On to New Fields

Church Members Taught to Stand Alone—As I traveled through the South on my way to the conference, I saw city after city that was unworked. What is the matter? The ministers are hovering over churches which know the truth while thousands are perishing out of Christ.

If the proper instruction were given, if the proper methods were followed, every church member would do his work as a member of the body. He would do Christian missionary work. But the churches are dying, and they want a minister to preach to them.

They should be taught to bring a faithful tithe to God, that He may strengthen and bless them. They should be brought into working order, that the breath of God may come to them. They should be taught that unless they can stand alone, without a minister, they need to be converted anew, and baptized anew. They need to be born again.—Manuscript 150, 1901.

Go Work for Souls—Instead of keeping the ministers at work for the churches that already know the truth, let the members of the churches say to these laborers: “Go work for souls that are perishing in darkness. We ourselves will carry forward the services of the church. We will keep up the meetings, and, by abiding in Christ, will maintain spiritual life. We will work for souls that are about us, and we will send our prayers and our gifts to sustain the laborers in more needy and destitute fields.”—Testimonies For The Church 6:30 (1900).

Conference Workers Called to New Fields—As a general rule, the conference laborers should go out from the churches into new fields, using their God-given ability to a purpose in seeking and saving the lost.—Letter 136, 1902.

Aggressive Work Called For—Our ministers should plan wisely, as faithful stewards. They should feel that it is not their duty to hover over the churches already raised up, but that they should be doing aggressive evangelistic work, preaching the Word and doing house-to-house work in places that have not yet heard the truth.... They will find that nothing is so encouraging as doing evangelistic work in new fields.—Letter 169, 1904.

If the ministers would get out of the way, if they would go forth into new fields, the members would be obliged to bear responsibilities, and their capabilities would increase by use.—Letter 56, 1901.

Ministerial Forces Exhausted on Established Churches—Our people have had great light, and yet much of our ministerial force is exhausted on the churches, in teaching those who should be teachers; enlightening those who should be “the light of the world”; watering those from whom should flow springs of living water; enriching those who might be veritable mines of precious truth; repeating the gospel invitation to such as should be scattered to the uttermost parts of the earth, communicating the message of Heaven to many who have not had the privileges which they have enjoyed; feeding those who should be in the byways and highways heralding the invitation, “Come; for all things are now ready.” Luke 14:17^L. Come to the gospel feast; come to the supper of the Lamb; “for all things are now ready.”

Now is the time for earnest wrestling with God. Our voices should join with the Saviour’s in that wonderful prayer: “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:10^L. Let the whole earth be filled with His glory. Many may ask, “Who is sufficient for these things?” 2 Corinthians 3:16^L. The responsibility rests upon every individual. “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God.”(2 Corinthians 3:5^L)—The Review and Herald, July 23, 1895.