When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." -- Matthew 9:36-38

When the Schaeffers founded L'Abri, they resolved they would not advertize for Workers, but pray for the Lord of the harvest to send the people of His choice into the work. L'Abri still follows this policy, so each Worker is looked upon as a special gift that God has sent into the work in answer to prayer. L'Abri Workers do not serve the personal needs of the leaders, because everyone labors together in whatever work God wants them to do to help others. And the Schaeffers kept L'Abri from becoming a cult by resolving not to try to "hang on" to any Workers or Members when they felt God was leading them away from the work. L'Abri does not manipulate people, or say as some of the cults do, "If you walk away from us, you are walking away from God and His will for your life." Whenever people leave L'Abri, they are blessed, commended, and prayed for, so they can do God's work wherever He leads. Edith wrote what every Christian worker needs to understand in principle: "There really is no difference in the total need; the field is the world and place to be is the place where the Lord wants you, and us, no other."

L'Abri Workers have come from many countries: England, Germany, Japan, South Africa, Switzerland, and the United States, to name only a few. Some were not "official" workers, but were next door neighbors who became Christians through L'Abri and volunteered their time as much as possible. Some left the opera to become Workers and stay in L'Abri, and some left L'Abri to be pastors and professors and take a L'Abri understanding into their churches, colleges, and seminaries. Since L'Abri Workers have come from nearly every profession and trade, they have learned how the Christian faith applies to every area of life. Therefore, God has uniquely gifted and guided L'Abri to meet the needs of each seeker God sends at any time from any place. By seeking the Lord's leading and asking Him to place the people and Workers of His choice where He wants them, L'Abri's teachings have spread throughout the world and into businesses, churches, governments, hospitals, and schools.

In French, L'Abri literally means "Shelter," and it is a spiritual shelter for many who come. In English, for its Helpers, Workers and Members, L'Abri has come to mean "Slogging:" for them, L'Abri means "working hard and toiling" to meet the needs of others whatever they may be. One cannot emphasize too strongly that those who help in L'Abri work hard, long hours so they can care for those who have spiritual needs. Giving honest answers to honest questions requires long hours of study in many fields in addition to the study of the Bible and theology. Listening for a better understanding of a person to know his real needs and how to meet them requires patience hour after hour. Answering complex questions individually or in groups requires meeting a variety of needs all at once. Many in L'Abri call this "slogging." If one does not believe he is called by God into the work of L'Abri, he will not work this hard.

L'Abri Workers do more than just think hard and talk. They clean chicken houses, shovel manure, chop wood, repair plumbing, cook meals for large numbers of people, visit hospitals and churches, and supervise students in their work and studies. L'Abri means praying for money to buy food, but also plowing, planting, hoeing, and reaping from large gardens. To feed hungry guests and Workers in 1961, Swiss L'Abri planted 45 different types of seeds: of beans, beets, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, corn, cucumbers, lettuce, peas, spinach, radishes, and turnips. No wonder when Edith joined others and prayed one January, "Oh, Lord, if it be Thy will that we put aside some of this crop for winter use, please send us a freezer by the time the peas are full in the pods," the Lord answered on the very day she requested The labor in L'Abri can be truly appreciated only by those who have taken part in the work.

In a real sense, those in L'Abri have more than earned the gifts that people send in answer to their prayers for the needy. God's way of "paying" them is an untraditional way of sending money and gifts from various people when needed in answer to prayer. And God has never sent gifts so anyone in L'Abri could have a life of leisure or luxury. Sometimes the need has been so great that when someone has found a half-used tube of toothpaste left by a guest, they have rejoiced at God's provision.

The Schaeffers and others in L'Abri work hard for God, as hard as many labor for an earthly employer or material gain. Living by faith as a means of leisure tempts God and indicates a mistaken attitude toward work and not worrying about our life. The temptation to use prayer as the easy way out of things is so great that we need to pray for God to help us stay right with Him through the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ. Having faith that God will hear us when we pray is often built up by working hard in His harvest field, rather than seeking ways to avoid hard work and responsibility. To quit our job and decide to live by faith alone for material provisions does not mean quitting hard work, and must be a step of faith based upon the Scriptures and how God has providentially prepared and led us in the past.

Those in secular work are living by faith when they pray for God to lead them in giving their financial and prayer support to those in Christian work. They are living by faith when they pray for God to help them represent Him truly to their bosses and co-workers as they try to be good examples and witnesses. God calls us to pray and follow Him, to prepare and go, to obey and work hard and give Him all the glory for taking care of us each day. And then in times of trouble and uncertainty, in times of looking for a job or a place to live and food to eat, we can call out to God and remember the Bible's promise: "He will respond to the prayer of the destitute; he will not despise their plea" (Psalm 102:17).

When God is first in our lives and Jesus is our only Master, we can live and pray and trust in His promise to care for all our needs, even as He cares for the birds of the air. As those in L'Abri worked hard each day, they did face destitution at times, but God always provided. On August 24, 1965, Edith looked back over ten years of L'Abri and wrote: "We repeatedly have discovered through ten years of living in this realm, by prayer, that one must go through dark periods of real testing, of 'low times' and 'dark moments,' facing real need, going through times of enforced frugality and deprivation (not pretend ones!), in order to see the reality of answered prayer; in order to know that the money is not coming in in an easily explained 'expected' way, but is truly a miracle of answered prayer."

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, help me count the cost of service before I put my hand to the plow. Help me to look ahead as I work, so I will not look back with regret. Help me know your will for me, and then give me the courage to step out in faith and follow you. Give me the strength to work the long hard hours that may be needed, not just to meet my needs, but to also help those who must have their spiritual and physical needs met by me as they trust in you alone for help. In Jesus' name. Amen.

© Copyright L. G. Parkhurst, Jr. Revised Edition 2008
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