Where Do We Find Our Bible Instructors?

Miss Mary Walsh hardly needs an intro­duction to the North American Bible in­structors. She is one of our most experienced evangelistic workers, and her article on page 34 conveys a practical message to our Bible in­structors around the world. Having a back­ground of Catholicism, Miss Walsh is aware of the need of training laymen to meet intelli­gently doctrinal queries along these lines. Her article will bring the Bible instructors in all lands a new consciousness that pastors and Bi­ble instructors have the responsibility of train­ing lay talent as helpers.

Although Bible instructors are usually kept more than busy looking after the interested ones, occasionally, during the year, any such worker will find time to impart to teachable laymen the secret of her own skills. It is gratify­ing to know that church training classes, properly led and conducted according to our pattern of public evangelism, become the means of dis­covering new talent. While trained lay workers usually find their place in church evangelism, according to Spirit of prophecy counsel God will point out new talent for conference Bible work. This should be so if our ranks are to be replenished.

A Bible instructor is the first base for guid­ing new recruits into the profession. All young people aspiring to enter our work today need training in our denominational schools, and the Bible work is no exception. Then when we have guided these young people to our schools we should make certain they maintain a vision of the Bible work. Conference lead­ers, pastors, and Bible instructors do well not to leave this guidance and supervision entirely with college faculties, for there is danger of other professions crowding in and luring the worker in training from his original plan. The development of a symmetrical work, a work providing for all the gifts of the church, should be the burden of our educational institutions. Therefore, while bringing new converts into the faith, let us also take our Bible work con­scientiously, guiding others into the ministry of personal evangelism. This is God's sugges­tion for building a strong Bible work in our ranks.

We close with a few suggestions for finding new recruits for the profession:

1. Let every Bible instructor make certain that she herself enthusiastically enlists new tal­ent.
2. Periodically, conduct church training classes to develop lay Bible instructors.
3. Choose promising young people from these training groups and guide them to our schools for formal education. Adventism today must have intelligent, trained workers.
4. Inspire the youth in our colleges to dedi­cate themselves to personal evangelism. In ev­ery college area, progressive field Bible instruc­tors should be frequent guests at these institutions. They will bring fresh inspiration from their field experiences. Glamourize your Bible work, and fraternize with the young people in your union, keeping them headed right.
5. Also encourage young men whom God is calling into personal evangelism to prepare for conference Bible work.