This admonition of the apostle Paul in 2 Timothy 4:5 is for elders too. The elders not only assist the pastor with the shepherd care of the congregation but they share the concern for the lost.
The matter of leading our church members into evangelistic activity is one that presents a mighty challenge to every leader and worker in the cause of God. I firmly believe that the speed at which we shall finish the work of God upon this earth depends to a large extent on how we relate ourselves to this plan.
The church was called into being for no other purpose than to evangelize. The command is clear: "Go, ye therefore, and teach all nations ..." (Matthew 28:19), But how few understand the full importance of that commission. It is so often assumed that this is an appeal to enter the ministry or to be a missionary. I think it is true to say, without exaggeration, that the vast majority of the elders in the Adventist Church have never dreamed that it is a personal, individual command to every child of God to go into his own personal world and be a soulwinning witness to every creature.
The evangelization of the community is a high priority for any Adventist Church. The pastor cannot be the only soul winner in the leadership if this task is to be accomplished. All church leaders and members must participate in the evangelistic outreach of the fellowship.
A primary need in most churches is a plan to train those gifted in evangelism. "In every church the members should be so trained that they will devote time to the winning of souls to Christ.... Let those who have charge of the flock awake to their duty, and set many souls to work." E. G. White, Christian Service, p. 61.
The time and supervision required to train these workers is again more than the pastor alone can handle. The elders provide the logical resource persons for expanding the evangelism program. The Biblical content of personal evangelism must be taught to the elders. Having a working knowledge of the subject, they need the firsthand experience of going from house-to-house or some other form of evangelistic approach. The pastor must show the elders how he wins people to Christ.
The elders who feel the responsibility for this ministry will make ideal trainers and overseers of the church evangelism team. Elders can teach the soul-winning courses. Some can be assigned to train workers by direct example. Some need to be appointed to oversee the program by fathering reports, encouraging workers, making them realize that there is accountability in the ministry they have undertaken for Christ.
The home Bible study is one of the most effective means of soul winning today. Those attending a home Bible study invite their unconverted friends who show an interest in the Scriptures to attend. The class leader brings a simple Bible lesson which presents the plan of salvation. This program should be more widely used if lay people were recruited to minister in evangelistic Bible studies.
The board of elders may have in their ranks a man with the gifts needed to oversee the Bible study ministry. An elder could train other laymen to teach the classes. He could then oversee the total program by locating homes for classes. By arranging follow-up for new converts, Bible classes would have a continuously growing outreach,
