From now on I'll be posting at www.michaelspotts.com. The new design offers more flexibility. Thanks for all the years here!
~ Michael:.
~ Michael:.
Status Update: The Great Commission is Social
(My first published article, in Christian Renewal!)
Spotts, Michael. "Using Common Media For Church Growth." Christian Renewal, May 18, 2011, 25-27.
In discussing the best use of social media in relation to Church growth, it’s neither as a veteran church planter nor seasoned missionary that I’m able to address the issue. I speak instead from the vantage of an avid user and beneficiary of certain aspects of modern networking. For the past eight years, my work in photography and Web design has revolved around an online presence. More meaningfully, the Internet served as the gateway to my own membership in a Reformed Church, but I’ll come to that later. What I would like to do is open up a conversation on the differences between different types of media for growing local bodies of believers.
USING NEW TECHNOLOGY IS NOTHING NEW
When it comes to turning communication technologies into means of extending the evangel, Solomon’s words ring truer than ever — “there is nothing new under the sun.” For two millennia the Church has capitalized on every advance in the art. From the transition of scrolls to portable codices, and the printing press; the transatlantic jaunt of sermons by telegraph in the late 1800’s, up to the present transmission of text-message invitations to evening services, we have adapted developments in media to suit the purposes of the Great Commission.
THE RIGHT AND WRONG USE OF COMMON MEDIA
For purposes of this discussion, I’ll distinguish between two sorts of media, ordained and common. Ordained media pertains to the instituted means by which God ordinarily speaks to His people, namely, Word and Sacrament. Common media, on the other hand, involves every form of communication common to man, which can be used to bring people into contact with the Church in her ordained ministry. No doubt, harnessing common media for Christ’s sake sometimes leads to miscommunication about what constitutes true Christian life. Technologies which carry sermons into sickbeds have also enabled a questionable culture of spiritual recluses, “self-feeders”, who neglect ordained media. Some Christians have even encouraged listeners to stay in bed on the Lord’s day for “virtual Church.” Of course the good of our efforts in such instances remains somewhat virtual, too.
The right use of common media is chiefly to bridge the gap with outsiders, between unfamiliarity and willingness to participate in a local Christian body. It is to bring people into contact with the Lord’s ordained media. The question, then, is not how to disseminate our message without any further interest in those whom it reaches, but how best to bring them into real membership with local Churches.
THE MOST EFFECTIVE COMMON MEDIA
Now, in talking about particular forms of common media by which we advertise (yes, we can use that word) the availability of ordained media in a local area, let’s begin at the unsurpassed original, word-of-mouth. Since the time of the Apostles, the Church has extended naturally by way of voice. Peter’s sermon in Acts 2 and Paul’s various addresses were not only evangelistic, but were spoken with intent to incorporate believers into visible bodies. In these cases, without the aid of techno-gimmicks, real people were approached by fellow men in a way that communicated vital, personal interest. And by God’s grace, the Church grew rapidly.
The genius of personal recommendation is well-attested to. Ivan Misner, dubbed by CNN, “the father of modern networking”, has said that “practically every businessperson knows how important word-of-mouth marketing is.” [1] It doesn’t take an advertising guru to understand why word-of-mouth is essential to real growth, in the Church as much as anywhere. The answer lies in that, the more personally involved we are in communicating the virtues of something, the less our message seems like a snake-oil pitch. We seem to care. “Word-of-mouth is one of the most credible forms of advertising because a person puts their reputation on the line every time they make a recommendation and that person has nothing to gain but the appreciation of those who are listening,” says Roy Williams, and he’s right. [2] By nature we listen to those we know, and those whom we feel like we know.
THE IMPERSONALITY OF TRADITIONAL MASS-MEDIA
The modern myth that science makes everything “new and better”, has made us prone to think recent developments, such as mass media, will necessarily give better results. However, if one follows the progress of common media through the past two-thousand years, it will be observed that a strange departure occurred in the 19th and 20th Centuries, going from personal to more detached mediums of advertisement; mediums which are inherently remote.
Imagine for a moment that you are an unbeliever or new convert not yet attending a local Church. Compare the experience of receiving a hand-written invitation from a friend welcoming you to his fellowship, against the sight of a newspaper ad bearing no familiar name. Do we listen to strangers? At best, door hangers and leaflets may rely on celebrity or sentimental imagery to create a sense of personal connection. Likewise, compare what it means to be spoken to in person, against the estranged voice of a radio or TV announcer. We tune them out, with all the other white-noise of our media-saturated existence.
This is not to say newspapers, radio, and television are useless means, but I would stress that they often seem detached from real personal witness. They feel to many like anonymous intruders, actors, and hucksters, offering wares or worse. While the old archetype of mass media may be effective for the sale of one-off products, burgers and makeup, it does not suit the Church so well as familiar endorsement. At the 2011 United Reformed Church Planting conference, Rev. Daniel Hyde asked for a show of hands to know how many pastors had purchased Yellow Pages ads for their congregations. Of those who responded, hardly one could attest to a single person darkening the doors of their church as a result. Whereas good money was spent on thousands of ads which failed to receive a return, most churches persist today largely because of the old method: God’s power through real, personal witness.
