As our boys are growing up, we are watching firsthand the great advantage of our lay system.
During their teen years, they were active in youth circle, visiting the elderly and giving gradually more extended talks as they grew in experience. They had school friends who were active in their own church youth groups and some of them were giving Bible-based presentations as well. Even at this level, however, there was a notable difference. In our youth circle, everyone was expected to participate. With the school friends, only the most capable were significantly involved and the emphasis was clearly on those who might consider going into the ministry.
The benefits start to show
The major difference became evident when career, marriage and children entered the picture. As most of us know from personal experience, this stage of life brings enormous demands on our time. Evenings find one worn out from work, filled with family needs and, for some, efforts to further their education. Weekends are an opportunity to catch up on household chores, participate in social functions and grab some necessary rest.
The boys have noticed that their old associates, even those with whom they had lively Bible discussions, are now engrossed in the cares of this life. Relative to the general population, they are active in church, but their involvement in pastoral, youth work or personal Bible study has virtually disappeared. Many of their old friends belong to churches which have a youth minister and the pastors bear the brunt of the sick visiting. With our boys, however, their responsibilities for exhortations, Bible classes, etc., have forced them to adjust their schedules for many hours of scripture study. They are deeply involved in working with interested friends or in young people’s activities.
As time goes by, the difference becomes ever more noticeable. While their knowledge of the word has broadened and deepened, that of their old friends has stagnated. With the married boys, the impact is also noted in their families. Wives are used as sounding boards for exhortations or Bible class ideas and sometimes do some research for them. Readings with the family are continually enriched because Dad has studied the chapter for a talk. The children are treated to a little extra instruction about the background or special emphasis of the portion read. Wives and children are involved in hosting visitors and in assuming ecclesial responsibilities. Our lay system has far-reaching benefits for involving the whole family in a life of fellowship with other ecclesial families.
Extended studies
A major step forward in Bible development was noted when some of the boys began doing a series of talks on one topic. Speaking at youth conferences or study days or teaching Bible school classes provided the necessary incentive. Sometimes we can give one class on a subject without doing in-depth study, but we cannot give three to six talks in a series without doing a lot of careful preparation. And if we provide handout notes, we have even greater need for a thorough job.
Because of the design of scripture, this makes a tremendous difference in a person’s overall understanding of the principles of God. Scripture is like a globe; if you go deep in any one area, you approach the center of the globe. If one does in-depth Bible study in any part of scripture, one starts approaching the very heart of divine thinking. We have seen the proof in the boys increased ability to contribute in general discussion and their ready grasp of principles seen in parts of scripture they have not specifically studied.
We have also seen the entire ecclesia benefit from one member’s in-depth study. With greater understanding of a given area, exhortations get better and Bible classes enjoy richer discussion.
More than knowledge
We rightly talk about the transforming effect of the word of God. The results are not instantaneous; time and continued absorption of the word is needed. But it affects the boys’ response to the circumstances of life whether at work or in social, family and ecclesial relationships. It affects, as well, the attitudes of wife and children. Bible principles become the bedrock of family life.
Thus from our own experience, we are watching the great value of our lay system. It has the potential for markedly upgrading the spiritual quality of our lives. In short, it works.
We make good use of the system
In some ways, North American ecclesias take better advantage of the lay system than ecclesias do in some other parts of the world. In larger Australian ecclesias, for example, only one quarter of the brothers may exhort or preside while we would come closer to 70%. In Britain, some brethren are exhorting two out of three Sundays because of the extensive use of visiting speakers, while those who are less accomplished exhort once a year or not at all.
Since those doing the platform work get more practice at it, the quality of the average address is better. But the overall benefit of the lay system is diminished.
Where we have larger ecclesias or several close together, we could implement the British or Australian approach. Generally speaking, however, we have chosen not to. We place greater priority on the overall benefits of a broad-based lay participation than on the better quality of a specific address. In our opinion, that is the right decision.
Why change approach?
Since we generally take a wise long-range approach to using the lay system, why do we so often change our approach when it comes to Bible schools and many study days? Why do we use a preponderance of overseas speakers?
True, there is a certain novelty involved that helps increase attendance and maintain attention. And the quality of address is something we’re looking for on such occasions. Further, there can be no doubt that, over the years, we have benefited tremendously from the interaction and the excellent presentations. Yet we’re missing the advantages that accrue from using our own brethren. When the overseas speaker goes home, he takes with him the extra benefits that would come to our ecclesias and families if a local brother did the talks.
Options
One ecclesia recently changed approach and had a study day using four younger brethren from a nearby ecclesia rather than bringing one person from a distance. Each of the four speakers had done in-depth study, as was evident from the extensive handout. Feedback indicates the approach was not only very well received, the extra benefits will be staying in the area, rather than going thousands of miles away with the visiting speaker.
We can remember when some Bible schools had one or two class periods when several local brethren taught. Those attending split up among the various sessions. In every case, the speaker had to do as much careful preparation as if he had been addressing the whole assembly. As a result, his family and ecclesia got all the side benefits, as did the teacher himself.
Having done overseas work, we are aware of the tremendous energy it takes and the burden it can place on a speaker’s family. Our heart and thanks go out to those who make themselves available for the work. And surely we do not want to entirely eliminate this exchange. Our feeling is, however, that at this point in our history, we would do well to more fully involve brethren from our own ecclesias in all aspects of the work.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One