Table of Contents - Ellen G. White Estate

[Pages:304]EV - EVANGELISM (1946)

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: The Challenge to Evangelism

Proclaiming the Message Ever-Widening Influence of the Gospel The Need of Evangelistic Workers

Chapter 2: The Metropolitan Masses

In the Shadow of Impending Doom Increasing Difficulties The Call for a Speedy Work Special Opportunities for Evangelism Surveying the Needs of the Large Cities Problems Peculiar to Metropolitan Evangelism The Promise of an Abundant Harvest

Chapter 3: Smaller Communities and Rural Areas

The Highways and Byways Rural Workers

Chapter 4: Planning for the Public Campaign

Patterning After the Master Evangelist Planning an Expanding Evangelism Moving Forward by Faith Evangelism of the Highest Type The Evangelist and His Team Advantages of Two and Two The Evangelistic Site The Outpost Centers Planning Sectional and Suburban Meetings Planning for a Permanent Work Finance and the Budget The Business Management of the Campaign

Chapter 5: Organizing for Evangelistic Meetings

Methods and Organization The Evangelistic Company Importance of Prayerful Counseling Unity in Diversity Allowing for More Than One Man's Method The City Field Training School Reviving and Organizing the Church for Service Relationship of Evangelist and Pastor Guarding Against Over organization

Chapter 6: The Public Effort

Our Present Truth Message Arresting Public Attention Successful and Impressive Advertising Methods The Evangelist in Publicity Avoiding Display and the Sensational Guarding Proper Approaches Platform Decorum, Announcements, and Preliminaries Interest-holding Features Inquiry and Question Meetings Getting Acquainted With the People Printed Sermons and Literature The Debate

Chapter 7: The Message and its Presentation

Spirit and Manner of Presenting the Message The Evangelistic Sermon Christ the Center of the Message Prophetic Preaching That Arrests Attention Restraining Without Obscuring Truth Truth-Teaching Devices Stories, Anecdotes, Jesting, and Joking False Tests and Man-made Standards

Chapter 8: Preaching the Distinctive Truths

Heralding the Second Advent The Sanctuary Truth Presenting the Law and the Sabbath Meeting Sabbathkeeping Problems Preaching on Nonimmortality The Message of Christian Stewardship Presentation of the Spirit of Prophecy Presenting Health and Christian Standards The Ordinances

Chapter 9: Clinching the Interest

Preaching for the Final Decision Appeals and Altar Calls Helping Souls to Be Converted Gathering In the Interested Methods of Clinching Decisions Meeting Prejudice and Opposition Baptism and Church Membership Binding Off Thoroughly Length of Effort and Closing the Campaign Determining the Success of Meetings

Chapter 10: Establishing and Holding New Converts

Follow-up Methods Integrating New Believers Into the Church Pastoral Evangelism Responsibility of Spiritual Laymen to New Converts Helping New Believers to Win Souls Guarding New Members Against Error and Fanaticism Reclaiming Backsliders Rebaptism Providing Church Buildings On to New Fields

Chapter 11: The Work in the Large American Cities

New York Boston and New England Cities of East and South Cities of the Central States The Western Cities

Chapter 12: Heralding the Message in Other Continents

Sounding the Message in Europe England and Its Cities The Cities of Northern Europe In Southern Europe Working the Australasian Cities

Chapter 13: Personal Work

The Need for Personal Work House-to-House Visitation Winning Families Evangelistic Visiting

Ministers Giving Bible Readings Learning the Art of Personal Work Prejudice Broken Down Working for the Aged Ellen G. White's Experience and methods as a Personal Worker

Chapter 14: The Bible Instructor

Bible Teaching the Objective Personal Workers and Wise Counselors Searching for the Lost Women in Evangelism Both Men and Women Called to Bible Work The Gospel Visitor Women in Public Ministry Training and Background Bible Instructor's Qualifications Bible Work Techniques Lessons From the Master Teacher Results of Bible Work Adequate Wages for Women Workers Cautions to the Bible Instructor

