By the time this issue of MINISTRY is in circulation we will be on the threshold of a new year with all its surprises, expectations, and opportunities. No doubt you will have already made up your list of resolutions and outlined your plans for a new journey in time, so these reflections may seem redundant and unnecessary. Nevertheless, let us ask ourselves a few questions: What gains and losses have we experienced as co-workers with God during 1980, a year so full of apprehensions and perplexities at the beginning and which has now disappeared into the shadows of the past? How many sin-sick, contrite souls have been led to the cross of Christ through our work or as a result of the testimony of our example? How many of our church members who were weak and wavering in their religious experience have received from us the inspiration they needed and are now traveling the road of life with greater courage? How many hearts, broken by pain physical or moral have received the healing balm of Gilead through our ministry?
As we take this inventory of our gains and losses, we may very possibly recognize that we have made mistakes—some of commission, others of omission. Shall we allow this to discourage us? By no means! Learning from the failures and mistakes of the past, let us formulate new methods of work and bolder plans for 1981.
During the first months of World War II many British generals insisted on repeating, without any modification what soever, the logistics used in the first world war. Because of this they suffered successive defeats and humiliating re verses from an enemy that had adopted completely new methods and revolutionary strategies. Later other generals joined the allied high command who adopted the modern tactics of the enemy and succeeded in changing the course of history.
Many times in our evangelistic work we are tempted to continue using obsolete, routine methods, without stopping to consider why we are not producing the results we desire so greatly. When this happens remember these words:
"New methods must be introduced. God's people must awake to the necessities of the time in which they are living. God has men whom He will call into His service—men who will not carry forward the work in the lifeless way in which it has been carried forward in the past." Ellen G. White, in Review and Herald, Sept. 30, 1902
There are workers who served in the Lord's vineyard during 1980 who had no carefully organized plan of action. We cannot label them as lazy ministers, for they were always busy, but their results were scarce and limited. In fact, one of the major reasons for failure in ministerial work is not having a clear and specific plan of action or an intelligent method of accomplishing it.
"By dallying over the less important matters, they find themselves hurried, perplexed, and confused when they are called upon to do those duties that are more essential. They are always doing, and, they think, working very hard; and yet there is little to show for their efforts." Evangelism, p. 649.
Never has there been a year that offers greater possibilities for evangelism than the one that is dawning. Let us maintain the initiative as we enter into it with our spiritual weapons and evangelistic equipment always ready to confront the new logistics of the enemy. Let us re-examine our methods, discarding that which has lost its effectiveness and utilizing that which is more efficacious.
The demands of this new year require us to work at a more rapid pace, to have more of the spirit of prayer and a greater dedication to the work of evangelism. The rougher the way and the greater the obstacles raised by the adversary, the more our need of deeper personal consecration and greater dedication in working for those who are caught in the maze of life without Christ and without hope.
Yes, 1981 offers the brightest prospects for victorious evangelism. Should we not set our goals to do greater things for Christ than ever before?
