Evangelism must be the dominant note, not only of every preacher's life, but of every lay member's as well, if the preacher and the lay member are to survive spiritually. Some one has well said, "The church has really been an army of occupation instead of an army of conquest. Instead of marching out against the enemy, she has been hiding in church trenches and behind ecclesiastical embattlements, and singing, 'Hold the fort.' " If this is to any extent true regarding the church as a whole, it were thrice sad should it apply to its ministry, for we are told that we must "evangelize or fossilize."
As a minister, I know the temptation to permit the constant pressure of goals, campaigns, and the multiplicity of cares incident to supervising a group of churches, so to consume one's effort that with difficulty he finds time to devote less than a third of each year to evangelism. Then there are local conditions, such as shortage of funds for evangelism, and seasons of the year when weather conditions are unfavorable for large tent or hall meetings. All these factors conspire to consume about two thirds of the minister's time, leaving one third of the year, or less, for aggressive evangelism.
Thus comes the temptation to plan for only sporadic evangelism, and that when weather conditions are most favorable. Personally, I believe it to be an artful trick of the enemy to keep us so engrossed in secondary enterprises as to divert us from the real work to which the Lord has called us. "Our work has been marked out for us by our heavenly Father. We are to take our Bibles, and go forth to warn the world."—"Testimonies," Vol. IX, p. 150. If we ministers, and the laity, took this instruction more seriously, the cause of God would be materially and rapidly advanced.
There are, we find, successful methods of evangelism which can be carried on fifty-two weeks in the year, with almost no expense to the conference, and which permit the minister to supervise properly the churches under his care, and to give strong leadership in the various campaigns. Having written at length in the Review and Herald of February 6 concerning the advantages of personal evangelism, I now write more particularly concerning the Community Bible School method of evangelism, which we have been following with increasing success.
We heartily agree with the author of the book, "The Art of Personal Evangelism," that "personal evangelism, is an art requiring both knowledge and skill," and that this "knowledge is acquired by the application of deep study to every detail which may in any measure effect the desired result. Skill is acquired by thoughtful practice, and a careful attention to the details which give efficiency." In no phase of personal evangelism is this more true than in conducting what we are pleased to call the "Community Bible School."
In every workers' meeting or public gathering where I have heard these Bible schools discussed, I have noted the almost universal tendency to conclude at first that these Bible schools are the same as the Bible reading or cottage meeting as we know them. This is far from being the case. We have observed that the worker who goes out with that idea in mind, to start holding Community Bible Schools, usually has very poor results, and soon abandons the idea of working in this manner. It is because of this wrong conception of the Bible school method of evangelism, as we follow it, that we find it much easier to do the actual work than to explain how to do it.
It would be unfortunate, we think, should our whole ministerial force, or any major portion of it, turn to these methods of evangelism exclusively. We are convinced, however, that a large number of ministers, and lay members as well, could most profitably work in this manner and win more souls annually than they have been bringing in by means of their public efforts, and with far less -expense. But if workers are to succeed with the Community Bible School method of evangelism, our experience has taught us that "skill is acquired by thoughtful practice, and careful attention to the details which give efficiency."
Methods Naturally Progressive
It will be impossible, in the space available in the Ministry for the consideration of this subject, to enter into all the details which make for success in this line of endeavor. We shall therefore touch but a few of the general principles which we have found, through several years' experience, to be vital to success.
If others follow the methods we have followed, they will find that in the matter of providing new members for enrollment in new schools, the Bible school is entirely and abundantly progressive. As an example, I cite our recent experience here in Providence, Rhode Island, where public evangelism is both difficult and expensive.
In November, 1935, we opened two Community Bible Schools, each with a somewhat smaller enrollment than we usually have. But we had decided to "launch out" with what we had, knowing from past experience that after our Bible schools were well under way, new interests would spring up as if by magic. At this date, March 17, we are conducting eight Bible schools weekly, with as many different groups of deeply interested people, every one of whom knows he is studying with a Seventh-day Adventist instructor, and we have on our waiting list the names of many others who are anxiously awaiting the time when we can open new Bible schools so that they can enroll.
We receive inquiries over the telephone from people we have never met, asking about "those Bible schools," whether any will be opened in their community soon, and what they will have to do to become members, etc. Four homes of very influential people are now open to us, in which they have asked us to open Bible schools as soon as possible, and they promise to make up the enrollment required from among their own friends and relatives. While writing this article I received a telephone call, telling me that another man and his wife wish to enroll in a Bible school we have just opened. Next Tuesday night being the last night this school will be open to receive new members, six have applied for admission that night, in addition to a goodly number who enrolled at the first class meeting. (We never permit our enrollment in any Bible school conducted in a private home to exceed twenty.)