Chapter 15: Song Evangelism

The Ministry of Song Music and Evangelism The Singing Evangelist Emphasis in Congregational Singing The Music Personnel Timely Cautions

Chapter 16: Medical Evangelism

An Entering Wedge Chapter 101: The True Objective of Medical Evangelism Relationship to Gospel Ministry Simplicity of Method An Antitobacco and Temperance Message Medical Evangelism in the Cities Institutional Evangelism The Consecrated Physician and the Missionary Nurse Balancing Cautions

Chapter 17: Laboring for Special Classes

Working for All Classes Reaching Men of Means and Influence Ministers of Other Denominations

Laboring for the Middle Class Working for Fallen Humanity The Stranger in Our Midst Reaching Catholics A Large Harvest From the Jews Child Evangelism Those in the Tourist Centers The Street Meeting

Chapter 18: Dealing with False Science, Cults, Isms, and Secret Societies

Satan Gains Foothold Through False Doctrines Miracles Not a Test False Sanctification and Holiness Pantheistic and Spiritualistic Theories Various Forms of Spiritualism Fanaticism and Extremism Misrepresentations of the Godhead Secret Societies Combating Erroneous Teaching

Chapter 19: The Worker and His Qualifications

The Spirit of the Ministry The Graces of Culture and Kindness Application to the Work Concentrating on the Main Task Health and Health Principles The Voice of the Gospel Worker Personal Appearance of the Evangelist The Evangelist's Wife Maintaining a High Moral Standard The Internship Period Calls to and Transfers of the Evangelistic Worker

Chapter 20: The Message Triumphant

When the Loud Cry Sounds The Reason for the Delay Power for Finishing the Work Present Hour of Opportunity Speedy Triumphant Climax

PREFACE

EVANGELISM, THE VERY HEART OF CHRISTIANITY, IS THE THEME OF PRIMARY IMPORTANCE TO THOSE CALLED TO HERALD GOD'S LAST WARNING TO A DOOMED WORLD. WE ARE IN TIME'S CLOSING HOURS, AND THE ADVENT MESSAGE, PROCLAIMED TO MAKE READY A PEOPLE PREPARED FOR OUR LORD'S RETURN, MUST SWELL TO A LOUD CRY REACHING THE UTTERMOST PARTS OF THE EARTH.

SINCE THE EARLY DAYS OF THE WORK OF SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS, THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY INSTRUCTION PLACING SPECIAL EMPHASIS UPON THE PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF SOUL WINNING HAS BEEN GIVEN TO GUIDE IN AN EXPANDING WORK. SOME PHASES OF EVANGELISM HAVE BEEN DELINEATED IN NEARLY ALL THE ELLEN G. WHITE BOOKS. THROUGH THE YEARS, IN THE REVIEW AND HERALD, SIGNS OF THE TIMES, AND OTHER JOURNALS, ARTICLES FROM THE LORD'S MESSENGER HAVE GIVEN IMPETUS TO A GROWING EVANGELISTIC MINISTRY. INDIVIDUAL EVANGELISTS WERE ALSO, FROM TIME TO TIME, FAVORED IN RECEIVING INSTRUCTION AND WARNING REGARDING METHODS THAT SHOULD CHARACTERIZE THEIR LABOR. OCCASIONALLY GROUPS OF EVANGELISTS AND DENOMINATIONAL ADMINISTRATORS WERE ADDRESSED BY MRS. WHITE, AND THESE ADDRESSES OFTEN EMBODIED MUCH HELPFUL COUNSEL.

