Posted by:
SEcular Priest
(
)
Date: March 18, 2018 02:57PM
On another site I follow they are talking about changes coming for this conference. One change is the doing away with the First Presidencies message in the Ensign. Another change and I think this may be correct is they will no longer have home teachers or visiting teachers but "Ministering Brothers and Ministering Sisters." Why I think this might be true is that when I was in Colorado Springs we had a lot of ministering programs in the Church. That was what they were called. The Bishop here in the ward I attend or visit (depends on how I feel what it is!!!) has made many references to ministering to members and non-members.
So the comments on the site indicate this may be what the big change will be. I think the Church has been testing this for the past year or two. People will be called "Ministering this or that" and will be assigned people to minister to.
This makes sense if you have been following my posts on councils being used on the first Sunday of each month. The HP group leader has used the term "minister" many times in talking about what we need to do.
Here is my objections. When I first attended the temple in 1967, we had a minister in the presentation. He was not the good guy. As a matter of fact ministers of any religion were not good people. So why are we now going the route of "ministering?"
My second objection. Ministering means I am putting myself into someone elses life like I have some sort of authority. Now I do respect ministers of other religions. Most have studied hard at college. Most know their scriptures plus most know theology. I know little at all about any of that so why would I want a title ministering this or that. I have enough trouble ministering to the needs in my life.
My third objection is it sounds too main stream. I thought when I grew up that the Mormon religion was "different." If the Church goes this route it means they are becoming the same as everyone else.
I think the reason they are going to go this route is as follows.
1. Only so many people want Christianity. The field is saturated. So you have a market and you want a share of that market. The best way to get the market is to offer a product similar to your competitors. Its about the LDS church trying to get the larger share of the saturated market. Means more money.
2. The LDS Church wants to use a common terminology that people are familiar with. People who have experience in other Churches understand the word ministery. Now when they talk to LDS people they have a common connection.
3. It's going to make the members feel real important being called a Ministering whatever. Never mind they have clue as to how to do that.
4. Now we have a new prophet, new revelation and a new direction. The church must be true.
5. How is an inactive person or even a member going to turn down anything from a Ministering whatever without feeling guilty?
Personally I would refuse to do anything where I am called a ministering this or that. I want to be known as SEcular Priest.
One last thing.
Our youth in this stake anyways are no longer doing "proxy" work in the temple. They are being told that the person they are going through was alive and is alive on the othe side and that the name on the slip is a real person. They are being taught they are doing the work of a real person, not just doing work as a proxy. Talk about a mind "!!!!!" whatever.
Our leaders have now switched from saying "Brothers and sisters" to "Sisters and Brothers." Anyone want to quess why? So if I listen very closely I see a change in everything the Church is doing.