SOCIAL MEDIA: THE FUTURE IS MORE LIKE THE PAST
Disillusioned by the economic failures of mass-media, and perhaps intimidated by the finesse of the Internet, many pastors at the above-mentioned conference admitted to feeling unsure about the worth of recent social media phenomenons, such as FaceBook, Twitter, blogs and sermon-sharing sites, for the growth of their churches. Hyde was able to address these concerns by focusing both on the financial benefits of social media, and on the inherently personal nature of what may at first seem virtual.
First, let’s look at cost-effectiveness. Ads posted on FaceBook or Google begin somewhat in the style of mass-media. However, by tagging ads with key phrases which users have “liked”, such as “Calvinism”, “Christian”, or “Atheist”, those ads appear only to people who have described their interests as such on their social network profiles. Because the cost of advertising on such sites is proportionate to the size of the targeted demographic, less money is spent on potentially redundant ads, compared to say, bombing the community blindly with ads in the form of big yellow door jams. It’s something like the difference between LAZER guided missiles and WWII air raids.
To give an indication of what these numbers may look like, Rev. Hyde has supplied information regarding ads posted on FaceBook for Oceanside URC in a five-month period. Between Jan. 1 and Apr. 18 of 2011, there were a total of 984,700 impressions (individual appearances of the ad on a user’s page). These ads were targeted locally and narrowed down with key phrases, resulting in 91 intentional follow-through clicks. The total cost for nearly a million targeted views was… $113.66. Ninety-one were intrigued enough to visit the Church’s site.
What must be taken into account is that those who click on ads in social media networks may not be directed to a static Webpage, but to a hub where they can view pages of other Church members. This allows them to observe personalities, send messages, befriend, and ask questions of those who seem most familiar to themselves. They may even discover that they already know people who attend that Church. Social sites like Facebook can form a window into the lives of both pastor and parishioner, informing outsiders about the culture of the church.
REAL PEOPLE MAKE SOCIAL NETWORKING REALLY EFFECTIVE
More powerful even than social ads is the Internet equivalent of word-of-mouth, called “liking” or “sharing”. When FaceBook users choose to click the “like” button on a Webpage, that information is instantly posted to their public “wall” and appears in the feeds of all their contacts. Attached are the subtle, influential words “So-and-so likes this.” The difference is that a friend, rather than an unfamiliar elder or deacon, is now making the connection and spreading interest.
So imagine, a pastor preaches on the Lord’s Day. Afterward, the teaching is posted on www.sermonaudio.net. Suppose just three congregants share the sermon in their networks with the message, “This answered my questions about such-and-such, you’ll like it,” followed by an invitation to the next Church service. Instantly, hundreds or thousands of users with personal connections to those congregants will be exposed to the content in a way that courts real participation! And unlike newspaper or radio ads, social networks provide ways to easily request more information about beliefs, arrange rides, or inquire about similar Churches in another area. So then, despite being conducted over the Web, sharing on social networks is meaningful because it is clearly attached to real people. It is word-of-mouth 2.0.
HOW PASTORS CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS NEW TOOL
There are two extremes, the pastor who will not touch a computer, and the one who allows himself to become an overnight op-ed prima donna. But one doesn’t have to spend all day blogging to make an impact with social media. Rev. Hyde’s regular habit has been to post brief, edifying statements and notifications about services or classes. These are shared by others, who may share them with still more. Even if most of one’s contacts live beyond the physical reach of a Reformed Church, this may be the means of their discovering Reformed doctrine and seeking one out.
HOW WE BECAME CONNECTED
And this is where my own story comes in. I was raised in Fundamentalism before coming to Calvinistic soteriology through online discussions, book forums, and sermon sites. I didn’t have an idea what else the term Reformed entailed but months later, when I relocated to Southern California, I knew I wanted to go somewhere that taught “God saves us.” My first idea was to Google “Reformed Oceanside”. What came up was a link to Oceanside URC, with a tag-phrase, “where the Gospel is the program.” While their site had useful information, it was the quick response to an email which secured my attendance that Sunday. Online tools were used effectively to translate my interest into participation in ordained means. I have been present ever since.
In the past six months we have begun more ardent use of social media as real extensions of ourselves to others. We at OURC have seen a tremendous growth in interest to attend. People have discovered sound, exegetical preaching online and are drawn to the services. Others have been intrigued by the interaction they experience with congregants online, and have come to the Church to learn more. The process is different than traditional media, which people see and dismiss so quickly. On social networks, users are more likely to receive recommendations as part of friendship rather than as an annoyance or money scheme.
With social media, we are seeing a renewed, adapted version of personal witness that harmonizes with life in the real world better than traditional print and broadcast media. There is no denying that as mediums have moved forward, the Church has always been at the forefront, learning how to integrate every possible means to the furtherance of the Gospel and growth of local Church bodies. We are happy to see with the rise of modern networking, the Great Commission is more social than ever.
Michael Spotts:.
www.michaelspotts.com
www.theopenlife.com
FaceBook: www.facebook.com/theopenlife
[1] http://www.entrepreneur.com/marketing/networking/article53188.html
[2] http://www.entrepreneur.com/advertising/adsbytype/article80232.html
(My first published article, in Christian Renewal!)