BUT THESE PERIODICAL ARTICLES, SPECIAL TESTIMONIES, PERSONAL COUNSELS, AND ADDRESSES ARE NOT GENERALLY AVAILABLE TODAY. IT IS TO MAKE THIS FULL BODY OF TIMELY INSTRUCTION ACCESSIBLE TO OUR PRESENT GREATLY ENLARGED SEVENTHDAY ADVENTIST EVANGELISTIC FORCE THAT THERE IS NOW ISSUED THIS COMPREHENSIVE, TOPICALLY ARRANGED

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COMPILATION. DEVOTED EXCLUSIVELY TO THE ALL-IMPORTANT SUBJECT OF EVANGELISM.

THIS VOLUME NOT ONLY SETS FORTH THE WELL-ESTABLISHED GUIDING PRINCIPLES WHICH SHOULD MOLD THE WORK OF THE EVANGELIST AND BIBLE INSTRUCTOR BUT ALSO PRESENTS A WEALTH OF MINUTE COUNSEL REGARDING THE APPLICATION OF THOSE PRINCIPLES. AS A COMPILATION OF THE PRECIOUS INSTRUCTION WHICH THE LORD HAS GIVEN ALL THROUGH THE YEARS, IT IS A VERITABLE HANDBOOK OF EVANGELISM FOR THE ADVENT MOVEMENT.

IN BRINGING TOGETHER AND ARRANGING IN LOGICAL ORDER MANY STATEMENTS FROM VARIOUS SOURCES, IT WAS FOUND THAT CERTAIN GENERAL LINES OF INSTRUCTION WERE REPEATEDLY SET FORTH. IN THE EFFORT TO PLACE BEFORE THE READER ALL THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE SUBJECT, WITHOUT PRESENTING UNDUE REPETITION, ONLY PARAGRAPHS OR GROUPS OF PARAGRAPHS WERE SELECTED. IN SOME CASES REPETITIOUS SENTENCES WERE DROPPED FROM EVEN THE BRIEF EXCERPTS USED, AND IN EACH CASE THE DELETION IS INDICATED. GREAT CARE HAS BEEN EXERCISED, HOWEVER, TO PRESENT STATEMENTS OF SUFFICIENT LENGTH TO GIVE THE CORRECT SETTING FOR THE COUNSEL.

AN ENDEAVOR HAS BEEN MADE TO MAKE EACH SECTION A COMPLETE TREATMENT OF THE SUBJECT PRESENTED. IN SO DOING THERE ACCRUES A CERTAIN DEGREE OF UNAVOIDABLE REPETITION OF THOUGHT WHICH EMPHASIZES THE INSTRUCTION. AS AN

AID IN MAKING READY REFERENCE TO THE KEY STATEMENTS IN THIS VOLUME, SIDE HEADINGS APPEARING IN BOLD TYPE HAVE BEEN SUPPLIED BY THE COMPILERS. A SOURCE CREDIT APPEARS AT THE CLOSE OF EACH EXCERPT, AND AS A FURTHER AID TO THE READER, THERE IS GIVEN THE DATE OF WRITING, IN CASE OF THE MANUSCRIPT QUOTATIONS, OR THE DATE OF FIRST PUBLICATION IN THE CASE OF OTHER REFERENCE.

A KNOWLEDGE OF THE TIME OF THE UTTERANCE SOMETIMES

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SERVES AS A HELPFUL GUIDE TO THE APPLICATION OF THE COUNSEL, FOR OUR WORK MUST BE CONDUCTED UNDER CHANGING CONDITIONS. AND ALTHOUGH IN SOME INSTANCES IT MAY NOT BE POSSIBLE TO EMPLOY IN MINUTE DETAIL METHODS ADVOCATED IN EARLIER YEARS, YET THE BASIC PRINCIPLES ENUNCIATED OR ILLUSTRATED IN THESE EARLIER COUNSELS WILL TODAY BE A GUIDE TO SAFE AND FRUITFUL METHODS. PRINCIPLE IS CHANGELESS, THOUGH ITS APPLICATION MAY CALL FOR AN ADJUSTMENT AND ADAPTATION TO MEET PRESENT CONDITIONS. WE PRESENT A CONCRETE ILLUSTRATION OF THIS POINT.

