Those of us in the business world know that there is no such thing as standing still. If we stand still, that means we are going backward. We can't stand still, because to do so means lack of progress . . . lack of vision . . . lack of success. If you and I as businessmen fail to progress and push forward, our competition soon gets ahead of us; and before we know it, we have lost our business, and if we don't pull out of it, we soon go broke. We become miserable failures. Beloved, it is the aggressive organization that is looked up to in the community, because the aggressive organization is the organization that is doing the most for its customers performing the greatest services, giving the most.

How do we go about being successful? To be successful means to achieve our aims, doesn't it? This brings us to our first point for consideration. What is the aim of the congregation of which you are a member? Does it GO with the Gospel or does it keep it confined to the four walls of the meetinghouse? Shouldn't the congregation where you attend have the same aim as the Ephesian and the Corinthian churches had in the first century? It is entirely possible that the congregation where you worship is doing many good works of preaching the Gospel, both at home as well as in other places, but are you doing all you possibly can, sacrificially?

Do we North Americans know what the word sacrifice really means? Ask yourselves these questions! "Are you more 'missionary-minded' now than you were last year?" "Are you more interested in saving souls than anything else in the world (your business included)?" "Do you find that you are working just a little bit harder individually at the task of building up the church today than you did last week?" "In everything you do and plan for the future in your individual lives, do you have the building up of the church in mind?" "Does the welfare of the church come first in your lives over anything else?" "Isn't love for the truth the motive that causes you to do certain things? Does the congregation where you attend GO with the Gospel?" "Don't you want still more evangelists on the field in Mexico as well as at home preaching the Gospel?"

Brethren, if you can't say "yes" to all of these questions, you're standing still you're going backward . . . you're lacking in progress . . .and your competition (Satan) will get the better of you if you don't change. Then you remember Jesus saying in Luke 9:62 that if you turn back, you're not fit for the kingdom of God. You dare not go backward. You dare not rest on your past achievements. Whether you realize it or not, you are faced with competition just as great, if not greater, than is encountered in the business world. The opposition is attacking on every front. They are determined to cause division within the blessed body of Jesus Christ with their man-made innovations and commandments and doctrines of men.

One case in point: Along the U. S-Mexico border at Sonoyta, Sonora Mexico, there is a young Mexican with whom I work, Fidel Cisneros by name. This man has been propositioned by nearby liberal American brethren to leave the work that he and I started at Sonoyta and let them support him while they send him to Abilene Christian College to "learn English," and to "learn how to preach." This young man was "taught to preach" in the Tecate, Mexico congregation which Santos Gomez and I started in 195g. It seems as though liberal brethren always have plenty of money, and are trying to get us to sell out the truth for "thirty pieces of silver." More times than one I've been invited to write my confession of faults to the GOSPEL ADVOCATE, with the assurance that there would be all the money needed to carry on the work we are doing along the U. S. - Mexico border, if I would just change my position regarding my convictions!

Of a necessity, we who demand a "thus saith the Lord" for every doctrine bound on the Lord's church must give more planning and thought to the work of Christ. We must think of ourselves as a going concern. We WILL "go" with the Gospel into all the world as our blessed Lord said, and a good place to start is through our back door, Mexico. With the Lord's help we will achieve our aims.

Furthermore, not only will a successful church achieve her aims, but also she will plan her work and work her plan. How much business would any corporation get if the planning board didn't use this principle in its fullness? All the planning in the world, no matter how fine the plans might be, would be of no avail toward the advancement of the company's business, if it didn't follow through. A successful business concern will plan her work and work her plan. The same principle will apply toward the church. The local church MUST work at the task before her. No man made missionary society, benevolent, or edification society is necessary, because they are all without authority. So what is the task before the church? It's the same task that confronted the early church. It's the task that confronts every church of Christ in the world. It's the task that will ever be before you as long as you still have the breath of life within you and as long as this old world shall exist. It's the task preaching the Gospel to every creature in order that you might glorify God, while at the same time saving your own souls. Stop and think for just a moment. Man's only purpose on the earth is to glorify God, and this he must do in the church. So beloved... GO WITH THE GOSPEL... GO TO MEXICO WITH IT.

Mexico is a nation of 38,000,000 souls without Christ and without God, a nation that for hundreds of years has been steeped in ignorance and sin under the yoke of the Roman Catholic Church. Mexico is tired of Catholicism and will throw off this yoke when they have heard and believed the glad tidings, the good news, and the simple Gospel story of Jesus Christ. Why? Because this great story sets men and women free of their sins after they have heard and obeyed it. Simple New Testament Christianity is appealing to the Mexicans, because they are hearing us. The seeds we planted ten years ago in 1954 are beginning to bring forth fruit. Due to "backwardness and indifference" on the part of North American congregations standing for the truth, we lost Tijuana (temporarily) to the liberal crowd and this was due to ignorance possibly more than anything else. But today~, this has all changed. Brethren standing for the truth in the U. S. A. are supporting the preaching of the Gospel among the Mexican people and as a result of this, there are six congregations along the far U. S - Mexico border who are standing like brick walls against liberalism. But beloved, we need the help of more of you! We here in Mexico are fighting spiritual wickedness in high places, and the way we can fight error is with the truth. The only way that the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth will be proclaimed today, is by brethren who love the truth and have taken their stand for it. This is what faithful brethren everywhere are doing, and the list is growing by leaps and bounds.

So plan a work and work your plan. That's what big business does. That's what the biggest business in the world needs to do. If every congregation of the Lord's people would do this, the truth would spread faster, error would be put to flight, and the Lord would be glorified in the only institution •for which He ever intended glory to be received. Plan with Mexico in mind, and work toward that end. Mexico today is truly the land of opportunity for the Gospel of Christ. LET'S GO TO MEXICO WITH THE GOSPEL. I would be interested in hearing from churches that are planning full-time support of evangelists among those of Spanish speech.

Truth Magazine VIII: 12, pp. 15-16 September 1964