How to Get Started
Secure from members of the church, colporteurs, or any other sources, names of people known to be interested in the study of the Bible at least. If possible, arrange for persons who have had previous contact with them to inspire them with the idea of improving this wonderful opportunity to attend a most interesting and helpful Community Bible School soon to open in their section, and have these persons make an appointment for you to call and acquaint them with the plans. Then call personally, and stimulate further this idea. Arrange for them to be there the opening night, even if you have to call and get them and take them home again. You will, of course, arrange to have a suitable home where the school will be held. The importance of using great care in this particular arrangement cannot be overstated.
In the meantime, select and organize for service ten or fifteen consecrated, dependable church members; assign a definite territory to each; teach them just what to say, and what not to say, and start them out to cover their territory each week with Life and Health tracts. When they have covered their territory each week till they have given out about half the tracts in the series, have them add a copy of Present Truth each week, following this plan till the entire number of Life and Health tracts are given out. Then° if you are ready to gather in the interested ones into Bible schools, visit them and make the arrangements. If you are not yet ready, continue giving out Present Truth each week, thus holding your interested ones till you can take care of them. However, avoid using the copies of Present Truth that cover strong doctrinal subjects. If necessary, follow by lending the interested ones a twenty-five-cent book each week. This is an excellent way to weed out those who are not sufficiently interested, and to find those who will readily become members of your Bible school.
After getting one or two Bible schools under way, if they are properly handled your question will not be where you are going to get new members for your next school, but how you can possibly care for all the interests that are springing up.
This again emphasizes the necessity of having a class of lay members in training. We now have a class of about sixty of our church members who are attending our Bible workers' training class every week, earnestly studying and preparing themselves to be of service.
As the interested ones spring up here and there, you will find many who are not able to get out and attend one of your Bible schools, and who cannot have a school in their home. You will find that in certain localities there will not be enough interested ones who can be brought together to make a group of sufficient size to make it advisable for you to devote your time to them. It is for just such opportunities that we have about sixty of our lay members in training at the present time. Not all of these will probably qualify for this particular line of service, but out of the class we will find a number who will.
Someone has suggested that the Bible school method of evangelism is not spectacular enough to advertize our message properly in a city. But note this:
"The Lord desires that His word of grace shall be brought home to every soul. To a great degree this must be accomplished by personal labor. This was Christ's method. His work was largely made up of personal interviews. He had a faithful regard for the one-soul audience. Through that one soul the message was often extended to thousands." —"Christ's Object Lessons," p. 229,
As you prepare to open your first Bible school, seek the Lord for that burden for men and women that will thrill your soul with even a "one-soul audience," as you are thrilled when standing in a tent or hall filled with people. Then you will be prepared to teach the truth with enthusiasm to the group of ten, twelve, or twenty. Remember that the per cent of interested persons before you will be greater than in any public meeting, and the number you will baptize, if your schools have been properly conducted, will come nearer reaching one hundred per cent than in any other form of evangelism.
Provide yourself with charts, so that you can illustrate the various subjects to be studied. "By the use of charts, symbols, and representations of various kinds, the minister can make the truth stand out clearly and distinctly. This is a help, and in harmony with the word of God."---"Testimonies." Vol. IX, p. 142.
As the success of your entire Bible school depends largely upon the success of your first meeting with the class, and your method of approach to the studies that are to follow, I will devote considerable space to details that have to do with this first class night.
Bear in mind that when your people come together for the first lesson, there will be more or less of a feeling of restraint and embarrassment. Some will be apprehensive lest they are getting into something that is going to embarrass them in some way. Some will be suspicious that there is going to be religious discussion and controversy, or that, after all, there is going to be some financial "catch" connected with the plan. Others will be fearful lest they are going to be taught some strange religion, contrary to the doctrines of their church. You will have denominational prejudices, fixed religious opinions, and popular religious customs and observances to meet and deal with at every step of the way.
If ever you need to pray for tact and sanctified common sense, it is when you begin conducting these Bible schools, and all the while you are conducting them. Prejudice and misapprehension must be broken down in this first meeting with the class, and you must send them away feeling relieved of doubts and fears, and inspired with the idea that they have "gotten in on" something that is not open to everybody, and is the greatest thing they have ever heard about. If they do a little boasting to their friends, giving them the idea that the school they have joined is quite exclusive, it will not at all hurt the future of your work.
Remember that the thing that is known to be "free for all" does not make a strong appeal to the very class you wish to reach with these Bible schools. And one of the great advantages of this method of evangelism is that you gradually work up to where you are reaching the very finest class of people in the city. The results I am talking about will not be obtained by merely holding a cottage meeting, in the accepted understanding of the term.
(To be continued)
