Family Communication... negative and positive examples

Our Easter weekend in Alabama-

On top of Oak Mountain in Alabama for our Easter picnic and hike

 
 
Our time was filled with special moments with Trinda and our four grandchildren, including the following highlighted by these pictures:

Joseph after his soccer game with his girlfriend Ali

 



A picnic followed a wonderful Easter church service that included a powerful message and worshipful music...our time together included...


SOCCER, PIZZA, SHOPPING, TALKS, BASKETBALL, DINNER, NACHO LIBRE, CHURCH, OAK MOUNTAIN  PARK, PICNIC and HIKE 

Everything was wonderful and filled with memories and special times of communication.

In fact one of my favorite highlights was having the  picnic after church




Above, Zoe and Trinda enjoying lunch together



DURING THE PICNIC

I brought up a question for the group while we were eating...

What are the characteristics of a good communicator?

We first discussed some positive characteristics and then centered on LISTENING:

A GOOD LISTENER: 

  • asks meaningful questions...listens intently
  • asks follow up questions...listens intently
  • isn't thinking about what they are going to say while pretending to be listening
  • will patiently listen to opposite opinions
  • while listening they are in prayer to springboard naturally to deeper conversations

Jeremiah and Lily (Jeremiah's dog) both participated in the picnic and hike

To the group I gave 2 examples of COMMUNICATION that  recently struck me ...

1- NEGATIVELY
 and 
2- POSITIVELY

Both conversations were related to faith in JESUS CHRIST

1- The NEGATIVE experience:
We met a man who was a very active member in a large church. As he talked to us for about 15 minutes about his church experiences...I interrupted him and said "Tell us about your relationship to Christ as your Savior and Lord". He agreed to but continued to talk about the church...I asked him two more times during our hour long discussion to explain his personal relationship to Jesus Christ...He never did answer me but only talked about his church activities and his Pastor.
He was a very nice family man who loved to talk but was very weak in expressing his personal faith in Christ...it was sad because he has had a successful business career, and is a very active church goer but could not communicate his faith in Jesus Christ

2- The POSITIVE experience:
 A man I greatly respect who is a successful business owner and sought after trainer/speaker...plus a very mature believer in Jesus Christ...asked me a very profound question about something I always say in the WB training sessions with believers: "Learn to ask meaningful questions, listen intently, fall in love with their soul and be compelled by love not duty to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ"...His comment and questions were... "Your training on asking meaningful questions and listening intently positively changed my witnessing...BUT I'm having trouble with the part about falling in love with their soul...can you help me?" I told him... "The more meaningful questions you ask as you listen intently...the more "deeply" you will fall in love with their soul (total being)."  i.e.rich young ruler.


JESUS with the rich young ruler...is a great model of communication with a man who reasons and talks but has missed the main point ...
But in his confusion JESUS LOVED HIM
(his total being) - see verses below-

THE PICNIC 

Tudi and Mary Brennan

I WAS SO PROUD OF THE GRANDCHILDREN'S INSIGHTFUL DISCUSSION and ANSWERS...including their questions

It intrigued me to hear the responses from the grandchildren regarding the
#1 negative experience...
they were greatly puzzled why he didn't answer my question that I asked him 3 times...
"Can you tell us about your personal relationship to Jesus Christ?"

Like so many we can assume people are Christians because they go to church?

WRONG!!! 

In fact it clearly explains why so few people are like the  #2  man who represents the POSITIVE experience... a deep desire to share his faith in Jesus Christ more effectively by asking probing, well thought out questions...and as I encouraged him, the result will be to fall in love with a person's soul (their total being
that extends beyond observation)



HERE'S "COMMUNICATION" INSIGHTS FROM GOD'S WORD:

"As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good-except God alone.  You know the commandments: 'You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.'" "Teacher," he declared, "all these I have kept since I was a boy."  
Jesus looked at him and loved him . "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."  At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth."


COMMUNICATION "love their soul" INSIGHT:

A good communicator does not insist someone think the same way he does...is not negative or combatant...but as he "listens" to others "communicate " their different views...he LOVES them deeply and directly, and graciously points them to Jesus.



QUESTION... #1 or #2 ?

Are you more like #1-
COMMUNICATE Church responsibilities, programs and activities...
but not Jesus

or #2-
  Know Jesus and deeply desire to make Him known...it's the ultimate COMMUNICATION objective


Ted Sprague
John 3:16...love deeply, give Jesus




P.S.
Two Exciting upcoming "COMMUNICATION" opportunities:

1- By God's grace in May 2017 Tudi and I will be going to the Wind River Dude Ranch in Estes Park, Colorado. We will be training the staff to more effectively communicate as described in this email. Paige and her husband are the owners and are friends of EJ (WB Bd) and his wife Leah ...Paige told me she was inspired to invite us after reading IF WE ARE THE LIGHT, WHY IS AMERICA SO DARK? 

2- Also in June 2017 going to Destin, Florida to the Good News Church to preach and train in the areas described in this email..thanks to Ken, their Interim Pastor, who told the church leadership "If there were but one thing I could do for this church...it would be to incorporate Witness Breakthrough preaching and training sessions."   Ken was the Associate Pastor in a different church in Destin about 8 years ago in a  WB preaching/ training multi session experience