What do u think about preaching to people while they are smoking?

edited December 1969 in Personal Issues
Opening a bible in front of someone while they are smoking?

I dont really preach much maybe only a few times and I think they all could have been unsuccessful but people at least listen.. but I feel smoking people are a good target because alot feel their life is miserable already.
One muslim person said he wanted me to close the bible while he is smoking because its a holy book... how foolish of me.
And he actually considered what I was saying.

Comments

  • One muslim person said he wanted me to close the bible while he is smoking because its a holy book...

    well for me i don't always take things this way!!

    i mean like muslims consider things far from spirituality

    physical things r more important 4 them!
  • do not judge...
  • [quote author=Coptic-Irini link=board=10;threadid=2564;start=0#msg39837 date=1128281550]
    do not judge...


    Coptic-Irini I would recommend if you would say it a little nicer like please do not judge, and peer pressure has a lot to do with smokers, but what you should do is teach them step by step, some great and easy verses, if you start off hard and don't explain, they will look at you like they misunderstood every word, and they would say "huh", just start off nice, slow, and easy, and some easy verses or stories!
  • Who are YOU (or me for that matter) to be "preaching"? You can't preach if you don't know what you're talking about. Do you really think a smoker cares about what the Bible says? Probably not, unless they actually want to quit. You too, my friend, are a sinner as well. Just because we can see this person sin, it's not different then what you do when no one is looking. I don't recomend you "preach", but work through your actions, not through busting out your Bible, reading them something, and giving a sermon. I definately would be turned away from the church if I were the smoker.
  • The thing is I opened my bible in the train and up came the verse preach in and out of season and I felt it kind of talking to me and when I chose this person to talk to he actually was listening.. he had been thinking things I think like why was I born ? what is my purpose? and well its not us thats anything but Christ (I need to have that in my heart)... I really think not only bishops should be preaching... I know I need to learn more things and get stronger in the faith but even those who just became christians I think should be sharing their faith with others..

  • Quote : Coptic-Irini op Oktober 02, 2005, 03:32:30 pm
    do not judge...



    Coptic-Irini I would recommend if you would say it a little nicer like please do not judge

    O, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be mean.
  • I kinda agree with both Mansour89 and mikeforjesus...well it's actually a confusing topic...but if u want someone to stop smocking...take it from a personal side first then from a spiritual side...Tell them how much u care about them and how much their health means to you and sure to everyone who loves them...then get into the topic of what they are doing now is defiling their bodies...ya...usually smockers might be miserable in their life or get peer pressured or w/e...so they wouldn't care if they died or not...but at least it's a good way to start persoanlly first then spiritually...
    For the preaching part of this...God give his disciples the commandment of preaching...and we are disciples of God...sinners or not...we are all disciples...so preaching would benefit us before it benefits whoever u are preaching to.
  • Pope Shenouda I think says in diabolical wars that when paul said something like "Woe is me if I dont preach the gospel... necessity is laid of me" that we shouldnt apply that to ourselves because thats only for Paul whom Christ gave a special mission for..
    But how do we know who is meant to preach or not?
  • well my FOC told me to preach... but he sed start off only wit christians and no im not old at all im still young but still i dunno i gess it doesnt matter the person its God talkin throo u anyway

    GB ALL
    +FROG+
  • god will give u the chance! dont fret lol
    for example, one time i was walking out of school and a friend heard me humming the hiteniat and he asked me wat it was so i told him and we were walking out wen we met another friend who after hearing our conversation, jumped in saying that he was unhappy with the church he goes to (im not sure wat sect he is). i was concerned and asked him y, and after hearing his reply, i told him how happy i was with my church. so naturally he asked why..lol and i told him all i knew ;D
  • Its not a bad thing to preach. As long as we live by our preaching.
    The Book of Acts is the Only book that does not end with "Amen." This is because the Apostolic Church was meant to be spread continuously (it did not stop at the apostles.)
    We are called to preach through the Christian and Apostolic Coptic Orthodox Church.

    Therefore, it is OK to "preach." As long as it is not offensive or judgemental.

    Matthew 18:17
    "Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.

    But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.

    And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican."

    St. Matthew's Gospel also calls us to confront sinners to heklp them in a non-offensive way.
  • [quote author=Mansour89 link=board=10;threadid=2564;start=0#msg39845 date=1128291058]
    Who are YOU (or me for that matter) to be "preaching"? You can't preach if you don't know what you're talking about. Do you really think a smoker cares about what the Bible says? Probably not, unless they actually want to quit. You too, my friend, are a sinner as well. Just because we can see this person sin, it's not different then what you do when no one is looking. I don't recomend you "preach", but work through your actions, not through busting out your Bible, reading them something, and giving a sermon. I definately would be turned away from the church if I were the smoker.


    He doesn't have to be a prophet to preach, preaching doesn't necessarily mean you have be like St. Paul the prophet, I mean don't you do sunday school lessons it's like your preaching, your teaching you sunday school classmates new things!

    Forever,
    Coptic Servent
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