Center for Creative Ministry A research organization and research center for Seventh-day Adventist pastors and their congregations
Images of the End
“Never discuss politics or religion in polite company,” Mark Twain wisely warned. Does the same general rule still apply over a century later? How likely is the average person to persuade another to change their opinion on one of these emotionally charged topics?
Dame Helen Mirren once said, “Before you argue with someone, ask yourself, is that person even mentally mature enough to grasp the concept of a different perspective? Because if not, there’s absolutely no point.”
A snarkier way to say this is attributed to both Mark Twain and George Carlin: “Don’t argue with stupid people. They’ll drag you down to their level and beat you with experience!”
With such discouraging sentiments about attempting to change someone else’s mind, is it even worth trying? Psychology Today suggests some helpful strategies to employ when you want to try and sway someone’s opinion.
Studies show that people aren’t persuaded by factual logic and evidence alone. People who read two different fact-based reports—both supporting and opposing the death penalty—became even more entrenched in their original opinions.
Cornell University researchers, however, recently analyzed the “ChangeMyView” Reddit community which allows users to present particular opinions for debate. They discovered some common elements among those participants who actually changed their minds on a topic.
Softer, more neutral language is more persuasive than emotionally charged words, such as “terrorist”. (Proverbs 15:1 [NIV] advises “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”) Longer posts with an abundance of external references are more effective than one-line rants and memes. “Perhaps the most interesting outcome,” they conclude, “is that using specific examples is a powerful persuasion technique. One picture is worth a thousand words, and one example is worth an hour of lecture.”
When it comes to sharing our views on end-time events, it’s always good to evaluate the effectiveness of our communication methods. We are adept at giving testimonies and using graphic illustrations of prophetic concepts (especially the beasts of Daniel and Revelation), but is that enough?
One of the most successful evangelists we find in scripture is also one of the most enigmatic—Jonah originally didn’t want to preach to the Ninevites, and when he did, he actually became upset that they repented! How did such a reluctant preacher become God’s instrument to save Nineveh? He probably experienced what we can expect in the last days: an assist from the Holy Spirit.
Jesus said in Matthew 10:18-20, “You will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them, but don’t worry about what to say or how to say it. You will be given what to say, because it won’t be you speaking, but the Spirit of God speaking through you.”
Not all of our efforts will be successful, however. The Holy Spirit wrote the “handwriting on the wall” message for Belshazzar in Daniel 5:1-6. Even though Belshazzar commissioned Daniel to interpret the prophecy (Daniel 5:24-28), it apparently didn’t move his heart, as the prediction of Babylon’s fall was fulfilled that night.
Revelation 18:4 foretells a last-day call to those God tries to save from destruction. As we fulfill the role of the “voice from heaven,” we can expect to see both miraculous conversions, as did Jonah, and stubborn resistance such as Belshazzar’s foolishness. Our commission in all of this is to patiently obey God’s commands and remain faithful to Jesus (Revelation 14:12). If we stay true to our calling, we can expect a powerful assist from the Holy Spirit.
For Reflection
Connecting: When it comes to sharing a new perspective with someone else, who is most likely to listen to you—friends, or relatives? What techniques do you find helpful in convincing stubborn people to look at a different point of view?
Sharing: God used the pagan king Nebuchadnezzar to punish Judah for their sins, and then used the pagan king Cyrus to deliver God’s people back to Jerusalem. How do you think that example will play out prior to Christ’s return?
- God will raise up a Nebuchadnezzar-type world leader to challenge and test the faith of religious adherents world-wide
- God will raise up a Cyrus-like world leader who will unite secular powers with false religious systems to shake out the sheep (God’s true people) from the goats (God’s people in name only)
- The danger in this analogy is that some may try and fit current rulers and events into this scenario prematurely
- This just shows us that God uses the most unlikely people to fulfill Bible prophecy
- No matter how it plays out, my aim is to obey God and remain faithful to Jesus to the end
- Other:
Applying: Many of our public evangelists find that—even though some church members cringe at them—printed flyers portraying fantastic prophetic beasts still attract people to attend prophecy seminars. Even though that may get them in the door, what do you find is necessary to keep them coming?
Valuing: How important is it to you to help your friends and loved ones prepare for Christ’s return? Are you willing to modify your communication techniques, if necessary, to share the gospel message with them? How so?
~ Chuck Burkeen
