Why We Need A Plan

If you skip back to “Signs Of The Times: 11 - What’s The Plan?” and read it again, you’ll see why I think we ought to have a plan, and what this plan would help us to achieve.

Read it? Good. What? You’re not convinced? Well, I’m no great authority on anything, so, having said goodbye to Mr Ritchie, allow me to introduce you to another figure from a bygone age: Reuben Archer Torrey, a man very much in favour of a plan.

"Ah, yes, Torrey!” someone will say. “Hmm, well, I dunno, not entirely sound on some issues,” another might add. But perhaps “Who’s he?” will be the response from the average reader. Don’t worry about that now. Just take it from me that he was much admired in his own time.

Here are his opening words on “The Importance And Advantages Of Personal Work”.

In our study of the various forms of Christian activity, we begin with "Personal Work," that hand-to-hand dealing with men, women and children. We begin with it because it is the simplest form of Christian work, and one that every one can do. It is also the most effective method of winning lost souls.

The Apostle Peter was brought to Jesus by the hand-to-hand work of his brother Andrew. Andrew first found Christ himself, then he went to Peter quietly and told him of his great find, and thus he led Peter to the Saviour he himself had found. I do not know that Andrew ever preached a sermon; if he did it is not recorded; but he did a great day's work when he led his brother Peter to Jesus. Peter preached a sermon that led to the conversion of 3,000 people, but where would Peter's great sermon have been if Andrew had not first led him to Christ by quiet personal work?

Mr. Edward Kimball, a Boston business man, led D. L. Moody, the young Boston shoe clerk, to the Saviour. Where would all Mr. Moody's wonderful work for Christ have been if he himself had not been led to the Saviour by the faithful personal work of his Sunday school teacher?

I believe in preaching. It is a great privilege to preach the Gospel, but this world can be reached and evangelized far more quickly and thoroughly by personal work than by public preaching. Indeed, it can be reached and evangelized only by personal work. When the whole church of Jesus Christ shall rouse to its responsibility and privilege in this matter, and every individual Christian become a personal worker, the evangelization of the world will be close at hand. When the membership of any local church shall rouse to its responsibility and privilege in this matter, and each member become a personal worker in the power of the Holy Spirit, a great revival will be close at hand for the community in which that church is located.

Personal work is a work that wins but little applause from men, but it accomplishes great things for God.

I’ll leave you to think that through while I put my next plan into action: a walk round the reservoir!

To be continued.