The securing of a large list of interested people before the opening meeting of an evangelistic effort is a real aid in achieving larger and quicker results. In harvesting souls, as in harvesting a crop, the proper preparation of the soil before sowing the seed is a most vital factor in securing good results. What the preparation of the soil is toward raising a crop, so the proper preparation of the field for the projected evangelistic campaign is toward securing the desired results. We certainly need to avail ourselves of this added advantage for success.
The first step in converting an unbeliever is to locate individuals whose interest can be enlisted in learning the present truth. The desired decisions for baptism and church membership come from among interested people. Thus a good list of interested people is to the evangelistic campaign what the foundation is to a house. It is the basis upon which to build for the desired results.
If the trained evangelist has in band a large list of interested people before he delivers the first sermon of the campaign, his success is greatly enhanced. For example : Suppose a campaign is to be conducted in a city of one hundred thousand people. Think of the advantage if, six or eight weeks before the date of the opening sermon, by making use of certain available methods, the evangelist gathers the names and addresses of five hundred people who are interested in learning more about the truths of the Bible. These people are, as it were, prepared to respond to his invitation in his initial advertising to attend the first meeting. When the evangelist sends them a circular letter regarding the opening meeting, enclosing his handbill and perhaps a card on which they can apply for a reserved seat for the first lecture, many of them will respond and will be present for the first meeting.
If anyone may think that this is merely a pet idea of a fanciful theory springing from the realm of wishful thinking, I would remind him that this idea has been demonstrated again and again in evangelism. Here are three typical examples : From a period of five weeks spent in preparing the field in a city of 500,000 in 1944, there came 1,507 requests by telephone and mail from non-A dventists for reserved seats to hear the evangelist's opening sermon. This was an advance guarantee of a capacity audience for the opening of the campaign. In this case a hall seating 2,250 was filled to capacity, and some were turned away.
In 1946 five weeks of preparatory work in a city of 200,000 brought 1,476 advance requests for reservations from non-Adventists. In 1947 five weeks of preparatory work in a city of more than two million people brought four thousand advance requests from non-Adventists to hear the opening sermon, though- they did not all come, of course.
A preparatory plan which brings such results is certainly a vital feature in the large city campaign. The contribution which it makes toward a large attendance at the first meeting, and, the way it gathers out a large list of interested people, makes it count for much in securing the desired results.
Preparation a "Must" in City Evangelism
In the case of the small evangelistic campaign, the preparation of the field may be regarded as something desirable, yet not a necessity. It is our conviction, however, that it should be regarded as most necessary in the large city campaign. This type of campaign involves large expenditures for hall rent, and in turn makes a large attendance imperative. If there is only a small attendance of non-Adventists, the campaign returns and results will not justify the large expenditures. Hence, there is a more urgent need of using the preparation of the field to ensure a large non-Adventist attendance at the opening meeting.
It is becoming increasingly difficult to bring together large numbers of non-Adventists in large cities and hold them from week to week. In the days of Billy Sunday, during the second decade of this twentieth century, the crowds jammed his large tabernacles to overflowing. But such crowds no longer flock to evangelistic meetings. Many churches do not attempt holding Sunday night meetings, because people do not attend religious meetings as they did a few years ago. This changed situation has led many to say that the day of mass evangelism is gone forever. That, however, is not a justifiable conclusion.
Adventist evangelists should bear in mind that the more difficult it is to attract the multitudes in the large cities, the more important it is to secure a large list of interested people before the opening sermon. These rapidly changing conditions demand that we do more in preparing the field_ than heretofore.
As a result of a careful check in certain city campaigns, it was found that one out of every four baptized was from those who were searched out by the preparatory work prior to the opening sermon.
In one campaign where the Bible correspondence course was featured and promoted strongly, both during the meetings and prior to the first meeting, a total of 1,125 persons responded by enrolling for the course. A checkup revealed that of this number 549, or nearly 50 per cent, were from among the names secured in preparing the field prior to the delivery of the first sermon.
Preparation Means Larger Results
A kernel of corn may, under certain conditions, become a stalk of corn with several ears for the harvest. So an interested person may, with proper leading, become an Adventist in the evangelistic harvest. On the basis of the law of averages, it is evident that the more interested people we locate by our evangelism and a proper follow-up, the more converts will be gathered in.
Because the preparatory work increases the number of interested people for the campaign, and reaches some who would not be gathered out by the meetings, it definitely contributes to achieving larger results. And because the preparation of the field may place in the evangelist's opening audience scores and even hundreds of interested people whose hearts have been stirred to seek for truth by reading our literature, it gives the added advantage of shaping the iron quickly when it is red hot, instead of starting in with a cold iron.
God's sheep are scattered everywhere. (Eze. 34:11, 12.) One of the main objectives of the third angel's message is to gather these scattered sheep into the Lord's fold. (Rev. 18:4; 12:17.) There are sincere souls scattered throughout all the communities, who are ready to receive the truth. Our task in evangelism is to search out these scattered sheep. Any plan used for preparing the field, which will help to locate those who are open to receive the truth, is bound to help make the effort a success.