More On I-M-P-A-C
We have been asked to write more concerning the revolutionary new approach to "personal evangelism" which we announced three weeks ago, and which goes under the trade name of "IMPAC." As we wrote before, this is a coined word, made up by taking the initial letter of the five key words of the course: "I" is for Intensive. "M" stands for Meditation, "P" is for Planning, "A" is the initial letter of Action; and "C" represents the inevitable result — Conversions. Put them all together and you have IMPAC, a word which we believe will go down in the history of modern Christians as one of the most significant developments within our lifetime. For by the twentieth century miracle of electronic recordings we are able for all practical purposes to revert right back to the first century methods and techniques of winning men to Christ. That is what IMPAC is--a twentieth century adaptation of first century methods and techniques. The gospel of Christ, in the hearts and lives of those first century Christians won men to the Lord by the multiplied thousands. That gospel has lost not one iota of its power; the only problem is to find ways and means of getting the gospel into the hearts of men who live under the enormous pressures and tensions of the high-voltage twentieth century.
IMPAC is not the product of any one man. It represents the joint efforts of Christians from many fields — evangelism, education, journalism, sales and motivational psychology — and every phase of it has been "field-tested" not only by highly qualified and successful "personal workers", but (even more significantly) by people who had thought of themselves as absolute failures, and wholly incapable of winning others to Christ. With both kinds of people, the highly successful and the hitherto inept, results have been truly amazing. IT WORKS!
There are literally scores, if not hundreds, of books in print on "personal work." All kinds of charts, procedures, systems, and methods have been carefully outlined and described by men who have used them successfully. All of these books, tracts, outlines, and methods have been carefully researched and analyzed. Some suggestions have been adopted from some of them; but one weakness in ALL of them has been avoided: they are all "how-to" books, and DO NOT ACTUALLY GET THE PERSON INVOLVED IN DOING THE JOB. They show him HOW to do it, and that is all.
But IMPAC, employing the old, old Biblical principle of "spaced repetition" actually gets the person to DOING the work — and getting enjoyment and satisfaction from it that he never dreamed possible before. The one essential difference between first century Christians, explaining the effectiveness of the former and the ineffectiveness of the latter, probably lies in the word "motivation. " Those first century Christians were motivated in a way modern Christians are not. That is the one ingredient of their lives which modern man all too often lacks. And it is the one thing without which no effective personal work ever can be done or ever will be done! Those early Christians knew nothing of "training courses" or special classes such as many churches conduct today. They had little or no understanding of the "art of persuasion" or applied salesmanship, which many think so important in this age. But they did have MOTIVATION! And that made the difference.
IMPAC seeks to supply the missing ingredient. By "spaced repetition" of Biblical teachings, and by daily listening and "Meditation" (Intensive meditation, that is) the same surge of power which dominated the lives of those early disciples will fill the life and heart of His modern follower. This is not a "gimmick" or some crafty bit of magic by which one can go out and convert a dozen people — and still have the same outlook on life, the same philosophy, attitudes, habits, and ways of thinking that he held before. Quite the contrary. IMPAC brings about a NEW WAY OF LIFE; it simply enables the Christian to BE what he thought he was all the time (and wasn't!) — a totally committed and dedicated follower of Christ.
It is quite impossible to describe this program in the space of a page or two and give you any real understanding of it. But those men who have produced the course (and others who have been interested in it and are familiar with it) are willing to visit you (as time and schedules permit) to explain the course and show how it works. Obviously it will be impracticable to make a five hundred mile trip to talk to one person; but any time you can get as many as twenty-five (either in some private home or in the church building) we will seek to work out a suitable time for someone to visit you. IMPAC is designed for personal, individual use in one's own home, and is not applicable to class usage. But to explain it, and demonstrate its unique effectiveness, and to show you WHY it works, and HOW it works — this can be done, of course, to a group just as easily as to a single individual. And the limitations of time and personnel dictate the necessity of group presentations and explanations.
If you are interested, write to the editor, and let us see if we can get together on a mutually agreeable schedule. Incidentally, we hope shortly to have ready a brochure giving much more detailed information than is possible in the space available here. Meanwhile, the program IS available- -and is already going into the hands of many interested souls who are beginning to use it.
F. Y. T.