We, asked Elder J. L. McElhany for his evaluation of the pre-Conference council, and this is what he said:
The Evangelistic Council we have just attended is, I believe, in a great measure responsible for the excellent spirit we are seeing in these opening days of the Conference." Continuing, he added:
"The gathering of men from all parts of the world field to study and discuss the real purpose of the ministry with a view to making evangelism a greater power, has laid a wonderful foundation for this Conference. Yes, I feel that such a council makes an ideal introduction to a General Conference. The very atmosphere of the meetings on evangelism seems to have been brought over into this large gathering."
Elder McElhany, as chairman of the Ministerial Association Council, delivered the opening address of the council on Thursday night. He sounded a note of confidence on the ultimate triumph of this message, and made a deep, heart-searching appeal to the ministry of the advent movement.
The presentations which followed during Friday, Sabbath, and Sunday covered many vital subjects, including the qualifications of the evangelist, his mission, and his methods. W. H. Branson's call to a greater evangelism delivered in the large auditorium on Sabbath evening was both a challenge and an appeal. On Sabbath morning W. G. Turner spoke with power on the place of the Hbly Spirit in the life of the evangelist, while in the afternoon M. L. Andreasen set forth with burning conviction the subject of personal piety as a prerequisite to successful evangelism.
Two thousand and more were in attendance at the Sabbath meetings, including many hundreds from the near-by churches. The Lord surely met with us. The discussions on Sunday in relation to the work and the effectiveness of the radio, the need for evangelizing our whole educational program, utilizing the product of our schools, the power of personal evangelism, and organizing for greater results, brought a wonderful climax to the council, which continued throughout the Conference in the Ministerial Association and Bible-worker hours. Those leading out in the Evangelistic Council were:
At the conclusion of the last meeting, a committee of thirteen was appointed to crystallize the findings of the council with a view to making a report to the Conference assembled. in the form of resolutions. The members of the committee were: R. Allan Anderson, chairman, W. C. Moffett, secretary, W. G. Turner, W. H. Branson, L. E. Froom, L. K. Dickson, H. M. S. Richards, C. B. Haynes, F. A. Detamore, J. L. Shuler, W. A. Nelson, J. L. Tucker, W. L. Hyatt. These brethren met a number of times, and after much study and prayer a comprehensive set of resolutions was submitted to the Plans Committee, which appears elsewhere.
It was an inspiration to observe the urge for a greater evangelism on every hand. Perhaps never before has there come to us a greater appeal to enlarge our plans and broaden our vision. Evangelism is the clarion call of the hour. Truly the Lord has "set His hand again the second time to recover the remnant of His people." By His help we must be ready to follow Him into the fields of unselfish service.
Actions Compassing the Greater Evangelism Program Recommended by the Evangelistic Council, and Passed by the General Conference Session, June 4,1941We recommend, 1. That executive committees in each field give first place to evangelism in planning for their work ; that provision for financing this evangelistic program be given a preferred place in the yearly budget ; and that study be given to conserving the sacred tithe for the purposes to which it is dedicated.
2. That our conference and mission field committees plan with each pastor and district leader, so that they may conduct, or assist in, at least one public evangelistic effort of not less than twelve weeks' duration (preferably five or six nights a week) each year, the laity relieving the pastor as far as is practical of the details of church work, and that the evangelistic company be strong and well balanced.
3. That executive committees seek to provide opportunity for administrative and departmental workers to conduct, or associate with, evangelistic efforts, and that our departments rally our whole membership in a great forward soul-winning movement.
4. That a list of all unworked cities, towns, and counties be prepared in every local conference and mission and presented to the workers and churches, and that churches, pastors, and district leaders be urged to enter these neglected territories located near by, and thus utilize in a large measure the latent talents of our church members in the establishment of memorials in new fields.
5. That each local field fix as an objective in soul-winning endeavor a definite annual goal of at least o per cent increase in membership.
6. That conference committees definitely plan the work of their ministerial interns, so that these young ministers shall not have their energies absorbed in pastoral and district work, but shall be connected during the period of their internship with at least three series of evangelistic meetings, and that the ministerial intern shall hold at least one of these efforts himself. And further, that young ministers of definite evangelistic ability be given opportunity to associate with some experienced evangelist in his or some near-by conference, and that every effort be made to develop strong city evangelists.
7. That we encourage our young men who possess musical talent to give prayerful consideration to God's call to give their lives to singing evangelism by preparing themselves for effective congregational song leadership, and by training themselves to interpret the gospel in solo singing, emphasizing in their vocal work the touching of hearts through the tender influence of simple, effective songs; and that all our colleges be urged to provide training in song evangelism and music appreciation in our ministerial courses.
8. That our evangelists endeavor to place in the hands of all who attend the meetings, books, periodicals, and tracts covering the full message, and that we appeal to our publishing houses, in counsel with leading evangelists, to provide more message-filled literature adapted to the needs of soul-winning evangelism.
9. That union committees consider the holding of evangelistic councils in connection with the approaching union sessions to give further impetus to the movement for greater evangelism.
Radio Broadcasting
Believing that radio broadcasting has been brought into existence and developed to its present status as one of the important agencies for finishing the work of God, and that through no other means can the masses be reached so quickly ; and inasmuch as so many homes have radios ; and in view of the fact that to us has been committed the message of God for this hour, a message that is to f.y in the midst of heaven and to be proclaimed with a loud voice to every soul, and that we should be using far more extensively its unlimited possibilities ;
We recommend. 10. a. That in countries where radio broadcasting is accessible to us, every worker who is qualified for radio work, and who can develop the opportunity, be encouraged to give this message over local stations or local networks, and that these workers strive to use the most effective methods of follow-up.
11. That our radio speakers explore the possibilities of co-ordination and co-operation in their work, in order that it be organized upon a unified basis, and that union and local conferences co-operate in developing a complete and continuous coverage of their territory.
12. That the General Conference Committee study ways and mans for expanding through our union conference organizations a chain broadcast, looking to the widest possible coverage in these closing hours of probation.
13. That our willing people shall be called upon to support an enlarged radio program by a steady flow of contributions for the specific purpose of acquainting the masses with the advent message.
Promotion of Evangelism by Ministerial Association
In the light of the clear call to a world advance in aggressive evangelism as sounded in this 'General Conference;
We recommend, xi. That one of the secretaries of the Ministerial Association be an experienced, successful evangelist whose primary duty would be to assist in evangelistic institutes and councils, both in North America and overseas, and to foster the development of younger evangelists of promise for the gigantic task of proclaiming the message in the great metropolitan areas of the world.
Developing Our Bible Work
In view of our depleted corps of Bible workers throughout the field;
We recommend, 12. a. That our colleges be urged definitely to strengthen the courses for Bible workers, and to encourage more of our strong young women to train for this needy branch of service, under instructors with successful field experience in soul-winning endeavor.
b. That our conferences seek to strengthen their evangelistic efforts by using the trained product of our schools, and also by developing promising recruits from the churches.
In conformity with the former plan for the Ministerial Association, wherein provision was made for one secretary and two associate or assistant secretaries,
We recommend, That one of the members of the Ministerial Association secretarial staff be a qualified, experienced Bible worke,. elected as an assistant secretary whose duties would include fostering the Bible work in the field and in our training schools, assisting in institute work, aiding in the development of an advanced Bible Workers' Course in the Theological Seminary, and collaborating in the preparation of a Bible Workers' Manual.
