Sait
atete betes
Ss
yy,
Re” Sas
av ok aT ;
Digitized by the Internet Archive
in 2022 with funding from
Princeton Theological Seminary Library
httos://archive.org/details/evangelismmanmesOOharr
QKRY OF P
OCT 16 1994
EVANGELISM... ....
THE MAN, THE MESSAGE,
THE METHOD
A “How” text-book of evangelistic
methods, growing out of
actual experience
BY ,
TRAVERCE HARRISON
and CECIL J. SHARP
CINCINNATI, O.
THE STANDARD PUBLISHING COMPANY
»
Copyright, 1924,
The Standard Publishing Company
IBS the end that all Christians may
learn to be savers of souls for our
Lord and Master Jesus Christ, and,
therefore, to all our brethren who bear
His name and love His cause, this book
is respectfully and lovingly dedicated.
THE STARLESS CROWN
“They that turn many to righteousness shall shine as the stars for
ever and ever.’’—Dan. 12: 3.
Wearied and worn with earthly cares, I yielded to repose,
And soon before my raptured sight a glorious vision rose.
I thought, whilst slumbering on my couch in midnight’s solemn gloom,
I heard an angel’s silvery voice and radiance filled my room.
A gentle touch awakened me; a gentle whisper said,
‘‘Arise, O sleeper; follow me,’? and through the air we fied.
We left the earth so far away that like a speck it seemed,
And heavenly glory, calm and pure, across our pathway streamed.
Still on we went. My soul was wrapped in silent ecstacy—
I wondered what the end would be, what next should meet my eye.
I know not how we journeyed through the pathless fields of light,
When suddenly a change was wrought, and I was clothed in white.
We stood before a city’s walls most glorious to behold;
We passed through gates of glistening pearl, o’er streets of purest gold.
It needed not the sun by day, the silver moon by night—
The glory of the Lord was there, the Lamb Himself its light.
Bright angels paced the shining streets, sweet music filled the air,
And white-robed saints, with elittering crowns, from every clime were there.
And some that I had loved on earth stood with them round the throne.
“All worthy is the Lamb,” they sang, ‘“‘the glory all His own.”
But fairer far than all besides I saw my Saviour’s face,
And as I gazed, He smiled on me with wondrous love and grace.
Lowly I bowed before His throne, o’erjoyed that I at last
Had gained the heaven of my hopes, that earth at length was past.
And then in solemn tones He said: ‘‘Where is the diadem
That ought to sparkle on thy brow, adorned with many a gem?
I know thou hast believed on me, and life through me is thine,
But where are all the radiant stars that in thy crown should shine?
“Yonder thou seest a glorious throng, and stars on every brow;
For every soul they led to me they wear a jewel now.
And such thy bright reward had been, if such had been thy deed,
If thou hadst sought some wandering feet in paths of peace to lead.
“T did not mean that thou shouldst tread the way of life alone,
But that the clear and shining light which round thy footsteps shone
Should guide some other weary feet to my bright home of rest,
And thus, in blessing those around, thou hadst thyself been blest.’’
The vision faded from my sight, the voice no longer spake;
A spell seemed brooding o’er my soul which long I feared to break;
And when at last I gazed around in morning’s glimmering light,
My spirit fell, o’erwhelmed beneath the vision’s awful night.
I rose, and wept with chastened joy that yet I dwelt below,
That yet another hour was mine my faith by works to show;
That yet some sinner I might tel] of Jesus’ dying love,
And help to lead some weary soul to seek a home above.
And now, while on the earth I stay, my motto this shall be:
“To live no longer to myself, but Him who died for me;”
And graven on my inmost soul this word of truth divine:
“They that turn many to the Lord bright as the stars shall shine.”
—The Parish Visitor.
CONTENTS
PAGE
ORE WORD eres elec eee tei sel cm ALI QC Ria y USE UAH Be) 7
PPLE LISVANGELIS Mi OBO BSUS sce cree lee LOMO OM MU wn 9
By C. J. Sharp.
IT. THE NEED FOR NEW TESTAMENT EVANGELISM...............- 21
By Traverce Harrison.
III. ADVANTAGES OF OUR PLEA IN EVANGELISM.............-.--... oo
By C. J. Sharp.
IV. COLLEGE TRAINING FOR EVANGELISM...............20.222222-000000-+- 47
By Traverce Harrison.
V. EVANGELISM IN THE BIBLE SCHOOL................0002...--2--.00-- 59
By Traverce Harrison.
VI. OuTpost BIBLE SCHOOLS AS THE SEED FoR NEW
CTU ROBES Ure k On Ua Mi (DOHA 75
By C. J. Sharp.
Wilt PERSON ADVAN GELIS Mi rere etsy yo s00 tear nolL gs Up cu UDMA pe ead MI 85
By Traverce Harrison.
VIII. Group EVANGELISM. ..............-..2.---- ES DATOS eCPM Ee PN Mink 97
By C. J. Sharp.
TATA ECLRING pF IME CRUITS iy eas dettace uM eeaied Pera Rede suuNiauz ce au Persea ate gia ha
By C. J. Sharp.
X. TRAINING GOSPEL TEAMS AND PERSONAL WORKERS...... 123
| By Traverce Harrison.
PCE USK OR MGOSP Ham AMS coy Maui ue la anus Deus Mele. 20s bis ey
By C. J. Sharp.
Aa TOPENING CLOSED | CHURCHES il Merten SCOTIA yal Ooty 147
By C. J. Sharp.
XIII. How To PLANT AND ORGANIZE NEW TESTAMENT
ee 00.2 a0 1) OVEN Ge JA 1 GMS VOM RLS vA ae A Ny LO 161
By C. J. Sharp.
