Topic No. 6—Getting Decisions

Suggestions for getting decisions.

Various authors discussion getting decisions

By J. L. Shuler

It is not difficult to get a crowd out to hear this message, nor to convince the majority of that crowd that they ought to keep the sev­enth day of the week as the Sabbath. But it is another problem to get as large a number of that audience as possible to surrender fully to God to obey this message in all its features. We find that many times workers have large audiences, but in the end get very little fruit­age. That indicates that there is something wrong in the method of getting decisions. There is a lack just here, and I recognize that there has been a weakness at this point in my own work.

I believe that the fruitage of many workers could be doubled and even trebled by the use of right methods in getting people to decide. From this school no man ever graduates. It is something concerning which we must study and pray and earnestly seek to improve; for, as I see it, that is the real test of one's ability, —to get the largest possible number of his audience to decide for the truth. I hold that the man who, out of an audience of only two or three hundred, can win one hundred souls, is a better evangelist than the one who has an au­dience of 1,500 all the while and gets only a hundred in the end.

I have seven suggestions to offer:

First, I would place prayer. The Holy Spirit has promised that He will convict men of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment, and I be­lieve I have a perfect right to go to the Lord in prayer with a list of names before me. There on bended knee I am to ask the Lord to help those people to decide for His truth. I like the plan of having two lists of names toward the close of our meetings: first, a list of inter­ested people; then as soon as people decide to keep the Sabbath, we start a second list of those who have made such a decision. I like the idea of laying these two lists before the Lord, as Hezekiah of old spread that letter be­fore Him. I believe in earnest, intercessory prayer over these lists of names, never treating them lightly, for we should value souls too highly for that.

Second, to get people to decide, we should start from the very first night. That man is mistaken who thinks he can lecture for six or eight weeks with no appeals, and yet secure large results—I mean no direct appeals. The great oak is never felled with the single stroke of the ax. The minister may make an appeal, but if he does not go through with the appeal to get people to do something, why make the appeal? The man who thinks he can preach for weeks, then make an earnest appeal and get a large number of people over the line, is mak­ing a serious mistake. When I open a series with a sermon on Daniel 2, I ask people to raise their hands that very first night for prayer to get ready to meet their coming King, whose coming that prophecy points out. That turns the tide right in the beginning. I think we should direct matters toward the ultimate de­cision the very first night. At the close of this first lecture I also ask how many really en­joyed the presentation, and how many are will­ing to bring a friend that he may enjoy the next night's lecture with them.

Third, I believe we can help the people to get into the habit of expressing or declaring them­selves throughout the meetings. When I preach on the second coming of Christ, after I have proved it, I ask how many of the people believe it. That is our plan throughout the series--to get them in the habit of expressing themselves. When the time comes for the great, testing truths to be presented for their decision, they have been raising their hands from night to night on points that evangelical Christians hold in common. Then when we come to the Sab­bath and other great issues, it is easy and nat­ural to get them to express themselves.

Fourth, do not forget the altar call. When you can get individuals to come forward to the prayer room, it is self-evident that those people are on their way to the kingdom. The altar calls help to secure the final decision that is the goal of all our meetings.

Fifth, one must preach with compelling power. The Spirit of prophecy has spoken to us very definitely on this point:

"A listless, unfeeling manner of presenting the truth will never arouse men and women from their deathlike slumber." "By tamely presenting the truth, merely repeating the the­ory without being stirred by it themselves, they can never convert men. If they should live as long as did Noah, their efforts would be without effect."—"Gospel Workers," pp. 122, 121, first edition. 1892.

We will never get any large number of people to decide if we preach tame messages. We have life-and-death messages for the people. These ought so to stir our own hearts that we cannot but give a gripping message.

Sixth, the evangelist must be burdened with his message. In Isaiah 66:8 we read: "As soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her chil­dren." There are birth pangs in inseparable connection with bringing souls into God's king­dom. Why do we not get more people to de­cide? One reason is the lack of earnestness with which many of us preach the message. And along with that we have not carried the heavy burden for souls that we should.

