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What Work Can We Do?

Posted by: matt allen | Sat, Jan 12, 2008 12:38 pm | Tag(s): Testimonies, Bible Verses, Translations, English, Spanish, Polish, Japanese, Français, Dutch, Hungarian, Bahasa Indonesia, Romanian, German | Permalink |

Do you want to work for the Lord?

Not everyone can be missionaries, bible workers, literature evangelist etcetera. But I do believe if we pray for guidance God will show us in our own neighborhoods what work to do in showing His love and proclaiming the gospel truths and how to do it. And since it says, …”In a large degree through our publishing houses is to be accomplished the work of that other angel who comes down from heaven with great power and who lightens the earth with His Glory… I suggest that one very effective way to do this, is to go as Literature Evangelists and help circulated these truth filled books we are publishing. “In visions of the night representations passed before me of a great reformatory movement among God’s people. Many were praising God. The sick were healed and other miracles were wrought. A spirit of intercession was seen, even as was manifested before the great day of Pentecost. Hundreds and thousands were seen visiting families and opening before them the word of God. Hearts were convicted by the power of the Holy Spirit, and a spirit of genuine conversion was manifest. On every side doors were thrown open to the proclamation of the truth. The world seemed to be lightened with the heavenly influence. Great blessings were received by the true and humble people of God. I heard voices of thanksgiving and praise, and there seemed to be a reformation such as we witnessed in 1844. {CH 580.1} Yet some refused to be converted. They were not willing to walk in God’s way, and when, in order that the work of God might be advanced, calls were made for freewill offerings, some clung selfishly to their earthly possessions. These covetous ones became separated from the company of believers.–Testimonies for the Church, vol. 9, p. 126 (1909). {CH 580.2}

I think we should pray for revival, reformation, encourage, and recruit church members to do this gospel work of canvassing as Literature Evangelist. And if you cannot do it yourself personaly (like me because of a health disability), you can financially support the work of Literature Evangelism also known as the Colporteur Ministry. We should support this work like never before and of course all other ministries teaching, working to proclaim these truths of light and love the everlasting gospel of God-Christ. I know personally about this work, I worked as a full-time LE for about seven (7) years when I was a younger man. It was the greatest work or experience I ever had in my Christian life. LE.’s are not only selling truth filled books, but they make friends with these people and for those who cannot buy books, they can give them free literature, pray for them, be friend them, help them, etcetera. The LE.’s spends each day of their working hours doing what God considers the most important work on earth, trying to help the unsaved and showing His love, light and truth to them. There is no greater work than that. They are the front-line soldiers sacrificing and working for the Lord.

In the summer of 1980 after working for about two years as a full-time LE. in the New York Conference the Lord blessed my efforts and I ended up leading the whole Atlantic Union in total sales of truth filled books and bibles sold and of free literatue given out, from out of about 200 full-time LE’s. Then the Conference President Elder Skantz at the time, Atlantic Union and New York Publishing Directors and Pastors ordained me with laying on of hands at the Union Springs, New York Camp-meeting, this was a tremendous blessings and privilege for me and as a result of this work some of the people I sold books to were baptized. 

From my experience in this work, I have some suggestion on how to do this work to make it more effective in sharing the gospel, also more attractive for Church members to be willing to go forward in faith doing this great work. On a Conference level  to make this work more attractive for Church members we could have a better more reasonable compensation plan for our Church members that will go forward doing this work. But also we can go out as lay-people not licensed by the Conference, praying for an organized way to bring this work to revival, but please either way, go out in faith doing this work. We should go out two by two like Christ told His disciples to do. This will also serve as some security for the women and young people that want to do this work, but are concerned about going to strangers homes. Send one who is more experienced in this work with one who is not, so there will be continual training, until that trained person can also go with someone else to train.

