If I can't find it, then I reply via email asking for a story about why it is important and why they are looking for it, so I can post it on our Search Service.
Sounds simple enough, right? Well, here's the "hitch". We have always considered our Search Service to be our Christian Ministry, so there is a prominently placed scripture verse near the top of the online page. And all our emails have signatures that include scripture verses. I decided last year that I no longer wanted to sign my emails with just Merry Christmas during December.
So here are some examples of my email sigs:
May you and your family enjoy the Blessings of Jesus in this holy time of year,
OR
May you have a Christ filled Christmas,This week someone who had asked for help finding an out of stock catalog item wrote me back after I'd written her, using a sig similar to one of these. She said she wanted me to delete all her correspondence with us. She explained that she had not realized she was dealing with some religious cult and did not want to use our service.
Rosemary
Plush Memories Lost Toy Search Service
“And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.”
Luke 2:10-11 KJV
I replied that I had done as she asked and had deleted all our correspondence, but I wanted her to know that we are Christians who belong to a Southern Baptist Church.
I've heard the term "War on Christmas" lately on talk radio, and I've certainly seen a drastic reduction in the number of clerks who wish us a "Merry Christmas" at the checkout counter. And I imagine we've lost business in the past because of our prominent scripture verses.
But this is the first time someone went out of their way to point out how weird they thought we were.
7 comments:
It does sound strange. i would have thought that if people weren't interested they would just ignore it.
In France, which seperated state and church over 100 years ago, I get the impression that some people are frightened by all religions. Nothing is taught in school - fear and ignorance go hand in hand
That's what I would have done if I weren't comfortable with a business. I just wouldn't go back. I must have really freaked her out!!
Wow, this person seems to have taken it to the extreme!!
NOTHING in what I have seen you does would even lead me to think you were part of a "some religious cult", but that you were Christ loving, and living in His Grace!
You, and your ministry are in my prayers!
In Christ,
Don
http://exposeyourblog.com
My reply email to her did have my scripture sig, so the seed was planted - likely on thorny ground, but planted, nevertheless. We have to leave the rest to the Lord of the harvest.
On behalf of sane believers everywhere, I apologise. Faith and spirituality mixed with goodwill towards all living creatures does not equal a cult. This is a prime example of why people should have to pass a vocabulary and IQ test to mingle with others online.
Well put!! But it is symptomatic of a paradigm shift in attitude toward Christians.
This year almost every clerk in every store wished me a Merry Christmas instead of the Happy Holiday of past years. I take this as a good sign that the values of Christianity have once again come to the forefront.
Your emailer is an idiot.
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