The first work of the successful pastor is soul-winning evangelism. While this is true of every worker in the cause of God, whatever his position may be, still to the pastor comes exceptional opportunities for definite soul winning, and therefore great responsibility. While God has given to some men the special gift of drawing and holding large crowds in great evangelistic efforts, evangelism should not end here. It is a work that is greater and broader than the large public effort. Many feel that since they do not have this special talent, they must content themselves with their pastoral duties and let the "evangelists" do the soul-winning work. This is a fatal error.
Evangelism has always been and will be the stronghold of the church of God. When the spirit of evangelism fails, the church ceases to make progress. The pastor is the immediate leader of the church, and when the spirit of evangelism dies in his heart, the effect will be seen in the progress of the church. Perhaps no other worker in the cause of God is in a better position, has better facilities, greater resources at hand, or more avenues of endeavor, than the pastor. The pastor, therefore, must be an evangelist in the broader sense of the word, trained, prepared, and ready to use the many resources at hand for soul-winning work.
This means that the pastor must be prepared to do a broader work in evangelism than merely conducting an occasional public effort. While his work includes this, it means more than this, for soul winning must be the ever-dominant motive in all the work of the church.
The purpose of the Sabbath school is soul-winning evangelism, and the purpose of the prayer meeting should be the same. The purpose and appeal of the morning sermon must always be soul-winning evangelism. The primary objective of the many lines of endeavor entrusted to the church, such as the literature ministry, the medical work, the work of the Dorcas Society, and the young people's society, is soul-winning evangelism. When this motive is lost sight of, and this spirit of soul-winning evangelism becomes dormant, we are immediately missing the great mark that God has placed before His remnant church. Certainly to the pastor, as well as to every other worker, these challenging words of the Master Evangelist were addressed: "Go ye, . . . and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost."
Perhaps many pastors are tempted to say, "I am too busy with the pastoral duties of the church to engage in soul-winning evangelism." I know there are many capable soul winners who, as pastors, are spending all their time trying to settle church troubles and keep peace in the church. This condition results when the spirit of evangelism fails. The program becomes negative, and Satan is pleased when he sees the pastor so busy in minor, troublesome affairs that he hasn't time to enter into a strong program of soul winning.
Someone asks, "What brings about a set of circumstances like this, and can I as pastor avoid it ?" Remember, the still pond breeds corruption, while the running stream keeps pure and sweet. "Thou hast left thy first love," is the Lord's indictment of His church. It is tragic to lose the vision of soul winning. And tragic are its consequences to the pastor and the church. The pastor must make first things first. When a strong program of soul-winning evangelism becomes the motivating purpose of every endeavor and work of the church—the Sabbath school, the prayer meeting, the young people's society, as well as every effort on the part of the pastor—a new spirit enters the church, and many of the minor, troublesome, time-absorbing matters cease to exist. This must be the first work of the pastor. Remember, "The running stream keeps pure and sweet," and this is doubly true of the working, evangelizing, progressive church.
By this I do not necessarily mean that the pastor should spend his time entirely in the public effort. This is not always possible, especially in our larger churches, without neglecting other lines of endeavor. Truly, the public effort should be a part of the soul-winning program.
But the program of the church should always be balanced. The Saviour said: "These ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone." Each line of endeavor should receive proper emphasis. Talent within the church should be trained for service. Lay preachers and Bible workers should be trained and sent forth in service; the literature ministry should be given its rightful place; the Sabbath school should be a soul-winning agency in the truest sense ; the church school should be rightfully manned and conducted, with every child of school age enrolled ; and the young people's society, properly directed, can become a power in evangelism. From each of these great agencies, souls will be won. These, along with the facilities of the radio and the public hall or tent, will bring forth a rich harvest of souls each year.
Many are brought into the church today by the preaching of the Word. And of these many are dropping out by the wayside. Our losses in this respect are tremendous. This need not be. The pastor should be just as anxious that these members be properly grounded and retained in the church, as he is to win them to the message. No means at the disposal of the pastor is more effective in holding a man or a woman true to the message than training him in service and soul winning. This is evangelism in its highest order, and who is better equipped than the pastor to do this? A progressive church at work, with a vision of the great unfinished task, led by a pastor whose life is burning with passion for lost souls will truly go forth "conquering and to conquer."
Let the pastor build solidly, carrying forth the work with proper emphasis upon every phase of the gospel message entrusted to the church. The pastor cannot afford to be a hobbyist, following one line of endeavor to the neglect of others. All lines of endeavor are placed in the church for the purpose of soul winning, and if every potentiality is harnessed, a strong work can be done in evangelism by the pastor. Thus many more souls will be won. True, this work will require the best within us, it will require careful organization, much prayer and study, and long hours of work, but let us be diligent, for the "night cometh, when no man can work."
The mighty hour of crisis in which we live demands our best. We must be true men, who can lead forth in a true revival. We must be men in whose hearts dwell the divine compassion and love of the Master Missionary. He was moved with compassion for the hungry, helpless multitudes of Palestine long ago, and He is "the same yesterday, and today, and forever." How His heart must throb with pity over the lost within our churches and communities! Do our hearts likewise throb ? We need to seek God if they do not. Our spiritual life is safe and secure only when it is linked up with the salvation of others. As pastor-evangelists, let us arise as one man to the great task before us. Let not our Laodicean lukewarmness hold us back, but let us go forward in true evangelism, and forget not our "marching orders"—Go ye into all the world and save others.