Seventh and last, is personal work in the homes. A personal visit at the right time will lead many to decide. One point has been men­tioned in this council which I think has a vital bearing on the matter of decisions. We should so plan our effort that our time is spent to the best advantage. I follow Elder Richards' plan of having a general workers' meeting several times a week. In that meeting we take up every name that we have secured. These are arranged in groups. Each worker receives a list, and later reports on each person on his list. These workers will have been to the various homes several times by the latter part of the series; so after we have given the Sab­bath truth and are endeavoring to get people to decide to obey, we make out special lists of such names.

In these council meetings the personal work­ers tell the evangelist of any on their lists who are on the verge of deciding, but perhaps need his personal help, especially people of the better class. It is not difficult to get poor people to decide to obey this message. They do not have so much to lose financially. But with a man who has a large store or a good salary, it is a different proposition. We all know this group is slow in deciding, and the evangelist should have his workers put him in touch with these people, that he may go to their homes and thus use his influence in helping them to make a right decision.

When it comes to getting people to decide to obey this message, and to be baptized and join the church, we ought to do it on a very spiritual basis. We should go to their homes, sit down with them, and plead with them to surrender their will and life to God. We should not simply ask them to be baptized and join the church, but emphasize the surrendering of the will, heart, and life to God. And I like to know before I leave the home that this surrender has been made. It is true that we may sometimes be diverted and disappointed, but we should go just the same. And I like to turn everything I do in that home toward the one point. I try to get them to pray with me right there, at that very time surrendering the heart to God for full obedience.

Many times people have said, "I do not know how to pray." And some of the greatest an­swers I have ever received have come while teaching people to pray. I pray and have them repeat that prayer, clause by clause, after me. When you kneel at the foot of the cross, some­thing happens. A soul is born again. As a rule, you never have to pray but one prayer in that way. The next time you go, they know how to pray. We must always put this personal work on a definite spiritual basis, on a basis of surrender to God. Then joining the church and baptism takes care of itself. The right kind of personal work brings people to surrender.

"He who does faithful work outside of the pulpit, will accomplish tenfold more than he who confines his labors to the desk."—"Testi­monies," Vol. IX, p. 124.

(To be continued in September)

Move by Progressive Decisions

A. C. Griffin (Wichita, Kansas) : As I look into the faces of congregations who are in dark­ness and need the light of this truth, and realize that I am bringing to them a message of life or death, it brings me to my knees. We cannot lead them to a decision without God. Our greatest need is to work with the Holy Spirit, who brings conviction to these souls, enabling them to take hold of the truth that we are giving them.

There are certain things that will bring peo­ple to a decision. As we present the truth to them step by step, keep them accepting it—not only believing it, but accepting it. It is a mis­take to think that when you speak about to­bacco you do not expect the people to quit chew­ing or smoking until they come into the church. I think the Spirit of God is prepared to move upon the audience the very night we present that subject, causing the honest in heart to leave it alone.

This summer I was speaking to a congrega­tion in a small town. There was a man who had come night after night, listening to and drinking in every word. He was elderly, and I noticed that he was chewing tobacco every night. I was persuaded that the Spirit was speaking to him, and I wondered what he would do when he came to the big question of tobacco, as I was sure it would be in his case. When I came to the subject, I spoke on body cleanli­ness. I looked down at this man. He shut his teeth tightly, and squared his shoulders. I went on speaking, and that evening I said, "If any of you are using tobacco, and you feel that the Spirit of God is speaking to your soul, and are persuaded tonight that tobacco using is defiling your body, I ask you in the name of your God and mine to lay that thing down this very night and never touch it again."

