News
Claude A. Guild, 2701 E. Belknap St., Fort Worth, Texas, May 4: "The meeting at Highland Park closed with one baptism, one restoration, and one placing membership. My next meeting will be in Boise, Idaho."
J. M. Gillpatrick, Pampa, Texas, May 7: "We recently closed a meeting here at Central in which Brother A. V. Isbell of Lawton, Oklahoma did the preaching. Interest and attendance was good, and the church was strengthened. There were six baptisms and fifteen restorations. The work of the church continues good with not enough room to seat the people. Also the gospel meeting at Texola, Oklahoma in which I did the preaching came to a close last Sunday night. The church there is small but is showing progress. Interest in the meeting was good and there were two restorations."
Personal Work
Judson Woodbridge, Mulvane, Kansas Making known the gospel is serious business. So much so, that we should think of the ways to do it. I want to say that personal effort is one of the most effective ways to teach people. In the days of the early church the brethren used this manner of getting others to see the truth. "They, therefore that were scattered abroad went about preaching the word" (Acts 8:4). "And every day in the temple and at home they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus as the Christ" (Acts 5:42). In other words, they (all members) made opportunities and took advantage of all opportunities to preach the word. We should do no less today.
Your friend can be reached by you. In my time I have seen very little good come from "door knocking campaigns." The preacher can do much better if there has been a lead and an introduction. All of this brings the personal work back to EVERY MEMBER doing it. This eliminates organizations and special campaigns, and places it on the basis of EVERYDAY WORK FOR EVERY MEMBER OF THE CHURCH. Some members seem to think they cannot make a call or talk to anyone about Christ unless some organized effort has been made; unless they have been handed a name following a luncheon by the callers; and unless there is a report sheet to be filled out and turned into the "office." Keeping records, etc., may be beneficial, but to train a congregation in these special set-ups will tend to deter rather than augment the personal work of the church. Every member working every day will bring big results. This may not be spectacular work; but it is big work — the Lord's work.