My dear heavenly Father:
As You know, the purpose of an "open" letter is to share thoughts not only with the One to whom the letter is addressed, but also with those who ought to read it. Of course, in Your case a letter isn't necessary at all. You know without my writing how I feel about the plan of One Thousand Days of Reaping. You know, too, that I believe in and support the visible, organized body that we on earth call the Seventh-day Adventist Church. You've told us that.it is the supreme earthly object of Your affection, and I'm confident that is true in spite of our failures to follow Your counsel explicitly. So even if I seem to be negative at times in this letter, You'll understand that I don't mean in any way to tear down the body that You love and that Your Son gave Himself to consecrate and cleanse so that it could be without stain or wrinkle or blemish. I'm sure some in the church, though, will be unhappy with certain things I write to You.
You're aware, of course, of last fall's Annual Council action. It's another attempt to give priority to evangelism, to put actual soul winning at the top of our agendas not only in every segment of our ministries but in our actual expenditures of money, time, and energies.
As You know, a number of our world divisions are making excellent member ship gains, comparatively speaking. Some divisions seem to be in a holding pattern, it's true. But when I think about the energetic genesis of this church, back during the great Advent movement and the way it has entered and established work in more countries and cultures than any other Protestant church, I can't but dream of what could happen if we really took seriously the concepts contained in the "One Thousand Days of Reaping" document!
But I can't help wondering also if this will be just another document that will eventually find a resting place in the archivist's tombs. Maybe You want it to go there! But if I correctly understand Your plan for this church, isn't soul winning (and soul nurturing, of course) the main objective (maybe the only objective) You have given us? To rescue souls from Satan's pit, to turn them from everlasting death to eternal life—isn't this why Your Son came as an infant to live with us? Isn't this why He spent some thirty years living an unselfish, perfect life and devoted the last three and a half years to training a few humble, unlearned men to preach the good news of the salvation He provided? Isn't this why He sealed His work with His own blood? After His resurrection, didn't Your Son return to heaven, where He works unceasingly in the heavenly sanctuary, His command center, for the purpose of salvaging lost humanity? Isn't it true, Father, that the salvation of a soul is the only event that causes all heaven to rejoice, and at the same time it stirs up a fierce intensity of hatred in Satan's heart?
Your Son, when He was here with us, told us clearly about Satan's attitude toward us. He said that the devil is not only a liar and the father of lies but a murderer from the beginning. And then You had Peter describe him as a lion bent on devouring people. Isn't this what the great controversy is all about?
I like the way Your Son summed up this controversy: " 'The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life and have it to the full'" (John 10:10, N.I.V.).* The way He uses the word only to describe the thief s work makes it clear to my mind that we can have no compromise with the devil. And if I know anything at all about Your Son, He is just as determined to save people as the devil is to destroy them. It is a fight to the finish with no truce, no respite, no detente, and no bargaining.
I believe You know the end from the beginning (although some of us are toying with the idea that You don't really know everything and are growing in Your knowledge even as we are supposed to grow). But I don't have Your total knowledge, so I have some questions regarding the church's response to "One Thousand Days of Reaping." Here we are in the midst of a mortal combat. I confess that it's difficult to put my finger on any denominational activity that could be classified as out-and-out evil. However, if the great controversy theme is what I think it is and if the gospel commission means what it says, I can't help feeling that we are involved in some activities that aren't of primary importance. In fact, they are detrimental to the evangelistic thrust of the church.
For example, think of the way we are spending money, time, and energy to erect plush structures. (I'm sorry! I forgot for a moment that You are acquainted with all these things far better than I am and could give me examples I haven't even dreamed of!) But remember how one of the points in the 1976 Annual Council action, "Evangelism and Finishing God's Work," was the setting of limitations of building projects? One statement specifically stated, "Let us demonstrate to our people and to the world that we do not believe in building extravagantly, as though we intended to make this world our home. We must remember that the only things which will survive the destruction of the last days are the souls that are prepared for the coming of the Lord. . . . The one purpose of this economy would be to release more funds for the church to use in giving the last warning message to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people."
