plan. And prayer. God used the plan. Jack Chick felt that “The Scripture is the key to the whole operation. God’s Word is tucked away in this sneaky presentation o f the Gospel. And that’s the only thing that’s going to get to people’s hearts.” Apparently he is right, for the books continue to work. Occasionally someone picks up one of the books in a recipient’s house and reads. There have been reports that these “ innocent bystanders” have also fallen prey to the impact of the Gospel. According to Pastor Lloyd T. Anderson, pastor of Bethany Baptist Church, results o f “Operation:
feeling of accomplishment, blessing and revival! And what’s more, you’ll win souls for Jesus Christ . . The group blocked out an area of 100 homes, 20 for each of the two-person teams. All of the homes were to be contacted six times during the three- week duration of the program. They were to go out three successive Sunday afternoons and Thurs day evenings. After brief, thorough orientation, the teams went out. The Lord went with them. Results were fantastic. Eighty-five percent of the persons visited accepted the materials, while fifty percent of them mailed back the survey cards. Even more startling was the harvest o f souls. From the 100 homes visited, twenty-three persons indicated on their cards that they had accepted Christ as their personal Saviour. One reason for the unusually high positive re sults could have been the approach. Workers were instructed to say something like: “We’re from the Bethany Baptist Church. We’d like to leave you a free booklet to read and invite you to visit our church.” They were to be courteous, well-dressed and brief. They were to leave the book and never be come involved in an argument. One worker said, “Most of the people were very nice. But after the third visit they seemed a little stand-offish.” The reason for this, she indicated, was that the book given that third visit was “This Was Your Life.” With a smile this woman said, “ It really packed a wallop!” (This particular book graphically portrays events that could occur in the hereafter—for both those who have and have not accepted Christ.) One of the respondents was a Roman Catholic. On her card she boldly indicated that she had found the Way. Another caller said, “ In one home the woman came to the door and refused the book. The fol lowing week her husband accepted the book.” In one neighborhood all the Catholic families but one accepted the books. “But we’re encouraged,” said a layman who took part in the effort, “God will speak to them through His Word. Especially if the others of the same faith get help.” One man reported, “A Catholic family on our street who took the books began asking questions o f a born-again Christian family. They wanted to know if ‘This is really what the Bible says about our salvation?’ They accepted and read every book and said they were thrilled with their message.” When asked what he thought was the secret of the campaign’s success, a participant said, “ Two things, I’d say: the books and the totally different
Bethany’s pastor, Dr. Lloyd T. Anderson, and Outreach Pastor Joe Kirkwood train the visitation teams.
Won to Christ through “Operation: Somebody Cares” two teenagers visit Dr. Anderson for further guidance.
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MARCH, 1968
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