Cheon Seong Gyeong Ⅱ - 395. Witnessing and Pastoral Care
1 Considering the current situation of the Unification Church, we cannot expect any innovative developments in the future as long as the leaders cling to the same methods they have been using thus far. We must not just hold on to old ways of thinking, old attitudes, old methods of witnessing or existing approaches to faith. This is because these methods have not met our expectations in bringing results. It would be different had we achieved good results. However, since we have not, we should abandon our conventional faith and life, as well as witnessing methods, and transform ourselves into new and different people. Unless we come up with a new attitude of faith, a new attitude in life and new activities, it will be difficult to bring new development.( 030-120,19700321)
The standard of heart comes first 2 We all need to grow. However, before we pursue growth, more important is cultivating a pure heart. Therefore you need to take the time to pray and offer devotion. You should not offer devotion just the way you are. First you need to clean up your past. If your old concepts persist, you should consider where those concepts could drag you. You who are immersed in old concepts and stubbornly cling to them must evaluate yourself, and determine whether your past was pure. If you believe you were pure, consider whether you have been good and whether you are currently situated in a good position. Also, you need to evaluate whether your desires are pure. What is pure goodness? It is not living for your own sake. It is not strengthening yourself. Goodness is serving and attending God, as the owner of goodness. The owner of goodness is God, not fallen people.( 036-106,19701122)
3 When you go out to rural areas to witness, you should first attain internal unity with the people of that village. Internal unity refers to unity of heart. Then you need to attain unity with their life and thoughts. This means that your mind and body need to unite centered on God, as a reality in daily life. In other words, the mind attains a state of total unity with God, and then the body surrenders to the mind. That is how you connect the three points of formation, growth and completion. Do not follow this path just as an individual, but also take people with you as you travel this path.( 013-302,19640412)
4 Some church leaders believe they have reached the standard of Heavens perfection and demand that others serve, attend and honor them. This is very wrong. The position of a parent is to serve others rather than to be served; to live for the sake of others rather than to have others live for them. From the viewpoint of brothers and sisters, a church leader is in the position of Abel. From the viewpoint of a parent, a church leader is in a parent-child relationship with members. That is why it is very wrong for a leader to think that Cain should serve him or her in the position of Abel. For what does Abel exist? Abel exists to restore the position of a parent. Therefore you cannot become Abel without first having the heart of a parent. That is the principle. Yet many have forgotten that their position is to become a parent, thinking of themselves only as Abel in a relationship between siblings. You need to rid yourself of that wrong concept as quickly as possible.( 035-258,197010)
5 We have plenty of content by which to grow. We are also fully equipped with the favorable conditions and environment that have been given to us in this age. Then why are we unable to grow? It is because we are not adding anything to the people of this age or to the environment they are living in. Simply put, we are not benefiting them in any way. Although we are unable to benefit others materially, if we can make people feel deeply that they can benefit from us spiritually or mentally, then they are bound to come to church even if told not to come.( 056-016,19720510)
6 Why is our church not growing? It is because the church fails to take care of new members to the end. Instead of showing greater interest in them as time passes, the church pays attention to them only when they are being witnessed to. Once they join the church, they are neglected. The church needs to pay attention to new members for at least three years, no matter what. Why is this the case? People's spirituality develops gradually. Their state when they first listened to the Principle is different from their state one year later. After a year they are able to understand the multidimensional content of the Principle both internally and externally. The more deeply they understand its content, the thirstier they become. They have a craving to learn more about the Principle, and they will want to meet people who can teach them about it. Therefore the church needs to invest more time in such people. It needs to make a detailed plan about how it will satisfy the internal cravings of their hearts.( 029-191,19700228)
7 Why can’t the church grow? It is because its leaders do not live for the sake of others. Therefore the spirit world does not cooperate with them. The leaders know how to tell the members what to do, but they do not know that they need to run errands for the members. Therein lies the problem. The church cannot grow because the leaders are not willing to live ninety-five percent of their lives for others.( 134-254,19850720)
8 Witnessing is the activity of leading people to leave Satan's world behind and follow the path to Heaven with a smile. It is an activity to guide them to the heavenly kingdom. When you try to witness to others, I see you telling them forcibly, "Come, come," regardless of whether they want to or not. You should not do that. People are spiritual beings. So, as an experiment, try praying for a certain person. Try loving that person sincerely and shedding tears with an anguished heart to bring that person before the Will. Then study what happens. The issue is how you can truly advance to the position where you can love that person more than his or her parents do. It is a battle. The issue is whether you can win over that person by demonstrating a heart greater than that of his or her mother and father.( 050-279,1971 1108)
9 Abel is in the plus position whereas Cain is in the minus position. In relation to Satan's world, you are in the position of plus, or Abel. Witnessing is to bring the plus of Satan's world to obey, so that it can become the minus of Heavens world. Thus, witnessing is the act of creation. That is, it is to re-create that person so that he or she unites with you. Therefore, you should be glad to witness to him or her. You should do it joyfully. When God created heaven and earth, did He do it out of joy or sorrow? He did it out of joy. Likewise, you should invest amazing love for that person rather than thinking about the difficulties and hardships of witnessing. Thinking that you exist for others, if you care for others you will become their subject partner. You can re-create others by investing yourself. When their re-creation is completed you become their subject partner, and they will all happily bow their heads before you.( 108-084,19800622) |