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PASTOR GENERAL'S REPOR T, NOVEMBER 15, 1985
should have been a blue label.
Or, a misevaluation could also have
been made in judging the individual's level of interest.
This is
probably unavoidable in a certain percentage of cases because we have a
very limited amount of information to go on. If you run into a letter
like that, send it back to us after you have called the person.
Another factor to consider in evaluating the profitableness of visit
requests is that even some of our members do not have the level of
enthusiasm and interest that we would like to see. So it shouldn't
seem unusual to find brand new people without the commitment, direction
and zeal that they need. Let us understand. Part of the pastor's job
is to cultivate that interest and lay the groundwork for God to con
tinue to work with them though the "World Tomorrow" telecast and the
literature, if that is all they are ready for at this time.
If all they want to do is "chew the fat," as one minister mentioned,
then be willing to pleasantly listen and gently direct the conversation
along profitable lines. Be all things to all men.
...
Perhaps at this time the result may seem like a big zero; however,
these people have shown enough interest to ask for several pieces of
literature, to resubscribe to "The Plain Truth" one or more times, to
give donations on morE than one occasion and to write the letter that
initiated the visit.
Taking a few minutes to talk to them over the
telephone or going to their homes for a visit does establish a very
personal contact between that individual and the Church.
We have to
have faith that God's Word will prosper according to God's purpose. He
may not desire to call that individual to be a member right now. The
value may be for a later time. For example: That person undoubtedly
has friends, relatives and other social/business contacts. The contact
with you may result in a positive comment to someone else that would
help that individual to come along toward the truth.
This leads to another area that has been troublesome to many. That is
how to properly handle the situation when an individual only wants to
receive the church address so that he can attend church. Obviously we
can't invite new people to church without first working with them to
bring them to the place where they are ready. At the same time we need
to be careful not to cause offense or give the impression they aren't
good enough or that we are a secretive group.
We are enclosing with this issue of the "Pastor General's Report" a
copy of the text-library letter used by the Personal Correspondence
Department in answering questions relating to why individuals aren't
invited to church and can't attend services right away. Also enclosed
are two sample letters based on the standard text showing how this
material is tailored to fit specific situations. These will be of help
to all you international ministers as well.
Please study these letters to glean from them the various approaches
that should be used to explain properly to new individuals why they
can't be invited to services. This material has been very successfully
used by the men in PCD both in writing letters and talking to indi
viduals over the telephone.