Some years ago it was not usual to hear people say, "We are living in a changing world." Today we may just as appropriately repeat this; and it will continue to change, and that rapidly. We may also truthfully coin another expression, "We are living in a changed world." In any line little remains today of methods of a generation ago.
When I was a boy revival services were popular. Saints and sinners alike came out to hear the singing and the preaching. There were not so many amusement houses then to attract people. But today Satan has brought into being amusements, alluringly advertised, which are captivating the multitudes, both sinners and professed Christians, so the religious gatherings have lost their appeal to a great degree.
The old-fashioned plain announcements of evangelistic meetings are too tame in the way of advertising now to arrest people's attention. Today evangelistic advertising must be striking, challenging, appealing. We live in a changed world. The one who does not recognize this, and does not act accordingly, finds himself without an audience, and without an audience there can be no public evangelism. To secure an audience is the first essential.
The question now arises, How often shall one plan for an audience? Local conditions will, of course, determine this to some extent. Our question is then, in the average case, How many nights each week should one attempt to conduct evangelistic meetings?
All experienced evangelists will readily agree that Sunday nights are the big nights. Most evangelists will likewise admit that on the other nights of the week the attendance is much smaller, and for this reason some are inclined to limit their service to Sunday nights only. Is this reasoning justifiable?
We must recognize that under certain conditions it may seem best to confine oneself to only one night a week. For example, a settled pastor may well conduct Sunday night services, either in some hall or in his church. By having a continuous program of this type, he may add many souls to the church during the year. However, we are now especially considering a regular evangelistic effort. How many nights each week should the evangelist conduct meetings? We believe the oftener, the better. When once an interest is aroused that interest should be kept glowing five or six nights a week. Do not give Satan any time to divert the interest by giving people some evenings to attend places of amusement, which will neutralize all the good they receive in the evangelistic services.
The number of nights a week to conduct meetings in the more rural places will doubtless be governed very much by the time of year the meetings are held. In a time when farmers are busy planting or harvesting, it might be wiser to conduct meetings two or three nights each week
No absolute rule will apply to all localities. The worker must consider local conditions, and work accordingly. However, we believe the oftener we can get people to attend the meetings, the greater are the prospects of winning them to the truth. It would be unwise to conduct services more often than people can reasonably attend. It would be better to have a good attendance three nights a week than to have a poor attendance five or six nights a week. I believe it is best to conduct services just as often as the people will attend.