Since this action was taken it seems to me that there have been dedications of church offices, institutions, and places of worship that could be categorized as extravagant and out of harmony with our professed priority on soul saving. And this expense is being incurred at a time when the world economy is anything but stable and seems to be careening toward a recession.
You're fully aware, too, how many of our sacrificing members have become disillusioned over excessive expenditures on brick, mortar, stone, and wood. Their hearts long to see the work finished and Your Son return. There is even discouragement among some congregations facing unnecessarily large monthly payments on building debts. We who preach steward ship principles to Your people in an attempt to train them in systematic benevolence dare not forget our own responsibilities as leaders to practice true stewardship principles in the use of these sacred funds so sacrificially given. Father, You have given us the wonderful concept of an owner-manager relationship to illustrate Your position and ours. Sometimes I think we who are leaders of Your church—Your ministers—have come to believe that we are both owners and managers and that the church members are merely to acquiesce in our management. Somehow remind us as leaders not to yield to the temptation to usurp Your place as Owner and abort Your stated mission for this church. The precious sheep You have entrusted to us as shepherds should be able to have confidence that the funds they give to this cause are being handled with great care and are being conserved for the purpose of extending the borders of Your kingdom through all forms of effective evangelism. If we could know, as You know, the exact day of Your Son's return, I'm sure there would be a revolution in our whole financial program. We would sacrifice and conserve funds as never before for the one purpose of reaching and saving lost humanity.
There is something else regarding this reaping plan, Father. It is much more than a numerical emphasis; it's an attempt to focus our attention on the value of a soul. If we could only see through Your eyes the pricelessness of people! If we could only fathom the real reason Your Son became man. Why He came to live with us, walking amidst those whose goal was to destroy Him, and who finally did! Why He died on a cross! Why this incomparable Jesus condescended to visit our lost world! If we could only realize His real motivation! Surely He didn't do this for buildings or for organizational positions or for political reasons or for power and fame. His humiliating experience had only one purpose as far as we earthbound sinners are concerned: to rescue us from Satan's clutches. I know He went through this to vindicate You before the universe, but doesn't that very vindication consist in showing the universe that Your character of love couldn't rest easy until as many of Your estranged children as possible were reconciled, even if it meant the death of Jesus Himself?
This priority for soul winning has another reason, Father. It hopes to combine theology with evangelism. We spend enough time debating and discussing doctrinal points. It's a mystery to You, I'm sure, how some ministers and teachers can spend so much pulpit and classroom time playing ego-building games with parishioners and students who desperately need to have a saving knowledge of Christ both for themselves and to share with others.
It's an amazement to us, so it certainly must be to You, that there are "Gibeonite Adventists" who can use their talents and time producing documents that subtly undermine the beliefs and mission of this church just as the mixed multitude weakened Israel on her march to Canaan. Oh, how much a radical change is needed in our thinking! A radical reordering of our priorities! If we truly mean business in making soul winning our first work, then drastic changes are necessary on every level of church organization.
Your intent for us (if I read aright Your revelations regarding our life style, goals, and objectives) is that church leaders free themselves at any cost from the numerous demands made upon their time and energy that do not really contribute to the salvation of souls. In this respect Your Son set us an example when asked to settle an inheritance dispute. He replied, '"Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you'" (Luke 12:14, N.I.V.).