THE READER WILL FIND FREQUENT MENTION OF THE CAMP MEETING, AND COUNSEL AS TO ITS CONDUCT. IN THE SEVENTIES SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CAMP MEETINGS ATTRACTED VERY LARGE NON-ADVENTIST WEEK-END ATTENDANCE, WITH CONGREGATIONS RANGING FROM HALF CHURCH MEMBERS AND HALF NON-ADVENTISTS TO THE UNUSUAL RATIO OF FIFTEEN NON-ADVENTISTS TO ONE CHURCH MEMBER. IN THE NINETIES VERY SUCCESSFUL EVANGELISTIC CAMP MEETINGS HELD IN THE SUBURBS OF LARGE CITIES LASTED FROM TWO WEEKS TO A MONTH. SUCH MEETINGS WERE OF LARGE SOUL-WINNING POTENTIALITY. MANY STATEMENTS COMMENDING SUCH MEETINGS AND GIVING INSTRUCTION REGARDING THEIR SUCCESSFUL CONDUCT WERE PENNED THROUGH THOSE YEARS.

BUT TIMES HAVE CHANGED; THE CAMP MEETING HAS BECOME A GATHERING ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY FOR AN ENLARGING CHURCH GROUP. THE NON-ADVENTIST THRONGS ATTRACTED IN EARLIER YEARS BY THE CAMP MEETING ARE NOW REACHED MORE EFFECTIVELY THROUGH THE TENT OR HALL MEETING. NEVERTHELESS, THE PRINCIPLES GUIDING TO SUCCESSFUL METHODS IN THE EVANGELISTIC CAMP MEETINGS SERVE SAFELY AND WELL IN LEADING TO FRUITFUL METHODS IN PRESENT-DAY EVANGELISM.

THE INSTRUCTION IN THIS BOOK IS RESTRICTED ALMOST ENTIRELY TO THE EVANGELISTIC WORK OF THE MINISTER AND THE BIBLE INSTRUCTOR. THE VOLUMINOUS COUNSEL IN

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REGARD TO LAY EVANGELISM, SET FORTH SO FULLY IN OTHER E. G. WHITE PRODUCTIONS, ALSO GUIDANCE ON LITERATURE EVANGELISM WHICH FILLS SUCH AN IMPORTANT PLACE IN OUR WORK, ARE NOT REPEATED HERE BECAUSE OF SPACE LIMITATIONS. LIKEWISE, MEDICAL EVANGELISM, TREATED SO FULLY AND WELL IN MINISTRY OF HEALING, MEDICAL MINISTRY, AND COUNSELS ON HEALTH, IS NOT DWELT UPON EXCEPT AS IT RELATES TO THE PUBLIC PRESENTATION OF THE MESSAGE. MUCH MORE MIGHT BE INCLUDED ON THE QUALIFICATIONS OF THE EVANGELIST, BUT THE QUOTATIONS ON THIS TOPIC ARE HERE LIMITED TO SUCH POINTS AS HAVE A DIRECT

BEARING ON HIS SPECIAL WORK.

THIS VOLUME IS NOW SENT INTO THE FIELD WITH THE CONVICTION THAT ITS APPEARANCE WILL MARK A DEFINITE ADVANCE IN METHODS OF EVANGELISM. ITS CONSTRUCTIVE, UP-TO-DATE COUNSEL, ITS TIMELY CAUTIONS, ITS VIEWS OF THE TRIUMPH OF THE MESSAGE, WILL, WE BELIEVE, CONSTITUTE A "BLUEPRINT," GUIDING AN EVANGELISM THAT WILL REACH ITS GLORIOUS CLIMAX UNDER THE LOUD CRY OF THE THIRD ANGEL.

THE TRUSTEES OF THE ELLEN G. WHITE PUBLICATIONS.

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