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wangeltsm cJne (^nief Vi/ork of tne R. R. FIGUHR President, General Conference IITHIN the soul o£ the Seventh-day Adventist Church W:there must ever remain a living spirit of aggressive evan gelism. This is not a department of the church, nor just one of its lines of activity. It is the task of the church and its main line. An Adventist worker cannot leave evangelism for some other line of activity within the church. In God©s plan, evan gelism faces the worker in every phase of our denominational activity. Medical, publishing, Dorcas, relief, and educational work are all parts of the one great program of soul winning. The gospel plan, as outlined by the Master Himself, can be nothing less than this. Public evangelism from the very inception of our work has been highly re garded and given first place in importance. When, as a denomination, we had nothing else we had evangelists. There were no institutions in our early days to influence the people, no church activities to win words of commendation from non-Adventists and to create a favorable atmosphere. Our workers preached the message in tents, in schools, in homes, in churches, and wherever possible. They had just one thought and task evangelism. Their dedication to it was so complete that obstacles and hindrances, such as opposition of enemies, lack of funds, personal interests, and lack of companion workers, were all by-passed in attaining their prime objective the proclamation of the special gospel message committed to this people to as many as possible, in as many places as possible. As institutions sprang up and organizations developed, evangelism still re mained the chief objective. The success of institutions, as well as all other organi zations, was measured by their accomplishments in soul winning. This was logical, for this was the motive in founding institutions and organizing the various units comprising our work. It still remains the purpose today. It is this aggressive spirit and clear vision of evangelism that has spread our work around the world. Everything, therefore, that we can do to enhance and enlarge upon this concept strengthens and establishes us as a people and hastens the day of our Lord©s return. The true evangelist will not give up when the going is hard. "Woe is me," he ever feels, "if I do not preach the gospel!" Such a dedication to the cause of soul winning will enlist the hearty support of administrators and members alike. As we go forth, we must not believe that the greatest days of public evangelism are in the past. We must believe that they are here now. "For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth" (Rom. 9:28). THE MINISTRY Official Journal of the Ministerial Association of Seventh-day Adventists VOLUME XXXIII SEPTEMBER, 1960 No. 9 Editor ROY ALLAN ANDERSON IN THIS ISSUE ARTICLES Associate Editor Evangelism the Chief Work of the Church R. R. Figuhr 2 Evangelism in the White Memorial Church ANDREW C. FEARING R. E. Dunton 7 Teamwork for Success ___...__....__ W. A. Higgins 8 Managing Editor Conducting the Baptismal Service ..__ R. A. Anderson 10 HARRY W. LOWE Evangelism in Poland and Finland ..__ E. E. Cleveland 14 A Discussion of Walter Martin©s Comments Relative to Assistant Editors the Sabbath and the Lord©s Day ..__.. R. Hammill 16 Council High Points ____________________________......_._... 24 E. EARL CLEVELAND Ellen G. White and the Spirit of Prophecy H. W. Lowe 26 WALTER SCHUBERT EDITORIAL Copy Editor Keynote o£ Evangelistic Councils ..__ R. A. Anderson 4 J. INA WHITE REGULAR FEATURES Music in Worship ...__...___________ H. B. Hannum 21 Consulting Editors Evangelism ......__._...__.__.___________ S. Harris 30 REUBEN R. FICUHR, WALTER R. BEACH, Health Evangelism __.____.__.___._.______ M. R. White 33 EDWARD HEPPENSTALL, LOUISE C. Pastor ______ .___ _-_____-__.___....___......_._. .___._ F. R. Isaac 35 KLEUSER, W. B. OCHS, H. L. RUDY Bible Instructor .. _.____.._.._._.___._ _.___._..__. L. C. Kleuser 36 Books for Your Library _______...__.___.____ ___......_..__.. 38 Pulpit and Study ________________________________ A. C. Fearing 39 Art Editor News .____.____._.___ _.____.______._____...______________ 42 T. K. MARTIN Pulpit Pointers for Preachers .___.