living with unanswered questions.

17. Experiencing a conflict between science and religion.

18. Having apocalyptic ideas.

19. Fearful or unhappy.

THE IMPORTANCE OF PREQUALIFICATION (JHW)

Working with the booklet will take time, money, ingenuity. Time and money are always in short supply, so we need to use it wisely. If we do not, we will experience a lot more disappointment.

So first qualify the person to whom you lend the booklet. Look at the needs that can be filled by the booklet, and look for those needs in others. Only if you see at least two of these needs in another person should you consider lending the booklet to that person.

Do not talk about your religion until you see needs in others. Then give the booklet. If they ask about your religion, do not give an answer, but ask them what they are looking for in a religion, what their religious needs are, and what their life problems are. Then go from there.

HOW TO USE THE BOOKLET (JHW)

1. All lay people in the church can be missionaries. The least a lay person can do is to buy one or more copies of the booklet. Write in each booklet a number and the OWNER'S name and telephone number, so the lay person can lend the booklet to a relative, friend, acquaintance or stranger.

2. By lending, no one is urged to buy, and make that decision. Yet we do not give it away, which we consider a bad idea. Free gifts are often given by people who have a selfish agenda. Reading takes place in freedom, until the end. At the end the reader is urged to make a decision to buy.

3. The name and telephone number of the lender of the booklet is in the front, and so the borrower can call when he is ready to return. The lender needs to keep track of the booklet, so he can inquire about its return. At the same time the lender is sure he will get a reaction to the booklet, whatever it is. This response may help us to improve the booklet.

4. If the response is positive, the person is encouraged to do a number of things. He may buy one or more copies so that the borrower can begin the lending process him/herself. He can ask for more help either by phone or by email or snail mail. He can buy the Sacred Scripture Program or the Grandman Program so he can read and study the Writings. He can participate in discussion groups or worship services.

5. All these things are mentioned on the other side of the back cover.

6. The booklet can be placed in book stores of New Churches, or in university bookstores. They may be ordered through the mail.

7. We can place the Sacred Scripture program in nearby colleges and universities.

MORE INFORMATION (JHW)

In the back of the booklet you will find a page with "More Information". This page is provided so people who want more information about the religion of the New Church, can find their way.

Every group or person in whatever church organization in whatever country can use this booklet can fill in a phone numb and an email address. You can use Avery's Clear Address Labels no. 5661 - Laser, which your laser printer can produce.

While I speak about the Grandman Programs on this page, I do not mind at all if certain groups would enclose information about the Newsearch Program. After all, the booklet is designed to serve all church groups in all church organizations.

OUR OFFERINGS (JHW)

1. In the New Church we consider marriage and the family the most important relationships in the world. For that reason we offer classes on the following subjects: Sexuality, the approach to marriage, on marriage, parenting, sex education, and teen age dating.

2. We hold marriage encounter weekends for New Church people and for people outside the New Church. It is not only possible to mix the two groups in one weekend, but it would be very useful to both groups.

3. We offer classes on approaching the life after death, and dealing with old age.

4. We offer classes on regeneration (becoming a better person).

5. We organize discussion groups for men and for women. In these groups we limit attendance to eight, they are led by a lay person, a subject for study is chosen, and readings in the Writings are chosen by the group. For each meeting the leader assigns reading, and the person who will start off the discussion. The minister attends, but stays in the background and does not enter into the discussion until the very end. Then he answers questions. Each meeting is started on time and definitely stopped at a certain time. Discussion may be continued, but at a different location.

6. The New Church should also be interested in pregnant teenagers, unmarried mothers, adoption of young children, and helping abused women.

FOLLOW UP THROUGH INTERNET (JHW)

When a person has developed an initial interest through the booklet, that interest needs to be fed by a minister. Today this is easily done by using the facilities of Internet. Small groups of interested readers can now gather around a computer that has a video/audio connection with internet and through that computer they can be connected with a minister in another location, to have a class and discussion of any doctrinal subject.

Through this internet connection, various groups can be connected with ministers who are located in various parts of the world, so they can benefit from all kinds of talents and abilities at various time periods. In the past long distances kept us from sharing the talents of New Church priests. But today there can be a lot of sharing of talents and information, as long as we want it, and work for it.

CREATE CLUSTERS IN VARIOUS LOCALES (JHW)

This connection with internet enables us to create and maintain clusters of people in various locations. There is no need to try to develop them near existing groups of the New Church. Such new groups can have a start without the bias of the past, and so various new developments are possible without much friction.

We can start with internet classes and discussion groups, in a home first, and later on in a more public place. Then a minister can visit from time to time. We can have regular worship services over internet, and when the group is large enough, they can move to various stages of permanent pastoral leadership. First they can share a pastor with another nearby group, until they can have a pastor full time.

I visualize the Lord's love wanting to create more and more of such groups, so He can attract more and more people to His heaven.

If we, as New Church people, are not caught by this infinite desire of our Lord, we are missing something, and we need a session with ourselves in front of the mirror of His Word.

