Henry Ford once said, "Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs." The truth of this statement is proved by the existence of Ford's multi-million dollar auto empire. The fantastic accomplishments of legitimate business projects cannot be attributed to Satan's support or guidance. Many godly men have with deep thought and invincible spirits developed industrial domains. Why do these businesses succeed? The answer to this question should give some practical methods that can be effectively used in our church program, especially in maintaining our membership increases and in reclaiming back sliders.
Good organization is of signal importance in any business. The same applies to the church. By "good" I mean workable and practical. A business that is operated for profit either finds this type of organization or fails. In order for a business to be successful, all waste and useless programs have to be eliminated promptly. Constant guard must be maintained against inefficiency and inoperative plans. The compelling force behind this system is profit! City, State, and national governments do not operate on a profit basis. Their lifeblood flows from taxes. As a result we often see and hear about waste, overorganization, unproductive positions, and useless plans. The church is in this latter category, for our visible structure operates mainly on the gifts and offerings of the people. We face a grave danger of being pronounced a failure in the judgment day unless we operate at a profit a profit of souls won, backsliders reclaimed, and the message given to the world, culminating in the kingdom won! Since we are not forced to use methods that will ensure a monetary profit from our work, we are placed in a vulnerable position. It is quite easy for our attention and efforts to be diverted to projects that bring little or no returns. Satan constantly attempts to thwart any plans or organization that would transfer men from this world to the world above. One method of accomplishing this evil feat is to have God's ministers so involved with every other conceivable task that their primary work is postponed until the noiseless foot of time shall walk no more.
First Things First
Therefore we must study, devise, and choose methods that will bring success and put first things first. It is quite possible and frequently occurs in our work to follow the sliding rule just let things aimlessly drift. After all, our pay check reaches us each month; we have our paid vacations, sick benefits, auto allowances, travel budgets, rent subsidies, and so forth. A worldly firm will release an individual who does not tangibly contribute to the profit of that institution. This action, however, is quite rare in church employ. But this fact in no sense proves that all workers are operating on a profit basis. Thus we find that the combination of financial benefits and security of position tends to make us Satan's special target and too often he hits the mark!
Have we ever frankly considered the amount of success we would achieve if called upon to develop or engineer some secular job? Let's do some realistic thinking. Here is a factory that employs 250 people, and you or I, having the same degree of qualifications for this work that we now possess in religious duties, have been selected as manager. Suppose that we put the same amount of labor, thought, energy, enthusiasm, time, organization, and attention into this business that we are currently putting into ecclesiastical functions, regardless of the type. What would the results be? Our answers to this question will classify us on either the gain or the loss side of the church ledger sheet!
Dun & Bradstreet reports reveal that thou sands of businesses fail every year, and thou sands of others succeed. I have no doubt that if this business survey organization had existed in New Testament days and had given study to the work of the early church, grading it on the basis of its success in relation to the purpose for which it was established, the apostles as leaders and planners and the church member ship as supporters would have secured the high est rating possible. This same record could be repeated for the 1844 movement, but I wonder what rating we would receive today as a denomination or as individual workers. What rating could we possibly receive when in North America the ordained ministers, with the support of all other denominational workers and assisted by the entire church membership, baptized less than ten souls each during 1952? (See "Missing 90,000!" in last month's MINISTRY.) True, our financial credit rating may be tops, but good credit doesn't prove this or any other church to be successful. God will not judge the church from financial statistical reports, but rather from souls saved as a result of our combined efforts! What will change this picture not only the picture of just ten souls for each ordained minister, but the picture of losing more than half of those we gain? Many answers could be given, but let us check our church soul-holding and soul-winning organization. One of the obvious aims of a good business is not only to get customers but to hold them. This means profit! There is no limit to the ideas, methods, mechanics, and zeal that progressive business establishments use to gain and hold buyers. Re member, this type of program is followed the year round with absolutely no letup, and the majority of these companies are selling prod ucts that people really want and that are considered necessary for the welfare and happiness of the public.
