Example is said to be the most powerful teaching tool. One dictionary defines it as “something to be imitated or avoided.” How much impact does your personal example contribute to God’s Work?
On June 8, 1984, thePastor General’s Report informed the ministry in God’s Church of an encouraging development. “Prospective members (PMs) form the reservoir from which most baptisms result. They are our best indicator of future Church growth. Periodically we evaluate the source of PMs as indicated on the PM addition forms. This gives us a better understanding of how new members are brought into contact with God’s Church.
“Recently we analyzed the new PMs added to our files in the U.S. between February and May of this year. As was anticipated, contact through ministerial visit requests sent to headquarters accounted for the largest percentage (43 percent) of this group. Public Bible lectures prompted 6 percent to make personal contact with the ministry. Three percent made contact through a variety of miscellaneous means. The impetus for contact for another 9 percent was either not known or was left unstated on the form.
“But it was the second largest category, not mentioned above, which proved surprising. Of the new PMs, 39 percent were brought into contact with God’s Church through friends and relatives. This was much higher than anticipated. It is, in fact, one of the chief avenues God is using to call members into His Church! Obviously, the World Tomorrow program on radio and tv as well as Church literature have had a powerful effect on these individuals. However, the personal contact and living example of this ‘way of life in action’ has doubtless made the difference with many of these individuals between responding or not responding. Perhaps the members would be encouraged to realize how much they are being used in this aspect of the work of God’s Church.”
A year and a half after that message of encouragement, Herbert W. Armstrong died and the Philadelphia era ended. The resulting four years of strong delusion saw the removal of God’s revelation written through His end-time type of Elijah. The preaching of the gospel message around the world had stopped.
Then, on Dec. 7, 1989, everything changed for the better. Gerald Flurry and his assistant John Amos were fired from their wcg employment and disfellowshipped. That day Jesus Christ moved the lampstand, and the Philadelphia Church of God began. Malachi’s Message to God’s Church Today was used to measure first the ministry and secondarily the membership.
Days later, seven women and five men attended the first Sabbath service of God’s Philadelphia remnant during the Laodicean era in a living room in Edmond, Oklahoma. The senior, married, single and teen demographics were all represented in that smallest of new beginnings.
Over time this remnant Work grew from its new headquarters, across the country and internationally, as God raised up additional congregations. Through the power of His Holy Spirit it was, has and continues to be the supportive example of the members of the Church that contributes to its growth.
Mr. Armstrong often quoted John 6:44 where Christ said, “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him.” In his autobiography, he devoted Chapter 19 to addressing the subject of “Trying to Convert Relatives.” He advised readers not to make the same mistake he did. “With the best intentions in the world, I set out on a vigorous campaign. To me, it was the loving and intense desire to share the wonders and glories of Bible knowledge with those we felt we loved most. But to most of them, it was an unwanted effort to ‘cram my crazy religion down their throats.’”
The Key of David program and Trumpet magazine are the twin avenues God raised through His apostle to “prophesy again” (Amos 3:7-8; John 1:21, 25; Revelation 10:11).
Our individual support of God’s chosen servant and His message is highly valued by our Creator. However, our daily application of the divine lifestyle of agape love forms the most powerful example. We do not individually proselytize as Mr. Armstrong advised. However, actions speak louder than words, and our example sends a powerful message to all those we interact with day in and day out.
In my duties as a field minister, I regularly speak with new contacts and prospective members. Numerous times the good example of an attending member is mentioned as a key contributor to that individual’s decision to mail, e-mail or phone in a visit request.
More rare is the bad example of a member, or former member, that may be a stumbling-block to be overcome. Wherever we live, our daily example can negatively or positively contribute or detract from the impact of God’s prophesy again commission.
God’s loving law is His way of life. At baptism, we receive the earnest of His Holy Spirit, allowing a godly life to be lived in us (Galatians 2:20). Yet the daily battle to overcome Satan, society and our own self rages. Our ongoing victories over the nature of the adversary, by the increased flow of the Holy Spirit advances the re-creation of the Creator in His called-out creation.
Jesus admonishes us to seek the perfection of the Father (Matthew 5:48). Daily do we seek to have Him fashion and mold us into His supreme family character “till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13).
Today, 95 percent of God’s Church is setting the wrong example in reflecting His glory (Malachi 1:6). Yet His Philadelphians have the high honor to love, serve and obey Him, “pulling them out of the fire” (Jude 23).
God is watching our daily lives closely, knowing that “every one of us shall give account of himself to God” (Romans 14:12). Be encouraged in that contribution to His Work of prophesying again. Resolve to set the right example and live for Him in your remaining physical days in advance of spirit-born days of your eternal example in the soon-coming wonderful World Tomorrow.