1. Confidence in the product.
2. A genuine desire to help the customer meet his or her need.

Last night I had the blessing of talking with a pastor friend (or is that friend pastor) and sharing the struggles and opportunities that life has been presenting. The talk went around fear and faith and grace before landing on hope and love.

The church will never present an event, a service or music that will draw people into a relationship with Christ. The only way anyone comes to know Christ is by being drawn by the Holy Spirit. The fancy electronics, cool band or special speakers are all the gravy. The Holy Spirit is the only meat that matters to those who want to meet Christ.

This brings me back to the thoughts on salesmanship. People come to a church because they hear a buzz about something that is going on or they see a difference in the lives of the people that are attending. The fruit of the Holy Spirit is the calling card that will fill the pews of a church.

What kind of fruits do you present? Would you be willing to buy what you are selling?

The church needs to spend more time developing a knowledge of the Product and establishing that knowledge as Faith and Belief in their hearts. After the heart issue is resolved then there will be a genuine concern to help others instead of wondering about what is in it for me. That change of focus will pour out as love to others that venture near.

Once the fruit starts showing, there will be people that want to partake.

It felt like something was missing from church. There had been some troubles and changes that started the rumors buzzing. The service was not what it had been. I thought, and even said, that strife was keeping the Holy Spirit out. The other morning my miscalculation hit me right in the face.

Strife is a master of illusion. The spirit seems big and oppressive but is really more like a gnat. It annoys and distracts. Strife can confuse my view but it can not hinder the Holy Spirit. It would be like a gnat trying to stop a tractor.

The Holy Spirit shows up when ever two or three are gathered in the name of Jesus. That is all that it takes. It is then up to those in the gathering to experience the presence of the Holy Spirit or be manipulated by the illusions trying to hinder that experience. Each time I go to church I can have “ears to hear” or I can be blinded by the distractions of strife.

There seems to be too much compromise in the church for my taste. It is particularly prevalent with the youth. After all, you have to give them what they want to get them in the door. Forget holding up the bar higher, you have to lower your standards or the program is going to crash.

That just seems wrong. If I remember correctly it is the Holy Spirit that draws people. The best music or most dynamic teacher may get them in the door, but it won’t stick if the Holy Spirit didn’t draw them. If the Holy Spirit is in the place then the rest will just be gravy.

I talked to my oldest son before we canceled the trip. I asked him if he felt like this was the way that Jesus wanted to be advertised (so to speak). He said “no way.” My eleven year old son then asked if he could call his youth leader and explain to her what this group was doing.

We had to have another talk about how our views are not necessarily shared by others. Too many people believe that to get the people in the doors they have to dumb down the message that they are putting out. I just don’t believe that this compromise is the right way – as for me and my house . . .