Every evangelistic worker is intensely interested in laying hold of guiding principles and effective ways for making his effort count for the most in winning souls. But where will one turn for this desired information? If one had access to a library of a million volumes, what book could he take down from the shelves that would really help him to know how to lead souls to deci sion for the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus?
Hundreds of volumes on evangelism have been written by non-Adventist ministers. Many helpful thoughts may be gleaned from these books. But Seventh-day Adventist evangelism is distinctive. Our message and movement are unique and iso lated in Christendom. Hence, books on evangelism by ministers of other churches do not and cannot offer the help we need in winning people to the third angel's message.
But our need is now met by the new Ministerial Reading Course book, Evangelism. For the first time in the history of our work we have in one volume the over-all divine blueprint for Seventh-day Adventist evangelism. In this volume every worker may find the guidance for which he has longed.
Workers are constantly confronted with the question, Which is the best way to do this? How should I proceed with that? Many have sought to find the best way by the trial-and-error method. But in this new volume, which covers in the main the over-all instruction which God has sent to the advent people on how to present our message, we find the guidance which we need on the numer ous aspects of evangelism.
I desire to bear personal testimony to the high value and molding power of these counsels on evangelism. My faith in the Spirit of prophecy has been confirmed by these counsels. When I was invited to Washington in 1939 to teach a course on methods of evangelism at the Seminary, I sensed the need of investigating the full Spirit of prophecy counsels concerning the various aspects of evangelism. Especially did I seek to ascertain what Mrs. White had written to former evange listic workers as found in unpublished manuscripts, testimonies, and articles in periodicals.
As I began to investigate these sources, I was amazed at what was to be found. Principles which had taken me twenty-five or thirty years to dis cover by the trial-and-error method, had been plainly recorded in the E. G. White writings years before. Then I sensed how I could have accom plished far more could I have had access to these counsels at the beginning of my ministry. Now all these valuable counsels are available in one volume to every Seventh-day Adventist worker throughout the world.
I was convinced anew that God had directed Ellen White's pen to bring us guidance. I know of no principle of evangelism in her writings that, when applied in our efforts, has not proved to be the most effective method. The fact that certain principles which have taken some of us nearly a lifetime to discover were all recorded in her coun sels addressed to evangelists many decades ago is evidence of the mark of divine authenticity.
Two of the many principles enun ciated by her which have revolutionized my own methods in conducting an evangelistic campaign might well be mentioned. These counsels led me to see most clearly that the real basis of all Seventh-day Adventist evangelism is the threefold message of Revelation 14:6-14. I said to myself, "Why should we not approach the public from the standpoint of this great message of God for our day, and let every sermon be a step-by-step unfolding of this divine message?" Every time I have tried this plan, it has worked better than before. So it led me to completely readjust my order of subjects, the setting of the sermons, the focal point of the appeals, etc. I find that this plan is an outstanding aid in securing decisions.
In these counsels I found repeated emphasis on the matter of first preaching short sermons, then changing the order, so as to have an afterinterview or aftermeeting with the interested. This was strongly recommended in Mrs. White's counsels as a means for securing decisions. During the last few years I have applied this principle increas ingly in my evangelism, and it has proved fruitful every time.
I am now revising and reconstructing all my campaign sermons in keeping with this counsel. I am preparing a full series of brief aftermeeting studies, so that beginning with the second week of the campaign there will be an aftermeeting in connection with nearly every sermon. These studies will be designed to lead the interested step by step into the experience of conversion, then into keeping the Sabbath of Christ and the other essential practices He has appointed for His fol lowers, and next into membership in the remnant church of Christ.
These are only two out of the numerous prin ciples set forth in this new book, which is destined to be an invaluable aid to our workers. We shall find that it is ever true, "Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established ; believe His proph ets, so shall ye prosper."
