Let's face the fact. Many a man hesitates to launch into an evangelistic series for fear of failure.
Since nothing succeeds like success, what are some of the success factors that can be built into a series of meetings to ensure a degree of success? Is there some way to prime the pump, as it were? Yes, there is.
In areas where work is already established it should be possible to have a nucleus of interest in hand before the meetings begin. This nucleus of interest should include those who are receiving studies from the pastor or from church members, nonmembers attending the regular services of the church, and the unbaptized children of the church who have reached baptismal age.
Reaching the Young
A baptismal class at the church school should be timed to climax about the same time the public meetings begin. If there are young people in the church who are not attending church school but are of baptismal age, the pastor should gather them into a class for prebaptismal instruction or else work with them individually. In either case, this group demands and deserves individual attention from the pastor. After the age of twelve, each passing year places these young people where they are more difficult to win for Christ and for the church. It would be a pity while reaching out after those afar to lose some from our very midst who might have been won if they had received individual attention.
Within our denominational structure we have no greater evangelizing agencies than our Christian schools, our Missionary Volunteer Societies, our children's division in the Sabbath school. These agencies, together with the influence of a Christian home, prepare our young people for making decisions for Christ. The actual decision, however, is usually made during a Week of Prayer or during an evangelistic series.
There is an advantage, sometimes overlooked, attached to the baptism of young people at the close of a series of evangelistic meetings. Their association in a baptismal class (I recommend that our young people attend the baptismal class at the close of the evangelistic series even though they have gone through a somewhat similar class at school) with those just experiencing the thrill of discovering truth has a wholesome effect upon our own young people.
It is so easy to take for granted that with which we have always been surrounded. This is often true of Adventist children in relation to the faith of their parents. There is a danger that baptism becomes a routine to go through at a certain age.
Mingling with new converts in the baptismal class demonstrates to our young people the great worth of the heritage of faith that might so easily be taken for granted. As they see those who are just learning these principles of truth willing to readjust their lives and make real sacrifices in order to unite with the church, their concept of what it means to be a Seventh-day Adventist is enlarged.
Many a young person after responding to an altar call has told me with tear-filled eyes that he felt such a strong urge to come forward he could not stay in his seat. When the young people start coming forward, older folks usually follow, reminding us of the words of Jesus when He said, "A little child shall lead them."
The Bible-Survey Class
Another step that can be taken in advance of a series of meetings to help ensure success is to gather your known prospects together for a once-a-week study group. This could be in the form of a pastor's Sabbath school class, or it could be a special meeting on some day other than the Sabbath.
In one area I visited persons whose names were taken from a Bible school list and invited them to a one-hour Bible study class. After one week of visitation a class of seven adults was begun. Another week of visitation doubled the class attendance. After several weeks of visitation nearly fifty were attending each week. Once the class membership was built up, the only visitation necessary was to call on those who missed class to let them know they were missed and to encourage their return.
After conducting the weekly class for six months a series of public meetings was begun. In addition to the fifty in the class, the Lord blessed with an additional fifty in the baptism.
The class is taught much as an academy or college Bible class would be taught. Bible survey seems to be one of the favorite classes with the people. I begin in Genesis and proceed to Revelation, giving repeated emphasis to our distinctive doctrines as they recur throughout the Bible. The expositional method rather than the usual strictly topical approach seems to disarm prejudice. It also offers a refreshing change to those who have studied the topical lessons. It is an excellent way of gathering Gift Bible interests together and acquainting them with the Seventh-day Adventist pastor who is the teacher of the class.
More and more we in evangelism find ourselves dealing with religious illiterates who are not able to discern between truth and error. A Bible-survey class is just what many of them need to prepare them for making a decision. Most pastors could easily teach such a class, drawing from such sources as the markings in their Bibles, the SDA Bible Commentary, and class notes from academy or college. Teaching such a class builds the pastor in his expository study of God's Word.
To supplement the study in the weekly class I have used an informal lending library. Our books are displayed in the classroom. Class members are invited to take one at a time, returning the books when completed so others can read them. The books which give our message in story form are especially popular. I also include the Conflict of the Ages Series, thus acquainting the class members with the Spirit of Prophecy writings.
The class is conducted in such a way that new interests may be introduced at any time. When we complete Revelation we go back to Genesis and begin again. The number of months required to complete the course will be dependent upon many factors. In a pastoral program I would want such a class to be a regular feature of my weekly church program on an indefinite basis.
Use the Layman
To start such a class you will have to do some intensive visiting and enlist the help of your church members to do the same. Church members are invited to attend the class only if they can find a nonmember friend to come with them. By doing this you can expect a gradual build-up in attendance. If all our members are invited, the attendance is more likely to dwindle than to build. Each week two or three church members are invited to come as guests. In this way the membership can be acquainted with what is being done in the class. After visiting class, many will make an effort to find a friend to bring so they can come on a regular basis.
The members must understand that they can bring friends or interests to class at any time. They do not have to start at the beginning, because the class functions on a cycle basis. In many places a class such as described will be more effective and more practical than Sunday night meetings, because you are not dependent upon the attendance of a large segment of your church membership. Attendance in the class usually grows, whereas with Sunday night meetings the attendance usually diminishes after a time.
I prefer to have the class in one of the rooms of the church aside from the main sanctuary, or have the class meet in a home or rented building. Ideally, chairs should be arranged in a circle. This promotes a spirit of fellowship. I begin with prayer at the appointed hour for class to begin. Next, each one in the circle introduces himself or is introduced. Then follows one hour of Bible study, during which the class members may feel free to ask questions and enter into discussion. The class is closed with prayer. A warm informal atmosphere is essential to the success of the program. A group of eight or ten will make a fair-sized class to start with, but such a group would look small if seated in the pews of the sanctuary.
I do not pull for decisions in this class. To do so would discourage our members from introducing new interests to the class, as I want them to feel free to do at any time. Decisions are gained in the homes or during special decision meetings.
As well as grooming interests for decision, such a class is an excellent means of following up interest created by an evangelistic series.
With a nucleus of interest already indoctrinated by a class such as described above, plus a group of young people receiving instruction in a class especially for them, no pastor need fear launching into an evangelistic series. We must sow seed and cultivate interest if we would reap a harvest. Remember, "Nothing succeeds like success."
* G. E. Knowles has been lent to the Northern European Division for one year and is the New Gallery Centre (London) evangelist.
