Stonecroft Speaker Consultant

The Stonecroft Ministries sent a speaker consultant to Missoula. One of my Hallelujah hiker buddies hosted her today so several of us could learn how to write out & later present our testimonies in a way that better connects with other women, especially non-Christian women. Jan started by profiling today's Non-Christian so we could better know our audience.


The basic philosophy of life for the average American adult:

. There is basically no "grand" purpose to this life. We live to achieve comfortable survival. We can define success as the absence of pain & sacrifice & the inclusion of happiness.

. There is essentially no value to focusing on or preparing for the future.
We must live in this moment & for this moment.

. There are no absolutes. All moral & spiritual principles are simply relative to the individual & to the situation.

. There is no omnipotent deity that guides reality. We rely on our own vision, perceptions & competencies to make the most of life.

. There is an entitlement mentality. We deserve every possible good & positive outcome without having to earn them.

This is such a change from the philosophy of life in previous generations! The old methods of sharing the gospel do not connect us with this generation. This generation has the following basic core values: (live for the moment mentality)

. Time is the single most precious commodity. Guard yours carefully & use it wisely. Spend money to protect your schedule.

. Minimize any long-term commitments. Keep your life flexible because things change too fast to justify any permanent commitments. Great opportunities are simply unpredictable.

. It is important to maintain your independence & individuality at all costs. You must be alert & protect yourself against the agendas of anyone who cannot be trusted to serve your personal needs & interests.

. Trust your feelings to guide you. Relying on absolute principles places extremely unrealistic limitations on you. Only you know what's right or best for you.

. Pursue love & acceptance from others with abandon. Without it, you will feel emotionally empty & all areas of your life will be undermined.

. Don't waste time doing things that don't produce immediate gratification.

. Set goals & achieve them. Achievement is what helps us to develop character, reputation, a desirable lifestyle & a sense of contribution to the world.

. Have fun! The highest end of life is to enjoy everything that is available to us. Life is too short to devote time & energy to anything that is drudgery.

. Stay in good health.

Jan quickly went on in her presentation, but my mind continued to mull over how the media has especially shaped these values. Read a paper or popular book or what's been shared on many blogs or "My Space" entries, watch a TV show or movie, or listen to secular radio & you will hear all of these values over & over & over. I see them reflected in my daughter's choices & sadly sometimes in my own. Much of what Jan shared today boiled down to how I will have to address the "felt needs" of women to connect with them. The connection is made at an emotional level now, not at an intellectual one with facts. To share the Lord with others, I must share in clear word pictures the contrast of before Christ & after Christ in my life. Sharing my own fears, insecurities, need to control, perfectionistic tendencies, etc. is where the contact is made. I need to consider all of this as I prepare my testimony & as I prepare to lead a neighborhood Bible Study starting next week on "Lord, Where Are You When Bad Things Happen". It is one of the ten-week Precept topical studies based in Habakkuk. Several years ago I took the courses to become a Precepts leader, but never followed through & taught one of their studies. Guess it's about time to put that training to work.