__________..._________ 48 Circulation Manager WALTER SCHUBERT Our Cover E. EARL CLEVELAND, Assistant Chicago is typical of the world©s teeming, bustling, sin-laden cities. The sprawling, swarming cities are what James Oppen- Overseas Contributors heira called "worlds in a world" good, bad, clean, filthy, GEORGE BURNSIDE Australia hopeless, aspiring, cultured, coarse, wealthy, poor, all wrapped W. MUELLER Central Europe up in a huge impenetrable mass. Here is "the greatest impeni J. R. SPANGLER Far East tence and the greatest need." Evangelism, p. 25. H. J. WESTPHAL Inter-America Yet, Oppenheim said: WAYNE E. OLSON Middle East "Each man is a tiny faucet that taps the infinite reser ODD JORDAL Northern Europe voir of God! ENOCH OLIVEIRA South America What if they turned the faucet full-stream?" S. G. MAXWELL Southern Africa Some men can look at the city crowds and feel unmoved. J. F. ASHLOCK Southern Asia Others may feel that these hectic masses are hopeless. The G. CUPERTINO Southern Europe evangelist looks upon them as "multitudes of people un warned" (Evangelism, p. 34). He knows that there among the millions are men with longing hearts tiny faucets through which may flow the Holy Spirit of God in mighty, refreshing- Editorial Office: 6840 Eastern Avenue, NW. streams. Washington, D.C. Cities are not just piles of stone heaped heavenward. They Printed and published monthly for the Min are myriad souls for whom Christ died. Cities are not gross isterial Association of Seventh-day Adventists by the Review and Herald Publishing Associa displays of opulence and sordid shows of sin. They are men tion, Washington, D.C., U.S.A. $4.00 a and women crying out to God for truth, justice, and the love year; 40c a copy. Add 25c for yearly subscrip of God. tions to countries requiring extra postage. Second-class postage paid at Washington, D.C. Cover Picture: A. Devaney SEPTEMBER, 1960 EDITORIAL Keynote of Evangelistic Councils Held in Denver, Colorado, and Washington, D.C. R. A. ANDERSON Secretary, Ministerial Association, General Conietence E MEET today as an evangelistic coun more desperate the situation, the more real Wcil, and it is a joy to welcome each of istic the evangelism. The challenge be you here. In some ways we are making his comes the chance; the calamity creates the tory, for a council of this kind is definitely opportunity. a new experience with us. This is not a "Come ye yourselves apart," said Jesus to ministerial institute, much less a general the evangelists of an earlier day. And that workers© meeting, but a council called for is precisely why we are here. We have the study of basic problems in public evan drawn aside from the pressures of our call gelism. In the cities of today there is so ing to commune with Him and with one much to challenge us that we have long another. If the spirit of humility pervades needed an opportunity of this kind. Our our gathering, then this council will prove problems seem to grow greater with every a rich experience for us all. We are here passing year. as a group to learn: first, from the Word of While the message of the everlasting gos God; second, from the counsel of His pel is ever the same, yet the contemporary Spirit; third, from one another. situation in which we must interpret God Solomon©s prayer might well be ours: "I to men is vastly different from what it was am but a little child: I know not how to go even a few years ago. The thunder of out or come in. ... Give therefore thy serv world-shattering events, the crash of old ant an understanding heart" (1 Kings 3: and trusted ideas, have left the multitude 7, 9). bewildered. As a panacea for broken AH who occupy responsible positions need to hopes and disillusionment many are turn learn the lesson that is taught in Solomon©s humble ing feverishly to pleasure. Never was prayer. They are ever to remember that position amusement so eagerly sought and so little will never change the character or render man in valued. TV has brought the vaudeville to fallible. The higher the position a man occupies, the greater the responsibility he has to bear, the almost every home. wider will be the influence he exerts and the It is against this background that we as greater his need to feel his dependence on the wis evangelists are to proclaim God©s last mes dom and strength of God. Position never will sage of mercy. Ours is a generation that has give holiness and excellence of character. Ev been robbed of its familiar gods of material ery truly converted soul can say, "I am but a little security, human progress, and self-suffi child; but I am God©s child." Testimonies, vol. 9, ciency. But to such as these we are sent as pp. 282, 283. heralds of God. We are commissioned to It is good for us to realize that we do not proclaim the everlasting gospel in the set have all the answers. In both technology ting of God©s judgment hour.