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PASTOR GENERAL'S REPORT, DECEMBER
16,
1986
twofold. The first part is to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom of God
to all nations as a witness, and the second part is
to
feed the flock,
that is, see to the spiritual guidance of the congregations of those God
chooses to call.
In fulfilling that commission we must remember a basic principle
God has given us--He and only He calls people into the Body of Christ.
How many times did Mr. Herbert Armstrong boom out, quoting John
6:44
to
us, "No man CAN come to me unless the Father who sent Me draws him"?
And he always placed that emphasis on the "CAN." Yet did we get it?
God and God alone decides whom He will call. We don't. It
is
not up to
us
to do God's job for Him. It is up to
us
to do the job He gave
us.
He told us to preach the Gospel and feed the flock
-
He calls.
When one comes to the Church as a result of having heard the
Gospel, we are then to confirm by the fruits whether God
is
indeed
calling that individual, and to baptize those who have repented7 But we
don't do the calling. Some few of our brethren have on occasion
thought, it seems, that the Church should focus on developing ways to
"bring people along" towards baptism. That is precisely
-
not what God
has commissioned
us
to do.
What we should strive to do as a Work
is
be
?here when people need
us. We should make helpful literature or counseling available as it is
requested--not as it
is
ushed on people. It
is
certainly appropriate
to ask questions on the
E7-
te ecast or in the magazines that challenge
people
0;
make them think. It is appropriate t o bpldly and without
reservation proclaim the Gospel, and to "show My people their sins." It
is
appropriate to offer them other pieces of literature on the telecast
or in the publications that will help answer the questions that the
---
truth of God invariably raises. But it certainly
is
-
not appropriate for
us
to bog ourselves down with extensive research to determine just how
we can bring people along more rapidly toward baptism, or how we can
"increase the income" by "developing" people more rapidly. THIS IS
GOD'S
WORK--NOT OURS! WE'D BETTER DO IT HIS WAY--NOT OURS!
Our job is to reach the Gos el and
--
feed the flock. God gives
us
stewards with those resources. If we spend all He gives
us
on preaching
the Gospel, how can we feed the flock? If we spend all He gives
us
on
feeding the flock, how can we preach the Gospel? If we allow any one or
more areas of the Work to grow
so
rapidly that we cannot effectively
maintain and support them, would that be wise stewardship? Would God
bless that kind of irresponsibility by giving us even more resources to
work with?
certain resources wit
k - 2 -
w icrto
o
that job. He expects us to be wise
What is the source of the Work's income? Is it from brilliant
programs we devise ourselves to "develop" subscribers into co-workers?
Or
is
it rather from the
--
Head of the Church--the One who called
us,
gave
us
this commission and told
US,"~
will never leave you nor forsake
you"? The income and other resources, even our various talents and
abilities, all come from God. We rely on Him to provide the needs of
the Work. And then we must look to Him for the guidance of His Holy
Spirit to wisely and efficiently use what He gives
us!