Spotts, Michael. "Using Common Media For Church Growth." Christian Renewal, May 18, 2011, 25-27.
In discussing the best use of social media in relation to Church growth, it’s neither as a veteran church planter nor seasoned missionary that I’m able to address the issue. I speak instead from the vantage of an avid user and beneficiary of certain aspects of modern networking. For the past eight years, my work in photography and Web design has revolved around an online presence. More meaningfully, the Internet served as the gateway to my own membership in a Reformed Church, but I’ll come to that later. What I would like to do is open up a conversation on the differences between different types of media for growing local bodies of believers.
USING NEW TECHNOLOGY IS NOTHING NEW
When it comes to turning communication technologies into means of extending the evangel, Solomon’s words ring truer than ever — “there is nothing new under the sun.” For two millennia the Church has capitalized on every advance in the art. From the transition of scrolls to portable codices, and the printing press; the transatlantic jaunt of sermons by telegraph in the late 1800’s, up to the present transmission of text-message invitations to evening services, we have adapted developments in media to suit the purposes of the Great Commission.
THE RIGHT AND WRONG USE OF COMMON MEDIA
For purposes of this discussion, I’ll distinguish between two sorts of media, ordained and common. Ordained media pertains to the instituted means by which God ordinarily speaks to His people, namely, Word and Sacrament. Common media, on the other hand, involves every form of communication common to man, which can be used to bring people into contact with the Church in her ordained ministry. No doubt, harnessing common media for Christ’s sake sometimes leads to miscommunication about what constitutes true Christian life. Technologies which carry sermons into sickbeds have also enabled a questionable culture of spiritual recluses, “self-feeders”, who neglect ordained media. Some Christians have even encouraged listeners to stay in bed on the Lord’s day for “virtual Church.” Of course the good of our efforts in such instances remains somewhat virtual, too.
The right use of common media is chiefly to bridge the gap with outsiders, between unfamiliarity and willingness to participate in a local Christian body. It is to bring people into contact with the Lord’s ordained media. The question, then, is not how to disseminate our message without any further interest in those whom it reaches, but how best to bring them into real membership with local Churches.
THE MOST EFFECTIVE COMMON MEDIA
Now, in talking about particular forms of common media by which we advertise (yes, we can use that word) the availability of ordained media in a local area, let’s begin at the unsurpassed original, word-of-mouth. Since the time of the Apostles, the Church has extended naturally by way of voice. Peter’s sermon in Acts 2 and Paul’s various addresses were not only evangelistic, but were spoken with intent to incorporate believers into visible bodies. In these cases, without the aid of techno-gimmicks, real people were approached by fellow men in a way that communicated vital, personal interest. And by God’s grace, the Church grew rapidly.
The genius of personal recommendation is well-attested to. Ivan Misner, dubbed by CNN, “the father of modern networking”, has said that “practically every businessperson knows how important word-of-mouth marketing is.” [1] It doesn’t take an advertising guru to understand why word-of-mouth is essential to real growth, in the Church as much as anywhere. The answer lies in that, the more personally involved we are in communicating the virtues of something, the less our message seems like a snake-oil pitch. We seem to care. “Word-of-mouth is one of the most credible forms of advertising because a person puts their reputation on the line every time they make a recommendation and that person has nothing to gain but the appreciation of those who are listening,” says Roy Williams, and he’s right. [2] By nature we listen to those we know, and those whom we feel like we know.
THE IMPERSONALITY OF TRADITIONAL MASS-MEDIA
The modern myth that science makes everything “new and better”, has made us prone to think recent developments, such as mass media, will necessarily give better results. However, if one follows the progress of common media through the past two-thousand years, it will be observed that a strange departure occurred in the 19th and 20th Centuries, going from personal to more detached mediums of advertisement; mediums which are inherently remote.
Imagine for a moment that you are an unbeliever or new convert not yet attending a local Church. Compare the experience of receiving a hand-written invitation from a friend welcoming you to his fellowship, against the sight of a newspaper ad bearing no familiar name. Do we listen to strangers? At best, door hangers and leaflets may rely on celebrity or sentimental imagery to create a sense of personal connection. Likewise, compare what it means to be spoken to in person, against the estranged voice of a radio or TV announcer. We tune them out, with all the other white-noise of our media-saturated existence.
This is not to say newspapers, radio, and television are useless means, but I would stress that they often seem detached from real personal witness. They feel to many like anonymous intruders, actors, and hucksters, offering wares or worse. While the old archetype of mass media may be effective for the sale of one-off products, burgers and makeup, it does not suit the Church so well as familiar endorsement. At the 2011 United Reformed Church Planting conference, Rev. Daniel Hyde asked for a show of hands to know how many pastors had purchased Yellow Pages ads for their congregations. Of those who responded, hardly one could attest to a single person darkening the doors of their church as a result. Whereas good money was spent on thousands of ads which failed to receive a return, most churches persist today largely because of the old method: God’s power through real, personal witness.
