What is the role of the Bible instructor in the work of the church?
First of all, the Bible instructor is a personal evangelist who seeks out interested persons and systematically studies the Bible with them, endeavoring to lead them to a commitment to Christ and His church. Second, he or she is a teacher/trainer who instructs lay members who are gifted in the area of personal evangelism to help them become efficient personal workers.
How does the work of the Bible instructor compare with that of the pastor?
The work of the Bible instructor is to complement the pastor's work, not compete with it. Pastors have a multifaceted ministry with heavy administrative, preaching, and shepherding duties. Many pastors find that there just aren't enough hours in the day for them to hold the Bible studies and lay training classes they know they should. The Bible instructor specializes in personal work and the training of other personal workers.
Just how does the work of the Bible instructor, or personal evangelist, fit into the overall denominational structure?
Through our public meetings and seminars we become acquainted with a large number of people who are searching for meaning and fulfillment in their lives. Unfortunately, a significant number of these people "slip through the cracks" because of inadequate follow-up. A strong and deliberate emphasis on personal work and lay training can prepare efficient workers to assist in our reaping efforts.
In spite of all our good programs, we have been slow in harnessing our greatest resource the members of our churches. They are the primary "salt" Jesus spoke about who can influence people in areas public work doesn't reach. Personal work was the foundation of all Christ's ministry and His primary method of labor. It is still the cornerstone of all successful evangelistic endeavor.
Although this simple time-honored method dates back to the time of Christ, how does it fit into our technological age?
With many people today feeling that they have been reduced to a number in a computer, the personal one-to-one nature of this work assures outstanding success. The communication technique of "tell-a-person" is still one of the fastest methods of spreading the gospel. Even though public meetings are outlawed in some countries and will be curtailed in others in the future, it is next to impossible for laws to stop personal work.
Is there any evidence that Bible instructors make a significant difference in accomplishing the church's mission?
If one studies the history of our work, the evidence is overwhelming that Bible workers (as they were called then), who were first used to stabilize new converts, also were a most vital ingredient in the successful follow-up of public meetings. They also formed the basis of beginning work in "dark" areas before the public meetings even began. Most development of methods of personal work has come from Bible instructors such as Louise Kleuser and Mary Walsh. In more recent times Black members have recognized the value of such workers and attribute much of their rapid expansion to these often unsung heros.
Several recent graduates of our pro gram here at Atlantic Union College are presently making a strong contribution in soul winning and lay training. I believe these personal evangelists are making and will continue to make a significant contribution. But I think it goes further than that. I think they are the key element in accomplishing the mission of our church.
What sort of training does the Bible instructor receive at Atlantic Union College?
Atlantic Union College has developed a Bachelor of Science in Personal Ministries program tailored specifically for professional Bible instructors. It includes a strong emphasis on biblical studies, along with an equally strong concentration of practical field training under the supervision of an experienced soul winner. In our four-year program, the last three years require a continuing field experience in the areas of interest visitation, the giving of Bible studies, evangelistic or seminar meetings and follow-up, crisis-ministry training and experience at our local Adventist hospital, and the conducting of training seminars for laity. It was because of the merits of this program that the General Conference Board of Higher Education and the Ministerial Training Advisory chose to authorize us to train professional Bible instructors. As the need arises, other colleges may begin to offer this program as well.
What type of person should consider becoming a professional Bible instructor?
First of all, this program is not for someone who has been unable to get into the pastoral ministry for some reason and just wants to get a foot in the door. It is for both men and women who feel a strong calling from God to labor for souls but don't want the administrative and preaching responsibilities of the pastor or public evangelist. It is for a person who meets people well, likes to work with people, cares deeply about people, and has a close personal relationship with Christ. It is ideal for the pastor's wife who wishes to join her husband in team ministry. Team ministry helps to avoid separate careers that often tend to divide the interests of the pastoral family.
The team ministry concept is a great idea, but how can a pastor's wife whose husband is already in district work ever go back to school?
Here at AUC we have a way of dealing with that problem. The Bachelor of Science in Personal Ministries is avail able through our adult degree program. In fact, we have a pastor's wife who is just now completing her degree and will soon be joining her husband in team ministry. Adult degree program students come on campus only twice a year, for two weeks each time, and do the rest of their studying at home under the direction of a study supervisor.
What kind of employment opportunities are available for graduates? And are they all able to find work of the type they have trained for?
Our graduates are able to function on a pastoral staff, on an evangelistic team, in chaplaincy work, with an SDA medical clinic or lawyer group, or on the staff of a local or union conference. At the present time we are receiving more calls for these personal evangelists than we have graduates. Since our program is authorized by the General Conference Board of Higher Education and Ministerial Training Advisory, two-year intern ships have been made available to assist conferences in hiring a Bible instructor. Local churches often raise the balance of the salary if the local conference does not.
Does that mean that the local conferences have not been hiring very many Bible instructors? What future is there for these personal evangelists as regular denominational employees?
No doubt the major reason why conferences have been somewhat reluctant to hire Bible instructors, or personal evangelists, has been financial. When moneys are available, the pastoral needs are logically first on the list. Often when a conference hires people to do Bible work, they have had some field experience but are not college trained, and therefore are paid only a small stipend. These workers often find the challenge difficult, especially in meeting highly educated professional people. They also have a hard time living up to conference expectations, which, along with an inadequate salary, can cause discouragement. Unfortunately this casts a shadow on the Bible instructor ministry in the eyes of church leaders.
According to the counsel we have from Ellen White, the personal work is the real key to success in all our evangelistic outreach. We need, there fore, a much greater number of professionally trained personal evangelists who can, in turn, train thousands of the laity. Ellen White envisioned the kind of ministry in which large numbers of people would be visiting homes and sharing God's Word. To make this dream a reality will take more than a token commitment on the part of church administrators to support this program, not only in theory but financially as well. It may seem like a risk, but following God's counsel is never really a gamble.
