‘Thoughts'
Why Be A Personal Worker?
By: Ivan R. Stewart
There are a number of reasons for being a personal worker:
• This work imitates the work that Jesus did.
The record of Jesus' life shows more individual teaching situations than public. If we imitate just the public life, we have left undone a method of spreading the Kingdom. Teaching privately helps to declare the whole counsel of God, as Jesus Christ did.
• This work will seek and save the lost.
In Luke 19:10 we find that Jesus “came to seek and save the lost.” A personal worker strives to find the lost. Of course, an individual that is lost must allow himself to be found. That is what the personal worker does. Personal work exposes error which causes one to be lost. It is effective.
• The personal worker obeys the commands given in the Bible.
Matthew 28:18-20 , Mark 16:15-16 , and Luke 24:47-49 record the commission to go preach, by way of command. The disciples understood it clearly in the first century. It should be just as easily understood in all centuries. The commission still reads “Go and make disciples” not “ Come and we will make disciples of you.”
• The personal worker has a clear-cut example after which to pattern his work.
( Acts 20:20 and Acts 5:42 ). The same Bible that commands baptism gives the command to go and teach. The same Bible that gives examples of how to be baptized gives examples of how to go and teach privately and publicly.
• Every Christian should be a personal worker to help him bear fruit and save his own soul.
The Bible is clear that everyone cannot be a public teacher, but here is a work that all men can do and bear fruit. John 15:2 reads “Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.”
• It causes the personal worker to appreciate the power of God's word for himself as well as others.
Certainly Romans 1:16 shows us that the gospel is powerful and it serves as a constant reminder to the worker of its power anew. Often I realize how feeble I am and how awkward with the presentation of God's word, and yet the individual obeys anyway. This demonstrates to me that it is not me but the Word – but it must be presented. Personal work keeps the Christian busy. It will increase the effectiveness of the worker, helping him to grow spiritually and it will help the congregation, and in turn cause those converted to take up the task of converting others – thus more souls saved. The personal worker is working on the true values of life. See Mark 8:36 “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” If you were receiving $10,000 for each convert, where would you place the value?
(This was a segment taken from the book, “ FROM HOUSE TO HOUSE” A MANUAL ON PERSONAL WORK, by Ivan Robert Stewart. Copyright, 1956 – page 26-27.)
It struck me that we just don't hear this much anymore! I felt it was worth sharing! I hoped it helped ignite the desire to go and teach!