Discovering Revelation begins Monday, October 2—only weeks away now! While public advertising like billboards, social media, and direct mail handbills certainly has its place, evangelistic success rests to a great degree on our personal effort to invite people to hear the Gospel message. That’s why this is the perfect time for Operation: Andrew!
Operation: Andrew is a special initiative designed to encourage every church member to pray for and personally invite specific friends, family members, co-workers, and neighbors to the upcoming evangelistic series. “But wait,” you may protest, “I’m happy to pray for people, but I’m really not an outgoing person—someone else should do the inviting!” To address this concern, let’s talk a little about the project’s namesake, Andrew.
We really don’t find much about Andrew in the Bible. His far more well-known and outgoing brother, Peter, gets most of the attention. In fact, on the few occasions Andrew’s name is mentioned, nearly every time it is followed by the phrase, “Simon Peter’s brother.” And when you read the Gospel record, we’re only really told two things about Andrew—he was Simon Peter’s brother and, more importantly, he was always bringing someone to Jesus.
In The Desire of Ages, p. 141 we read this striking inspired commentary: John directed two of his disciples to Christ. Then one of these, Andrew, found his brother, and called him to the Saviour… These examples should teach us the importance of personal effort, of making direct appeals to our kindred, friends, and neighbors. There are those who for a lifetime have professed to be acquainted with Christ, yet who have never made a personal effort to bring even one soul to the Saviour. They leave all the work for the minister. He may be well qualified for his calling, but he cannot do that which God has left for the members of the church.
There are many who need the ministration of loving Christian hearts. Many have gone down to ruin who might have been saved if their neighbors, common men and women, had put forth personal effort for them. Many are waiting to be personally addressed. In the very family, the neighborhood, the town, where we live, there is work for us to do as missionaries for Christ. If we are Christians, this work will be our delight. No sooner is one converted than there is born within him a desire to make known to others what a precious friend he has found in Jesus. The saving and sanctifying truth cannot be shut up in his heart.
So, while not everyone can be an Apostle Peter, we can each be his brother, Andrew. To that end, we’re encouraging every church that is participating in Discovering Revelation to launch their own Operation: Andrew initiative on or around August 19. Distribute these Operation: Andrew cards and make a special appeal during the Personal Ministries time of the worship service to appeal to everyone to take up the challenge. Who is the Lord impressing you to pray for and invite to Discovering Revelation? Ask Him today and see who He will put on your heart.