While I was shaking hands with the people as they went out, I noticed this man as he came by with others who had the same habit. He responded to my greeting by saying, "That was good, brother. God is working." Three days later I was talking with him personally, and he said to me without any inquiry, "You remember the other night you spoke about chewing and smoking tobacco. I have been doing that since I was nine years old, and I am now seventy-seven. When you said to go home and throw that tobacco away and never touch it again, and pray God for deliverance, I did that very thing. And I am here to tell you that I do not have one bit of appetite for tobacco now." I believe that we need more of that deliverance in connection with our min­istry.

Let me also emphasize the need of presenting the truth to the people in a simple way. We should ourselves understand the deep things, but we must feed them "milk." When we pre­sent the truth, let us explain it in simplicity. When we ask them to raise the hand, stand, or come forward, let us make the proposition so simple and easy that they will realize they can do it. Many want to respond, but feel they do not know how. We must help them when we ask them to surrender the tobacco habit. They should understand clearly that we are inviting them to surrender to God, not just giving up something wrong. I think ofttimes the people do not understand this.

We should get men and women to realize that they are surrendering step by step to God, as light is brought to them, until they finally sur­render all, just as much in reality as when they take the final step across a bridge. God had been leading the eunuch long before Philip ever saw him. The Spirit of God has ofttimes been leading men long before the minister finds them. We should have confidence to believe that God is leading, and have faith that He will work upon the hearts of men.

I believe in the use of decision cards and all these devices, but we must move the people step by step until they are ready to surrender fully. I think we ought to have certain times to make definite calls, and that we ought to pray that God will that night bring the people there who ought to come. Have your Bible workers there and ask them to pray that the Spirit of God will be there, and that there may be a great revival that night. We ought to an­nounce our baptism weeks ahead of the time we are going to have it. We ought to expect to have it, and then plan for it. We ought to have it even if not everybody is ready. It will help someone else to get ready. Let us keep this thought before us, and look forward to the time when they will surrender.

I believe the Spirit of God will impel men to come, so I believe in praying for the Spirit of God to move upon the hearts of the people. I also believe in a personal burden for these souls. I believe we ought ourselves to be in­formed about them, and to get together and pray for these individuals. Some of us ought to have personal contact with them. We should teach our church members to pray for definite souls, and to pray with these individuals, too. These people are disappointed if we go away and do not pray with them. They say, "Yes," when we ask them if we may pray. When we finish our prayer, there are tears in their eyes. It is often at such a moment that they make that final decision, "I will stand for God's truth."

Keep the people moving along with you. Ask on the first night how many believe in the sub­ject as presented. At least 90 per cent of the hands go up, don't they? Do not wait six weeks, and then try to get all the hands up. But if you have asked every week, when it comes to the final decision the natural thing to do will be to respond in accordance with their convic­tions. This summer I had a small congregation of about one hundred people. I made a strong appeal at the close of the meeting, "How many will pledge yourselves to these things?" Eighty stood.

I would add one "don't" here. Don't think people are not interested because they question certain truths. I find that some people are ready to set aside a name just because a person is unable to see a certain truth. We ought not to give up so easily. If a colporteur should give up when objections were raised, how far would he get?

Confidence, Clarity, Concentration

F.F. Schwindt (Lincoln, Nebraska): There are a, few principles pertaining to decisions. that I have found helpful in my work. I always re­check by them at the end of an effort, and have found that the Lord has helped me as I have used and followed them.

First and always I seek to have implicit con­fidence that many who attend my meetings are honest and willing to see and accept light. Once I was holding an effort in a certain place. As the people came into the building, a worker present said concerning a certain person, "That man is a hypocrite. He will never accept the message." He went on directing attention to different ones that he thought would never ac­cept the truth. When he was through, I said, "Brother, to whom shall I preach tonight?" I think it absolutely necessary to have confidence in our fellows.

Then I believe that a decision often fails, not because the people do not want to follow the truth, but because the truth has not been pre­sented plainly enough. People are usually will­ing to follow the light if they see it. I have found that it is necessary for me to restudy the truth constantly in order to present it so plainly that the people must understand.

