Welfare Ministry
Chapter 34—Our Individual Responsibility
An Individual Work Committed to Christ's Followers—Christ commits to His followers an individual work—a work that cannot be done by proxy. Ministry to the sick and the poor, the giving of the gospel to the lost, is not to be left to committees or organized charities. Individual responsibility, individual effort, personal sacrifice, is the requirement of the gospel.—The Ministry of Healing, 147. WM 263.1
Needs Supplied as We Impart—Christ has bidden us, through the prophet, “Deal thy bread to the hungry,” and “satisfy the afflicted soul;” “when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him,” and “bring the poor that are cast out to thy house.” He has bidden us, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” But how often our hearts sink and faith fails us as we see how great is the need and how small the means in our hands. Like Andrew looking upon the five barley loaves and the two little fishes, we exclaim, “What are they among so many?” Often we hesitate, unwilling to give all that we have, fearing to spend and to be spent for others. But Jesus has bidden us, “Give ye them to eat.” His command is a promise, and behind it is the same power that fed the multitude beside the sea. WM 263.2
In Christ's act of supplying the temporal necessities of a hungry multitude, is wrapped up a deep spiritual lesson for all His workers. Christ received from the Father; He imparted to the disciples; they imparted to the multitude; and the people to one another. So all who are united to Christ will receive from Him the bread of life, the heavenly food, and impart it to others.... WM 264.1
The disciples were the channel of communication between Christ and the people. This should be a great encouragement to His disciples today. Christ is the great center, the source of all strength. His disciples are to receive their supplies from Him. The most intelligent, the most spiritually-minded, can bestow only as they receive. Of themselves they can supply nothing for the needs of the soul. We can impart only that which we receive from Christ, and we can receive only as we impart to others. As we continue imparting we continue to receive; and the more we impart, the more we shall receive. Thus we may be constantly believing, trusting, receiving, and imparting. WM 264.2
The work of building up the kingdom of Christ will go forward, though to all appearance it moves slowly and impossibilities seem to testify against advance. The work is of God, and He will furnish means and will send helpers, true, earnest disciples, whose hands also will be filled with food for the starving multitude. God is not unmindful of those who labor in love to give the word of life to perishing souls, who in their turn reach forth their hands for food for other hungry souls.—The Desire of Ages, 369, 370. WM 264.3
Burden Not to Be Shifted to Organizations—In our work for God there is danger of relying too largely upon what man with his talents and ability can do. Thus we lose sight of the one Master Worker. Too often the worker for Christ fails to realize his personal responsibility. He is in danger of shifting his burden upon organizations, instead of relying upon Him who is the source of all strength. It is a great mistake to trust in human wisdom or numbers in the work of God. Successful work for Christ depends not so much on numbers or talent as upon pureness of purpose, the true simplicity of earnest, dependent faith. Personal responsibilities must be borne, personal duties must be taken up, personal efforts must be made for those who do not know Christ. In the place of shifting your responsibility upon someone whom you think more richly endowed than you are, work according to your ability.—The Desire of Ages, 370. WM 265.1
God Will Provide the Means—The means in our possession may not seem to be sufficient for the work; but if we will move forward in faith, believing in the all-sufficient power of God, abundant resources will open before us. If the work be of God, He Himself will provide the means for its accomplishment. He will reward honest, simple reliance upon Him. The little that is wisely and economically used in the service of the Lord of heaven will increase in the very act of imparting. In the hand of Christ the small supply of food remained undiminished until the famished multitude were satisfied. If we go to the Source of all strength, with our hands of faith outstretched to receive, we shall be sustained in our work, even under the most forbidding circumstances, and shall be enabled to give to others the bread of life.—The Desire of Ages, 369, 371. WM 265.2
Risk Something to Save Souls—There is a fearfulness to venture out and to run risks in this great work, fearing that the expenditure of means would not bring returns. What if means are used, and yet we cannot see that souls have been saved by it? What if there is a dead loss of a portion of our means? Better work and keep at work than to do nothing. You know not which shall prosper, this or that. Men will invest in patent rights and meet with heavy losses, and it is taken as a matter of course. But in the work and cause of God, men are afraid to venture. Money seems to them to be a dead loss that does not bring immediate returns when invested in the work of saving souls. The very means that is now so sparingly invested in the cause of God, and that is selfishly retained, will, in a little while, be cast with all idols to the moles and to the bats. Money will soon depreciate in value very suddenly when the reality of eternal scenes opens to the senses of man. WM 266.1
God will have men who will venture anything and everything to save souls. Those who will not move until they can see every step of the way clearly before them will not be of advantage at this time to forward the truth of God. There must be workers now who will push ahead in the dark as well as in the light, and who will hold up bravely under discouragements and disappointed hopes, and yet work on with faith, with tears and patient hope, sowing beside all waters, trusting the Lord to bring the increase. God calls for men of nerve, of hope, faith, and endurance, to work to the point.—The True Missionary, January, 1874. WM 266.2
Every Dollar Is Needed—The end of all things is at hand, and God calls for men to come into active service and do their duty because He desires it and the world needs their help. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit men will become discreet in the outlay of means and will expend it according to the greatness and importance of the work which is to be done.... The Lord God of heaven calls upon men to put away their idols, to cut off every extravagant desire, to indulge in nothing that is simply for display and parade, and to study economy in purchasing garments and furniture. Do not expend one dollar of God's money in purchasing needless articles. Your money means the salvation of souls. Then let it not be spent for gems, for gold, or precious stones.... WM 267.1
You may give thousands of dollars to the cause, and yet that extra dollar, that extra pound, is called for. Every pound is needed, every shilling can be put to use, and invested in such a way as to bring you imperishable treasure. My dear friends, who love God and would serve Him with wholeheartedness, I entreat of you that you ask yourselves when you are spending money in purchasing goods, “Am I glorifying God, or am I simply gratifying a human desire? Shall I invest this money which I hold in my hand to please myself, to make gifts to my children, or to my friends, or shall I be a co-worker with Christ, a pattern to all who are studying to glorify God?” The rule is given us, “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”—Letter 90, 1895. WM 267.2