A VERY different and yet effective new series of meetings was conducted this fall in the city of Minneapolis, Minnesota —The Reformation Series. Major Adventist doctrines were presented, and the increasing attendance and baptismal returns were most gratifying. Not only was the visiting public gripped by this series, but our somewhat doctrinally schooled Adventists also flocked to the meetings.
The basic reason for this altogether new approach is best summed up in this quotation from the messenger of the Lord:
In the cities of today, where there is so much to attract and please, the people can be interested by no ordinary efforts. Ministers of God's appointment will find it necessary to put forth extraordinary efforts in order to arrest the attention of the multitudes. And when they succeed in bringing together a large number of people, they must bear messages of a character so out of the usual order that the people will be aroused and warned. They must make use of every means that can possibly be devised for causing the truth to stand out clearly and distinctly. . . . We must do something out of the common course of things. We must arrest the attention. We must be deadly in earnest.—Evangelism, pp. 122, 123. (Italics supplied.)
The four expressions in the preceding paragraph, "no ordinary efforts," "extraordinary," "out of the usual order," and "out of the common course," set me to earnestly seeking a new evangelistic approach.
The history of the Reformation still holds a fascinating, dynamic appeal for the hearts and imagination of thousands of people. Almost every major denomination shares some historic interest and association with the great Reformation story. We found it exceedingly advantageous to capitalize on this live interest.
Time and Place: This Reformation Series was conducted in the Stevens Avenue SDA church in Minneapolis. Two nights a week, Sunday and Wednesday, were selected. The evening services began with an organ prelude from 7:00 to 7:30 for the early comers. From 7:30 to 8:00 we had a fifteen-minute colored film on the life of Christ and a song festival of about the same length. At 8:00 we sang our theme song, "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God." From 8:00 to 8:15 was spent in announcements and promotion. The preaching began at 8:15 and we closed at 9:00.
Doctrine Interwoven: As much doctrine as could be tactfully incorporated into the lectures without having folks "turn away" was woven into the series. We found every message suited to incorporating some facet of Adventist belief. By carefully and ethically weaving in a "good measure," we were able to hold our original audience for eighteen nights almost 100 per cent. Our records show that we grew considerably— and then closed with a record attendance despite a city-wide bus strike and heavy snowstorms.
Questions and Answers: At nine o'clock on Sunday evenings we conducted a question-and-answer period after our main service. Questions on the Reformation were solicited. Many doctrinal questions were presented by those attending. These were then sorted and a proper doctrinal build-up was followed each Sunday night. Answers to questions on the second coming of Christ, conversion, the state of the dead, heaven, the Sabbath, tithe, et cetera, were all discovered through the thinking and convictions of the Reformers. Many visitors were surprised to learn the positions on doctrine taken by their idolized Reformers.
The question-and-answer period was popular. About 400 people stayed each Sunday night and enjoyed the free manner of our discussions. The aftermeeting presented the right occasion for implanting present truth doctrines.
Give-away Materials: We kept this on a specially planned, dignified level. Several hundreds of dollars were well invested in our literature.
Attendance Records: In my seventeen years of ministry no occasion has presented a greater thrill than this Reformation series. It was inspiring to see a large attendance night after night. Had we hired a hall we might have had no difficulty in filling a thousand seats.
Scholarship: Extreme effort was put forth to conduct this series on an intellectual basis, avoiding the traditional "twelve-year-old-level" approach. Scores of visitors, as well as members of the Adventist congregation, expressed appreciation for the scholarly level on which the series was conducted. While we may have flattered the people's intelligence, they in turn indicated their interest by their attendance. Several non-Adventist doctors and a number of public school teachers came regularly.
The Results: Approximately 175 new names were turned in during the series. About 75 were definitely interested. It was gratifying to have a good attendance, 25 in our first baptismal class, and nearly 300 letters of inquiry.
Public Relations: We became acquainted with several ministers of other denominations who commented favorably on the plan of presenting a series on the theme of the great Reformation.
Spirituality: Perhaps one of the by-products of such a series is the opportunity it presents for conducting a community revival for both Adventists and non-Advent-ists. This approach interests our own people, and long before the meetings begin they are doing the advertising. We feel that this series has brought a real awakening to our church in Minneapolis, and it suggests equally profitable opportunities in other areas.
Here are six basic reasons for a Reformation series of meetings:
1. Our age is one of religious confusion. It demands an examination of the past with the hope that something fundamental might be gleaned to add a measure of spiritual stability to the religious thinking of today.
2. To acquaint our "younger generation" with the issues of the great Reformation—the greatest religious upheaval since the crucifixion. Thousands of Christian young people today are almost totally uninformed in this field. An older generation is passing from the scene and a new generation must be informed.
3. To present the story of the lives of great Reformation leaders. Catholics and Protestants alike should be informed on the tremendous issues of history. Such a series provides a burning revival of Christian faith in many hearts, and not without growing convictions on the nature of the issue in the light of our own times.
4. Throughout this series we proposed to demonstrate from the facts of history that God's power, through the Holy Spirit, unvarnished, unadorned, unpretentious in itself, was sufficient to crumble nations, humble monarchies, scatter religious despotism, shatter creeds and traditions, and break down the hoary walls of prejudice.
5. We must not overlook the fact that the Christian church today faces ravenous movements masquerading under religious influences, backed by powerful nations, infiltrating our national way of life. Little by little these movements are eating into the life forces of those victories gained through the bloodshed of the Reformation. The series helped us to unmask some of the powers opposing God's closing work.
6. To kindle the imagination and interest of the local Adventist church.
A Word of Caution: It is no small task to present such a series of studies. Many problems are involved. Much reading, research, and evaluation went into the project. Hundreds of references were checked from the world's finest historical sources, both Protestant and Roman Catholic. Every effort was put forth to present an unbiased, accurate picture of the world-shaking event known as the Reformation. History, Holy Scripture, literature, political works, and sociological studies were examined with care. Anything less than thorough scholarship in such a series would be disappointing.
The following list gives an idea of the topics presented in this series:
1. Here I Stand, God Help Me
2. In Chains
3. The Clash of Pagan Concepts With Christian Doctrine
4. The Dark Ages—Its Blushing Shadows
5. The Church in the Wilderness Survives
6. Wycliffe—The Morning Star of the Reformation
7. Calvin Correctly Indentifies the Biblical Antichrist
8. The Waldenses—"Lux Lucet in Tenebris"
9. A Bolt of Lightning—A Decision—A Cowled Monk: Luther
10. Luther in Rome "Passa Passa"
11. Luther's 95 Theses Flared a Religious Revolution
12. The Miracle—Two Martyrs That Would Not Burn
13. Rome's Counter Reformation—Trent—Jesuits, Alcazar and Ribera
14. The Bells of Midnight. Massacre of St. Bartholomew
15. France's Intellectual Catholicism Revolts— Turns to Voltaire, Diderot, Rousseau
16. Jesuit Scholar Lacunza—La Venida del Mesias en Gloria y Magestad
17. Yale President Stirs Religious World With Prophecy