The question of successful evangelism of course presupposes the qualifications of the speaker, his personality, mentality, and spirituality. Granting these to be satisfactory, there are still other things to be considered in conducting a series of meetings for the saving of souls. The foremost thought when one enters a city for this purpose, is not only how he can reach the masses, but how he can get hold of the better classes. By this we do not necessarily mean the wealthy; for wealth is not the standard. Rather, how shall we reach the respectable and thinking members of the community, the honest seekers after truth?
Location
Let us first of all realize what cannot be denied by those who believe our message, that we have the greatest thing on earth to give to the people. Unless we have the conviction that we have something to give to the people that they cannot get anywhere else, we might as well not attempt a public series of lectures.
But with such a conviction, we shall not try to operate in some obscure corner. No place is too good or too central in which to give this truth. One should seek for the most reputable, advantageous, and strategic position in which to present his message. The place one secures for his meetings will have much to do with the impression people will receive of his work. There are disadvantages enough that naturally arise with the presentation of unpopular truth, without creating our own, and thus closing avenues of approach to the people through poor judgment in the selection of a location.
It is not economy to secure some cheap, obscure place, and it is not waste to secure the better place, even though it may cost more, provided the qualifications of the evangelist measure up to it. When once an evangelist has been tried and has proved successful, it is not even a risk to allow him to attempt great things. We must not be afraid to venture on what looks like a larger proposition than is customary. It may be because we have become accustomed to doing things in an ordinary way that we have not had larger success. Some few have ventured, and it is well to listen to their testimony on successful city evangelism.
Publicity
After securing a suitable place for holding a series of meetings, such as a reputable theater or hall, it would be poor business not to do adequate advertising. The commercial world recognizes the value of this, and we may learn lessons from them. If they see the necessity of strong advertising in this age of so much competition, then surely we ought not to be behind with the most up-to-date message on earth, with so much religious competition. No one can expect to succeed who does not advertise.
The evangelist's advertising must be commensurate with the size of his effort and the result he hopes to gain. Small advertising in some obscure corner of the newspaper would be waste instead of economy. He could not hope to gain his audience with that kind of advertising; and not to get an audience would mean failure to begin with, and would be a discouragement to the worker.
We can readily see, therefore, that the evangelist should use every legitimate means available to give prominence to his meetings, and to convince the people, even before they come, that the meetings are out of the ordinary. Large bill posters, which in these days are no more expensive than news paper advertising, are not at all second class, and will secure the attention of the people every day of the week. It is a good plan to have such posters put up in the most advantageous places a week or two before the first meeting. Street car advertising, where possible, is as good as the posters, if not better. The writer has used this method with good effect in large efforts conducted in the United States and in Canada.
Newspapers come next, and should not be neglected. One may have to select, of course, where there are a number in a city. Usually there are two or three which have the advantage, and it is well to study that phase of the advertising. It does not necessarily follow that one must advertise in all, although it would do no harm. Printed programs covering the week must not be overlooked. To place a complete program in each home is an effective way of arousing an interest, especially with the arresting, titles that we give to our subjects. These programs should not only be distributed to all the homes once or twice during the series of meetings, but should also be given out at every service.
Holding the Interest
Getting an audience to start with is necessary, of course; but holding the audience is just as important. The advertising wins them the first time, but it takes the speaker to hold them. His personality, his knowledge, his method of presentation of his subject, will all enter into the attractiveness of his meetings, to say nothing of the singing and other music that should accompany every evangelistic series. The evangelist must maintain the interest of his audience as well as instruct them. This does not mean the telling of smart jokes. The truth itself, with all frivolity eliminated, is sufficient to attract and hold the right class of people, the ones who will eventually accept the message.
In the presentation of his theme, the evangelist must be true to the advertisement, and satisfy his audience on the subject of the occasion. Otherwise he will be regarded as a faker. If you are following correct methods, and if your audience returns, you may be encouraged to continue.
Arrangement of Subjects
A series of lectures may be considered in three stages:
1. Building up the confidence of your audience.
2. Presenting the foundation themes.
3. Winning those who will accept.
Let us consider these topics briefly. First, building up the confidence of your audience. The people who come to your first meeting know nothing about you. If they continue to come, if each meeting satisfies them, then you are, unconsciously to them, building up their confidence. This cannot be done overnight. Many of them have been often disappointed, and it is not easy to gain their confidence; but it will come if you, hold closely to the Scriptures, and show them that you know your Bible well. The repeating of many scriptures in support of your points is the basic way of convincing them that you are thoroughly conversant with your subjects.
With the establishment of the confidence of your audience, you gradually advance to the second stage of your meetings, laying the foundation of that which is to follow. These foundation themes should not be crowded one upon another, but should be placed between other less difficult subjects. It is a good plan to gain the sanction of your audience on these foundation themes as you go along. In this way you can learn how much of your presentation they are really grasping.
The testing truths of this message, and winning those who are convicted to take their stand for them, is of course the crucial point of the effort. Arguments which may eventually be brought up against the testing truths should be dealt with before you get to them, so that when they are presented, there may be no gaps through which to flee. The hearers must either assent to the truthfulness of your position or admit themselves dishonest. The evangelist usually has his audience with him by this time, and he may be reasonably sure of those who will accept.
We must also remember that the acceptance of this truth is not merely the acceptance of one subject, but of all of it. Keeping the Sabbath, alone, does not make a Seventh-day Adventist. One cannot accept this truth overnight. He must count the cost, and this he can do only as he hears the whole truth. Those who accept it in this way usually stand by it. In my own experience, extending over a number of years, I have found that perhaps fewer than 5 percent have given up the truth after having taken a firm stand for it.
Manchester, England.