The church too is a sales organization. Our aim should be to get and hold customers. Yet I am fearful to ask whether the church, to accomplish this aim, is using methods and plans that are commensurate with the trials and difficulties faced in securing customers for our movement. What I have witnessed on the part of some, who fail in foundation principles of church organization such as keeping church clerk books straight and up to date, plans for reclaiming backsliders, a church soul-winning program, and other elementary systems to strengthen and unify the church seems to indicate either a failure to sense the responsibilities that rest upon us as ministers or that we are just simply not about our Father's business.
Think of the glorious opportunities we have to share in God's work! No enterprise in this world, regardless of its objectives, begins to compare with the divine program in which God has graciously permitted us to have a part. The product we sell is everlasting. We deal not with time but with eternity. The price is right for all. Surely our zeal and perseverance in devising and executing plans to secure and retain customers should be in proportion to the value of this unrivaled product. In this series of articles the reclamation of backsliders through complete and effective organization of the individual churches is being stressed. The following suggestive outline is nothing new, but only a re-emphasis of the basic principle of having a definite, workable project for the church. Let it ever be kept in mind that what has already been written and the outline following are utterly worthless apart from divine power. Superior planning and perfect mechanics can never operate the church at a "soul profit" unless they are coupled with the Holy Spirit and the abiding love of God.
Church Organization
1. It is imperative to have an up-to-the-minute membership list if we are to put the church to work at knowing and holding its members.
2. When we are beginning our work in a church, the first thing to do is to have all members fill out a mimeographed questionnaire, which, when completed, is a thorough report of the past and present of each person. Some of the more important items are: name, home ad dress, business address, home telephone, business telephone (if no telephone, give neighbor's, for use in case of emergency); date when received into membership; occupation, hobbies, musical ability, church offices held; whether receiving the Review and Herald, free union paper, etc.; names, ages, and grades of all children, with two spaces for indicating baptism and church school attendance; list of relatives, especially husband or wife, out of truth, and reasons why; list of all backsliders' names and addresses they may remember or know about.
3. Be sure to secure this sheet from each individual member, including the youth. I prefer to transfer this information to a visible record system rather than a card file, personally using a Faultless, Type D-145-sb, 14 X 5 3/4, visible record notebook system. One is able to see the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of nearly forty people at a glance. Another advantage is that this one book can be carried easily to any church meeting or kept in the car for visiting purposes. Also, all entries are secured by rings, thus eliminating loose cards. This is considered the master file system of the entire church membership. Once this book is completed, there is very little work to do in maintaining it if it is done consistently.
4. Make a separate file of all children in the church. Keep it up to date by adding names and dates of babies born. This is an invaluable aid in boosting Christian education, dedication days, summer training camps, and MV class activities.
5. Most of our churches and districts are large enough to warrant the owning of some type of addressograph machine. The Elliott equipment is good. It is inexpensive to own and operate. This along with a mimeograph machine adds much to program efficiency. In almost a matter of minutes it is possible to send to the entire membership a notice that would otherwise re quire hours of work.
6. Secure a large map of the city or district, preferably one four or five feet long with cor responding height. Get numbered map tacks or flatheaded tacks such as Moore's 3/8-inch marking tacks, which can be numbered with ink and O __ then covered with a sprayed plastic film. The reason that the use of numbered tacks is best is so that one can identify the people who live in any given section of the city. Keep a separate numerical card file for this map. For instance, one wishes to know who lives where tack number 45 is placed. He can go quickly through the file to card number 45, and there find the names of all church members at that address. Another benefit of this system, especially in larger cities, is that when a call is to be made in a certain section one can simply go to the map and copy all numbers of tacks in that vicinity and then identify the names and addresses through the numerical card file. It is obvious that while in that particular section one can make several other calls, and thus save precious time and car expense too. Also, when one plans a routine visiting program of all members, this type of map with numbered tacks will save untold hours of time.
7. I use three different colors of map tacks and also three sets of numbers as follows: (a) Green tacks numbered 1 to 200 are used for homes of all faithful members. (Use only one tack for each home, regardless of the number of Adventists living there. The card file will identify all members.) (b) Red tacks numbered 300 to 350 are used to identify local elders and group leaders, as explained later, (c) Pink tacks numbered from 400 to 500 are used for all weak and backslidden members. This is called the "400 club," which includes only those back sliders who are on the present church list.
