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Why This Special MINISTRY Supplement?THIS challenging sermon by R. A. Anderson concluded the 1950 MinisterialCouncil in San Francisco. That same evening the General Conference sessionopened. It was a fitting climax to a wonderful council, and those present willnot soon forget the deep rnovings of the Spirit of God as the message was delivered.At the conclusion of the consecration prayer, W. H. Branson, who two dayslater was elected General Conference President, stepped forward and urged thatthis Spirit-filled message be made available to our pastors and church leaders inevery land. Following is his appeal:"Brother Chairman, this timely message is what the church needs today. Godhas very definitely spoken to our hearts this morning, and I am sure we wish thatall our pastors and church elders could have been present with us at this meeting.That, of course, was impossible, but as far as we can we should see to itthat these church leaders get this message."I believe it should be published in THE MINISTRY and in the "Review andHerald," and perhaps some of our union papers would also want to print it. I feelit should also be available in tract form so that our church boards and all whohave the care of the flocks might feel the urgency of this message. Somethingmust be done, brethren, to help our dear people to get ready for the outpouringof the Spirit of God. Our churches need to be prepared for the soon coming ofthe Lord. We have confessed our sins and neglect today. The Lord has heardour prayer, but a new power must come into our message, and as leaders of thechurch of God we must show far more concern for His people."We are losing far too many from our churches. Our carelessness and indifferenceare all too apparent, and I believe, Brother Chairman, that this message hascome to us as an appeal from the Lord. And so I move that we ask the editorsof the papers I have mentioned to arrange to publish this message, so that ourbelievers everywhere can enter into the spirit of this reconsecration. I believe itshould be published as widely as possible, and I hope that it can appear in thecolumns of these papers as soon as possible. I make that a motion, BrotherChairman."Many voices were heard seconding Brother Branson's motion, and it was carriedunanimously. This MINISTRY Supplement contains the message verbatim. Italso appears in the Ministerial Reading Course book, Aflame for God, which is afull report of the council.A. W. CORMACK,Secretary to W. H. Branson.1Cover: B. Plockhorst, Artist
The Shepherd's CallStrengthening Our Stakes While Advancing Our LinesBy ROY ALLAN ANDERSON, SecretaryMinisterial Association of the General ConferenceFEW years ago I stepped into the homeof one of our ministers in New Zealand.Twenty years earlier I had baptized hiswife, then just a girl in her teens. Now, as thewife and mother of the home she was sharingthe joys and cares of the work with her husband.As I sat down to a very welcome meal Iglanced up at the wall, and there was a picture—one I have always admired, and I know youhave too. It is well known. The scene is away upin the mountains. The lamb, too sick to walk,has fallen in the heavy snow. The dog, sensinghis responsibility, dares not leave his littlecharge, for fear some peril may befall it. Hecannot go back to get help, and there he is, cryingfrantically, as only a dog who senses dangercan.As I saw that picture I said to my friends,"That's a wonderful scene." "Yes it is," repliedmy host. Then he added, "Brother, we alwayskeep that right here where we can see it everyday, lest we forget our responsibility to theflock of God and especially to the sick lambs."He was in charge of the young people's work inthe conference.ShepherdingI have thought of that many times. When wesee the Saviour and He asks us, "Where is thyflock?" what shall we answer Him? This morningI want to talk to you a little about shepherding.With your permission I want to unburdenmy heart to you. We have been a busyand a happy group of workers during these intensivedays. We have been thinking aboutlarger plans, about lengthening our cords. Butif we would do that, we must also strengthenour stakes. If we are going to have a more farreachingwork, it must be a stronger work inour churches.I am talking to you as a group of shepherdsand shepherdesses today, because after all, thatis the true picture of the Christian minister. Weface a world that is in grave peril, and men inevery land live in a sense of danger. Man todayis homeless and hopeless amid a jungle of machinesand untamed forces. He needs a guide.In the work of God we need wise executives, weneed keen organizers, we need strong preachers,but if we can discern the need of God's churchat all (and during this quadrennium it hasJANUARY, 1951—SUPPLEMENTbeen my privilege to visit seven of our divisions),if we can sense anything of our needs asa people, perhaps our greatest need is for true,sympathetic shepherds of the flock. There is nogreater work in the world than the work of ashepherd. In these days when modern civilizationtends more and more to lose sight of theindividual, we need men and women who cansense that all around us—yes, and even in ourown churches and in our homes—people areburdened with cares. They suffer from strangeconflicts in their personalities, and they faceproblems that they know absolutely no way toencounter; nor can they find a solution to them.Our churches need more than someone whois merely interested in facts and figures. In thesebig cities of earth we rub shoulders with somany, and yet we seem to know so few. Sciencehas taught us how to measure and evaluateeverything, but in a column of figures or in acomparative graph, an individual, a lonely soul,is just another digit—a meaningless dot on thepaper. A true leader is interested in more thana balance sheet or a tithe-per-capita report orsomething of that kind.Don't ScoldWe need to realize that these sheep in thechurch of God are the most precious things inthe universe to our Father. One of our unionconference presidents, talking to a group ofworkers some time ago said, "Do not scold ourpeople, brethren; they are the best people inthe world." And I believe that, don't you?These words are familiar to us: "The churchof God with all her faults and failings is neverthelessthe object of His supreme regard." If itis the object of God's supreme regard, surely itshould be ours, for we are doing His work.Of course we need to keep records, and yetit is possible to develop a mania for statistics.I am not talking against statistics. These tooare important, but I am talking about shepherdingthe flock, because lonely souls areeverywhere to be found. Kipling stated it wellwhen he said, "We are like islands, and weshout to each other across the seas of misunderstanding."What tragic mistakes are made whenmen do not understand? That is often why theywander away. But these are the things that callfor kind, sympathetic shepherds.Page 3
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Page 5 and 6: of one of our dear doctors who fell
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Page 9 and 10: A Living DoorI was away up in the h
Page 11 and 12: Oh, the Lord bless you, fellow work

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