Church Work Shared by Pastor and People

Members should not look to ministers to do the members’ work—Look not to the ministers to do your work; sleep not as did the foolish virgins, who had no oil in their lamps. Have your lamps supplied with the oil of the grace of Christ. Should every one in the church let his light shine forth to others as God designs he should, what a work would be done. A living church will be a working church. Bring your powers to Jesus; put them into exercise. Think, meditate, watch, and pray. A close connection with Jesus will increase your power of accomplishing good, your intellect will be strengthened. The time that will try men's souls is just before us. We shall then have no advocate to rebuke the devil, and plead in our behalf.—The Review and Herald, September 22, 1896.PaM 147.1

Every member has a work to do—This time demands that advance moves be made, that resolute, persevering faith be exercised, that a patient, self-denying, long-suffering spirit be manifested by every member of our churches, and that each one who professes to follow Christ shall become a worker in his moral vineyard. The God-fearing members of the church can do more good by devoted, personal effort than our ministers can accomplish when they feel no burden to labor from house to house. Our ordained ministers must do what they can, but it must not be expected that one man can do the work of all. The Master has appointed unto every man his work. There are visits to be made, there is praying to be done, there is sympathy to be imparted; and the piety—the heart and hand—of the whole church is to be employed, if the work is to be accomplished. You can sit down with your friends, and in a pleasant, social way, talk of the precious Bible faith.—The Review and Herald, August 13, 1889.PaM 147.2

God is displeased with ease-loving dispositions—The laborers together with God will be aroused to do their work for the Master. Instead of doing so little, they must do very much more, and act as if they were plucking souls as brands from the burning fires. God is displeased with the ease-loving dispositions of those who have the light of truth. Time is golden. Lay hold of God by living faith, and exert your powers to their very utmost, having your testimony so vitalized by the Spirit of God that sinners will feel and sense their danger. Let faith be woven into your experience. Let every believer in the truth be thoroughly alive to the danger of this time. Let them awake from their stupor and feel that the delegated ministers are not the only ones to be workers together with God. Every soul must have a part in this. Says Christ, “Ye are the light of the world.” This not only applies to the ministers, but to every soul to whom Christ has revealed Himself. In your several churches you are to be active, living, Christian workers. Are you acquainted with your neighbors? Have you labored for those close by your own homes? Have you the love of Jesus? If so, you will feel an interest for the souls for whom Christ died. Pure religion and undefiled is an active principle. It overreaches the walls of home. It goes forth in quest of objects that need help. Its light flashes into the highways and hedges, and it is seen and felt in the larger places of the earth. The lost sheep are searched for diligently, and wanderers are brought back to the fold.—The Review and Herald, March 8, 1887.PaM 148.1

Too many rely on their preacher to support them, when they should be ministering to others—There is a terrible amount of guilt for which the church is responsible. Why are not those who have the light putting forth earnest efforts to give that light to others? They see that the end is near. They see multitudes daily transgressing God's law; and they know that these souls cannot be saved in transgression. Yet they have more interest in their trades, their farms, their houses, their merchandise, their dress, their tables, than in the souls of men and women whom they must meet face to face in the judgment. The people who claim to obey the truth are asleep. They could not be at ease as they are if they were awake. The love of the truth is dying out of their hearts. Their example is not such as to convince the world that they have truth in advance of every other people upon the earth. At the very time when they should be strong in God, having a daily, living experience, they are feeble, hesitating, relying upon the preachers for support, when they should be ministering to others with mind and soul and voice and pen and time and money.—Testimonies for the Church 5:457.PaM 148.2

Members encourage themselves and their ministers by sharing their faith—I entreat you, my brethren and sisters, to be self-reliant in the strength of Jesus. Do not hang the weight of your perplexities and burdens upon your ministers. Christ has invited you to come to Him, your burden-bearer. If you pass along in a state of unbelief and lack of consecration to God, you hang your weight upon the heart of your ministers, and you take just so much time and strength from them which God requires them to use in giving the message to those who have not heard it. Brethren, will you not rather work yourselves in union with the ambassadors of Christ in seeking to win souls to the truth? When tempted to become unbelieving and discouraged, you will find the very best cure for this in talking faith to others, and in presenting the truth to those who are in darkness. Extend your efforts to your neighbors, and to those who have not the privileges of meetings. Sow the seeds of truth beside all waters, and encourage the hearts of the servants of God when they visit you by showing that you have not been idle, but through your instrumentality one or more has been brought from darkness to light.—The Signs of the Times, September 4, 1879.PaM 148.3

Members must not wait for ministers to come and help inquirers—Many who are now left to darkness and ruin could have been helped, had their brethren—common men and women—come to them with the love of Christ glowing in their hearts, and put forth personal efforts for them. Many are waiting to be thus personally addressed. Humble, earnest conversation with such persons, and prayer for them, heart being brought close to heart, would in most cases be wholly successful. But instead of this, those who profess to be following their Saviour rest content with expressing a desire that some brother or minister may come and help them. Thus they neglect the very work that God has left for them to do. Just the way in which this work is to be done in every case cannot be rigidly prescribed, but as they come in closer connection with the world's Redeemer, ways and means will be suggested to their minds.—The Review and Herald, June 10, 1880.PaM 149.1

As far as possible, ministers should be relieved from cares of a temporal nature—The same order and system that were necessary in the days of the apostles should be maintained in the church of today. The prosperity of the cause depends very largely upon its various departments being conducted by men of ability, who are qualified to fill the positions in which they are placed. Those who are chosen of God to be leaders in the cause of truth, having the general oversight of the spiritual interests of the church, should be relieved as far as possible from cares and perplexities of a temporal nature. Those whom God has called to minister in word and doctrine should have time for meditation, prayer, and a study of the Scriptures. Their clear spiritual discernment is dimmed if they are obliged to enter into the lesser details of business, and to deal with the various temperaments of those who meet together in church capacity. All difficult matters of a temporal nature should be brought before the proper officers, to be adjusted by them. But if these matters are of so perplexing a character as to baffle the wisdom of these officers, they should be carried into the council of those who have the oversight of the entire church.—The Review and Herald, February 16, 1911.PaM 149.2