On a Conference organized level, compensation could be, not only commissions from the sales of the books and products, but also this could be an organized effort, each local SDA Conference could have a program and there could be a base guaranteed salary for any worker, if that worker puts in at least (35) hours per week and did not earn a minimum amount to compensate them for their expenses, needs etcetera. Also, this could become a good source of employment for many church members, part-time, full-time, retired members, our youth and part-time employment for academy and college students.  Ellen White said that this work is equal to that of the ministry. Our ministers receive a salary from the tithe given to the church. It may be that our Church Leadership needs to revive this canvassing work and encourage our people with the need to be more faithful with tithes or offerings to support this work  Perhaps the LE.’s could also be compensated in this way: give them a guaranteed minimum base salary that comes from tithes or offerings, only when the sales of the books did not equal a minimum amount of weekly commission agreed upon. But then if in the following weeks the LE’s sales commissions are above the minimum guaranteed base, then that extra commission earned could be deducted a little each of these weeks to pay back the base guarantee that was given to the LE when needed. Also, I suggest that we sell the smaller volumes of truth filled books and bibles, not necessarily the bigger volumes with the Mylar covers and color painting, these books are more expensive. But we need to sell Christ centered books like Patriots and Prophets, Prophets and Kings, Desire of Ages, Acts of Apostles, Great Controversy, (these five books are called the Conflict of the Ages set)  also Steps to Christ, Bible Reading for the Home, children Bible books, Ministry of Healing and other well written health books could be sold and training should include medical missionary training to educate the sick people we meet And maybe sell health products-vitamins and cooking books too. But we need to make the books affordable enough for the people to buy, but also profitable enough to sell for the workers needs and expenses.

 But also many Church members could buy these smaller books  in paper back form from the ABC’s and sell them for a reasonable profit, going out on there own as self-supporting workers-(not licensed by the Conference), in there own cities and communities. For example, if you purchase the Conflict of the Ages set by Ellen White,these five books with the book, ”Bible Readings for the Home” included in paper back form it may cost about $25.-30. per set. If you sell this set for about $60. or each book for $10., per set that is a $30. profit, if you sell only 5 sets each day-that is $150. per day profit. But you can sell much more than 5 sets per day too!  But if only 5 sets of books, per day,that is not a bad daily income for anybody and more importantly you are doing the Lord’s work and sharing your love and concern and helping those who are lost.

Now I want to share with you more about what the Lord’s Messenger has to say about this great work from the book Colporteur Ministry. Publications to Go Everywhere.–”Our publications should go everywhere. Let them be issued in many languages. The third angel’s message is to be given through this medium and through the living teacher. You who believe the truth for this time, wake up. It is your duty now to bring in all the means possible to help those who understand the truth to proclaim it. Part of the money that comes in from the sale of our publications should be used to increase our facilities for the production of more literature that will open blind eyes and break up the fallow ground of the heart.–Testimonies, vol. 9, p. 62. (1909) {CM 4.2} “There are many places in which the voice of the minister cannot be heard, places which can be reached only by our publications,–the books, papers, and tracts filled with the Bible truths that the people need. Our literature is to be distributed everywhere. The truth is to be sown beside all waters; for we know not which will prosper, this, or that. In our erring judgment we may think it unwise to give literature to the very ones who would accept the truth the most readily. We know not what may be the results of giving away a leaflet containing present truth.– Manuscript 127, 1909. {CM 4.3} “We are fast approaching the end. The printing and circulation of the books and papers that contain the truth for this time are to be our work.–Testimonies, vol. 8, p. 89. (1904) {LPHit14CM 5.1} } “To Lighten the Whole World.–The world is to receive the light of truth through an evangelizing ministry of the word in our books and periodicals.–Testimonies, vol. 9, p. 61. (1909) {CM 5.4} From our books and papers bright beams of light are to shine forth to enlighten the world in regard to present truth.–Testimonies, vol. 8, p. 87. (1904) {CM 5.5} “Successful Soul-Saving Ministry.–The canvassing work, properly conducted, is missionary work of the highest order, and it is as good and successful a method as can be employed for placing before the people the important truths for this time. The importance of the work of the ministry is unmistakable; but many who are hungry for the bread of life have not the privilege of hearing the word from God’s delegated preachers. For this reason it is essential that our publications be widely circulated. Thus the message will go where the living preacher cannot go, and the attention of many will be called to the important events connected with the closing scenes of this world’s history. {CM 6.1}

