Pastor's Pastor: The scholar-evangelist

Pastor's Pastor: The scholar-evangelist

Floyd Bresee is the Secretary of the General Conference Ministerial Association.

Whatever was a huge circus-type tent doing pitched there on the lawn right in the heart of the Columbia Union College complex? And why the big banner there on the corner con fronting the Takoma Park traffic? Had the college invited a circus on campus? Was it some big education convention? Or homecoming? No, none of the above. Sligo church and the college were holding a series of evangelistic meetings.

The evangelist was John Brunt, who holds a Ph. D. in New Testament studies and is dean of the School of Theology at Walla Walla College. This was the third series Brunt and his associate, Donald Bigger, have held in the past three years. Bigger is pastor of the Walla Walla college church.

College registration would begin the day after Brunt returned home. Why was this scholar holding evangelistic meetings clear across the country when it was time to be getting ready for school?

Why evangelism?

Dr. Brunt's first answer, as we sat chatting in the trailer set up as an office behind the tent, was that New Testament scholarship demands evangelism. He insists, "Actually, I am surprised that so many are surprised that teachers are doing evangelism, because it seems to me that that's just part of what all Christians should be doing in one way or another. And my field, of course, is New Testament, and you just can't study the New Testament without coming to a strong sense of the need for evangelism."

Brunt feels that intellectual Adventism needs evangelism. "We are concerned about the fact that there are a lot of Seventh-day Adventists for whom evangelism has become virtually a bad word. And I don't believe the church can be healthy if that's what a fairly important segment of the church thinks. In past meetings we've seen some who were really quite negative at first about getting involved."

John Brunt lives in an area that has one of the highest concentrations of Adventists in North America. He shared his burden, "You know, it is easy when you are in an Adventist ghetto to not realize how many people are hurting and in need and how many would benefit from things you take for granted. And some wide exhibits of that, I think, can turn people on to evangelism."

What kind of evangelism?

What kind of evangelism, was being practiced by this scholar-evangelist? Quite straightforward actually. Not quite all of the basic Adventist doctrines can be presented in a three-week series, but those not given in meetings were covered in the Bible class. Brunt emphasizes three dimensions of evangelism:

1. Christ-centered evangelism. He says, "I firmly believe that we need to preach the distinctive proofs of Adventism, but for me, the real excitement is showing how those relate to Jesus Christ."

2. Bible-based evangelism. Brunt asserts, "I feel strongly that people need to have the Bible in their hands and read the Bible themselves and see it there in Scripture. And for that reason we use a gift Bible. That way, since everyone has the same Bible, I can give page numbers.

This intellectual is a stickler for simplicity. "I think that we overkill a lot of times. I average about four to seven texts a night. I preach without any kind of notes, and I want it to be simple enough that I can remember it. I figure that then maybe my listeners will be able to re member it as well."

3. Practical, life-related evangelism. Brunt explains, "We have focused on practical needs as the hook, or the drawing card, to try to bridge the gap between the gospel and everyday concerns--loneliness, stress, parenting, marriage. For example, our initial presentation on the Sabbath is about stress--God's answer to the problems of stress. Darold Bigger talks about stress management, and then I talk about how God knew that we needed rest and refreshment, and gave us the gift of the Sabbath to supply them."

Who should do evangelism?

If John Brunt can, I can. And so can you. His example speaks to pastors: Evangelism is not passe, shallow, or beneath our dignity.

His example speaks to teachers: Evangelism helps keep the scholar's theology practical. Our trainers of preachers ought to be doing evangelism. Only soul winners will produce soul winners. The North American Division could learn a great deal from other divisions where religion teachers are kept closer to the ministry by regularly working with pastors in evangelism.

His example speaks to administrators: How do you find time? Brunt says, "You don't find time; you make time. You decide that you're going to do it regardless of whether you 'find' time or not."

If John Brunt can make the time, so can you. And so can I.


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Floyd Bresee is the Secretary of the General Conference Ministerial Association.

April 1988

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