[the death of enthusiasm]

"Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm."
- Raph Waldo Emerson


I'm convinced this single aspect can and will eventually lead to the death of a group if its left unchecked. Its potential is often underestimated, yet its effects are already felt.

First impressions sticks. And they are hard to change.
People that first joins us whether is it in service or caregroup will be inspecting our behavior. How the majority behaves will then be defined as the norm acceptable behavior. This is the power of the herd mentality. Its not about having a single person to turn up the enthusiasm level, it is a entire group issue.

Imagine with me: we have 9 dead people in caregroup. The next new person that joins us, will observe and conclude that deadness is the norm. So the next time he join us, he probably will be lifeless as well as he does not like to be an "extra" (although this extra is in fact ideal and the normal is the lesser ideal). So the caregroup grows to have 10 lifeless people, becoming even worse then before. By then its, even harder to pick up the enthusiasm level. And for the records, dead caregroups do NOT appeal to living people.

Was there not a time where going down to the aisle to praise and worship was the norm in service? How is it then it has now been changed to be viewed as an "extra commitment"? Please, standing there and clapping isn't really counted as enthusiastic praising. Even our visitors clap do that! (See? The power of herd mentality... if he doesnt clap, he will feel weird.)

Even in games. 10 insanely enthusiastic people playing the concentration game will make it more fun then 100 boring people walking around in a wargame. Its not the system, its the people. Get this straight. Enthusiasm is not personality. Its is not an issue of differences of expression, it is an issue of biblicality (if there is such a word).

"Enthusiasm" is taken from two root words: "en" and "theos", meaning "God within." If we have God living on the inside of us, we ought to, no we MUST be enthusiastic! Dare I clarify it for you. Not being enthusiastic is equivalent to not being biblical! And whether or not unbiblicality is sinfulness, you decide for yourself.


For those that have read this post, ignorance is not longer a valid excuse.