SOCIAL MEDIA: THE FUTURE IS MORE LIKE THE PAST
Disillusioned by the economic failures of mass-media, and perhaps intimidated by the finesse of the Internet, many pastors at the above-mentioned conference admitted to feeling unsure about the worth of recent social media phenomenons, such as FaceBook, Twitter, blogs and sermon-sharing sites, for the growth of their churches. Hyde was able to address these concerns by focusing both on the financial benefits of social media, and on the inherently personal nature of what may at first seem virtual.
First, let’s look at cost-effectiveness. Ads posted on FaceBook or Google begin somewhat in the style of mass-media. However, by tagging ads with key phrases which users have “liked”, such as “Calvinism”, “Christian”, or “Atheist”, those ads appear only to people who have described their interests as such on their social network profiles. Because the cost of advertising on such sites is proportionate to the size of the targeted demographic, less money is spent on potentially redundant ads, compared to say, bombing the community blindly with ads in the form of big yellow door jams. It’s something like the difference between LAZER guided missiles and WWII air raids.
To give an indication of what these numbers may look like, Rev. Hyde has supplied information regarding ads posted on FaceBook for Oceanside URC in a five-month period. Between Jan. 1 and Apr. 18 of 2011, there were a total of 984,700 impressions (individual appearances of the ad on a user’s page). These ads were targeted locally and narrowed down with key phrases, resulting in 91 intentional follow-through clicks. The total cost for nearly a million targeted views was… $113.66. Ninety-one were intrigued enough to visit the Church’s site.
What must be taken into account is that those who click on ads in social media networks may not be directed to a static Webpage, but to a hub where they can view pages of other Church members. This allows them to observe personalities, send messages, befriend, and ask questions of those who seem most familiar to themselves. They may even discover that they already know people who attend that Church. Social sites like Facebook can form a window into the lives of both pastor and parishioner, informing outsiders about the culture of the church.
REAL PEOPLE MAKE SOCIAL NETWORKING REALLY EFFECTIVE
More powerful even than social ads is the Internet equivalent of word-of-mouth, called “liking” or “sharing”. When FaceBook users choose to click the “like” button on a Webpage, that information is instantly posted to their public “wall” and appears in the feeds of all their contacts. Attached are the subtle, influential words “So-and-so likes this.” The difference is that a friend, rather than an unfamiliar elder or deacon, is now making the connection and spreading interest.
So imagine, a pastor preaches on the Lord’s Day. Afterward, the teaching is posted on www.sermonaudio.net. Suppose just three congregants share the sermon in their networks with the message, “This answered my questions about such-and-such, you’ll like it,” followed by an invitation to the next Church service. Instantly, hundreds or thousands of users with personal connections to those congregants will be exposed to the content in a way that courts real participation! And unlike newspaper or radio ads, social networks provide ways to easily request more information about beliefs, arrange rides, or inquire about similar Churches in another area. So then, despite being conducted over the Web, sharing on social networks is meaningful because it is clearly attached to real people. It is word-of-mouth 2.0.
HOW PASTORS CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS NEW TOOL
There are two extremes, the pastor who will not touch a computer, and the one who allows himself to become an overnight op-ed prima donna. But one doesn’t have to spend all day blogging to make an impact with social media. Rev. Hyde’s regular habit has been to post brief, edifying statements and notifications about services or classes. These are shared by others, who may share them with still more. Even if most of one’s contacts live beyond the physical reach of a Reformed Church, this may be the means of their discovering Reformed doctrine and seeking one out.
HOW WE BECAME CONNECTED
And this is where my own story comes in. I was raised in Fundamentalism before coming to Calvinistic soteriology through online discussions, book forums, and sermon sites. I didn’t have an idea what else the term Reformed entailed but months later, when I relocated to Southern California, I knew I wanted to go somewhere that taught “God saves us.” My first idea was to Google “Reformed Oceanside”. What came up was a link to Oceanside URC, with a tag-phrase, “where the Gospel is the program.” While their site had useful information, it was the quick response to an email which secured my attendance that Sunday. Online tools were used effectively to translate my interest into participation in ordained means. I have been present ever since.
In the past six months we have begun more ardent use of social media as real extensions of ourselves to others. We at OURC have seen a tremendous growth in interest to attend. People have discovered sound, exegetical preaching online and are drawn to the services. Others have been intrigued by the interaction they experience with congregants online, and have come to the Church to learn more. The process is different than traditional media, which people see and dismiss so quickly. On social networks, users are more likely to receive recommendations as part of friendship rather than as an annoyance or money scheme.
With social media, we are seeing a renewed, adapted version of personal witness that harmonizes with life in the real world better than traditional print and broadcast media. There is no denying that as mediums have moved forward, the Church has always been at the forefront, learning how to integrate every possible means to the furtherance of the Gospel and growth of local Church bodies. We are happy to see with the rise of modern networking, the Great Commission is more social than ever.
Michael Spotts:.
www.michaelspotts.com
www.theopenlife.com
FaceBook: www.facebook.com/theopenlife
[1] http://www.entrepreneur.com/marketing/networking/article53188.html
[2] http://www.entrepreneur.com/advertising/adsbytype/article80232.html
GREAT APOSTASY—Who falls away from the faith, and how may we stand fast?
