Attention is again directed to the purpose of this section of the Ministry. True to its name, it is a Forum, wherein active, experienced, able ministers give expression to their mature convictions on methods in which their practices may differ somewhat from those of others. Both our evangelists and our pastors earnestly desire to know why and how others follow their special plans and policies of work.—Editors
Convictions on Methods of Evangelism
The methods of evangelism will always differ somewhat with varying personalities, but certain fundamental principles are vital. We are evangelists—soul winners—first, and educators second. Too often we reverse this and plan to educate first, and then win the people. We get the idea that we must cover a certain amount of groundwork,—prophecy, history, doctrines, etc.,—and that having done that, we have "given the people the truth." It is true that under such ministry some do accept the message. So there were converts to the Lord through the ministry of the apostles before Pentecost; but the work was weak, and in every way different from the work which was done after Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit had given the disciples a vision both of their work and of the people's needs.
Quite frequently we hear the expression, "giving a series of lectures." What does this imply but that the preacher is a lecturer? Too often, also! such is the case; but there is all the difference in the world between delivering a lecture and pleading your cause as an ambassador. A lecture may be interesting and instructive, it may be very entertaining and convincing, and yet lack the vital thing in all true ministry,—the converting power of the Holy Spirit. Evangelism and lecturing are as far apart as the poles in both methods and results.
Every evangelist who does strong work must educate the people in the principles of godliness and Christian living. This of course includes every branch of obedience and sanctification. And how much easier this education becomes when our hearers are already converted! Yet how often we leave the people with little more than they had at the beginning, except a merely intellectual understanding of history and prophecy.
We start off a "series of lectures" with a great blaze of trumpets, and in three months' time our congregation falls away, and we take a smaller hall. This gradually becomes smaller and smaller until at the end we find.t ourselves in a back street somewhere,—an anticlimax that is surely a strange commentary on a work which purports to be the message of, the angel of Revelation 18!
Then we go away to a new field, leaving some inexperienced church elder, perhaps a new convert, to try to care for the people who have been intellectually entertained during the months of our ministry. And we comfort ourselves with the thought that we have delivered the "testing truths," and that the "honest in heart" have accepted the message. May I suggest that it is not always possible for us to judge as to the honest in heart? We may be as self-deceived as was Elijah.
In my own work I try to make the keynote of the mission the bringing of men and women to God. From the first meeting to the last, this is made prominent, regardless of the preconceived ideas of the audience concerning Christianity. They may be Anglicans (ritualist or evangelical) or nonconformists, unorthodox Christians or non-Christians; but no matter what they are, there is usually both tolerance and respect for an evangelical ministry. Everybody has a regard for the work of the Wesleys, Spurgeon, Finney, Moody, Torrey, Chapman, and others. And after all there is nothing like the good old-time gospel ring. To preach that same gospel, and adapt the methods of these powerful preachers to the message which God has given us, will give that message a new luster and a new attraction.
I never plan for the "falling away" of a congregation; but in planning for further meetings I endeavor to take into account all the strange and complex ideas of a thousand minds. During the discourse I try to bring in something each time that will meet the need of every class. Not all fish are caught with the same bait. Different fields demand different methods. In Australia, for instance, the people are rather keen readers of atheistic propaganda, and there is a large class to whom the Bible makes little appeal until they accept it as the word of God. In such cases I have found that it is wise to spend considerable time substantiating the claims of the Bible. Once this matter is settled, it is much easier to reach the hearts of the people. In England, on the other hand, it is a rare thing to find any one who does not believe the Bible. .Tha.peopleliave been taught it in school, both public and private. Then, too, there is so much to remind us here of the great Reformation. In fact, here is a community of nearly fifty million who have a deep and profound love for the word of God. If you can produce evidence from the Bible for your premise, it usually settles the question.
We have had no loss of interest during the fifteen or sixteen months of our work in London. In fact, the interest is far better now than it has been at any previous period. Starting in the middle of summer, we have run right through to this summer, and are continuing into next summer in the same district. During this time a full program is carried out. We have about ten public meetings during the week, and five smaller meetings (including the choir rehearsal), which occupy our study. These fifteen meetings are planned for with the thought of continuing to hold the audience. Each of the weekly meetings we try to make a contributing factor to the larger Sunday night service, which should always be distinctly evangelical, the smaller meetings in the week being reserved for instruction in Christian living, etc.
On Sunday nights we present the leading prophecies, always trying to give them in such a way as to win the people. During and after each discourse, strong appeals are made for conversions, and at least once a month, perhaps more frequently, we make a straight appeal to the audience to give their hearts to Christ. We expect conversions. I know of over three hundred persons who, during the last four months, have given their hearts definitely to the Lord in such appeals as this. These, of course, are not Adventists yet, but they have found their personal Saviour, and they know who I am and what I believe. I make it very clear to them, in asking them to ac-cept - a- personal-Saviour, "tEartliii-itep in no way obligates them to join any special church. I assure them at the same time that the way of salvation brings its responsibility to obey the Lord; but that the Holy Spirit who now comes into their lives, has promised to guide them into all truth.
There may be two thousand or more present at this meeting, and I ask them all to wait during the appeal.
Afterward we separate, and only those who are particularly burdened are invited to remain. We have had as many as seven hundred, and even more, remain for the after meeting. Among these are some who are burdened for loved ones outside the fold of Christ.
Scattered throughout this company, who by this time have been brought from the galleries down to the body of the hall, are a number who have given their hearts to the Lord for the first time. They have signified this by either rising to their feet or holding up their hands. We then ask them again to rise, and thus show their acceptance of the Lord. After definite counsel on the spiritual life, we engage in a season of prayer for them, and encourage them to pray. If the occasion warrants it, we take them into another room, or into another part of the hall. In any case we get their names and addresses, as well as those of others who have remained to the after meeting. To each of these new converts we send a letter during that week, encouraging them in the stand they have taken, and also outlining to them some strong and encouraging Scripture promises.
In such a meeting we may get a hundred or more names. We make sure, before the appeal is made, that we have workers and responsible church officers placed in positions where they can readily take the names and addresses, and also render any needed help. In such a meeting I have had as many as fifty or sixty workers posted in different parts of the hall, ready for their task.
Once a person gives his heart to the Lord, he is easy to reach with this truth, particularly in his first love.
And so, when our Bible workers and ministers go to visit these folk, they do not have to wait on the doorstep, but are readily admitted into the homes. This is not always the case when other methods of obtaining names are followed. Permit me to say I have little confidence in the method used by many, namely, handing out cards for free literature. Obtaining names by this method is to my mind anything but evangelism. The objective held out is in the nature of a bargain. To tell the people that they will get something for nothing is a bad introduction to Christianity.
There is only one way to follow the Master, and that means cross bearing. The cheaper methods of advertising products that are used in the business world through coupons and prizes, seem to me a poor substitute for the everlasting gospel. I am not saying that names are not received that way, but I maintain that the best class of people are not reached through those methods. They are cheap (but not in money), and furthermore they are outworn.
Personally I hold a deep conviction that the method outlined in the first part of this article—to win the people to Christ, then instruct them and lead them into all the light we have for them—will bring better results than to gain their intellectual assent to this message first, and then try to win them to obey it. In other words, we should strive to win souls by the way of Calvary rather than of Athens.
London, England.
