AFTER seeing the outstanding success of the Bible seminar plan used by J. F. Coltheart, Ministerial secretary of the Northern Europe- West Africa Division, I often wondered how this plan might benefit our work in North America. We have found it most helpful in developing a new congregation in areas where we have no church or an overcrowded church.
What is a Bible seminar? It is a whole day or half day devoted to intensive Bible study. (See Pastor Coltheart's article in The Ministry, February, 1970.) Reasons for con ducting a seminar may include the following:
1. To undergird the public presentation of the Sabbath or other controversial doctrines by fortifying the hearers with additional information and answers to objections.
2. To get people accustomed to attending a meeting on Sabbath morning.
3. To provide the type of meeting that will appeal to persons with strong church loyalties who might be unwilling to attend regular Adventist church services.
4. To provide further indoctrination following an evangelistic crusade.
5. To gain additional decisions after an evangelistic crusade.
6. To establish a new congregation by combining doctrine and fellowship.
Suitable places for a seminar include school cafeterias, banquet halls, and church fellowship halls. It is desirable to have the participants seated at tables for ease in taking notes and referring to their Bibles. For an all-day seminar there must be a place where the noon meal can be served.
In one instance the conference purchased a church building from another denomination. The need was to move the group of interested people from a public auditorium where the evangelistic meetings were held to this church building which was to become the new church home for many of them. In another case the conference rented a church building from another denomination for use on Saturdays. In both cases the church building had the necessary facilities and was the logical place for the seminar.
The seminar is primarily for non- Adventists. It is advertised in the evangelistic meetings where application forms are available. A fee of a couple of dollars per person is charged to cover food and printed materials.
How to Begin
The first seminar is an all-day Sabbath affair. The day is divided into thirty- and forty-five-minute segments with breaks for dinner and for fellowship. The evangelist and the pastor usually share the time, taking alternating periods. At the close of the all-day seminar the participants are asked if they enjoyed it and if they would like another one. They always say Yes. The succeeding seminars are held from nine-thirty until noon on Sabbaths.
We have found the chain marking of doctrinal Bible studies is an attractive feature in a seminar. For this activity clear instructions must be given and it is important not to go too fast so that students be come frustrated by their inability to keep up. It is best to do the mechanics of marking without comment on texts and then re view the marked texts and make necessary comments later. Other features include short Bible studies and question-and-answer sessions.
After the first month the format followed becomes a little more like Sabbath school and church every week. The length of time required for the seminar to evolve into a church will be governed by local needs and circumstances.
When Forming a New Congregation
When it is the plan to form the nucleus of a new congregation from the overflow of an existing congregation it is desirable to meet with this group and give them some guidance in the matter of how to relate to the new Adventist and non-Adventist group in the seminar. "After individuals have been converted to the truth, they need to be looked after. . . . These newly converted ones need nursing,—watchful attention, help, and encouragement."—Evangelism, p. 351.
"God's Spirit convicts sinners of the truth, and He places them in the arms of the church. The ministers may do their part, but they can never perform the work that the church should do. God requires His church to nurse those who are young in faith and experience, to go to them, not for the purpose of gossiping with them, but to pray, to speak unto them words that are "like apples of gold in pictures of silver."—Ibid., p. 352.
The most effective way to blend the two groups is to have a few of the established members from the existing congregation make the move each week. This gives the healthy appearance of a growing attendance at the seminar. It also enables the seminar group to get acquainted with the other group a few at a time.
An important feature of the seminar that has not yet been mentioned is an informal sharing of how the Lord has led during the week in the lives of different ones. Some will tell of victories gained over tobacco or other habits. Others will tell how a Sabbath work problem has been solved. There may be some who will tell of sharing their newfound faith and witnessing for Jesus. These spontaneous, in formal testimonies are a blessing to all. This is a feature that should not be allowed to die after the seminar becomes a regular Sabbath service.
Integrating the New Believers
A midweek Bible study and prayer meeting will be important in the spiritual life of these new believers. They will outdo the long-time Adventists in attendance at the midweek meeting. The new believers should be given every encouragement to share their faith. They will provide some of the most fruitful prospects for on-the-job training. The combination of the zeal of the newly converted with the knowledge of the established members makes for effective teamwork.
"Have you ever taken a whole day to do something you really enjoy? To work on a hobby? Go on a picnic? Sure you have! An all-day Bible seminar is taking a whole day to study the Bible. You'll really enjoy it and you'll be amazed how much you'll learn. Most people admit they could stand to make up some lost time in Bible study.
"We will learn how to chain mark texts on key Bible subjects so you will be able to find several texts one after another. We'll have a Bible survey that will give you a bird's-eye view of what the Bible's all about."
That's about what we say and the people are glad to pay for the privilege of spending all day Sabbath studying the Bible. Perhaps the Bible seminar plan can help you to raise up a new congregation. It helped us.
