Personal Work

Understanding and practice of personal work is necessary to the numerical and spiritual growth of congregations, to salvation of alien sinner, and that of Christians. This ought to be the aim of every child of God. I am afraid that many Christians are deceiving themselves into thinking that they are faithful because they are faithful in attendance. There is more to Christianity than being faithful in attendance. We must be workers for the Master.

The church as a body has a work to do. Even this is impossible without various individuals doing their part. The group activity of the church necessarily involves arrangements for the accomplishment of certain aims. The church is the "pillar and ground of the truth" (1 Tim. 3:15). In order to evangelize, the group, acting through its treasury and through persons acting at the requirement of the group, might use the pulpit in regular assemblies, classes, gospel meetings, tracts, bulletins, radio, television, etc. All of these are authorized under the generic command to "teach".

The action of the church as a group does not rule out the duty of individual Christians to acts in the matter of evangelism. There are some duties we have, not just because we are part of a group, but because of our personal relationship to God. Any attempt to shift upon a collectivity a duty that is private is displeasing to God.

In James 1:22 James said, "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves." Isn't that what many members are doing. They know that the lost must be taught, but never try to teach anyone. Someone says, "I don't know who to teach." Teach everyone you know that is not a member of the church. They are lost and need to hear the truth so that their souls can be saved. "Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin" (Jas. 4:17). Many churches are dying because members are not teaching the lost. Every member has this responsibility. Someone taught you and now you need to be teaching others. Can one disobey this responsibility and still go the heaven? Think about it brethren, the eternal destiny of your soul depends upon being doers of the Lord's will.

Someone says, I don't know how to teach someone. If you will make arrangements for a home Bible study with someone lost (alien sinner or erring member) then, ask the preacher or an elder or some member that has a good knowledge of the word. I am sure that they will be glad to go with you. Then, you need to study and prepare yourself for personal work. Most people that are lost do not know what is required of them to be saved. Every member of the church should be able to show them in the Bible what they need to do to be saved. If you can't remember where to find it, then write it down and after you do it a few times you will remember where to find such passages.