8. After the map is completed, with all tacks placed, then divide the members into geographical groups of not more than twenty people. Try to select a group leader and an assistant in each section where a group is situated. Change group leaders' tacks from green to red. In some cases one will have to choose leaders from an other section of the city.
9. Place a local church elder over three or four groups. This division we call a district. It 'is imperative to have a meeting of all group leaders and elders. Let the responsibilities be known, and give everyone, including elders, opportunity to resign if they know definitely that they will be unable to carry on the pro gram. This is most important and must be handled tactfully. However, the success of this system depends upon the willingness of the elders and group leaders to plan the work and work the plan! Let the group leaders under stand that the members in their group and the territory under their control are their parish or church to oversee and evangelize. The elders are to understand that it is their responsibility to take care of their district. Even then the pastor must push the project continuously. It will not run itself; a strong leader must guide constantly.
10. All group leaders and elders are then provided with Lefax binders with special forms and information concerning their respective charges. The first objective is to increase church and Sabbath school attendance and to find the backsliders whose names are on the current church list. The following steps are taken to accomplish this: a. Group leaders visit entire group at least once a quarter. b. Check list every Sabbath to find those who are missing. c. Find out immediately why they were miss ing, and assure them they were missed. d. When backsliders are located, then the group leader is to take the district leader, an elder, on the second visit. If success does not attend them, then the elder is to bring it to the pastor, who in turn goes with elder to make the third visit. The combined opinions of group leaders, local elder, and pastor should give a fair idea as to the possibilities of reclaiming this backslider.
11. This same organization has tremendous possibilities for any church or conference campaign. Of special importance, however, are the soul-winning aspects. After the present church membership is well under control, the same system can be expanded to visit and win those outside the church. For instance, secure all names of members who have been dropped in the past. Use a blue tack or some other color, numbering from 500 to 600, for people who are prospective members. This can also be used for interests of the Voice of Prophecy, Faith for Today, Signs of the Times, local conference Bible schools, and, best of all, for local public evangelistic interests. When a name is received, find out what section it should go into, and for ward the name to the proper group leader with the necessary explanation.
2. As the work expands, group leaders are to place responsibility on others within their own groups to begin visiting and giving Bible studies.
There is no limit to the future of this type of program, but it must be put into operation and be kept in operation by the pastor. I repeat, It will not run by itself. There is nothing that compares with a church at work. It is thrilling to see and hear the good that work does for the entire church program. This is the only way the work will be finished by harnessing the latent power within our grasp. The church is ready for it. The question is, Are we willing to divide up our responsibility into small parts and let the church help us?
Just What Is Backsliding?
LOUISE C. KLEUSER Associate Secretary, General Conference Ministerial Association
We are all backsliders to some extent. When Enoch in his day reached the stage where he had overcome all back sliding, then the Lord "took him." As one fol lows the thought of backsliding through the entire Bible, it becomes very evident that back sliding is a disease from which the sinner must be cleansed. Only God is able to help settle our Christian experience so as to fasten our desires fully on Him. He claims His children as His own, and in the figure of a familiar text, He is "married" unto us. Whenever the children of Israel connected themselves with the elements of the world, they were unfaithful to their troth to God. In this sense He refers to Himself as being a jealous God who woos our complete allegiance.
As a denomination, our understanding of backsliding usually means that those who were once identified with us in regular church fellowship are no longer worshiping with us. For some reason they have lost interest in our doctrines or have grown cold toward our fellowship. Seventh-day Adventists carry only an active list. When our membership lists are checked, some, we are sorry to say, need to be classified as backsliders. Among this number may be those who have been labored with dur ing a probationary period, so that the church board is now clear about dropping their names.
We strongly believe in continuing our work for these estranged members. We should never drop them without having exhausted all our efforts to bring them back into the fold. This is not the work of just any church officer; those who are "spiritual," as Paul says in Galatians 6:1, should be enlisted for this delicate and important task. It dare not be a hurried work either, for the problems created by their back sliding are like tangled meshes that must be carefully unsnagged and also mended. This is usually laborious work, and too often it proves to be very unsatisfying to the worker who tries to establish better relationships between the dis affected ones and the church.
