7000 Handbills

Yesterday was an exciting day in the Lansing church. On April 8, we launch our “World Events—Signs You Can’t Ignore!” evangelistic series being conducted by the students of our church school. To save ourselves the $4,000 it would cost to have the handbills mailed, we decided to have an exciting door-to-door distribution outreach after church.

For the last several weeks, I’ve been plotting territory, creating maps, confirming drivers, and encouraging members to sign up to walk. Yesterday it all came together, when over 90 church members, 14 vans/cars, and our school bus hit the streets of Lansing to distribute 7000 brochures in under 3 hours. I was so excited to see dads, moms, kids, and even elderly people eager to participate. We had so much help that many teams finished distributing their flyers in record time.

It took a lot of organization but I think it was well worth it. Not only did it save us money, but it created excitement and unity, and made each of us active participants in the gospel invitation. I know these members will be so excited when they learn that someone at the meetings came because they took a brochure to their door!

So often we take the easier method of evangelism: mailing out handbills, TV/radio broadcasting, etc. But we miss out on so many blessings by neglecting personal effort:

“God could have reached His object in saving sinners without our aid; but in order for us to develop a character like Christ’s, we must share in His work. In order to enter into His joy,—the joy of seeing souls redeemed by His sacrifice,—we must participate in His labors for their redemption.” Desire of Ages, p. 142

“As we seek to win others to Christ, bearing the burden of souls in our prayers, our own hearts will throb with the quickening influence of God’s grace; our own affections will glow with more divine fervor; our whole Christian life will be more of a reality, more earnest, more prayerful.” Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 354