Lend Pastoral Encouragement
What if we should discover that the very key to God's closing work on earth is to be found in our relationship as conference workers to lay evangelism ? Would we not have an awakened interest in this subject? A larger vision should rise before us, a vision that will not only move us to instruct, train, and organize the lay members of our churches for service, but that will summon the presence of the heavenly gift.
As we pastors face the solemn reality that only those of our flock who become "His witnesses" will enter the city of God, we shall make it our first business to see that our lay members become His witnesses. We shall turn in horror from any thought of a ministerial monopoly of the joys and rewards of soul-winning work, and hold in contempt the worldly, clerical attitude of looking upon parishioners as merely the graceful recipients of well-prepared sermons. Rather we shall think of our flock as fellow laborers in the vineyard of the Lord, and instead of viewing lay evangelism as the special responsibility of the Home Missionary Department, we shall make it a burning objective in our sermons and all our plans.
Knowing that we are nearer than ever to the end of time, when special strength from above has been promised for this work, let us faithfully review what the Spirit of prophecy has revealed to be our responsibility as pastors to lay evangelism. As those who have charge of the flock, we are to "set many souls to work," being "wise laborers to discern and develop talent in the church." We should make the church "a training school for Christian workers," and "devise ways and means by which an opportunity may be given to every member of the church to act some part in God's work." We are to unite in labor with laymen in a relationship of love, humility, and patience toward their blunders. We are especially to encourage them when the way is hard, and "teach them to work for God, and to depend on Him, not on the minister."
These familiar expressions represent a relationship which to some extent has already been carried out in this great advent movement. Here and there we see men and women from the ranks, moved by a divine energy, giving the message with marked results. Yet these are only a "small cloud in the sky." There is a godly fire of lay evangelism in our midst. Shall we permit a passive attitude on
The Minister as the Trainer
Public evangelistic efforts are effective, and we need more of them, but these alone will never finish the work. We have placed too much dependence upon a paid ministry. Talent is idle in all our churches, which, if properly trained, could set this land on fire for God. The time has come for us to train the people for service. I will list a number of lines of service that the rank and file of our church membership can fill acceptably, if they are properly trained.
1. Every preacher should conduct a Bible workers' training class in his church. In this class, lay members should be trained to gain entrance into homes, and to study the word of God with people. Such Bible training classes should, as far as possible, be continuous throughout the year. When one class of lay members have been trained, after a proper interval of time, another class should be started to train other lay members. We have a scarcity of trained Bible workers, and our only hope is in developing them from among the church membership. If a conference worker is not available for conducting the class, a competent church elder should be encouraged to conduct it.
2. Our sisters who have the ability to meet men in public life should be encouraged to work up a weekly or a monthly magazine route in business sections. Encourage our people to engage in the sale of our magazines and small books from door to door. There are many who could devote several hours, or even a day or two, each week to this, but who think that this part-time service is not desired. Let each pastor have for his goal the selecting of one or more suitable persons each year to become colporteur evangelists.
3. A foreign workers' band should be organized in each church in cities and towns where there are large numbers of foreigners. Literature can be placed in such homes, and contacts will thus be made that will win these people to the truth. We are falling down in this line of endeavor. It is left for everybody; consequently, few carry the burden. If a band is organized to concentrate on the problem, more will be accomplished. 4. Shut-ins and others should be encouraged to carry on missionary correspondence.
4. Our people should be taught how to give simple treatments to the sick and afflicted, as well as how to prepare healthful meals. A cooking class should be conducted in churches where a competent instructor can be secured.
5. A Dorcas Society should be organized in each church, primarily to relieve distress in the homes of the needy and to provide suitable clothing for the destitute.
6. Everyone who can be persuaded to do so should be encouraged to systematically visit a certain number of homes each week, leaving with the people such free reading matter as Present Truth, Good News, and Signs of the Times, or placing one of the ten small Crisis books of the circulating library, renewing it each week. This can be followed up, by Bible readings in the home, and is a very effective method of soul winning in which almost everyone can have a part.
Every one of these lines of endeavor is soul winning. If they are fostered by wide-awake ministers and church elders, what .a mighty work for God can be accomplished in a short time ! The shortness of time demands that our lay members arise and rally to the work. The preachers are to be the leaders in this great layman's movement, and the people will follow.
