How not to just win friends but actually influence people
Dear Mosaic Family,
First of all, tremendous job, Mosaic! The click rate for last week's newsletter hit an all time high of 7.8%!! I'm praying we hit 10% soon. The sermon guide was such a hit last week, we decided it should have it's own section of the newsletter (blue rectangular button below entitled "This Week's Sermon Study Guide"). Thank you, Chloe!
The sermon this Sunday will be from 2 Corinthians 10, a powerful passage where the Holy Spirit speaks through the Apostle Paul about learning to influence people with our bold and loving proclamation of the Gospel. Every believer is commanded to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, and make disciples of Jesus Christ. Sometimes Satan builds strongholds in our hearts and minds that keep us from faithfully following Jesus Christ as genuine disciples. These strongholds must be mercilessly DESTROYED. That's the word he uses. How can they be destroyed? Only with divine power. Paul writes "For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds" (v.5). What are these diabolical strongholds? He continues in verse 6, "We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete." There's a lot there. Pray about it.
Paul elaborates on how this is done by meditating about God-given authority and influence over people. Now, influencing people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ is basically upside down to how the world teaches us to influence people.
In 1937, Dale Carnegie wrote a book entitled "How to Win Friends and Influence People." The book has sold ten of millions of copies because it addresses timeless questions about the fine art of getting along with people: how can you make people like you instantly? How can you persuade people to agree with you? How can you speak frankly to people without giving offense? Most of the book is super helpful. However, when it comes to influencing people to repent of their sins, trust in Jesus Christ, and submit their will and lives to King Jesus, Carnegie is woefully unhelpful. For example, he says: show respect for other's opinions and never say "you're wrong." Well, Dale, you're wrong. It's impossible to call people to repentance if you don't tell them their opinions about God are wrong. But you're willing to tell them, because you love them so much. That's how Jesus influenced the world. That's how the Apostle Paul made disciples. That's how we are called to make disciples.
Dear Church, your homework for this weekend: read 2 Corinthians 10, read the study guide, ask the Lord what demonic strongholds need to be destroyed in your heart and mind, destroy them, then please pray for the non-Christians in your life over whom God has given you influence, and pray: Lord Jesus, what strongholds are keeping them from following Jesus Christ? Then plan to destroy some strongholds, in Jesus Name, by the power of the Holy Spirt, for the Glory of God. Amen.
With love,
Pastor Jan
This Week's Sermon Study Guide
This Week's Announcements
Quarterly Members' Meeting
Saturday, December 4th at 6:00 pm
If you are a covenant member of Mosaic or have been notified that you are being voted into membership, please join us for our next quarterly meeting! Check your email to RSVP if you haven't already done so.
Songs for Sunday
If you would like to know what we'll be singing on Sunday, you can find the playlist here.