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Commentary on "Let the Church Know"

CHERYL GRANGER

 

Day 2: Sunday, June 10, 2012 - A Biblical Principle

 

The author brings up Mark 6:30 again, using it to prove that reporting is a "Biblical principle".

"The apostles returned to Jesus and told Him all that they had done and taught." ESV

The author states that reporting "seems to be a central part of the work of the gospel." Compare this quote from the GC SDA website on personal ministry within the SDA church to the NT teaching of the gospel:

"Reports gathered from local conferences and missions and forwarded through union conferences and divisions to the General Conference Sabbath School and Personal Ministries Department arrive simply as an accumulation of statistics.

However, when these are compared, analyzed, and interpreted in the light of other current trends and of past achievements, a fairly clear picture of the person in the pew emerges, and the degree of progress toward Sabbath School objectives is indicated. This is the chief justification for statistics, records, and reports, and this is the reason that the local Sabbath School secretary, in most conferences, has the responsibility of keeping accurate and up-to- date records and of rendering prompt, complete, and accurate reports."    

And this, from the Personal Ministries leaflet #2:

  1. Each Sabbath School teacher is to take individual missionary reports in his or her class at the beginning of the Sabbath School class period. It is to be understood that in no case is reporting time to be used for the promotion of campaigns or for the distribution of missionary items.
     
  2. The recommended method of reporting is the use of individual report cards, which provide for activities of personal evangelism adopted and promoted by the various departments. Each member should fill out his own report card in order properly to designate statistics for the various age groups. (Do SDA churches still do this? The leaflet states that this was voted in at the 1966 GC.)

And this, from leaflet # 3 

Untiring efforts should be made to encourage church members not only to work but also to keep a record of what they do. Faithful reports, carefully prepared, glorify God and become a source of encouragement to others. In order that the church may know how the work for which it is responsible is progressing, reports are absolutely essential. They are needed, too, so that the conference office may compile correct statistical reports and know how to plan its field work to the best advantage. The Christian is admonished against being “slothful in business,” and when the officers of the church request the members to make note of the literature they distribute and the other missionary work they do, it becomes the duty of each one to regard this request.

The church personal ministries secretary should put forth earnest effort to secure a missionary report from every member each week. The Personal Ministries Leaflet Why Report? contains suggestions on reporting. It would be helpful for every church member to have a copy.

The individual reports may be collected each week during the ten-minute personal ministries service. If the ten minutes needed for this service are not allowed, then the reports should be taken at the time of the regular church service or in connection with the weekly missionary meeting. The church’s ten-minute service offers by far the best opportunity for gathering reports, and each band leader should be enlisted to assist in this work. In case the ten- minute service has not become established in the church, we suggest that the reports be gathered up with the offering at the time of the preaching service.

All the individual reports should be received weekly, and the total for the church entered on the church personal ministries secretary’s work sheet. At the end of the quarter the totals from the work sheet will be entered on Per- sonal Ministries Blank No. 2, and sent on to the conference/mission personal ministries director, according to printed instructions on the blanks. The report of the Dorcas Society activities as a whole should be kept by the secretary of the society week by week (individual report cards may be used for this purpose), and turned in to the church personal ministries secretary on the last Sabbath of the month or quarter, before the missionary report for the entire church is sent to the conference/mission personal ministries director. Other items not called for on this individual report card (Personal Ministries Blank B) will be summarized by the Dorcas secretary and included in her special report to the conference/mission personal ministries director on Community Services Blank No. 11, according to instructions printed on the blank.P

The combined report should be sent to the conference/mission by the twentieth day of the new quarter. A duplicate copy should be retained in the secretary’s record book, and another copy furnished to the pastor or the per- sonal ministries leader of the church and shared with the interest coordinator. Faithfulness in this matter is impor- tant. Neglect on the part of one church personal ministries secretary may result in holding up the report of the personal ministries work for the entire world.

If the church personal ministries secretary expects the members to take an interest in reporting, he or she must likewise show personal interest in this matter, and should study how to present missionary reports in a varied and interesting manner. This may be effectually done by placing a comparative report of the month’s activities on a blackboard, where all may see; or a report, written up in an interesting manner, may be read in connection with the first-Sabbath missionary service.

The gospel is so clearly defined in Scripture:

"...that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,  that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures..." 1 Cor. 15: 3 & 4, ESV.

Is reporting evil or wrong? Of course not. 

Is reporting evil and wrong when it takes the place of the cross of Christ, His powerful blood, the power of His resurrection and the guidance and direction of God, the Holy Spirit?

The author admits that "...we cannot point to one specific Bible text that says, 'You must report because..." yet an entire seven days are wasted on proving that the Bible does, indeed, teach this.

The author also uses the awesome account of Peter and John in Acts 4 to reinforce the value of filling out reports. I challenge you to read the entire chapter straight through, without any EGW comments, to see for yourself whether or not this is honest teaching.

 

Today's lesson statistics:

SOURCE OF POWER FOR SUCCESSFUL WITNESSING AND CHURCH GROWTH

REPORTING: MENTIONED 12 TIMES

RELYING ON THE HOLY SPIRIT: NOT MENTIONED

 

GO TO DAY 3

 

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