Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - Feb/72

Contributor - Mrs. Margareth Van Eck

Title - Lay Witness Mission

Topic - Church In Canada

There is an old saying: seeing is believing. Now, this is what happened in our church in London, Ontario. I would not have believed it possible - but I have seen it. We talk about our dead churches. We hear about revivals in other churches and "how wonderful it would be if something like that would happen in our church!" But what do we do about it? It is not something you can just start at the spur of the moment or just say: "Let us start a revival in our church this year. We need one." No, this is impossible! This is something that has to grow in your church. It may grow slowly, it may grow fast. But one thing there is you can do for your church: When you see the need of a revival in your church, pray for it, and ask others to pray for it. God will surely hear you!

In London we have been praying for this to happen. We saw the need for a revival already for a couple of years. But how was it going to happen and when? We were impatient, we wanted God to do it right away. But God knew, London was not ready for it. Then it started growing. We saw the signs of it peeking around the door. It started to click; something happened here, something happened there. Unmistakable signs: God was at work! Then, last fall, the consistory of our church, had to make a decision: Are we going to have a Lay Witness Mission in our church? After much prayer they decided that this was the way God wanted to bring a revival in our church . . .

I stand by a bus stop. "Hallo Marg, how are you today?" "Fine, thank you, and how are you, Wilma?" "Fine. My you look happy! Had a good day in the lab?" "Not particular, but I still feel happy." "Tell me, what happened?". We stepped into the bus 'and sat together. "You know Wilma, I told you the last time we saw each other, that we were going to have a Lay Witness Mission in our church?" "Yes, and how did it work out?" "Wonderful. For me and many others it has been a blessed weekend." "Tell me Marg, what is a Lay Witness Mission, really? You were going to tell me about it, and then I had to get off the bus." "At that time, I could not have told you much about it anyway, Wilma, and even now it is hard to give you a clear picture. But I will try. First I will quote what Ben Campbell Johnson* says about a Lay Witness Mission:

"The Lay Witness Mission is a weekend venture in renewal in which a team of dedicated lay persons from different cities are invited into a local church to share with the membership their experiences of prayer, commitment, and involvement. During the weekend the membership of the church participates in luncheon meetings, coffee groups, talk back sessions, and personal prayer experiences.

.... laymen are speaking to laymen about a practical way of life which they have found in Jesus Christ. Since the layman is not a professional, and he indicates his concern by being, present in a church giving his own time ' and paying his way, the power of the witness is multiplied. This is the difference between a professional and a layman.

. . . . Lay Witness Mission alternates between speaking and listening. The modern word for this is "dialogue". The visiting laymen share the meaning of their faith, and then they sit down to listen to the local people express their personal concern. The movement is speak - - - listen.

.... it emphasizes the practicality and reality of prayer. Prayer is not made a secret escape to avoid personal involvement in life, but it is practiced as a means of personal participation in the creative will of God.

.... it accepts every man's freedom as a reality. No person is asked to speak, or to pray, or to share against his will, but is left free to respond to those aspects of the mission that are appealing to him.

... it recognizes the Holy Spirit as the dynamic of the mission. Renewal is not a program. Renewal is not the effort of men. Genuine renewal is God's initiation of transformation in the church by the Holy Spirit."

"You get the picture Wilma?" "Yes, but what and how did it work in your church?" "We had a 24 hour prayer vigil in our church before the mission started and already then God was working with His Spirit in the hearts of the ones that participated." "God was there with His Spirit," is what most of these people witnessed. "And what about those Witnesses?" The Witnesses that came to our church were people from 'all walks of life'. Just like you and me. But they were very happy people; and their happiness was catching; you could not get away from it; you just became happy too, by just looking at them. They laughed a lot and sang a lot and .prayed a lot ....

By their witness of what God had done in their lives, making them what they are now, you could not help but ask the Lord: "Work in us too, Lord, and give us this peace and happiness these people have." And He did! Several hearts were touched by Jesus. Others dedicated or rededicated their total lives to God: "Take me Lord, and use me as You see fit-" Of course, God working in human lives, the devil tried to get his foot in the door too. It is easy to get hurt, especially when your mind is so tender and soft from the wonderful impressions you received. You are eager to work and impatient to wait!

God opened the door of our confinement in traditions. We stood on the Mountaintop and we had a glimpse of the Glory that awaits us. It was expressed beautifully in the following poem made after the mission, by one of the members of our church:

We met Him on the -Mountain

On the Mountain did we stand

When Jesus took us by the hand.

"Welcome my children, be my guest.

Lay down your burdens, have a rest."

He took our burdens, took our sin and then what joy kept coming in. Our weary hearts were spilling over With living water from His well.

"Peace unto all." Then silence fell.

Compassion showed in all our faces.

We aw the world and saw each other The father, mother, sister, brother, All sitting at His feet.

He knew our need.

His love shone all around and filled us to the brim,

Sitting and standing on the mount with Him.

Now we are slowly climbing down. He turned our cross into a crown. We took a long look at one another And said, "I love you sister, brother."

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