“A Work Ordained of God.–God has ordained the canvassing work as a means of presenting before the people the light contained in our books, and canvassers should be impressed with the importance of bringing before the world as fast as possible the books necessary for their spiritual education and enlightenment. This is the very work the Lord would have His people do at this time. All who consecrate themselves to God to work as canvassers are assisting to give the last message of warning to the world. We cannot too highly estimate this work; for were it not for the efforts of the canvasser, many would never hear the warning.–Testimonies, vol. 6, p. 313. (1900) {CM 6.2}  (She said that God has ordained the canvassing work… The Lord has and is blessing the use of Television and radio, computers, and other electronic tools in Advent-ism in the proclamation too, of course for many years. But God has ordained the publishing work-canvassing work,  I believe we should spend more resources and time reviving and doing this work that God has ordained. It may be the less expensive and most effective and practical way  of proclaiming the Everlasting Gospel truths and in getting many church members involved in the Lord’s work too.)

“A Call for Revived Interest.–The importance of the canvassing work is kept ever before me. This work has not of late had the life infused into it which was once given by the agents who made it their specialty. Canvassers have been called from their evangelistic work to engage in other labor. This is not as it should be. Many of our canvassers, if truly converted and consecrated, can accomplish more in this line than in any other in bringing the truth for this time before the people. {CM 7.3} “We have the word of God to show that the end is near. The world is to be warned, and as never before we are to be laborers with Christ. The work of warning has been entrusted to us. We are to be channels of light to the world, imparting to others the light we receive from the great Light Bearer. The words and works of all men are to be tried. Let us not be backward now. That which is to be done in warning the world must be done without delay. Let not the canvassing work be left to languish. Let the books containing the light on present truth be placed before as many as possible. –Testimonies, vol. 6, p. 329. (1900) {CM 7.4} “Equal in Importance to the Ministry.–Canvassers must go out into various parts of the country. The importance of this work is fully equal to that of the ministry. The living preacher and the silent messenger are both required for the accomplishment of the great work before us.–Review and Herald, April 1, 1880. {CM 8.1} “Canvassing for our publications is an important and most profitable line of evangelistic work. Our publications can go to places where meetings cannot be held. In such places the faithful evangelistic canvasser takes the place of the living preacher. By the canvassing work the truth is presented to thousands who otherwise would never hear it.–Review and Herald, Oct. 7, 1902. {CM 8.2} “No Higher Work.–There is no higher work than evangelistic canvassing, for it involves the performance of the highest moral duties. Those who engage in this work need always to be under the control of the Spirit of God. There must be no exalting of self. What have any of us that we did not receive from Christ? We must love as brethren, revealing our love by helping one another. We must be pitiful and courteous. We must press together, drawing in even cords. Only those who live the prayer of Christ, working it out in practical life, will stand the test that is to come upon all the world. Those who exalt self place themselves in Satan’s power, preparing to receive his deceptions. The word of the Lord to His people is that we lift the standard higher and still higher. If we obey His voice, He will work with us, and our efforts will be crowned with success. In our work we shall receive rich blessings from on high and shall lay up treasure beside the throne of God. {Colporteur Ministry p. 12.1} 

 Also, as we go forward in faith praying for the Latter Rain of the Holy Spirit we will be empowered to go forth doing this great work enlightening the world with the glory of God.! We need to pray, encourage and work together for revival of the canvassing work to get more men, women and young adults to become Literature Evangelist and in other lines of gospel work to such as bible workers, medical missionaries-health educators etcetera.

“I saw jets of light shining from cities and villages, and from the high places and the low places of the earth. God’s word was obeyed, and as a result there were memorials for Him in every city and village. His truth was proclaimed throughout the world.” Testimonies, vol. 9, pp. 28, 29. May the Lord help all who want to do this great work for the Lord and for the salvation of souls dying all around us. Blessings, Matthew

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