Have you ever been to one of those, ‘Secret to Success’ seminars? There used to be any number of people running around espousing the ‘secret’ to being successful, rich and in control. I haven’t paid much attention to it lately, so I am not sure if this is still a fad. But back in the 80’s it was the thing.
During that time, I was working as a field superintendent for a California company. It was well known that if you were going to get ahead with them you needed to attend one of these seminars. I really was not planning on making my career with these guys or was I ever going to be advanced beyond superintendent, but I had other motives for attending, it was all on comp! A free weekend at a posh hotel, free food and above all an open bar each night. I thought I could put up with some dude shoveling manure for a few hours to get in on the freebies. That was my first mistake.
I don’t remember the name of the seminar, the couple who led it were Bill and Shannon (no last names, please, we are all family here). It was a weekend I would never forget, but I am sure not for the reasons advertised, it was pure hell.
Not long after we signed in and received our name tags, mine said, “Hi I’m, John, (remember, no last names here), we were herded into a large ballroom where the fun began. All of us seated in rows of folding chairs the lights were turned down and, on the stage, a single spot light waited for someone to appear. All of a sudden, a popular song from that time blared from surround sound speakers, it felt like we were at a rock concert. And as ‘We are the champions’ blasted, there they were in the spot, one set of hands raised like a boxer after a knock-out, the other waving at us as if we were adoring fans. Some people clapped, most sat in stunned silence.
From that point everything was action packed. A slide show with an agenda to build winners out of this loser crowd. Bill spoke like a ‘Hell, fire and damnation preacher’, voice booming then so quiet you had to strain to hear. All the while, Shannon used a telescoping pointer to be sure all the dim-wits among us could follow along. Soon it was time for team building exercises. You know the kind. Let yourself fall back, we will catch you. The two and a half days were filled with one success oriented, team building fun time after another. If it wasn’t for the open bar at night, I would have never survived Bill, Shannon and the traveling circus that was called a seminar.
The crazy thing about what I remember from that weekend is no matter how silly the pep talks, role playing or the building exercises, the idea they were promoting was not that far from what we promote as a church. But like all worldly self-centered philosophies they are missing the key ingredient, and that is Jesus Christ. And sometimes I think we as his followers need to be careful we don’t leave him out also.
I was listening to a sermon on Audio verse the other day and for almost 30 minutes I heard all kinds of things. Wonderful advice and admonitions for things done wrong. But it was three quarters in before I heard a word about the One we are here to testify and speak about. Now, I am not the person to be judging why such a sermon was delivered as it was, but it made me realize what a responsibility we all have in sharing our testimony and especially God’s Word.
I know that in these blogs I too am guilty of maybe spending to much time telling the story and not enough time sharing the transformation. But the one thing I pray is that whatever I write it is centered on who I was without Jesus and who I am today with him as my Lord and Savior. Showing the contrast of LOST NOW FOUND.
For me it is all about the Holy Spirit. I can tell when I write something that is not His inspiration. Even when people tell me, “John that blog was good!” When I read it, I know it was more about me then the Spirit would have wanted. If my message or your testimony or our lives are not serving Jesus, we are not using the power He gave us, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses.” (Acts 1:8) None of us can do the work we are doing without the power of the Holy Spirit. I can be a communicator of God’s message. I believe He has called me and gave me this gift. But the message has to be, according to the Scripture- Christ dies for our sins, He rose again, and he is coming back soon, and his is ready to come into your heart. If my message here and your message how ever you do it does not convey this, then we are like the Apostle Paul said, ‘a banging gong’. A side show promotor without a saving message. I pray I remember this every day.
Back in the day, I survived that seminar but left there feeling no difference. Years later I was at a camp meeting when a speaker by the name of Elizabeth Talbot also gave a seminar, the difference was hers was not all about self, it was all about Jesus. I was never the same after that camp meeting and was baptized 3 months later. Each of us can have this effect on those who we communicate with, as long as we seek for the One who is, the Way, the Truth and the Life to live in and through us by the Holy Spirit. That is my prayer for all of us today.
Happy Sabbath and blessings,
John
9/21/18
