The United States Army Regulations circulated in January, 1957, lay heavy stress on the importance of good community relations to the successful operation of military installations.
"Public Information: Community Relations," AR 360-55 begins in this vein: "1. General. The Army comes into closest contact with the public at the installation level. Therefore, commanders must conduct active community relations programs."
Here is an organization with no product to sell, no peculiar beliefs to promote. It exists under law to do a job. Yet good community relations are so important to its success that a direct order is issued: "Commanders must conduct active community relations programs."
As leaders in another kind of army, much more dependent upon public opinion, what great progress we could make in our work on "the installation level" if every "commander" could place himself under the same kind of directive. The Army Regulations continue:
Primary staff responsibility for this aspect of Army public relations rests on the information officer. However, every member . . . has an individual responsibility for the maintenance of good community relations.
Opportunities exist for the individual to associate himself with reputable civic groups such as Parent-Teacher Associations, business and professional clubs, youth groups, veterans' organizations, religious groups, charitable organizations, and other activities of mutual interest in the community.
A closer bond of understanding and good will results when members of the community and military arid civilian employees of the Army and their dependents participate in these activities.
Nine pages follow, spelling out in close detail many specifics of a community-relations program including open houses, exhibits, visits to service clubs, and cooperation in charitable and civic programs.
Interestingly, there is one area where these principles do not apply, where the Army does not want close contact with the public. Where? In installations where the Army doesn't want the public to understand its work, secret work. In describing the staging of open-house events, the Regulations read,
Installations . . . in which the presentation of a clear idea of the mission of the installation would involve matters of security will not conduct open house programs. (Italics supplied.)
Broadening the principle a bit, there is a real clue here for any group that wants to prevent the public from getting a clear idea of its mission. Just keep arm's length away. Public understanding will then be unclear enough to please the most stringent security officer!
The mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, however, is something to be revealed, not concealed. Sometimes there has been a tendency to make the precept of separation from the world a justification of exclusiveness in social and civic as well as spiritual life. This is unwarranted and unfortunate, for it has caused far too many of the people we would like to reach to have a completely unclear idea of our mission. We have concealed it from them in spite of publications, broadcasts, publicity, and lectures. How? By failure to utilize the most powerful persuasive force of all—love and friendship conveyed from person to person.
Such a bond of fellowship and respect places one in a position to lead spiritually. It cannot be forged by preaching alone. We must become one with the people in their interests and activities. "If you want people to be interested in you, be interested in them," one of our speakers at the recent North American Public Relations Council aptly said.
The Saviour, separate from the world in His superior spiritual life, became linked with the world by choice. He left courts of spiritual glory to mingle with sinful men that He might lead them. How much more effective that was than merely sending down instructions from the courts above. Many Seventh-day Adventist pastors have demonstrated that the same principle proves true in our calling to exert a spiritual leadership in our communities.
Good community relations suggest thoughtful understanding of community problems and attitudes, as well as a thorough understanding of the outlook one's congregation has toward the community. Here again, we can take a cue from the military.
Community relations is that command function that appraises the attitudes of the civilian community toward the command as well as the attitudes of the command toward the civilian community and initiates programs of action to earn community respect and confidence.
"Respect and confidence!"—Are not these the ingredients now needed that the work of the church might go forward as with wings? Good public relations growing out of deep concern for those lost in sin can mean more to the cause of God than all our money and material equipment. As officers in the army of the Lord let us foster community interest, following the example of the Captain of our salvation.
