We launched the Bible Marking Plan in Chinese evangelism during the fall of 1961. We had negotiated for the Taipei City Hall where an initial series of twenty lectures was to be presented. After that the interest would be transferred to the church where another twenty meetings would conclude the public phase of the effort. Hitherto quite a proportion of the audience had been lost in the move from hall to church. The desire to prevent this loss in attendance led us in search of an "attraction device," which resulted in the conception of the Bible Marking Plan. A few weeks later we were surprised to learn that Elder G. E. Vandeman was using an almost identical plan in the United States.
During the later nights of the City Hall series we began to advertise the free Bibles that would be given to all who attended the first night in the church. It brought deep satisfaction to our hearts to see the church full, not only on the opening night of the Bible-marking class but every night thereafter. This has been the case not only during the Taipei effort but also during the three efforts that have been conducted by the Far Eastern Division Chinese evangelistic team since that time. Truly there has come to this denomination no more effective way of indoctrination.
To date we have not opened any campaign with the Bible-marking method. We have felt that this would necessitate the purchase of many Bibles that would be used only for a night or two by the curious and then be left for us to dispose of. Moreover, some of the opening subjects for an Oriental audience do not lend themselves to Bible marking. Therefore we prefer to wait until our audience is steady, and each listener has developed a definite interest in Bible study, before beginning the plan.
The method we use for enrollment is very simple. On the night advertised each person is given a Bible together with a flexible six-inch ruler and red pencil. The Bibles are covered with transparent, plastic jackets. Inside the front cover has been placed a numbered enrollment card as well as a punch card containing the subjects to be studied. The enrollee is asked to place his name and address on the enrollment card, leaving it inside the front cover of the Bible. Then he is told to copy his enrollment number on the punch card and bring this with him each night.
At the close of each study the student is asked to leave his Bible where he sat. The Bibles are then gathered up. Before the following night all new names have been written in large Chinese brush characters on stiff cardboard that has been cut to fit the back of the Bibles. Just above the name the enrollment number is given. Then near the bottom of the card the postal zone in which the student resides is also written.
Before each service the Bibles are assembled in numerical order upon tables placed outside the entrance of the meeting hall. The easiest way to find Chinese surnames is to go by number. The names and numbers are plainly visible to all who pass the tables. At first the student may need a bit of assistance in finding his Bible, but repeated attendance acquaints him with the approximate position of his Bible and he will soon pick it right out of the line without hesitation.
At this point it should be mentioned that here is an excellent time and place for the workers to get acquainted with the people coming from their visitation districts. If these districts are divided according to the postal zones an observant district leader can readily connect the faces with the names of those in his district. Then when the Bible is picked up the district worker can greet the person with a warm, "Good evening, Mr. [Mrs., Miss] So-and-so, we are indeed happy to see you again tonight."
Lately we have been inserting a record sheet on the inside back cover of each Bible. Here the attendance is stamped with a rubber dater. The stamping is done just after the Bible is pulled out of the line. With this information right in the Bible the district leader can at any time check up on the regularity of his interests in attending the meetings. He does not have to wait until the punch cards are turned back in order to get this information. Moreover the stamp and punch methods give a double check on the accuracy of the attendance record.
The method of study is kept as simple as possible, for there are in each audience the uneducated as well as the educated. When a text is announced, the reference, which has been written on a glass slide, is flashed upon the screen. The reference is written in the following order: The Testament with page number, followed by the name of the book together with chapter and verse. The people are told to do no more than mark the texts given. Sometimes an important phrase is called to their attention for emphasis marking. The appeal texts are frequently read in unison. Mimeographed copies of the references are given out to each regular student later on.
At the close of the Bible-marking series a special meeting is held when all who have attended fifteen out of the twenty nights will receive the Bibles they have marked. These Bibles are presented to them formally with the admonition to daily Bible reading and marking.
There is no more authoritative method of expounding the truth than to ask, "What does the Bible say?" and then allowing time for the audience to read the answers for themselves. By the time of baptism, candidates who have gone through a Bible-marking series will be familiar with the order of the books of the Bible. Moreover they will have developed a deep affection for this sacred volume they have consulted from night to night. Whenever they attend services they will want this Book with them. They will not be satisfied to go to church empty-handed and then reach out for the Bible in the pew whenever the pastor reads a text. Truly these new members become an "example of the believers" in the matter of bringing our own Bibles to all services and turning to every text of the preacher's sermon. It is high time that this spirit of diligent Bible study during divine worship be rekindled in all of our churches.
