The Administrator and Evangelism

From One Leader to Another

Robert H. Pierson is president of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.

 

ANYONE who has had experience in bringing a soul to Christ knows some thing of the spiritual wrestling involved. Anyone who has held a public evangelistic campaign knows something of the nervous and mental energy, the spiritual concern, such a campaign demands.

Most administrators have at some point in their experience held evangelistic efforts. If we put all that God expects an evangelist to put into such a campaign we know something of the burden our evangelists are carrying. Let us, as church leaders, keep our memories bright and be understanding of the evangelists' problems and sympathetic with their plans. As administrators, we feel we need to have certain things in order to carry on our work offices, desks, chairs, files, typewriters, dictating machines, adding machines, and other equipment. We also need a budget to enable us to travel and visit the churches and institutions in the field. We need to remember that our evangelists, if they are to be successful in their soul winning, also need books, files, audio-visual aids, and so forth. They also require an adequate budget for travel, crusades, and work if they are to be effective workers.

Many times an evangelist's success or failure is in direct ratio to the support he receives from conference leaders. If his president and secretary-treasurer support him, provide him with the necessary tools for his ministry, visit him, and encourage him, his lot not only will be easier but his campaign will be much more fruitful.

If we believe that evangelism is important we must demonstrate this in a practical manner. We have a tendency to provide generously for our full-time evangelists. My appeal is not only in behalf of these men but also for the rank and file of our evangelists, many of whom go forth to war armed only with "David's sling" a few dollars, a few francs or shillings and the promises of God.

I understand the problems you men in administration face. For many years I sat where you sit. I know the demands for church buildings, for schools, for hospitals, for operating capital, for housing, for equipment, and for many other projects. These needs are very real. We must not forget nor neglect them, but what about the large unentered cities, the thousands of neglected villages, the vast, unentered areas? I make a special appeal for more direct evangelistic funds in our budgets in the future.

When we get these funds let us spend them wisely and effectively, of course, but spend them. On several occasions I have spoken to treasurers about setting aside more funds for evangelism. At times they have pointed out sizable amounts of evangelistic money lying unused in local or union treasuries. We have not yet reached the point where the percentage of the over-all budget that is used for direct evangelism is adequate to respond to the challenge of the seventies.

We need to make more effective use of available communications media radio, TV, the press, the telephone to breach the concrete chasms that are present-day cities, to get into the massive apartment complexes in metropolitan areas. Frequently it is nearly impossible to personally get into these apartments. Even if we could, where are the number of workers required for such an undertaking?

I appeal to our church administrators channel every possible dollar into direct soul-winning endeavor. Consider whether those thousands of dollars you have for next year's budget may better be spent for evangelistic crusades than for a new office building or more office equipment.

Money for evangelism is the best investment this church makes. It brings greater returns now and in eternity than money in any bank, mutual fund, or property!

Then give yourself. God can make a soul winner out of you. You may not be a public evangelist, but you can share your faith personally. When you travel on the planes or in your car, don't miss an opportunity to help others find Christ and His last-day message. Our first work is to be instruments in God's hands to meet the greatest challenge in the world reconciling men and women, boys and girls, to the Lord Jesus Christ. Evangelism is for all of us.


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Robert H. Pierson is president of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.

February 1976

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