There should be twenty women Bible instructors where now there is one, and God has ways of providing them. We are coming short of reaching many who might be saved if we would place emphasis on training more women to unfold the truths of God's Word in the homes of the people. This is the counsel that comes to us from God. I desire to explore with you in this article some of the instruction God has given to guide us in this phase of personal evangelism.
There was a day when we had many more women instructors than we now have, though not nearly enough. We then had very few male Bible instructors and not much was said about the need for them. Now the pendulum has swung to the other extreme, and today the women who give full time to the teaching of the Word of God in homes across America and in the entire world field are very few in number. We are losing much in soul-winning results by this imbalance. Here is the counsel with which we have been blessed through the Spirit of Prophecy writings: "When a great and decisive work is to be done, God chooses men and women to do this work, and it will feel the loss if the talents of both are not combined."—Evangelism, p. 469. (Italics supplied.)
A Work for Women
We are told by God, and experience verifies it, that women can do a work in many homes that men cannot do. "The Lord has a work for women as well as for men. They may take their places in His work at this crisis, and He will work through them. If they are imbued with a sense of their duty, and labor under the influence of the Holy Spirit, they will have just the self-possession required for this time. The Saviour will reflect upon these self-sacrificing women the light of His countenance, and will give them a power that exceeds that of men. They can do in families a work that men cannot do, a work that reaches the inner life. They can come close to the hearts of those whom men cannot reach. Their labor is needed."Ibid., pp. 464, 465. (Italics supplied.)
"Through various lines of home missionary effort they can reach a class that is not reached by our ministers. Among the noble women who have had the moral courage to decide in favor of the truth for this time are many who have tact, perception, and good ability, and who may make successful workers."—Ibid., p. 466. "There are women who are especially adapted for the work of giving Bible readings, and they are very successful in presenting the Word of God in its simplicity to others. They become a great blessing in reaching mothers and their daughters."—Ibid., p. 469: (Italics supplied.)
When Ellen G. White saw how few women were engaged in this type of evangelism she was greatly burdened that there should be many, many more. "There certainly should be a larger number of women engaged in the work of ministering to suffering humanity, uplifting, educating them how to believe—simply to believe—in Jesus Christ our Saviour. And as souls give themselves to the Lord Jesus, making an entire surrender, they will understand the doctrine. . . . I am pained because our sisters in America are not more of them doing the work they might do for the Lord Jesus."—Ibid., p. 465. (Italics supplied.) If Mrs. White were living today, envisioning as she did what our women Bible instructors can accomplish in the homes in turning other women to the Lord, and if she were to witness how few of our ladies are engaged full time in this important ministry, we can be quite sure she would be again deeply pained.
The Need for Women Bible Instructors Is Not Past
Some have expressed that the day is past for female Bible instructors. This does not seem rational to me. Our television and radio stations have recognized that women telecasters and broadcasters can add a flavor to the programs to interest the female viewers and auditors that cannot be done by the males. They have recognized the strength of a combination of men and women. Also going into the large department stores you find both men and women clerks. The world recognizes the strength of such a combination. We need this same combination in the Lord's work.
There is even a bigger and more crucial demand for women workers today than ever before. In the past our ministers' wives were in a position to accompany their husbands as they visited the women in their homes. Today, many of our pastors' wives are working and they are not available to make these visits. Moreover, in former years many women had the housework as their sole responsibility during the day, and when the husband came home at night the work was in hand, and a Bible instructor could study with both the husband and the wife on some designated evening. Now many women are wage earners as well as their husbands. The standard of living today and the cost of educating the children require that two salaries be coming in to meet the monthly outgo. One companion may work during the day and the other during the night. Consequently, many times the woman must be studied with alone, and this can be done more advantageously by a lady Bible instructor. Sometimes the husband resents a man coming in for study when the wife is home alone. So I repeat, the need for women Bible instructors is of greater necessity than ever before.
In the next issue consideration will be given to how this need can be met.
(To be continued)