2 Thes. 3:3-4, 9-12
Many "anti-Christs" have come into existence throughout history, people claiming for themselves honors and titles rightly belonging to Christ alone. Before Christ's return there will appear one final, climactic person—the "man of sin"—who will draw the world to after him. This event will be accompanied by a "great falling away", an apostasy of unprecedented scale, as professing Christians turn to follow this false leader standing in the Church. Multitudes will forsake their association with the pure gospel and will even persecute those who hold fast to the true faith. However, even now people are in grave danger of apostasy.
WHO FALLS AWAY?
Those who fall away are described as lovers of unrighteousness. We discover that behind the apostate's claims of intellectual conviction is an intent to be a god unto himself. People commit doctrinal apostasy so they may ethically apostatize with fewer pangs of conscience. Wishing to live however they please, such persons begin to rationalize away the true faith in order to justify their will to sin. By and by, their professed righteousness in Christ and hunger for right living is exchanged for open "pleasure in unrighteousness."
RESPONDING TO THE DOCTRINE OF APOSTASY
Apostasy does not negate the sure promises of salvation made to believers, but reveals a person's having never believed to begin with. "They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us." (1 John 2:19) If we would be certain of our true participation in Christ and of our continued loyalty, we must make ourselves familiar with the promises and means of grace and test ourselves that we are in the faith not only with our mouths but with our hearts. We should affirm that Christ is our treasure and His glory our delight. With the Puritans we warn, "indifference to religion is the first step away from religion." Therefore by faith we should seek earnestly to find no pleasure in unrighteousness, but to feel ourselves made loyal to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
"None sink so far into hell as those who came nearest to heaven, for they fell from the greatest height." — William Gurnall
2 Thes. 3:3-4, 9-12
"Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day [of Christ's return] will not come, unless the rebellion [apostasy] comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God."THERE WILL BE A GREAT FALLING AWAY
"The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness."
Many "anti-Christs" have come into existence throughout history, people claiming for themselves honors and titles rightly belonging to Christ alone. Before Christ's return there will appear one final, climactic person—the "man of sin"—who will draw the world to after him. This event will be accompanied by a "great falling away", an apostasy of unprecedented scale, as professing Christians turn to follow this false leader standing in the Church. Multitudes will forsake their association with the pure gospel and will even persecute those who hold fast to the true faith. However, even now people are in grave danger of apostasy.
WHO FALLS AWAY?
Those who fall away are described as lovers of unrighteousness. We discover that behind the apostate's claims of intellectual conviction is an intent to be a god unto himself. People commit doctrinal apostasy so they may ethically apostatize with fewer pangs of conscience. Wishing to live however they please, such persons begin to rationalize away the true faith in order to justify their will to sin. By and by, their professed righteousness in Christ and hunger for right living is exchanged for open "pleasure in unrighteousness."
RESPONDING TO THE DOCTRINE OF APOSTASY
Apostasy does not negate the sure promises of salvation made to believers, but reveals a person's having never believed to begin with. "They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us." (1 John 2:19) If we would be certain of our true participation in Christ and of our continued loyalty, we must make ourselves familiar with the promises and means of grace and test ourselves that we are in the faith not only with our mouths but with our hearts. We should affirm that Christ is our treasure and His glory our delight. With the Puritans we warn, "indifference to religion is the first step away from religion." Therefore by faith we should seek earnestly to find no pleasure in unrighteousness, but to feel ourselves made loyal to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
"None sink so far into hell as those who came nearest to heaven, for they fell from the greatest height." — William Gurnall
Was this helpful to you? Please share. Thanks!
© Michael Spotts:. 2011
———————
You are permitted to reproduce and distribute this article in any format provided that you do not alter the wording in any way and that you do not charge any fee beyond the cost of reproduction. For printed copies, as well as web posting, please include the following statement:
By Michael Spotts:.
Copyright © The Open Life
www.theopenlife.com
Titus 3:3-8
———————
You are permitted to reproduce and distribute this article in any format provided that you do not alter the wording in any way and that you do not charge any fee beyond the cost of reproduction. For printed copies, as well as web posting, please include the following statement:
By Michael Spotts:.
Copyright © The Open Life
www.theopenlife.com
Titus 3:3-8
Forget Your Little Dog, Dorothy: Buy a Taser
Facing the Realities of Modern Sexual Assault and Abduction
Facing the Realities of Modern Sexual Assault and Abduction
By Michael Spotts:.
2011. May 27 - Oceanside, CA
Recently, a young woman I know experienced a bizarre incident. She received a call from a number she recognized as her workplace, the voice on the line claiming to be a new employee calling on behalf of her manager. She was asked to come by "in two hours to inspect a work-related package." Instead, she arrived early and, upon speaking with her supervisors, discovered there was no package, no authorized call, and no employee by that name. Whoever it was knew enough information about her to be convincing and had access to the department store's phone. What exactly happened remains unclear but the details match certain common elements of a growing, terrible trend in the United States and abroad.