USING INTERNET FOR GROUP MEETINGS (JHW)

New Church truth is sown with people who are in different locals. Through internet we can feed an initial interest, and help it to grow quickly. The booklet can help each isolated receiver to attract more receivers by giving friends and acquaintances the booklet. Through telephone and internet there can be more contact without having to visit in person.

In the beginning we will have one person as the internet center, but as soon as the group is large enough, we can rent small office facilities, where telephone calls can be received and routed to people who can answer the questions, and where internet meetings can be held. Eventually this will lead to larger eyefuls and finally a church building.

RECEPTION AND INTEGRATION (JHW)

Increasing the influence of the Writings in the church and in the world is not just a matter of our lay people reaching out with the right ideas and in the right way, but also a matter of receiving people into the right circle of other receivers, so the newcomers can see how the ideas of the Writings influence other people, even before they have influence on the newcomers.

We may have ignored this second angle. We are sometimes self satisfied, and do not see the need for constant reexamination and revision of our own reception. We are self satisfied, and do not see the need for vigilant reexamination of this activity of reception and integration of others.

In the past we have argued too much amongst ourselves that we should or should not do missionary work. We pretty well feel that we have the right ideas, and people outside the church have the wrong ideas. It is hard to imagine that we could be wrong in our reception of the ideas of the Writings.

While receiving other people amongst ourselves, we have not been too receptive, worrying that the newcomer will taint our church. We have tended to be judgmental of other people's reception of the ideas of the Writings, and their application of these ideas.

PRESENTATION (JHW)

We can work on our presentation and perfect it, and then "can" it, so that other New Church people can use it too. This presentation we can have under control so to speak.

But controlling the environment into which newcomers will be received is a much more difficult task. Unless we tackle that task successfully, we will not succeed, and the New Church will remain an insignificant spot on the total picture of human kind.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PRESENTATION AND RECEPTION (JHW)

There are differences between the task of preparation of presentations and the task of preparing for reception. The task of preparation of presentations can take place in a fairly isolated location with a small group of people. Then, after having "canned" it, we can give the results to many in various locations and at various time periods.

But preparing a group of people for the reception of newcomers is a very different task. First of all it has to take place among all kinds of groups, who differ in education and character.

Just imagine the difference between Group A, that consists mainly of people born in the New Church, and Group B, that consists mainly of people who were converted to the New Church in adulthood.

While we may prepare for it in isolation, it will have to be adjusted to each group. There is no possibility to "can" anything, as it has to be adjusted continually from group to group and from time to time.

Receiving newcomers is a process that has to be watched continually with persistence and dedication. Here is where our missionary director serves a great use as a consultant and as a cross fertilization expert.

GENERAL PRINCIPLES FOR RECEPTION AND INTEGRATION (JHW)

There are some general principles we can recognize and apply to all groups. First of all we have to identify the negative people in the church group, like the zealots, the literalists and the judgmentalists, and isolate them as much as possible from the group of newcomers. We also need to prepare the newcomers for contact with them.

Then we have to identify the group of church people who can be taught and/or empowered to socialize and stay with the newcomers, giving them positive support, and isolating them from the negative group in a church society.

From the beginning of introduction to the church group, the newcomer has to be empowered continually to stand up to the negative group, and this has to start with the pastor and other priests that are present and/or visit.

It then has to be supported by positive lay people who are aware of this problem, and look for opportunities to defend new comers against negative people.

They can also be so empowered in special group meetings where they are isolated from the negative church members.

In a church service the positive priest controls the environment, but after the church service there is the possibility of infection by the negativists. For that occasion we need to prepare, and during that time period all positivists have to be very watchful and protective.

The booklet explains religious ideas in a simple and concise way, hitting the various needs people have.

It has an attractive colored front and back cover, with interesting title and subtitle on the front cover, and interesting text on the back cover. These covers are to attract the reader to pick it up. The Table of Contents has attractive chapter titles that incite the reader to read one of the chapters. Each chapter has attractive subtitles that suggests the reader to read.

The page behind the front cover has a foreword. The page behind the back cover has referral information, like telephone number, email address, Sacred Scripture Program, Grandman Programs, where you can get more copies of the booklet.

The text portion of the booklet is short and easy to read (in 2 sessions). Reader can start anywhere, and continues to read with interest.

At the end, the reader is asked if he likes the booklet, and if he does, to buy one copy and lend it out to others.

METHOD ON INTERNET (JHW)

The method that aims to help you bring this booklet to your friends and acquaintances has now been placed at my web page at: http://www.secondadvent.net/approach.html

It will be updated regularly. If you look it up once in a while and look at the revision date, you will know if you are up to date.

RESULTS ON INTERNET (JHW)

The experiences that we will have with this method and the booklet will be placed in another web page at:

http://www.secondadvent.net/experien.html

I will share my own experiences and I hope others will share theirs. I will update when new material comes in. Here too you need to watch the revision date.

MARKETING EXPERIENCES ON INTERNET (JHW)

The booklet will be marketed in as many different ways as we can find. All these ways will be published in a web page. Here is the address: http://www.secondadvent.net/market.html

Again, if you have experiences, please report them to nco@secondadvent.net and we will post them with your name.
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