The Reformation Series

A VERY different and yet effective new series of meetings was conducted this fall in the city of Minneapolis, Minnesota —The Reformation Series.

Pastor, evangelist, Minnesota conference.

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

 


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Pastor, evangelist, Minnesota conference.

April 1960

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