I was first introduced to the subject of abduction and human trafficking in 2008, by David Batstone's phenomenal book, Not For Sale. Later I considered working with IJM, an organization which fights sex trafficking. At first the statistics seemed too high, and the implied infrastructure of the system too complex. However, the US State Department and other agencies continue to churn out yearly reports that, despite being conservative estimates, nearly defy belief. Consider the following:
I was first introduced to the subject of abduction and human trafficking in 2008, by David Batstone's phenomenal book, Not For Sale. Later I considered working with IJM, an organization which fights sex trafficking. At first the statistics seemed too high, and the implied infrastructure of the system too complex. However, the US State Department and other agencies continue to churn out yearly reports that, despite being conservative estimates, nearly defy belief. Consider the following:
"In 2005, the Department of Justice reported there have been an estimated 100,000 to 150,000 sex slaves in the U.S. since 2001." (http://www.crisisaid.org/traffickstats.html)
"An estimated 17,500 foreign nationals are trafficked annually in the United States alone. The number of US citizens trafficked within the country are even higher." (http://www.humantraffickinged.com/#identityhum)
"In 2009, a University of Pennsylvania study estimated nearly 300,000 youth in the United States were at risk of being sexually exploited for commercial uses." (http://www.crisisaid.org/traffickstats.html)
Worldwide, approximately 1.4 million women and children are victims of commercial sexual servitude. (International Labor Organization, A global alliance against forced labor. 2005.)
Try to picture those numbers. Who are all these people being abducted? Why are they selected?
Who Is At Risk for Trafficking
Most of those who are trafficked are targeted because of higher vulnerability. This includes illegal aliens, the poor, and runaways. However, a growing trend has to do with another group of potential victims. While one might think of abductions being primarily the work of desperate rapists, the Internet has opened an industry of "sex menu" shopping. Traffickers first gather photos of attractive women from social networking sites such as FaceBook, amateur modeling ads, or spot them on the street or at work in local areas. The photos are arranged essentially as menus which "clients" from around the country may use to view and bid on potential victims for use in forced prostitution or as private slaves. Those selected become targets for abduction and sale.
While the average age of entry into forced prostitution is 12-14, targets range between ages 5 and 25. (Estes, Richard J. and Neil A. Weiner. The Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. The University of Pennsylvania School of Social Work: 2001.) "Victims of trafficking are subject to gross human rights violations including rape, torture, forced abortions, starvation, and threats of torturing or murdering family members." (http://humanrightsteam.org/educational-information/human-trafficking-facts-figures/)
What Do Traffickers Look Like?
Traffickers come from all walks of life. "They may operate as individuals, families, or more organized groups of criminals, and are facilitated by other indirect beneficiaries, such as advertising, distribution, or retail companies and consumers. Both women and men act as traffickers in labor and sex trafficking operations. Traffickers may be professional or non-professional criminals because of the low-start up cost of creating a trafficking business. Trafficking is appealing because it is so lucrative: it is the third largest illegal industry worldwide." (http://www.humantraffickinged.com/)
Demand is only rising because of porn addiction and the short life-span of victims. Traffickers do not view their victims as people but as commodities. Forced prostitutes may be coerced dozens of times a day, earning their captors thousands of dollars per month. "$13,000 per year generated on average by each “forced laborer.” This number can be as high as $67,200 per victim per year." (ILO, A global alliance against forced labor: 2005.) It is the third most valuable illegal enterprise after guns and drugs, set to become number two. It deals in billions of dollars. As such, it is highly structured and involves "sophisticated networks of
organized crime [that] may be as close to home as a relative to the victim." (http://humanrightsteam.org/educational-information/human-trafficking-facts-figures/)
Crisis Aid reports,
Crisis Aid reports,
In December 2007, research by the U.S. Department of Justice National Institute of Justice based on interviews with pimps and sexually exploited children in several U.S. cities found that most pimps manage one to three girls at a time and operate as follows:
o At least half appear to operate at the local level only.
o At least one quarter may be tied to city-wide crime rings (often engaged in drug sales as well as prostitution) and are constantly looking for new recruits.
o About 15 percent are tied to regional or national networks that are well financed and organized, in which the pimps communicate easily with one another electronically; provide support services such as recruitment, selection, indoctrination, and movement of new girls; and occasionally assist in locating and disciplining girls who escape from other pimps.
In 2009, five men and one woman have been charged in a 16-count indictment with conspiracy and sex trafficking of children and forcing and coercing adults to engage in commercial sex acts... The criminal enterprise transported women and minors to and from the Houston area and had ties to Kansas, Nevada, Arizona and Florida. Women and minors as young as 16 were enticed and coerced into prostitution and were routinely beaten and threatened.
What to Do?
The potential for abduction is not pleasant to think of, but it is a fact of modern life and a matter for future thought and action. It is of special consequence to young women who use social media. In addition to the practical wisdom of avoiding suspect places and carrying means of self defense (with a will to use them), I strongly suggest women below the age of 25 make their FaceBook/MySpace profiles and photos visible to friends only, and be more selective about who they "friend". Reduce the ease of being pin-pointed by deleting references to where one works, studies, and lives. For instance, if one lists they work at Target and live in Oceanside, they are setting themselves up for trouble. Your friends already know those details and strangers don't need to.
As restricting as it may seem, consider removing photos that mainly highlight one's physical form. It is important that potential victims of Internet-based "menu shopping", primarily women between the ages of 12 and 25, protect themselves by offering less to those who might see women as items of sexual interest. God knows I hate saying all of this. But I think it would be wise for women to follow this advice and set a good example to the younger girls they know.
