WHAT can be accomplished when the pastor and lay members work together for the integration and nurturing of the new members? One answer comes in a recent report from a pastor with whom I was associated in an evangelistic campaign about a year ago.
On the last Sabbath afternoon of the evangelistic crusade, the pastor and evangelist met with the church board for the specific purpose of going over the names of every newly baptized person and laying plans for their involvement in the church program. About forty names were placed on the blackboard. Then a spiritual guardian was assigned to every person listed. In his letter the pastor reports that the church as a whole did an excellent job in involving each of the new believers into the fellowship of the church. He himself carried on an intense program of visitation.
At the close of the evangelistic meetings the pastor continued with the Profiles of Faith lessons in the Pastor's Bible Class during the Sabbath school. These began while the evangelist was still with them. The pastor also launched immediately into a series of Sun day and Wednesday night meetings with evangelistic-type studies, particularly on the books of Daniel and Revelation.
Upon the arrival of the new pas tor, several months later, the out going minister made it a point to introduce him personally to each of the new members. He also introduced the incoming pastor to some of the important religious and community contacts he had made.
The two pastors then took the time to go over the church rolls together and to discuss carefully the plans that had been projected by the church for the future. Not only was this done for the local church but for the second one a few miles distant that had been raised up within the past couple of years. This included going over the financial statement to show what funds were in hand for the various items that had been ordered for the benefit of the church.
Needless to say, a smooth and meaningful transition was accomplished as the new pastor took up his work. Not only did this involve the continued nurturing of new converts but it was related to the total program of the church. In his letter, the outgoing pastor sent me a name-by-name report on the spiritual growth of those who had been baptized, many of whom I remembered because of my association with them during the campaign.
What a thrill to receive such reports! Where this kind of concern is felt toward those who come into the faith we can be sure that the Lord will bless and the cause will prosper.