Again, I find that we win individuals one by one. In holding a meeting, I always concen­trate upon the interested persons. I have a list, and I bring these names before the Lord every time I am alone. When they are con­vinced as to our message, I approach them alone and tell them that I am praying for them, and I find that helps.

Another point that I find helpful is to cause the interested persons to feel the responsibility of the truth,—to bring them to the place where they say, "I cannot sleep anymore; I see it is the truth, and I feel that I shall be lost if I do not accept it."

"Altar Calls" an Advance Move

L. H. King (Baltimore, Maryland) : This dis­cussion concerning helping people to make a decision is most enlightening. Everything I learned in my earlier ministry had to be carved right out of the solid rock by experimentation. Occasionally some minister would tell me some­thing of his methods, but I had to learn most of it all alone. It seemed very difficult to get information that would enable a young man to progress and develop in the ministry, and I have often wondered why we did not have gath­erings of this character that would place at the disposal of a young minister the material that he needs to make him proficient in his calling. I believe this is a new order of things, intro­duced by the very necessity of the hour, and that God must have men and women who can go out without long years of experience and be able to present this message.

There is one question I would like to raise. It seems that we are developing a new glossary of evangelistic terms. I have always been a little fearful about using the term, "altar call."

I always thought these words belonged to the "Holy Rollers," the Pentecostal people, and the Methodists. Here I find out that my brethren have been practicing these principles and that they are heaven-attested principles. I went out in my first tent effort with an experienced minister. He made no altar calls, and naturally I followed in his steps. We asked people to de­cide, to raise their hands, and sometimes to stand; but never in a public effort have I asked people to come forward and accept Christ until I had presented the Sabbath question, and then I asked them forward largely to get their con­sent to keeping the Sabbath.

There is one thing that rather puzzles me. I am a little curious about the regular periods for altar calls and all that. I think we ought to advise our young men to go slowly. I believe there must be a preparation for those calls. I fear that young men will be making altar calls without the special heart preparation that must back up an altar call. I believe that in this special work we must be definitely led. We should not rush into it, and make it me­chanical and routine. I wish I could partici­pate in an effort with one of these men and enter into that special experience. I have come to the conclusion that it is only the man who has the unction of the Spirit who can bring people forward and have it be a complete work.

I believe we are on the right track here. As I read about the great soul winners of the past, I find that they were men who did have such a definite experience in the baptism of the Spirit. Many things I fear are still in our hearts here. I wish we could draw closer together as these days go by. I feel that Elder Watson has given us most valuable instruction, and I am praying that every day there will be a great urge to­gether, and that every one, high and low, will be led into heaven-born unity and will go for­ward in the most mighty wave of evangelism that this denomination has ever seen.

Applicable to Young Ministers

Francis Bush (Groton, Connecticut): It has been suggested that younger men wait a while before entering into some of these plans that have been presented, such as altar calls. I do believe that altar calls ought not to be given without the Holy Spirit in our lives, but I wonder if we are going to have the needed preparation just from being in the ministry a number of years. I wonder if we cannot have it now, if we cannot put these principles into practice from the start. Is there no danger that we shall follow those who may not have been so successful, and thereby get into a rut? Whereas, if from the beginning we put into practice these principles that have been sug­gested, we shall start in the right way. Charles Spurgeon preached successfully when he was a young man. Whitefield and the Wesleys in their twenties were preaching to thousands. I believe God can come into the hearts of us young men and use us to preach with power. Brethren, if it is right in God's sight, I want to use altar calls and everything else that will make for a successful ministry; and I pray that you will not hold us back, but will help us to do everything that will aid us to greater success in our ministry.

"Altar Calls" Essential

Chairman Branson: In the first effort I ever held I asked the elder brother associated with me about an altar call, and he said, "I have never seen it done in a Seventh-day Adventist effort." But I tried it, and from that time on I have never been in any part of the world where that could not be done, even in South Africa. Our brethren are doing it everywhere. 