Ladies and gentlemen, we're not in Kansas any more—certainly not the pre-Internet Kansas of 1939. A girl has more to fear these days from the man hiding behind curtains than from green-faced witches. So dear young Dorothies, keep walking that yellow road with courage, heart, and brains, but maybe bring a stun gun, too.
© Michael Spotts:. 2011
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By Michael Spotts:.
Copyright © The Open Life
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Titus 3:3-8
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You are permitted to reproduce and distribute this article in any format provided that you do not alter the wording in any way and that you do not charge any fee beyond the cost of reproduction. For printed copies, as well as web posting, please include the following statement:
By Michael Spotts:.
Copyright © The Open Life
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Titus 3:3-8
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I have known people who, though having sought spiritual experiences
of God, admit to finding the bible itself to be a dry crust of a book.
“The best way I can describe it is that it’s like a textbook. On math.
Trigonometry,” said one man. I can not fault his honesty, though I
disagree with his perspective. Of course, I view the word of God through
a lens which makes all parts come to life and glow. That lens is
compound, its two elements being Law and Gospel.
What makes the message of the gospel, the “good news” of Christ’s redemptive work, so sweet to me is not what others might expect. Since coming to faith, my love of God hasn’t grown necessarily from experiences felt with my five senses, as if God holds my hand physically in the day or comes at night to coddle me palpably when grieving. Neither have I needed visions or wonders to charm my faith into fire. To be candid, very few of my “experiences” of God have involved anything that would appeal to the unbeliever. Yes, I believe I have heard God’s voice many times, but if one asks, “what does God’s voice sound like,” I will respond, “like my own voice reading the scriptures and believing them.” So for the most part, my faith in God and desire to live for Him, and anything I’ve felt, has grown out of my belief of the word.
What makes the message of the gospel, the “good news” of Christ’s redemptive work, so sweet to me is not what others might expect. Since coming to faith, my love of God hasn’t grown necessarily from experiences felt with my five senses, as if God holds my hand physically in the day or comes at night to coddle me palpably when grieving. Neither have I needed visions or wonders to charm my faith into fire. To be candid, very few of my “experiences” of God have involved anything that would appeal to the unbeliever. Yes, I believe I have heard God’s voice many times, but if one asks, “what does God’s voice sound like,” I will respond, “like my own voice reading the scriptures and believing them.” So for the most part, my faith in God and desire to live for Him, and anything I’ve felt, has grown out of my belief of the word.
The sweetness of faith did not begin very sweetly for me. I began where all believers must, believing in the rightness of God’s moral Law. Not only did I come to believe its morals were correct, but that the harrowing terms of the Covenant of Works, God’s first legal arrangement with Mankind, were fair. “The soul that sins shall die.” [Eze. 18:20] There I discovered the extreme gap standing between God’s holiness and mankind. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength, and love your neighbor even as you love yourself.” [Luke 10:27] “The wages of sin is death,” and “the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.” [Rom. 6:23, 1:18]
Because of sin, there must be justice and judgment. No maudlin sentimentality exists in God to casually sweep the consequences under the rug. He will not, cannot, shrug off the crimson crimes of our deep disdain toward Him. We are bound by sin and He is bound against sinners, so far as His moral law is concerned. So then, to comprehend, ever so slightly, the magnitude of Christ’s condescension, lowering Himself to experience ineffable shame and suffering on our behalf; that He willingly and with love gave Himself for His enemies, and for myself in particular, moves my heart to know Him, to bless Him.
It is no dry thing to read the word with faith. Faith opens the faucet, as it were, and springs the flood of spiritual wonder and sensitivity. To study the scripture is to learn the particulars of an elaborate romance plot, a rescue mission, a tragedy of untold scale; a great drama of redemption playing through time and in my heart. The bible is interesting because it concerns my beloved, and teaches me how better to love Him.
Reader, ask yourself, has the Law taught your heart, and not your mind merely, the truth that everlasting judgment is not only the necessary punishment for sin, but a good and holy response of God to it? Have you felt, not only for particular sins, but for the original sin of your nature from which all corrupt motives flow, that it would be truly good and noble for God to bring swift, unflinching, merciless justice? I have felt this to be true, ever so weakly, and it was the breaking of my heart. I have felt it would be more deeply good and upright for God to crush me under hell than to cheaply receive my “best efforts”. His worthy name must be avenged! The Creator of all has been slighted and blasphemed by my selfish disregard! Should I walk free while He is made a mockery?
Yet in the Gospel I learn that He was pleased to endure even worse discomfort than we can imagine, in order to justly redeem His people from the guilt, power, and ultimate consequences of sin. I see a horrible scene, acted out beneath the skin of Jesus as He hung upon the cross. Beyond His physical agonies which perhaps we can vaguely comprehend, there was an unspeakably wholesome and noble Being loaded under the filth of our collective evil. His very essence is light, but now He was shrouded in the shame of our darkness and depravity. What grief it must have been for this lofty lover of purity, whose whole Law is love, to be so closely identified with impurity, made to feel responsible for all the selfish and hateful acts committed by His people, so much that it could be said, “he was made sin,” and “he bore our iniquities.” [2 Cor. 5:21, 1 Pet. 2:24]
Even beyond the weight of all this, was the massive capstone of his suffering, the turning away of His Father in heaven. “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” he wailed. [Matt. 27:46] In our present state, you and I have little if any real love for the Father, as an end in Himself and not as means to an end. Christ Jesus, however, loved and cherished the smiling approval of His Father supremely. To lose that sight when His Father turned away in holy disgust, must have fallen upon Jesus’ heart like the cleaving of a colossal glacier onto the fragile waters of an ocean below.
