Bible Instructor's Role in the Public Effort

The privilege of making first contact.

By MRS. H. ELLEN CURRAN, Bible Instructor, Southern California Conference

The world today is accomplishing tremendous things in a short time. Scientific invention and increased knowledge are crowding dec­ades into hours, as it were. In order to give the last warning message to this fast-moving world, we, too, must expand our vision. True, the great message will always be the same, and our only hope for results remains the same—the power of God in our labors. But God calls us to put forth every effort to gain greater efficiency and larger results in our work.

The Bible instructor's work is very strenuous but most enjoyable. Hers is the privilege of get­ting into close contact with the people. Some Bible instructors give their whole time and effort to obtaining open doors where they may regularly study the Bible with a few people in their homes. Others assist in public efforts by giving Bible studies and doing personal work in connection with the effort. A Bible instructor with public ability follows a different program in connection with public meetings than she would in associa­tion with local church endeavors. She would les­sen her value to the evangelist if she were to be tied down exclusively to the few that she would be able to study with regularly each week, and have no time left to reach the masses. This is not what most evangelists want, nor what the pub­lic effort demands. Let us note five points that lead toward efficiency in large effort work.

I. FIRST FRIENDLY CONTACTS.—Seek a friendly contact with as many people as possible because you do not know who will accept the truth—this one or that one. Therefore be friendly with all. This, however, must be done with tact and wisdom, for it can be overdone.

When the meetings first begin, a friendly "Good evening" or a quiet smile may be better than much handshaking and asking for names. The same is true as the people leave. A cheery "Good night" and "Come back again" is sure to make friends.

When cards are passed for names and addresses, the same thing is true again—make as many short calls as possible—the more the better, at first, to find out where the interested ones are. Use the telephone for making contacts. If you cannot get around to all, mail out postal cards asking people to meet you at the meetings for their promised literature. Urge everyone to come to the meet­ings. Talk up the meetings and the preacher. Tell them that you will be looking for them per­sonally—at the meetings. There is the place you want to see them—not in their homes. You cannot see all of them in their homes every week. But soon you will see definite interests developing, and these should always have first attention. Develop that interest and help it to mature.

2. LIST OF SPECIAL INTERESTS.—Besides a gen­eral visiting file, keep a separate list of outstand­ing interests. Keep this list up to date and on your mind and in your prayers. Some Bible in­structors segregate names according to where the people live, grouping those together who live in the same localities. This may work at first, but I believe that from the very beginning the visiting file should contain a separate list of those inter­ests that could be developed ahead of the rest. If these names are left scattered among the other cards, they may be forgotten at the crucial tiine.

The Bible instructor should ascertain the reac­tions of the readers after each subject is presented, answer their questions, and study with them, or give them printed lessons to study on all essential lectures they may have missed. Help them to make decisions as they progress. We are certainly blessed these days with all the truth-filled litera­ture and printed lessons we can give to the people to study at home. And I find, as you do, that God's powerful Word works in the lives of men and women who will study for themselves. With the permission of the evangelist, I set up a little "headquarters" right in the foyer or at the en­trance, where I can have a file with printed les­sons and literature on all the various subjects, and as I find out the people's needs by visiting with them before and after meetings, I provide them with lessons to study. I have my daybook with me and make appointments according to the needs of the interested ones.

Invite the interested people to the Sabbath serv­ices as soon as advisable, and be there to meet them. The Sabbath service offers a wonderful opportunity to foster advanced interests.

3. "THIS ONE THING I DO."—Cause the people to know by your actions that your main job is soul winning. Let no person or persons monopo­lize your time with social affairs or otherwise. Most people can readily see that you are interested in all the people—that you love them all. 'They will understand and appreciate this fact and will not needlessly take up your time. In making calls, maintain this same attitude—let the people know you are there for one purpose only—to help them love the Lord more than any earthly thing. Enlist the new members as your partners to help win souls by having them introduce you to their friends and acquaintances.

4. INDOCTRINATION CLASSES.—If possible at all, conduct classes for indoctrination and baptismal instruction. Fortunate is the Bible instructor who is associated with an evangelist who believes in Bible classes in connection with his meetings. Not just a class conducted by the Bible instructor, but a class that is really "under his wings," and a definite part of his program. He should support it and build it up with his strong influence, as only the evangelist can do. Such a class will not only prove a definite factor in developing interest but will also take care of many, many Bible studies which would otherwise have to be given in each of the homes, thus giving the Bible instructor much more time for general calls, and helping the people when they most need her.

And may I insert this suggestion: The more the evangelist builds up the Bible instructor be­fore the people, the more results her work will produce for him and the effort.

5. CONCENTRATE!—While you keep your finger on the pulse of the general interest, concentrate on those that may be brought to a decision with the proper help. Keep the evangelist informed of their special needs. Know your people as individuals. Watch the developments in their lives and keep very close to them at the critical time.

I heard one prominent evangelist tell what he expected of a Bible instructor. He said, "I want a Bible instructor who knows how to take off the cream when I bring it to the top." Then he added, "Many just stir around in it until the cream is mixed back with the milk." What an apt illus­tration! Much interest can be lost by not taking care of it at the proper time. The devil knows who is about to make a decision, and he stays very close to that individual. We, too, should stay very close. Watch whether each particular one is at the meetings or whether he is absent. Some will tell you when they are having battles to fight; others will not tell you, and you must sense their need and get close to their hearts. A personal experience illustrates this point.

Among those whose interest was developing very well was a good man who had been attending the meetings regularly and also the classes at the reading room. In fact, he told me that he had been attending Elder K's meetings off and on for ten years. He had now begun to attend Sabbath services, but I missed him one Sabbath morning at church. He did not come to the baptismal class in the reading room that afternoon. I thought, "Perhaps he is ill, but he will surely be at the meeting Sunday morning." But he was absent from all the meetings that Sunday. I was really uneasy about him, then, but could do nothing about it until the classes were ended at the reading room, which was about nine-thirty that night. We drove over to this man's home about five or six blocks away. He came to the door with an open Bible in his hand, but I could see that all was not well. This conversation then followed.

"Brother Arnold, we have missed you so. I hope you are not ill." He answered no.

"What's wrong, Brother Arnold? Has some­one been discouraging you?"

"Well, some of the people from the other church have been talking to me, and I decided I would just stay away from everybody and read my Bible at home."

"Brother Arnold, remember, it's always darkest just before the dawn. The devil knows you are taking your stand, and he is making it hard for you, but you are going to come out all right. God is going to help you. You will be stronger than ever because of this battle. It's late now, but tomorrow morning come over to the reading room, and we will go through all the doctrines with you again, and I'm sure God's Word will settle it for you." He promised he would come, and at ten o'clock the next morning he was there. The man's faith in this message returned fully, and he said, "Now it is settled forever. No one will shake me again." Before he went away he said, "After you left my home last night I thought to myself, 'Who am I that they should care that much—to come here this late after a long, hard day? They really care. There is something to this religion.' "

He was baptized with the very next group and is now a faithful member and trustworthy helper at the reading room. I thanked God that we were at hand to take that "cream" off before it was stirred back with the milk.

So, while you watch the general interest and find new interests, concentrate on the outstanding in­terests. In other words, take off the cream that is rising to the top. Then there will be one group after another developing for baptism.


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By MRS. H. ELLEN CURRAN, Bible Instructor, Southern California Conference

March 1946

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