It is in these special appeals that we really get people to come out from the crowd and take their stand. If you can lead them along step by step, it is easy to get them to take their stand for the great testing truths of the mes­sage later on. Personally, I am a strong be­liever in the altar call in our public meetings. I believe it will enhance the success and effec­tiveness of many of our preachers if they will follow that plan.

We ask our people at camp meeting to come forward to seek the Lord. If they need it, surely sinners who come to our evangelistic meetings need it a hundredfold. Many are hungering for an opportunity to give themselves to God. In the years that I have been preach­ing I have never made an altar call but once when there was no response. That one time was in a Seventh-day Adventist camp meeting. Never in a public effort have I made an appeal for people to give themselves to Christ that somebody did not come, and usually a large number. Scores of the people who do not re­spond go away with the conviction that they ought to have done so, and that they will later. I believe that the principles the brethren are presenting to us about making more earnest calls for people to come to Christ, are funda­mental. We ought to be revivalists as well as evangelists. We ought tO be men who know how to lead our hearers to Christ and to an acceptance of the great gospel provisions. It should be done in our churches and in our public services more than it is.

Have Faith in Slow Movers

G. A. Coon (Trenton, New Jersey) : When a person or group has come forward, there are sometimes many who remain in their seats. And in the public prayer that is offered we can well ask the Lord to bless those who have not come forward. I sometimes say, "There are many honest in heart who have heard the mes­sage of tonight for the first time, and we pray their hearts may be made .'eceptive." And in the homes of the people I find that the same attitude must be taken toward them. Many of us lose much in our work because we think the people are hard toward this message. As we speak to persons we have to tell them many times that they love the Lord, that we realize they love the Lord. And then we must keep leading them farther, telling them they will never be satisfied until they take their stand for this message. We must keep the people's minds on this message. We must help them to decide for this message. We need to have faith as we approach the people, and surely there will be a great response.

John Ford (Boston, Massachusetts): I have found that when a public call is made for peo­ple to come forward, especially in New Eng­land, those who do not come forward probably make an adverse decision. This I try to avoid, endeavoring to make the appeal without caus­ing people to decide against the truth. In every appeal I try to get some to take a definite stand for it and others not to decide against it. This appeal should be made constantly. I do not permit one single night to go by without an appeal to walk in the light of truth; but I endeavor to present it in such a way that no adverse decision will be made.

" 'Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in,' Christ bids us, 'that My house may be filled.' . . . With all our power we must urge them to look unto Jesus, and to accept His life of self-denial and sacri­fice."—"Gospel Workers," p. 506.

We should bear this message home every night, and get decisions for the Lord Jesus Christ. Sometimes in the home, when I see the people are bordering on a decision against the truth, I have to work as hard against it as I can. We must never allow anybody to make an adverse decision if we can help it.

"I have been shown that the most signal vic­tories and the most fearful defeats have been on the turn of minutes. God requires prompt­ness of action. Delays, doubtings, hesitation, and indecision frequently give the enemy every advantage. . . . The greatest promptness is positively necessary in the hour of peril and danger. Every plan may be well laid to accom­plish certain results, and yet a delay of a very short time may leave things to assume an en­tirely different shape, and the great objects which might have been gained are lost through lack of quick foresight and prompt dispatch." —Id., p. 134.

We must make the appeal. It must come on the positive side. We do not want them to make that decision next week or some time when they feel like it, but "now is the accepted time." In every public meeting it is well to have the people give some indication, even though it be but the raising of the hand.

J.L. Shuler (Charlotte, North Carolina) : Just this on the matter of guarding against an adverse decision: When I make definite calls, I always preface them by saying, "I know there are some here tonight for the first time; and perhaps you have not understood all I have said, not knowing what preceded this. My direct appeal is to those who have heard me all the way through." I think that guards against an adverse decision. When it comes to the last call, the final call that we make for the people to come out of "Babylon" and join the Seventh-day Adventist Church, is there any stronger way we can make that call than to make it the way God puts it, "Come out of her, My people"? I am at a loss to know why more of our men do not make use of this.


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Various authors discussion getting decisions

August 1935

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