And yet, “for the joy that was set before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame.” [Heb. 12:2] What awe and ecstasy to believe, that God the Son found more joy in humbling Himself and suffering to redeem sinners for eternal fellowship, than to see the Father’s face. He went willingly, though He sweat blood for the thought of it. Rather than preserve His comfort and dignity undisturbed in heaven, He stooped with a smile, as it were, to experience ruin for a season. “As a lamb lead to the slaughter,” Jesus went quietly to save His people. [Isa. 53:7] He came to save all who discover in their hearts a need of Him, and by faith look to Him. Even such enemies of righteousness as I have been.
The gospel is a story I do not tire of, because I see my own role in it. I am one for whom the Savior bled. I am that woman taken in the act of adultery, to whom He says, “I do not condemn you, go and sin no more.” [John 8:11] Faith is seeing my name in the script of scripture; believing I am welcomed when the Redeemer says, “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” [Matt. 11:28]
The drama of Christian life is redemption itself, unfolding through history and our lives as upon a stage in the great theater of God’s wisdom and love. I am captivated to see the conclusion, after all enemies have been defeated and the Groom has taken His bride. For by grace, the victory and the kiss are ours. Hand in hand, radiant with joy before the booming applause of angels, we shall share in the everlasting bow. To such a God be all glory and praise. His Spirit imparts faith, and I cannot read His word dryly when trusting these things are so.
Was this helpful to you? Please share. Thanks!
© Michael Spotts:. 2011
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You are permitted to reproduce and distribute this article in any format provided that you do not alter the wording in any way and that you do not charge any fee beyond the cost of reproduction. For printed copies, as well as web posting, please include the following statement:
By Michael Spotts:.
Copyright © The Open Life
www.theopenlife.com
Titus 3:3-8
———————
You are permitted to reproduce and distribute this article in any format provided that you do not alter the wording in any way and that you do not charge any fee beyond the cost of reproduction. For printed copies, as well as web posting, please include the following statement:
By Michael Spotts:.
Copyright © The Open Life
www.theopenlife.com
Titus 3:3-8
Humanity paddles frantically upon a river of swift decisions.
Torrents of new information surge around us, branching every moment into
endless streams of possible diversion. Faced with urgent choices about
which way to steer our lives, we are swept helplessly along or fight
desperately to take the better course. Therefore we set our route and
make decisions by asking one question only—which of any two paths is
most likely to lead us closer to Christ, in His Word, in His ordinances,
and in conformity to His character?
Was this helpful to you? Please share. Thanks!
© Michael Spotts:. 2011
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You are permitted to reproduce and distribute this article in any format provided that you do not alter the wording in any way and that you do not charge any fee beyond the cost of reproduction. For printed copies, as well as web posting, please include the following statement:
By M. Benjamin Spotts:.
Copyright © The Open Life
www.theopenlife.com
Titus 3:3-8
© Michael Spotts:. 2011
———————
You are permitted to reproduce and distribute this article in any format provided that you do not alter the wording in any way and that you do not charge any fee beyond the cost of reproduction. For printed copies, as well as web posting, please include the following statement:
By M. Benjamin Spotts:.
Copyright © The Open Life
www.theopenlife.com
Titus 3:3-8
Women have, on the whole, a thirst to feel themselves satisfying to the
men they love and respect. They yearn to sense their partners’ approval
and pleasure toward them. I imagine fewer marital difficulties stem from
conflicts of authority, as from wives feeling unsatisfactory or
undesirable. This in turn leads to anxiety, depression, and bitterness.
Underneath petty conflicts for control may be a woman trying to wrest
back what she doesn’t feel herself to be receiving from a man, a sense
of respect and value. She desires to be desirable; to see it in his face
and actions. Husbands ought to love their wives as Christ loves the
Church, which means assuring them convincingly of their heartfelt
acceptance and worth as companions, helpers, and lovers.
Was this helpful to you? Please share. Thanks!
© Michael Spotts:. 2011
———————
You are permitted to reproduce and distribute this article in any format provided that you do not alter the wording in any way and that you do not charge any fee beyond the cost of reproduction. For printed copies, as well as web posting, please include the following statement:
By M. Benjamin Spotts:.
Copyright © The Open Life
www.theopenlife.com
Titus 3:3-8
© Michael Spotts:. 2011
———————
You are permitted to reproduce and distribute this article in any format provided that you do not alter the wording in any way and that you do not charge any fee beyond the cost of reproduction. For printed copies, as well as web posting, please include the following statement:
By M. Benjamin Spotts:.
Copyright © The Open Life
www.theopenlife.com
Titus 3:3-8
