It rejoices us as workers to see one of our fellow laborers, who, in exercising the gift of an evangelist, brings the message to large audiences with gratifying success. However, when once these persons have made a decision for Christ, the work for them is not done; it is merely begun. It is one thing for an individual to have an experience with God, and something else to maintain the experience, and build upon the foundation laid.
The church is in need of continual revival and strengthening in the faith. Often an evangelist, shortly after the completion of a series of evangelistic services, passes to another field of labor, leaving the new converts with only a good start in the Christian life. These "babes in the truth" must be built up by someone, and the lot quite naturally falls to the pastor or district leader. Fostering this interest, together with other interests left by the evangelist, and the natural openings for interests that come to the average pastor, presents wonderful opportunities for soul winning without the use of a public effort as we ordinarily think of one.
A district superintendent with four or five churches has a wonderful vineyard in which to labor. Usually the home church in a man's district is the largest church under his care, and receives the ,major portion of his time and service. But this should not prevent him from giving a fair share of his time and effort to the smallest of his churches. A well-planned program in a district calls for definite appointments each month to be carried out with jealously guarded regularity. We should have definite Sabbaths, or at least one Sabbath each month, for every church in the district. In addition to this, time should be spent if necessary during the week, in visiting the members and fostering interests in the community. Regularity in a well-planned program will greatly strengthen the churches and open doors for conversions.
Several years ago I took over a district of several churches. Among others, there was a small church of less than a dozen members. I asked the elder one day how long it had been since there had been an addition to his church. He answered, "A long time." My next question was, "Is there any prospect?" "Not that I know of," came his reply. But I had noticed a fine lad of high school age in his own home, who had not united with the church. I suggested to this leader, "Why not set your goal to win your boy for Christ this year?" He accepted the challenge. In less than a year I had the joy of baptizing this boy. What a pity that there are so many churches in our conferences where the years come and go, and not one soul has been added to the church either by baptism or on profession of faith. It is a challenge to us as district men not to let it happen in our churches.
It is a good practice, if you cannot hold a full series of meetings with all the churches in your district, to have revival periods of a week or ten days, to garner in those who know the message and the teachings of the church, but who have never made a surrender to Christ in willing obedience. Often in meetings of short duration, one will create an interest with a family or two who are not familiar with the truth. These should be followed up with Bible studies in the home, by the pastor or some capable layman. It is an old and tried method, and it brings results.
In addition to this, the eleven o'clock sermon on Sabbath, the Sabbath school, the young people's meeting, and the prayer meeting can all be made soul-winning agencies, and definitely should be.
Make Sabbath Services Soul Winning
In the eleven o'clock hour. preach practical sermons that will reach hearts. Build people up in Christ. Work for decisions, ask for them, expect them.
An older minister was approached by a young man who had become discouraged with the meager results in his ministry. The older man asked, "Well, you don't expect decisions every time you preach, do you?" "No," said the younger man, "not every time." "That is your difficulty," came the reply.
There is nothing that will take the place of a definite burden for the lost and the needy. If you personally know the way to Christ, you can point others to Christ, and it will be a pleasure to do so.
The other day I heard a story over the radio during the Kate Smith program. It went some thing like this : A missionary who had spent years of service in a foreign land was walking down the street of an American town looking for the post office. He approached a little fellow on the street and asked him the way. The lad gladly gave the information, then said, "Mister, what is your line of work?" The man answered, "I'm a missionary." "What is a missionary?" queried the lad. "A missionary," said the man, "is one who shows people the way to Christ." Puzzled for a moment, the lad finally said, "Mister, how can you show people the way to Christ, when you don't even know the way to the post office?" The story has an obvious lesson. We do know the way to Christ and we can show others the way.
In Sabbath services consecrations need to be made. Give an invitation: invite people to come forward. Talk to them about the things in their experience regarding which they need help, about the times when possibly they have failed. Ask for those who want special help to remain. Get their names. Watch for the timid souls who may slip out of the meeting. They may be under deep conviction, but lack courage to come forward, or to remain for consultation and prayer. By all means visit them in their homes at an early opportunity. Get the names of interested ones by having a good church "greeter" at the door. By all means have a register for visitors to write their names and addresses in. Check the book carefully for new names, so you can keep your visiting up to date.
