Original DUE DATE : THURS 021926

original survey questionnaire closed.

We are accountable before GOD as Watchman on the Walls, Leaders and Teachers to teach right things, and to do everything we can to educate GOD’s People so they are equipped to behave themselves wisely.

Don’t be afraid to stand up for the WORD of GOD. Be afraid not to.

Let’s Begin This Review With The Most Important Question First!

• What Did You Learn From This Exercise?

Their is always something to learn from opposing viewpoints.

• Allow the opposition (if that is what they are…) to cover their points. Some people are long winded so this requires patience. You have to develop patience. Here is the strategy when you’re a person of little patience…
• (1) Consider the conversation practice for a future debate. Don’t listen as a critic or a judge. Don’t listen in order to leap at the first opportunity to disagree. Just Breathe and Listen.
• If you are speaking with (listening to) someone who is very close – this is an opportunity to practice self discipline. Family, friends and your loyal opposition, can be the most difficult to engage with, especially when you are on opposites sides of a conversation. They know you and that’s valuable information they can utilize. So, know yourself, and stay calm.
• Family and friends can help you recognize your triggers. That’s extremely useful- although annoying. Let them reveal as many as they can! Be a student, not an adversary and learn. If nothing else, learn how they see you as a conversationalist. There’s always something to learn.
• This can be the hardest part of the conversation. I understand that. However… this is about practicing self-discipline. So just listen.
• (2) TAKE NOTES: Note the time they begin speaking and make a brief outline of the points they are making – Whether you agree with them or not- is not the point. Taking notes helps you stay focused on their conversation, as well as allowing you a visual on the way in which they order their thoughts.
• Consider it a mission of reconnaissance. Let them lay out/map out the territory for you. If you are in an impromptu conversation in which you discover you are at opposite ends of the spectrum – be patient and let them map out the territory for you. (a) Do they know where they are going in this conversation? (b) What points do they value? (c) What points are they constantly revisiting? (d) What’s the agenda of this conversation? (e) What is it that they want to persuade you on? (f) Regardless of what they are saying, what is it they believe? Are you able to tell? (g) How many walls or booby traps did they set up? (h) Is this a hunting expedition? Is your opponent attempting to extract more information from you than they are willing to give? (i) What is their real agenda?
• This is a debate, right? Remember, you have to be wise as the serpent. People instinctively desire to be clever. It’s a victory for them to attempt to either, charm you, out-smart you, impress you, silence you, manipulate, overpower you, control you, dominate you, etc. Some people just want to win. Others, desire to replace your thoughts, beliefs and convictions with their own. There is always an agenda. No matter how circuitous the conversation becomes, look for signs of the agenda.
• As People of GOD, be aware of all of the above (at minimum) and locate the source of pain, brokenness, disappointment, insecurity or the facade. (That’s why you are allowing them the time to map it out for you). People just seem OK and appear as if everything is altogether lovely. Don’t just listen to the words heard on the surface, nor focus solely on the picture they are painting with their words. Contentions with the WORD of GOD, are signals that there is more going on beneath the surface than most people want you to realize. Listen more than you speak.
• Make an Assessment: What are you really dealing with? Ego, arrogance, envy, jealousy, strife, self-aggrandizement? Modesty, humility, grace, genuine interest, questions or concern?
• (3) Let them speak for at least 5 minutes (maximum) or at least until you have 5-10 points. Here’s the reason for that investment:
• Now they owe you the same time and courtesy. You have the right to hold them to it. You got your practice in- You held your peace, you took good notes, you know what you need to address and you earned the right to go about it as you see fit.
• Announce how many points you need to address based upon what they stated. Announce where you will begin. Be clear that you will need time to address each point they have made before you have offered a complete response. Ex: “In the 5 minutes you were speaking, I’ve noted 5 primary points that I would like time to respond to. I have them here as…”
• Don’t allow interruptions. Respond fully. If interrupted, pause and wait for them to stop talking. Don’t get into a battle or back to back exchange of “You interrupted me.” If politely requesting adequate time to respond is not honored, opt to exit the conversation until such a time as you can be given time to speak and respond to all of their statements, questions or challenges. This is placing a demand on them to operate with polite and professional speaking etiquette.
• You are not just placing a demand on them, but you are placing a demand on yourself for the same and exercising self-discipline. Usually at this time, the other speaker may be silent. Use the time to make note of your responses- on the note pad. Don’t offer any verbal continuance of the conversation until they verbally concede to respect your time to respond.
• If you are dealing with an undisciplined speaker, you will need to repeat this behavior until you can have a polite conversational exchange of thoughts, ideas and/or scriptural proofs. This is the hard part.
• If you are unable to control yourself, just stop the conversation. Figure out what went wrong on your behalf. Don’t finger point. Self-assessment, self-examination is in order here. This is the hard part.
• It get’s better with practice!
• In the future when I send you other videos to watch and evaluate, make note of the words and behaviors that you find ‘triggering or distasteful.’ How would you handle them in real life? Practice the good behaviors that you desire.
• NOTE: I have a lot of things that I do not like to occur in a debate. I wrestle with my own flesh on what they are and struggle to improve myself. We all have to. The lesson here is in how well we can actually ‘die to self’. This is where we take the concept and idea of “dying to self” and actually have to put it in to application. The good news is that you have an opportunity to make a self-assessment of how good you are at it, in the performance of the little things.
• When you die to self– you give them the opportunity to “hear themselves“
• You may be judged, criticized, blamed, or talked about behind your back – So What! Your opponent needs you to be the bad guy, so they can see themselves as the more virtuous. Several of them need this to be the case. Why? Because they need or are prone to gossip, gain-saying, etc. Some people need to be right about something, and they need it badly. If the only voice they want to hear is their own – on any given subject matter. Let them have the win. I could be all they have wrapped up in their self-esteem. Is that the situation?
• Keeping ‘self’ out of the conversation is one of the best things you can do as a Christian. It’s the most instructive and the most effective in releasing the Power of GOD over the situation.
• As a Christian, if you really want the WORD of GOD and the Power of GOD released over the situation, “Die to Self.” How bad do you want it?
• If the conversation devolves into a confrontational debate– that’s where we have failed as Christians. You have the option, opportunity and responsibility to control how you respond and conduct yourself.
• If the person you are speaking with is behaving in a way that clearly signals they have no intention of allowing you to respond… That alone speaks volumes without you saying another word, and they will hear that loud and clear all on their own!
• Sun Zsu Amendment: Know the enemy and Know yourself (and Control Yourself) and in every battle you will be Undefeated!

