Personal Work as Basic Training

The monthly Bible Instructor column.

L.C.K. is an associate editor of the Ministry. 

Convinced that the term "personal worker" requires a new emphasis in an hour when there is true need for this type of worker, we have good news for the field. Our Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C., is now demonstrating that its course in personal evangelism is attracting many young men. College graduates receive postgraduate credit on completion of their classwork. The caliber of those desiring these classes compares favorably with the quality of those in various other fields of concentration. It is being increas­ingly recognized that soul winning is the very life of our work and that it is basic training for Seventh-day Adventist workers. However, this developing interest includes men as well as women.

True Personality

Personality is expedient in personal evange­lism. Training for it is the best way to develop personality. The personal soul winner does not have the backing of a trained choir to prepare the mood for the reception of the message. Un­like the pulpit evangelist, his work is with individuals or smaller groups. He must proceed without fanfare and without the help of gifted assistants. His work at the fireside, in the homes of the people, is solely his responsibility. But he is God's contact man, a gospel salesman. He either wins his man for the Lord, or loses him; there is a tremendous amount at stake. However, there are successive thrills as day by day he helps to decide eternal destinies. This calling of the Lord is a wonderfully sat­isfying service.

Conversational Skill

Bible teaching in such a personal way is not just talking to people. Much of the Bible instructor's energy must be spent in meditative listening; not the listening of the professional psychiatrist, but a detecting of the still small voice of God. The personal worker does not always talk to the one to be helped, whose flow of words about apparently small things may pour forth like a wild cataract over a precipice; he talks to God, pleading for the right words for his next remark.

The role of personal worker hardly suits the "naturally quiet" or "wallflower" types, for it requires rare conversational art. It is far afield from the ordinary cheerio chatter often aptly defined as "small stuff," or the various platitudes of many who also run errands for the Lord while lacking a message from His throne. The true personal worker must present his mission in the assuring conversational tone of a kind friend who has something very won­derful to reveal to the listener. This cannot be accomplished with vivaciousness and sparkle, for the worker has a "life and death" message. It may need to be presented as urgently as the bleating of the Iamb's mother, or it may need to reveal the characteristic strength of a lion. The conversational skill of a real personal worker is fascinatingly powerful and surpris­ingly effective. It is developed through much prayer, Bible study, and experience.

Urgency and Authority

The personal worker is more than a peddler of doctrinal facts; he handles the precious gems of truth. His casual doorstep chats, his fire­side Bible studies, are not just aimed to get people "into the truth." Each is freighted with the worker's heart burden to save lost men and women out of this "untoward generation." His mission is that of ambassadorship, for which he carries a heavenly portfolio. He may be handling grave truths, but these are most attractive to him. So the profession of the per­sonal evangelist is very inspiring, despite some of its unpredictable elements.

Preparation and Background

In addition to a pleasing, soul-winning per­sonality and teaching skill, the personal worker needs a profound knowledge of his message. In the informal setting of a fireside Bible reading there is no telling what queries may be pro­duced. The public evangelist is usually spared the possible embarrassment that may result from conflict in the mind of a listener, but not so with the personal evangelist; he must be heard from on that very point. Therefore it behooves him to be informed to the extent of either knowing or being able to find the answer. The worker must be a good student of the Book as well as of human nature. In evangelism today it is necessary that he teach convincingly. If he is to win to Christ the type of people that first investigate well what they later accept, he must be thorough and organized in every phase of his work. This in itself inspires con­fidence in the instructor's ability to teach a special message from God.

Patience and Poise

Personal evangelism now faces a vast array of competitive forces. Among these we might list many modern gadgets and inventions that claim attention and too often distract from solid Bible investigation. We might here merely men­tion radio and television with their "spots" and sports and shallow thinking. But there are many other distractions, such as the upsets of other­wise adorable babies, the tantrums of spoiled children, the whims of adolescents, the prej­udice of wives, husbands, and relatives gener­ally. One is ever conscious of the casual "drop­ping in" of neighbors and friends at the most inconvenient time in a Bible study. How neces­sary, then, that the personal worker be kind, patient, understanding, and well poised!

Sharpening Our Tools

The reader will readily see that the personal evangelist claims an important calling in the work of our closing message. His work is an artistic science-the science of the ages to come. It is a most satisfying lifework, hardly to be compared with any other, yet it is basic in the training of all Seventh-day Adventist workers. This work is built on contacts with individuals, everywhere and always. Helping others to de­velop character to live with Jesus forever does much for the worker personally-it shapes his own character daily. The skills of personal evangelism are never exhausted, and those who have already entered this calling will be wise to sharpen their tools occasionally for this most delicate work of soul winning. To you per­sonally we extend the invitation to keep well in mind this opportunity at our Theological Seminary.

L. C. K.


Ministry reserves the right to approve, disapprove, and delete comments at our discretion and will not be able to respond to inquiries about these comments. Please ensure that your words are respectful, courteous, and relevant.

comments powered by Disqus

L.C.K. is an associate editor of the Ministry. 

August 1955

Download PDF
Ministry Cover

More Articles In This Issue

The Spirit and Power of Elijah

"And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, . . . to make ready a people pre­pared for the Lord" (Luke 1:17).

Who Is Sufficient for These Things?

May the dear Lord help us all, as minis­ters of the gospel of Christ, to reach this high standard, and through divine help become sufficient for the work of winning souls for the kingdom of God.

The Gift of Tongues

With Particular Attention to 1 Corinthians 12:10

The Question of Rebaptism

There is still another lesson for us in the experience of those Jewish converts.

"Sons of Strangers Shall Build Up Thy Walls" (Part IV)

Questions and Answers on the "Prayer-and-Perspiration" Plan

Southern Asia Seminary Extension School

Report from a recent seminary extension school.

A Woman-Ministry (Part III)

The monthly shepherdess column.

The Ministry of Benevolence (Part 1)

Counsel from the Spirit of Prophecy.

Christ's Righteousness

The Power That Will Finish the Work

Traditional Observance of the Day of Atonement (Part III)

Messianic Echoes in Jewish Traditions—Part III

View All Issue Contents

Digital delivery

If you're a print subscriber, we'll complement your print copy of Ministry with an electronic version.

Sign up
Advertisement - RevivalandReformation 300x250

Recent issues

See All