Sabbathkeeping Problems
Though there may be those who have wandered away from the paths of Adventism with out experiencing difficulties in keeping the Sabbath, there are many others who have un dergone severe testing before finally giving up the keeping of God's true rest day. These should never be scolded. The worker who calls on members in this group will need to be very sympathetic and understanding, yet courageous
enough to keep pointing to God's standards as taught in the Word. These standards cannot be lowered; the weak believer must be helped to reach higher ground than human strength might indicate to be possible. He must learn to lean on Christ, in whose power he will be able to do "all things." There are no Sabbath problems for which Jesus has not already made provision. The Sabbathkeeping victory was won on Calvary. Often we need to help people out of their frustrations, being assured ourselves as workers that there is a way by which every soul who tries is enabled to keep the Sabbath as God desires it to be kept. It is now that we need to teach the buffeted one lessons of faith and trust.
Persecutions
Without question then; is more persecution for the truth's sake than most church members realize. Conditions that result in persecution have not yet reached Adventism at large. Church officers who have peaceable homes of their own as well as enjoyable church privileges may be hardly aware of the harassing problems of our new converts. It pays for the church visitor to hold to an open mind and to endeavor in an understanding way to bring the right balm to these troubled hearts. Persecution will add strength to these tested characters. It is not pity that is needed as much as inspiration and courage. These buffeted souls need to become acquainted with the precious promises of God's Word. When these promises are personally applied, trials will lose their pressure, and assurance and peace will fill the heart.
Doctrinal Confusions
Some new believers like to shop around for new doctrines; they like to think that they are going places and tasting the grass of distant pastures. Becoming confused, they may be be guiled by Satan's pleasing words and newer ventures. Such should have the visit of the evangelistic worker who first introduced them to our doctrines. If this worker cannot reach the con fused soul, some other trained worker should be assigned the responsibility. This is a part of our ministerial duties, and going forth in the armor of God, we will have nothing to fear. Most often such a visit unpleasant in anticipation will end in victory for the truth. The task should never be put off, for the earlier the confused and straying one can be reached, the better it is for his future.
Church Misunderstandings
We hardly expect misunderstandings among church members, and perhaps fail to forestall church difficulties as we might. It must be remembered, however, that although it is God's church, it still lacks perfection. Its human elements will produce heartaches and disappointments for its members. Unkind words and misunderstandings may need to be dealt with by those whose lives are already on a more even keel. The offended member may be bruised and suffering; therefore, whatever the provocation, it will be charitable and timely to listen to him patiently. If the one who is leading out in the reconciliation will carefully guide his questions away from the offender to the perfect Christ, the Spirit of God will supply a balm, no matter how deep seated the wound. Wounds hurt, and the one who must nurse them does well to speak a comforting word during the painful process of the treatment. The Spirit's knife may have been applied already, but something is needed, to soothe the pain and ease off the pressure. A little airing of the wound may expedite its healing. The first treatment may be the beginning of a more extended healing process.
Getting at the seat of the difficulty will help to prevent another experience of backsliding. But pitying the offended, or condemning the offender, merely braces the one who is grieved to continue to call attention to himself. People must learn that the church is a hospital as well as a lighthouse.
Peter refers to church members as "lively stones." In the tides and convulsions of the ocean, stones of all types and sizes rub against one another. The chipping of these stones will change their appearance, but the effect of the water will aid in the smoothing process. If the affected stone could speak, it might remonstrate against such painful procedure, but the God who directs the course of the sea, as well as the lives of His children, has assured us in His Word that these tossings in human lives are all for our good. Our pastoral duties require that we help the sensitive person to yield sweetly to God's method of polishing, so that he may eventually serve as a glorified stone in God's heavenly temple.
Indeed, the work of reconciling sinners and helping them to build character for eternity is a delicate work. Preventing our members from backsliding is the fine art of a loving pastor. Oh, that God would grant us the full measure of His Spirit's power and use the ministry of this great Advent Movement to end the present disappointment caused by the backsliding of its members!