SABBATH SCHOOL.—Officers and teachers in the Sabbath school should be taught to be soul winners. Urge upon the teacher a definite burden for each member of his class. If a member is absent from Sabbath school, do not wait for several weeks before you let the absent member know that he is missed. Make a visit at the earliest possible opportunity; use the telephone; or at least drop a card. Obviously some responsibility must be placed on the Sabbath school class and teacher. It is a good experience for them, and a wonderful help to the pastor to have his churches organized and working at this type of service. It is a noble goal to set when a teacher strives to see his class one hundred per cent converted and baptized.
YOUNG PEOPLE'S MEETING.—Then there is the Missionary Volunteer meeting. Elect good leaders—leaders who have a burden for the youth. There are many young people who come to our Missionary Volunteer meetings who need Christ. The programs should be well planned and practical, and the working bands well organized to put the young people into service.
PRAYER MEETING.—I think of the prayer meeting. I have used series of studies successfully. I spent eleven months dealing with "The Sermon on the Mount." I learned that it is possible to give the entire message in a little different cloak, by using this "Master Sermon by the Master Preacher" as the basis. Charts are used in connection with the studies, as they add interest, as the subject is developed and is unfolded week by week. In connection with each service we allow ample time for prayer and testimony service. I recently concluded a series of studies dealing with "The Time of the End." The basis of this series, in addition to the Bible, was the closing chapters of The Great Controversy, and Early Writings. In addition to the blessing of the prayer meeting series, a number who did not have these good books were led to add them to their libraries. I have just completed some studies dealing with the Lord's prayer.
INGATHERING ORPORTUNITIE S.—Ingathering work presents a wonderful opportunity for baptisms and the finding of interests without holding a public effort. This campaign should not be primarily a money-raising campaign. It should be soul winning. I believe that when we get the soul-winning slant on Ingathering more firmly, we shall raise more money while we are winning more souls. Sometimes I think we do this work too hurriedly. If the main objective is to raise money, then possibly the sooner we get it over with the better. If the Ingathering is used to find interested persons Of to create interest, it takes time. When the work is done too hurriedly, territory outside the city is often neglected. I don't know when those persons who live on the byroads, away from the cities and thoroughfares, will be reached by personal ministry unless we take time to seek them out. I believe that the Ingathering presents a wonderful opportunity to do just that.
I like to find a few laymen who have the proper burden, and start them Ingathering early, and keep them at it late. They are supplied with other pieces of literature, including radio logs and Bible school enrollment cards. Names of interested ones are faithfully reported and recorded so that the interest may be intelligently followed up.
In the reporting of monies raised, we have followed the recommended six-week policy, and after the six weeks, charts, reports, and other items are dispensed with, and the church hears no more about Ingathering until next year. However, we urge all to finish the territory assigned, even if the official time of the campaign is over.
CHURCH SCHOOL.—Then there is the church school. Happy is the church that has a church school, with a teacher or teachers who love the boys and girls, and whose chief aim in life is to build men and women for God. Happy is the pas tor who sees in these sometimes seemingly impossible boys and girls the future workers of this cause, and the citizens of a better world. If opportunities do not open for you to make contacts with the boys and girls, open the opportunities. I believe that a pastor should make it a point some time during the school year, to have one or more personal visits with every boy and girl in the school. Ask the youngster what he plans to do in life, when he grows up. Help him to see that God wants him in service for Him, if time should last. Hold before the students our work and its various branches of service. Talk positively to them. Make them feel that you expect to see every one of them trained for some line of service for God.
Work with the teachers for a one hundred percent Adventist school. Pastors, avail yourselves of opportunities to conduct Weeks of Prayer. It takes time and effort, but it pays wonderful dividends in decisions for Christ.
Way to Get More—Give More
The story is told of a missionary from another organization who had come home for a furlough. One Sunday he with his small son attended a little country church. As they stepped inside, they noticed a box where the worshipers were invited to drop in a contribution. The missionary reached into his pocket, removed a fifty-cent piece, and dropped it into the box.
When it was learned that the man was a missionary, he was invited to speak. After the service was over, the deacon went to the box and opened it. He found only the half dollar. He came to the missionary and said, "Sir, we follow the practice in this church of giving to the speaker the money that is placed in this box."
The missionary's son had been watching the whole process. After getting outside, the little fellow looked up into the face of his father and said, "Father, if you had put more in, you would have gotten more out."
And so it is with our work. The more we put into the service of God, the more we will get. God grant that we may put our all into the greatest of all causes—the winning Of souls for eternity.