Every observation provides valuable insights. Hear what the person is saying… listen to their words… and their body language –and listen fully to both.

Collective Student Responses

Here’s what I want you to take away most from this exercise: Always be prepared to defend the faith against “All enemies… foreign or domestic. Not with physical weapons, but with wisdom.“

But then you might ask, “What about defending the faith? Just let them have the last word? Let them have the last word and the wrong thinking about what scripture is saying?

This is where your life of prayer, discernment and perception has to come in to the argument at hand…

What is the weightier matter at hand? Is it the original question that was on the table? Or are you really addressing some need to care for some form of damage to their soul?

Rule of Thumb: We don’t fight banned battles but we do stand and deliver the most essential message they need to know- at that time.

As His Ambassador, you decide what that will be.

Disclosure: When I say ‘Fast’ I mean being mindful of your health needs when you fast.

1 Timothy 5:1-4 King James Version

• ¹ Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren;
• ² The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity.
• ³ Honour widows that are widows indeed.

Fast and Pray for the discernment to know the difference.

Matthew 7:12King James Version

¹² Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.

Romans 12:10King James Version

¹⁰ Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;

Philippians 2:3 King James Version

³ Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

1 Peter 2 King James Version

2 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,

² As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

³ If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

LINK TO: Apologetics Week 2 Assignment.

Continue to Week 2 – Part 2 (Posting Soon!)

Leave your comment or questions below. To enroll in this trial course, just complete the next questionnaire in this series. (Week 3- which will be released soon).