To take seriously Your intent for us would mean a change in our educational and health-care systems. It would mean serious alterations in our training of ministers. On this point, Father, is there some way—a special revelation, a vision, an angel messenger, or whatever—that You could appeal to the leadership of this church to train ministers as Jesus trained them? For three and half years the greatest Teacher the world has ever known trained His disciples for service by personal con tact, association, and example. These original seminarians walked and talked with Him. They heard His words of cheer and encouragement to the weary and heavy laden. They saw the manifestation of His power on behalf of the sick and dying. In His classroom on the mountain side, or beside the sea, Or walking through the fields, He revealed to them the mysteries of the kingdom of God. They traveled with Him from town to town and watched Him carefully unfold the truths of the way of salvation to despondent souls who had given up all hope. He could have revealed to them tremendous philosophies, concepts, and ideas. He could have inundated them with a barrage of knowledge, but He imparted to them only that which they could use in helping people to the kingdom. On every one of His journeys they could see how He talked to people, whether in crowded streets, lonely desert, by lakeside, or in the mountains. They shared His frugal fare, and with Him were sometimes hungry and often weary.
What a revolution would take place in the church, Father, if we could train men with this on-the-job type of instruction! True, we have one small soul-winning institute in Chicago trying to combine both practical and theoretical training, but it is having a struggle. I might as well be honest with You, Father (You know it as well as I do, anyway). Some among us are less than enthusiastic about the soul-winning institute. But the point is, Your Son sets us a tremendous example of where our priority should be.
I must end this letter. I am planning to write You again in the future. But I must add just another thought or two. This "Thousand Days of Reaping" plan has in its introduction a very important concept: the spiritual renewal of our lives as leaders. There can be no finishing of Your work, no priority given to evangelism, unless at the same time there is this spiritual renewal. Your Son promised that the Holy Spirit would be poured out in a special way on His followers. That took place initially and got the early church off to a tremendous start. The disciples were so filled with love for Your Son and for those for whom He died that the influence of the Spirit converted thousands as they preached and prayed. What rejoicing there must have been in the courts of heaven as Your followers, filled with the Holy Spirit, exhibited such love for one another and for lost humanity! Your Son's disciples, as executors of His will, brought the world the treasures of eternal life. They took literally the majestic missionary charter to go to the world with the gospel.
You have given to this church the same command in the framework of the three angels' messages. We are to preach that same gospel to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. This means we are not to wait for the people to come to us, but we are to go to the people with Your glorious truth.
Finally, Father, I don't want to give the impression that I think we are able to go out and bring the final message of the gospel to the world apart from You and the Holy Spirit's power. No argument, how ever logical and irrefutable, will melt a heart or break through the hardness of worldliness and rebellion. Only the Holy Spirit can make our lips eloquent to save. Only a living knowledge of Your Son will make our witness effective. Every word and action is to fasten attention upon the all-powerful name of Your Son, Jesus Christ. He alone possesses that vital power by which sinners may be saved. His name is to be our watchword, our badge of distinction, our bond of union, our authority for our course of action and the force of our success. We are to recognize nothing that does not bear His name.
It would be very dramatic and wonderful if today we could have the same thing happen to us that happened to the disciples when after Pentecost they determined to do everything possible to confess Your Son bravely before the world. Father, help us, if You can, to pray the same way they prayed during Pentecost. Help us to show the same intense earnestness for a fitness to meet men and to have the ability and sensitivity to speak words that will lead them to Christ. As I read about their early experience my heart cried out that Your Son would fit us with a special unction to do the work of soul saving. We are so bogged down with details, plans, promotions, boards, projects, and committee meetings that we hardly have time even to have a burden for the salvation of souls! In addition, many of us are spending so much time on sports, TV, amusements, recreation, or running around the world seeing this and that that we are not really doing the work that You want us to do.
I hope that our "Thousand Days of Reaping" will do something for this church to help us to focus on the work that You apparently consider more important than anything else—the saving of souls.
I appreciate this opportunity of writing to You. I want to thank You for all the correspondence you have sent me through the Scriptures and the pages of the Spirit of Prophecy. I can only praise Your name for Your goodness and Your power and say I hope that, along with my fellow ministers, I will respond in a positive way to Your appeal to go out, search for the lost, and bring them back to Your fold again.
Your unworthy and submissive servant,
Bob Spangler
