Evangelizing Without Local Church Talent

Efficient Evangelistic Methods and Pastoral Technique.

By WM. WALLACE ELLIS, District Leader, Monroe, Michigan

Received as a letter in response to our inquiry regarding methods used in virgin territory, this statement will be interesting and helpful to many, Evangelist Ellis confesses to being a "combination printer, preacher, church designer and builder, car­penter, electrician, Bible worker, song leader, church organizer, money raiser, district leader, officer trainer, and evangelist." Here is room for compari­son and emulation. We must reach the unworked sections.

Evangelism where we have a large membership has its problems, but pioneer evangelism sometimes has problems even more difficult to solve. Take, for example, a city of 25,000 population, with only one or two Adventists of advanced years in the town, or perhaps no Adventists nearer than fifty miles. This means no ushers, no helpers to pass out handbills, no members for a choir, no boosters to bring neighbors to the services, and no mem­bers to work up enthusiasm in the nightly audi­ences. Such is the work which our faithful pioneers had to tackle, but which many of our men shrink from tackling today. Someone has to warn the unentered cities and raise up new churches there, and I have elected to tackle such a task. I have carried on this kind of work in Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan during the last fifteen years. To do it has meant to develop ways and means, which up to the pres­ent time represent an outlay of about $3,000 in equipment.

We print our own bills, publish our own songs, supply much of our own literature in a form that fits into our program, and have developed our own system of stereopticon slides for songs and sermons. Our pulpit contains a 45-watt amplifier with remote control to a dual-speed electric turntable, such as is used in a radio broadcasting studio. We have collected a library of the finest pipe-organ recordings from Europe as well as America. These are advertised as "The Phantom Organ" on our handbills. I have two large loud-speakers at either end of the platform which I have de­signed especially for perfect sound reproduc­tion. The organ music can be tuned down to a whisper, or tuned up to a voice of thunder that will reach 3,000 people. It also has a Hollywood type of recording microphone mounted on the pulpit, which picks up even a whisper, no matter where I walk on the rost­rum, and carries it out to the audience. During prayer or an appeal, organ music or vibraharp and chimes can be blended into the prayer. Each night we have an organ recital from the time the doors open until the song service begins. It is restful, gives a spirit of rever­ence, and is an added attraction. During the showing of movie films on the war or current events we can put on a fifteen-minute record­ing, and have music along with the film.

We use a double-dissolving Bausch and Lomb stereopticon machine which fades the pictures into one another. My wife operates that, as well as the lights, from an operator's stand, where she can sit in comfort during the entire service, with all the switches and signal lights mounted before her. Upon the pulpit there is a signal button which flashes a small red light at the operator's stand. I am free to preach, with nothing to worry about except to push the button when I want a change. A signal for repeat use of a certain slide, lights on, lights off, a slow fading blend of two slides, etc., is all planned ahead of time by a card system in the stack of slides to be used on any particular occasion, so that there is nothing to detract from the message.

Values of Visual Education

Since visual education, if dignified and rep­resentative, is best, and will also help bring out the people, we use slides every night, if only a few at the opening and again at the close of the lecture. The whole setup is different from what is usually seen. There are no undignified makeshifts, no hitches in the smooth-running program. Above all, it produces good results. The people who are brought into the message are of the best class—businessmen, profes­sional men, etc.

Here in Monroe, the Michigan Bible Society (under which name we operate) is presenting an illustrated lecture course, called the Ellis Bible Chautauqua, in the Masonic Temple. We endeavor to follow the same precautions in fishing for men that the disciples had to use on Galilee's sea in fishing for fish. They fished at night, so that the fish would not see them until they were in the net. We follow the instruction of the Lord's messenger that it is not necessary to disclose our identity when we first enter a new territory. After two or three weeks we gradually and naturally, in a tactful manner, disclose who we really are. By this time the people are delighted with the programs, and are convinced that they are getting the straight Bible. It is then hard for anyone to keep them away.

They have a city ordinance here which pro­hibits the passing of handbills from house to house. Handbills must be mailed to individual names and addresses. This meant studying the city directory for weeks and selecting only names of representative people who lived in the best section of the city. Undesirable districts were weeded out. Letters then had to be addressed, and reserved-seat tickets bearing the individual's name, were mailed out, along with the opening announcement. When the people entered on the opening night, the tickets were turned over to the ushers, and thus we built up a mailing list for our permanent files. Each night when we see new faces, or have many new visitors present, I offer a free copy of a poem or something else, which is to be delivered to all who turn in their names and mailing addresses. These are then made into a visiting list, and are also added to the weekly mailing list.

This city is eighty-five percent Catholic, and the major portion of the remainder is German Lutheran. Our crowds are not very large, but a good interest is developing among the finest people and businessmen in the city, and many are beginning to keep the Sabbath. The first few Sunday nights we had the youth of the Toledo, Ohio, church drive over and form a robed choir. This added dignity and com­manded respect as we started out. It also did away with the illusion that it was a one-man affair, with no local backing.

For ushers I depend on my wife, the pianist, and any local representative help that we can obtain. My wife acts as head usher until time for the lecture to begin; then she takes her place at the operator's stand. Where no ushers are available, we generally import one or two young women from nearby for the first few nights. They are dressed in white tailored nurses' uniforms, with green and white satin capes, and monogrammed collars. These are neat and attractive in appearance. Nothing is more helpful than a smiling face and an ex­tended hand at the door. This all adds much to the atmosphere, and makes people feel at home.

In winter we use Masonic temples or any other centrally located, representative hall. In the summer, we erect a good tent, screen it in with full swinging screen doors, place flower mounds in front, electrical display signs over the entrance, and plenty of flood-lights to light up the site, and make the interior of the tent just as beautiful as any hall could be made. The phantom organ in the tent always attracts an audience.

After raising up a new congregation, we begin at once to erect a permanent church home, with facilities for a church school. Then after building the church ourselves, rais­ing the money to pay for it, and developing a good staff of local church leaders and officers, we move on to the next place of need. It gen­erally takes about twelve to fifteen months to accomplish all of this in one town.


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By WM. WALLACE ELLIS, District Leader, Monroe, Michigan

September 1942

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