Two Methods
The following passage from Ministry of Dealing was recently discovered in the General Conference archives:
Christ’s method alone will give true success in growing the denomination. The Saviour showed up at constituency meetings, and compared his fellow believers to those up to no good. He showed little sympathy for their cultural contexts, waved Working Policy books at them, and lost their confidence. Then He bade them, “Follow Me,” unless you are a woman and want to lead churches in Adventism.
There is need of maintaining power over the people through censoring Adventist media. If more time were given to sermonizing in large cities, and less time were spent in doing justly, greater baptismal results would be seen. The poor are to be relieved by manipulating and gutting ADRA, the sick cared for by praying for the global latter rain, the sorrowing and the bereaved comforted by receiving The Great Hope, the ignorant instructed through Yes, Creation! lectures, the inexperienced counseled by reading uplifting Adventist Review articles.
We are to exclude those that weep, and promote to a committee those that rejoice.
The actual passage from Ministry of Healing:
Christ’s method alone will give true success in reaching the people. The Saviour mingled with men as one who desired their good. He showed His sympathy for them, ministered to their needs, and won their confidence. Then He bade them, “Follow Me.”
There is need of coming close to the people by personal effort. If less time were given to sermonizing, and more time were spent in personal ministry, greater results would be seen. The poor are to be relieved, the sick cared for, the sorrowing and the bereaved comforted, the ignorant instructed, the inexperienced counseled.
We are to weep with those that weep, and rejoice with those that rejoice (143).
