How to Work for Christ
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How to Work for Christ is a 1901 book by Reuben Archer Torrey published by Fleming Revell of Chicago. 518pp Sub-title: A compendium of effective methods.
Torrey wrote many "How To" books to train people in his approach to personal work, but How to Work for Christ is his masterpiece in this genre. As contemporary reviewers recognized, 1901's How to Work for Christ was the logical follow-up to 1898's What the Bible Teaches.
Part I of it was published separately as Personal Work (NY: Revell, 1901), 186pp
It was in print as late as 2001 from Moody Press as The Christian Worker or The Personal Christian Worker. http://www.amazon.com/Personal-Christian-Worker-Life-Essentials/dp/0802452183
An electronic edition has been prepared at http://www.bibleteacher.org/tor_b1a.htm
Preface
This book is written for both ministers and laymen. It will be of help to the minister in suggesting to him how to make full proof of his own ministry and how to get his people to work. It will be of help to laymen in leading them into many fields of fruitful labor for Christ.
The Church of Christ is full of people who wish to work for their Master but do not know how. This book is intended to tell them how. It contains no untried theories, but describes many methods of work that have been put to the test of actual experiment and have succeeded. So far as I know, there is no other book that covers the same field. For years it has been upon my heart to write this book, and I have been asked again and again to do so. But I have never found time for it until now. May it be used of God to the conversion of thousands to Christ.
R. A. Torrey
Table of Contents
Book One – Personal Work
Chapter 1: The Importance and Advantages of Personal Work
Chapter 2: The Conditions of Success
Chapter 3: Where to do Personal Work
Chapter 4: How to Begin
Chapter 5: How to Deal with those who Realize their Need of a Savior and Really Desire to be Saved
Chapter 6: How to Deal with those who have Little or no Concern about their Souls
Chapter 7: How to Deal with those who have Difficulties
Chapter 8: How to Deal with those who Entertain False Hopes
Chapter 9: How to Deal with those who Lack Assurance
Chapter 10: How to Deal with Backsliders
Chapter 11: How to Deal with Professed Skeptics and Infidels
Chapter 12: How to Deal with those who Wish to put off a Decision until Some Other Time
Chapter 13: How to Deal with the Deluded
Chapter 14: How to Deal with Christians who Need Counsel, Rebuke, Encouragement or Comfort
Chapter 15: Some Hints and Suggestions for Personal Work
Book Two – Methods Of Christian Work
Chapter 1: House to House Visitation
Chapter 2: Cottage Meetings
Chapter 3: Parlor Meetings
Chapter 4: The Church Prayer Meeting
Chapter 5: The Use of Tracts
Chapter 6: Open-Air Meetings
Chapter 7: Tent Work
Chapter 8: The Use of Autos, Trailers, etc.
Chapter 9: Colportage Work
Chapter 10: Services in Theaters, Circuses, etc.
Chapter 11: Organizing and Conducting a Gospel Mission
Chapter 12: Meetings in Jails, Hospitals, Poorhouses, etc.
Chapter 13: Revival Meetings
Chapter 14: The After Meeting
Chapter 15: Children's Meetings
Chapter 16: Advertising the Meetings
Chapter 17: Conduct of Funerals
Book Three – Preaching And Teaching The Word Of God
Chapter 1: How to Prepare a Sermon
Chapter 2: Preparation and Delivery of Bible Readings
Chapter 3: Illustrations and Their Use
Chapter 4: Teaching the Bible
Chapter 5: Textual Sermons in Outline
Chapter 6: Topical Sermons in Outline
Chapter 7: Expository Sermons and Bible Readings in Outline
Reviews
The December 1901 (volume 20, p. 871) issue of the Record of Christian Work reviewed the book favorably:
A new book by Mr. Torrey is always sure of a welcome from Christian workers everywhere. The present work is a fitting continuation of "What the Bible Teaches." That book is doctrinal, this practical; that lays the foundation, this builds the house. How to Work for Christ is in three chief divisions, Personal Work, Methods of Christian Work, and Preaching and Teaching the Word of God. Under the first division such topics are considered as, the importance and advantages of personal work; the conditions of success; where to do personal work ; how to begin ; and these are followed by ten instructive chapters filled with wise counsel concerning personal work with different classes of inquirers. Equally rich in suggestion are the seventeen chapters on Methods of Christian work. The "methods" include house to house visitations, cottage meetings, parlor meetings, the church prayer meeting, use of tracts, open air meetings, tent work, gospel wagon work, revival meetings, after meetings, children's meetings, etc. The third division gives, besides wise counsel in the preparation and delivery of sermons, a large number of outlines which are not only excellent in themselves, but suggestive and helpful toward general sermonic work. These two books, "What the Bible Teaches" and "How to Work for Christ," should be owned by every Christian worker.