If someone discovered a sure cure for cancer or heart disease, he would be hailed as a great benefactor of humankind. He would be adding years to the lives of many.
Evangelism is doing more than this. Under God it is opening the way for thousands not only to live a few years more but to live forever. What a glorious and thrilling privilege is that of the evangelist!
Paul fully believed in evangelism. He had a vision that became the obsession of his life—the winning of men and women to Jesus Christ.
We know that the Holy Spirit and the angels and all heaven is interested in the saving of souls and that "there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth" (Luke 15:10).
Soul saving is the great objective of the God of the universe, for we read, "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).
Therefore, soul saving is the highest and holiest work God has ever or could ever assign to His creatures. Nothing should distract us from this great task. And the greatest objective of our lives should be to see men and women come to the knowledge of the truth of God.
God's estimate of evangelism is well defined in the following quotations:
"The conversion of souls to God is the greatest, the noblest work in which human beings can have a part."—Testimonies, vol. 7, p. 52.
"The greatest work to which human beings can aspire is the work of winning men from sin to holiness."—The Ministry of Healing, p. 398.
"The greatest work, the noblest effort, in which men can enage, is to point sinners to the Lamb of God."—Gospel Workers, p. 18.
"In comparison with the worth of one soul, the whole world sinks into insignificance."—Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 614.
"Nothing is to be permitted to hinder this work. It is the all-important work for time; it is to be far-reaching as eternity."—Ibid., p. 456.These statements clearly reveal the importance of the work God has given us to do.
It was Christ Himself who outlined the task when He said: "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel" (Mark 16:15). Therefore, evangelism is to be the supreme mission of the church and the primary business of every disciple. We may establish colleges, sanitariums, and hospitals, but they are only successful as they help to win souls to Christ. Each and every department of our organization should be geared to soul winnning.
When a church, mission, conference, or any other phase of our work is not evangelistic in its scope, it is like a lighthouse without a light, a steamboat without steam, or an automobile factory that never turned out a car.
Evangelism is the only business the gains of which will survive the impending wreck of this world. There are many honorable trades in which men engage—building, medicine, law, dentistry, art, agriculture, engineering, et cetera, but most of these have their reward in this life. The soul winner builds for eternity. God's servant has put it graphically in this way: "All worldly enterprises are of trifling importance compared with the work of saving souls. Earthly things are not enduring, although they cost so much. But one soul saved will shine in the kingdom of heaven throughout eternal ages."—Testimonies, vol. 2, p. 336. Should not this cause us to devote ourselves more than ever before to the business of saving souls?
Great evangelistic activity will characterize the spirit of the last days. The light of truth will permeate everywhere, and God has chosen finite man to play an important part in the great drama of these last days.
All over Central America our ministers and laymen are faithfully doing their part. The Panama Conference this year has the slogan "Each one seek one." The ministers and laity are joining forces in a great evangelistic crusade. Only recently it was my privilege to visit the meeting place in Colon, Panama, where a revival is being held. More than 1,500 people listened attentively as Evangelist 0. U. Holness expounded the message for these last days. We feel sure that this year in the Republic of Panama hundreds of men and women will accept and follow Jesus Christ.
In the large city of Guatemala there is also a combined minister-layman effort. Every week the members are visiting the towns and villages near Guatemala City. Elder Efrain Murillo, pastor of the church, writes that in the little town of Sinaca two young men, Fritz Foldvary and Carlos Morales, have so great an interest that certain groups in the town have threatened that they will stone them if they continue preaching in the home of an interested family.
During the last session in San Salvador, El Salvador, I was introduced to a young man by the name of Napoleon Cruz. He had been baptized fourteen years ago, but it was not until about four years ago that he felt he must give this message to others. With Bible in hand he went from place to place teaching the message, and was able to raise up a church of twenty-nine in a very short time. At present he is the elder of that church. In the past two and a half years, sixty-three have been baptized, and at the time of writing, sixteen more are in the baptismal class.
Learning that he was a farmer with eight children, I asked him how he found the time for so much missionary activity. He told me he could do nothing less because he expects the Lord to come soon. He was farming only to sustain his family and himself while he was doing the all-important work of preaching and winning men and women to God.
Some time ago two ministers of another denomination asked him to leave the town in which he was working. They said they were there first and that he was causing a great deal of unrest among the people. He answered, "God did not limit my territory to preach. He said, 'Go ye into all the world.'" That is the spirit of our ministers and laymen in the Central American Union.
May God give us all a vision of our position in the world and of the privilege that is ours in taking this message to needy men and women.
Give us a watchword for the hour,
A thrilling word, a word of power;
A battle cry, a flaming breath
That calls to conquest or to death.
A word to rouse the church from rest,
To heed the Master's high behest,
The call is given; ye hosts arise!
Our watchword is—Evangelize!
—A. A. ESTER
