Expectation is the state of anticipation of future benefits or excellence—the prospect of future good. So the dictionary has it, and so the Bible instructor hopes, as she is invited to take up work with the evangelist. For the sake of clarity and speed I have divided the subject into four sections: ( I) the evangelist in the workers' meeting; (2) the evangelist in campaign work; (3) the evangelist in the homes of the people; and (4) the evangelist as a man.
I. The Evangelist in the Workers' Meeting
The Lord designs that His work shall be carried solidly. It was the Saviour's purpose that the messengers of the gospel should be associated together to be mutually helpful, the defects in one being partially covered by the virtues in the other. It is the workers' meeting that provides time and opportunity to study together, not only the problems of the work in your particular district, but lessons from the Word as a means of counsel and help. In all the Lord's arrangements there is nothing more beautiful than His plan of giving to men and women a diversity of gifts. The Lord desires His chosen servants to learn how to unite together in harmonious effort. The workers' meeting can be a consulting room where evangelist and Bible instructor may talk together, offer kindly criticism, suggest, adapt, encourage, and sympathize. Don't let it develop into a situation where an evangelist, who feels his importance, raps out orders and issues commands
Begin your workers' meeting on time. When your Bible instructor arrives at your home at 10 A.M. on a lovely spring morning, don't chide her for arriving early, telling her she has a bad conscience and can't sleep ! Be ready, with your breakfast eaten and your shoes laced up, and you'll find a Bible instructor who respects you and who will work faithfully with you.
Explain your methods of work and the keeping of records to your Bible instructor. If she has any better suggestion for doing things, even though she has learned it from an evangelist she has worked with previously, don't throw it out untried with a "you're not with so-and-so now !" If that is your attitude, she will soon understand the fact that you are unwilling to learn from others.
As the names and problems of the interested are discussed, you must pray. I do feel that much more success would be manifest if the workers could pray together in peace and quiet, without the disturbing knowledge that the baby's bath was in progress, or some such evidence of domestic bliss. Let us not become so familiar with holy things that we fail to give the work of God the respect and reverence it demands. Let us have order and system as we plan the work of God. Seek the Lord together. God intends that we should be a help and blessing to each other. Let the workers' meeting fulfill that purpose.
2. The Evangelist in Campaign Work
The Bible instructor understands that the evangelist bears the brunt of responsibility for the planning of the campaign. She does not wish to usurp his place. But she expects to be informed of the plans in operation for the campaign, and is willing to share in the tasks of preparation. She wants to feel that this is a united effort to win souls.
Acquaint your Bible instructor with the order of service. She is just as keen to see things through successfully as you are, so let her make suggestions where necessary. A woman can often see where a man is blind.
Introduce your Bible instructor to the people. Your words will help her tremendously to find an entrance into homes. Remember she will be the first to make personal contact with the individual. She will get to know his problems and worries more intimately, perhaps, than you. She will have more opportunity to get nearer to him than you. Therefore, she stands or falls by your representation of her to the people. Encourage them to have confidence in her. She will do the same for you as she talks with them privately. If they know she is a graduate from the same missionary college which you attended, this gives her a standing at once, and the people will not think of her merely as the woman who gives out the hymnbooks, or tidies up after the meeting.
Important things sometimes occur to call an evangelist awaY right in the crisis of the interest. If you have backed up your Bible instructor and created confidence in her, then she can hold the fort until your return, with no slackening of the interest. Do remember that in many respects she is just as capable as you are.
If it is at all possible, the Bible instructor should be free from playing the musical instrument, so as to be able to meet the people and get to know them. Many a contact has been made as the interested ones come and go. Therefore, try to make it possible for your worker to have this opportunity.
While the effort meetings are in progress I do not think it advisable for the Bible instructor to be outside the hall, or in some anteroom, caring for the evangelist's child. She expects to be allowed to remain in the meeting, to watch the effect of the message on the hearers and generally to do the work for which she has been trained. Many of our hearers are devout worshipers in the established churches, and judge us by the dignity and reverence of their own assemblies.
The Bible instructor expects you as the evangelist to preach the Word. That is your task. The truth-seeking public are not interested in your family affairs and whether you think you are underpaid or not. Keep these things out of your sermons. The Bible instructor feels ashamed when she has to face the suggestion from several dear old sisters that they should take up an offering for the evangelist, as he is so poor ! The things we say in the pulpit reflect on our organized work and on the message of truth we preach. Let us see to it that that re-flexion always shows the beauty of the truth in Christ, and loyalty to the movement we represent.
There is a welcome idea growing in our ranks that the Bible instructor can be more profitably employed than in giving out handbills week by week. No Bible instructor will refuse to do her reasonable share of this work if the evangelist's budget cannot provide release from it. But she should not have the burden of seeing to the distribution of all the handbills, or take a major share herself. She expects that the evangelist will see to this item, and thus allow her to concentrate on the visiting, with energies fresh and unimpaired.
Studying the truth with people and pleading for souls takes time. The Bible instructor expects the evangelist to be reasonable in his demands, and not expect her to be in and out of a home in twenty minutes. Trust your worker. Advise her, by all means; but trust her. She has, as you have, a sense of responsibility to God for the way she spends her time in the homes of the people. Remember that at times she does some extra service in the home, such as helping the sick, aged, or infirm, or trying to break down prejudice. Let her know you trust her common sense not to outwear her welcome.
3. Evangelist in Homes of People
In course of time, then, as a result of her visiting, the Bible instructor will arrange for the evangelist to call on the people in their homes. Here the Bible instructor expects to take a back seat. She expects the evangelist to bring his own Bible, not to borrow hers, and to live up to the reputation she has been building up for him over the weeks. She is wise enough to know that the wind and the weather must form part of the conversation, but she rejoices as he turns to spiritual themes and establishes the eager soul in present truth. Her heart warms as he forges another link in the chain that anchors the soul to the Rock of salvation.
The Bible instructor expects the evangelist to follow up the work he begins in the pulpit. She is dismayed when he spends so much time in his own house that he has no time to visit or engage in any part of the work except preaching. She expects him to be free of home duties during the hours of a normal working day. No minister should be measured simply by his ability as a speaker. The harder part comes after he leaves the pulpit. If half of the sermonizing were done, and double the labor given to souls in their own homes, a result would be seen that would be surprising. During the past six months I have been amazed at the amount of work it is possible to accomplish when a man sets himself to work honestly during reasonable hours.
4. The Evangelist as a Man
Finally, what does the Bible instructor expect of the evangelist as a man?
She expects him to be a Christian gentleman. She is thrown much into his association, and learns to read him as an open book. She expects friendliness, but not familiarity ; authority, but not dictatorship; appreciation, but not flattery; an understanding that she is human and a woman.
There is danger that the women connected with the work will be required to labor too hard, without proper periods of rest. Such severe taxation should not be brought upon them. Periods of rest are necessary for all, especially women. Because she is a woman, she is pre= pared to be faithful and loyal to the evangelist, to prove herself capable and willing in service. She may not be able to sing like Melba, or play like Paderewski, or preach like Paul. But if you remember she is not a machine, and are prepared to regard her as a colaborer with yourself and God, your joint labors will result in success and fruitfulness for the cause to which all evangelists and Bible instructors have dedicated themselves.
