Studying the Church.—The Word, the World, and the Workman—these are both the sources of information and the objects for study. Not only must modern men study the world and the Word, but also the Church which is God's appointed instrument for achieving his world purposes. One of the first problems confronting a man who desires to relate himself to the world program is the study of his own local church to see how he can make possible the relating of the whole church to the whole task in such a way as to release the full power of the whole constituency. This will necessitate careful study of the present missionary organization and life of the church to which each man belongs. He is now determined to become an efficiency expert in the matter of the world-wide propagation of Christianity. He will apply the same principles to this study that he applies to his daily business. In some cases it will be discovered that there is very little efficient organization, or if there are organizations, they will be found to be sadly lacking in a big and definite objective. They have been content if they have done as well this year as they did last, or if their record compares favorably with the record of a neighboring church. In other words, their achievements have been measured by some standard which has seemed a possible goal at the time rather than by the great and final aim of getting the whole task of Christ accomplished.

It is also often true that the church is not organized to reach the entire community in which it lives. One of the first duties will therefore be to relate the church in a vital way to the entire community. The church is not a field but a force with which to work the field. The field is the community, the state, the world!

In some cases it will be necessary to create new machinery for this work. However, it is much wiser to use the existing organizations of the church if they can be made effective.

The Missionary Committee.—The one type of organization in the local church which has met with most general approval by Christian leaders is what is called "The Church Missionary Committee." Even where several distinct missionary organizations exist in the local church there is still urgent need for this committee for two very important reasons.

1. It unifies the missionary activities of the church. The most fruitful way of organizing the committee is to have representatives of all the existing missionary organizations upon it. The pastor should by all means be a member of this committee but ordinarily not the chairman. The committee should always be definitely appointed or at least confirmed by the official body of the congregation. By thus bringing together all the leaders of the various activities, a unified and well-articulated missionary program is made possible.

THE CHURCH MISSIONARY COMMITTEE
ITS FIELDS (INNER CIRCLE)
ITS FUNCTIONS (OUTER CIRCLE)

2. The missionary committee represents the entire congregation. In the past it has been true that only a fraction of the congregation has been enlisted in definite missionary activities. Only small groups have been organized for missionary service. The men especially have been unreached. Obviously the first move to make if the church is to meet its full missionary responsibility is to plan to enlist the whole constituency. This committee should have enough meetings to plan a comprehensive policy for the entire congregation, including all the lines of activity indicated in the missionary commands of Christ to which reference has been made, also to check up results. A meeting for the whole congregation should be held each year at which reports are made and plans projected for the succeeding season. The pamphlets on the Missionary Committee and its work listed at the end of this chapter are earnestly recommended to the thoughtful study of every man who desires to relate himself effectively to the problem of making a missionary church. The policy outlined by the committee, after a study of these pamphlets, should be adopted by the official body, presented to the whole congregation, and explained at a regular church service. To make the preceding suggestions effective calls for a high type of ability and the conspicuous and continuous application of all those traits of character which have been developed in the business and professional men of the church.

II. Unwithholding Consecration