Great Soul-Winning Churches - Elmer Towns

that his church must follow the Scriptures; he knew his ministry should be evangelistic, and that
is why he had sacrificed his money, his life and his time to build a soul-winning church that
would reach Pontiac. The dissenters left, but Malone continues in 1972 with the kind of ministry
he founded in 1942. When asked if he was bitter, Malone replied, “How could one be bitter in
the face of God’s goodness and grace? We have had thousands of victories and a multitude of
blessings.”
Progress has not come easily. When Malone wanted to double his auditorium, the
estimated cost was $220,000 for the three-story addition. When he went to get the building
permit, it cost $222.00-every cent that was in the building fund. He paid $222.00 just to get a
card to tack up on the job, saying he was about to erect a building he had no money to finance.
He began building, with the help of the men. One deacon testified, “There is not a block or brick
in this building that Malone has not handled with his own two hands.” A man gave the church a
truck, and Malone drove the truck with supplies after he preached on the radio. He carried brick
up and down the scaffold so the masons could lay the brick, and one said, “Tom Malone is the
best tender I have ever had.”
During the winter a fierce snowstorm ripped into the half-finished building and the tools
were exposed to the weather. Malone could get none of his men to help him cover them, but
finally located a Negro man who came in the blizzard to assist. Malone tells of the Negro man’s
dropping a heavy two-by-six off the scaffold on the pastor’s head, burying him in the snow. The
black worker jumped from the platform, groped through the snow to find Malone, stood him up
and brushed him off and asked, “Did it hurt?” Malone later declared, “That was the most foolish
question I was ever asked in my life-and at the same time, one of the most trying moments.” He
later testified, “Standing there waist-deep in snow, my head throbbing, I began to weep and say,
‘O God, is this the ministry?’ There came back from Heaven the assurance from the heart of
God, ‘What I have started in Pontiac, I will finish.’”
This is the miracle of the man of God who determined to reach his city for God. From the
church has come Midwestern Baptist College, begun 18 years ago, with over 500 full-time
students and 200 evening school students this year studying the Word of God. In the past 30
years there have been over 30,000 people who have made first-time professions of faith—a
miracle in itself.
Soul winning has done more than reach people for Christ and cause attendance to grow; it
has paid off financially also. A man requested Malone, “Brother Tom, I have been listening to
you on the radio. From childhood my sister and I have been members of a church here in
Pontiac, but no one will come and visit us.” When Malone arrived at the home, he found the lady
ashen-faced, the odor of illness in the room unbearable. Standing near her was a squatty grayhaired
man, nearly 70 years of age. Malone led them both to Jesus Christ. He later found out that
the man was well-to-do, when he put $20,000 into the ministry. One day the man came and said,
“There are 321/2 acres of ground a few blocks from the church and you ought to have them.”
Malone answered, “I have no money.” The man handed Malone $5,000 to buy the land. Today
the church has 45 acres on which Midwestern Baptist College is built, simply because Malone
was willing to go anywhere and lead people to Jesus Christ.