Contents
XIV. How to House THE NEW CONGREGATION..........2.-.:cccc0000 181
By C. J. Sharp.
XV. How To SEcuRE A MINISTRY FOR THE SMALL CHURCH.... 191
AVI.
VET:
AV IL
XIX.
XX.
9.0.4
XXIT.
XXIII.
XXIV.
XXV.
XXVI.
XXVIT.
AXVITI.
By C. J. Sharp.
HOWTO) PREACH (TO) REACH INU io) oe ac enone
By Traveree Harrison.
How To CONDUCT THE INVITATION.......-.-.-----00---2-200-++- 219
By Traverce Harrison.
HOWTO) TAKE) THE CONFESSION s..200-ts.cpeveteeeteecae 229
By C. J. Sharp.
How TO PERFORM A NEW TESTAMENT BAPTISM...... 241
By C. J. Sharp.
How TO CoNDUCT THE COMMUNION SERVICE...........- 259
By C. J. Sharp.
HOWTO AUS BATRA CTS ree ue ee ae 273
By Traverce Harrison.
THE GENERAL EVANGELIST AND EVANGELISM.......... 285
By C. J. Sharp.
THE SoNG EVANGELIST AND EVANGELISM................ 297
By Traveree Harrison.
THE ORGANIZATION AND PREPARATION OF THE
CHURCH | FOR! TVANGEIS Mig). U i) Wiloert yee eee 309
By C. J. Sharp.
ADVERTISING, WHY AND HlOW...........-..-ccs--ecectecoceceeeer ee 325
By C. J. Sharp.
CONSERVING) |THE RESULTS..css ceteentaseateserhsret nave neem 345
By Traverce Harrison.
BIN ANOING OTHE UVEIBETIN Gute er Cuevas 07) cee lal ar Same aae 357
By Traverce Harrison.
AN ADEQUATE EVANGELISTIC PROGRAM FOR THE
TOGAG \CHUROH ee Ay tea os cece ena 371
By Traverce Harrison.
LATER WORD Meu reniinste wa ntee cee a iengee a: tonics a ee ees ge ae 379
FOREWORD
VANGELISM is the first task of the church. We
have given our ministers courses in compara-
tive religions, psychology, sociology and _ theology,
but when have we given a thorough course in the
practical work of evangelism?
While there have been produced books on evan-
gelism, these are, for the most part, short, practical
books of instruction for use in immediate preparation
for a coming, revival meeting. There are two splendid
text-books, specifically prepared for use as text-
books, that have come to our attention. The one is
‘‘Training for Personal Evangelism,’’ by Traverce
Harrison, and the other is ‘‘New Testament Evan-
gelism,’’ by Jesse Kellems. The first deals largely
with the subjects to be taught and treated in an
evangelistic campaign, and the other deals with
practically all the phases of work incident to a re-
vival campaign.
So far as we know, however, there is no text-book
comprehensively covering all phases of the evangelis-
tic work, when we think of evangelism as every
Christian’s task for the whole year round. We have
long felt that there should be a comprehensive, yet
condensed, text-book in popular lesson form, suitable
for study and reference by ministers, and usable by
them as a text-book in classes. There is also a grave
7
8 Foreword
need for a text-book suitable for definite and sys-
tematic classwork in institutes and Bible colleges.
This book is produced with the hope that it may
at least blaze the way in the direction of a systematic
and thorough study of all phases of evangelism, and
all tasks incident thereto. The matters handled in
each chapter, and the suggestions made, are not
based on theories, but have been carefully collected
from the most successful soul-winners among us.
It is intended, first of all, that this volume may
be simple and practical. All studies are made up
of thoroughly systematized and condensed paragraphs
suited to classwork. However, the paragraphs are
so arranged that the book is most readable. The in-
tention has been to omit no phase of work im-
mediately incident to evangelism, whether it be revival
evangelism, personal evangelism, constant evangelism,
Bible-school evangelism, missionary evangelism, or
any other form of evangelism. In addition, the book
attempts to deal concretely with the tasks incident
to the work, and covers all tasks from the advertis-
ing of a meeting, to, and including, baptism, organi-
zation, care and training of the converts, and housing
the new congregations. C. J. SHARP.
I.
THE EVANGELISM OF JESUS
OUTLINE STUDY I.
I. WHAT THE EVANGELISM OF JESUS INCLUDES.
1. Work Done by Jesus.
2. Special Work Done by Inspired Followers.
3. Work to be Done by Uninspired Followers.
II. PERSONAL MINISTRY OF CHRIST.
1. Jesus Prepared Himself for His Task.
. He Prepared His Hearers for His Message.
. He Did Personal Evangelism.
. He Reached the Multitude.
. Trained Others to Do the Work.
IIT. WORK OF HIS INSPIRED FOLLOWERS.
1. Founded the Church and Gave Us the Word.
2. Noteworthy Points to Their Ministry:
(1) Though inspired, they worked and sacrificed.
(2) Were strictly loyal to their commission.
(3) Held to the one task.
(4) Gave us a clear written Word.
IV. WORK TO BE DONE BY HIS UNINSPIRED FOLLOW-
ERS.
1. Message and Method (to be treated in later chapters).
2. Requirements:
(1) Men of power.
(2) Humility.
(3) Sterling honesty.
(4) Prayer.
(5) Confidence, faith and conviction.
(6) Fervor.
(7) Accurate familiarity with the Word.
oe OF bd
10
te
THe EVANGELISM OF JESUS.
I. WHAT THE EVANGELISM OF JESUS
INCLUDES
HE evangelism of Jesus consists not only of the
work done by the Master Himself, but of the
work to be done at His command by His followers.
The evangelism of Jesus began with His personal min-
istry, and continues through His followers to this
present time and is to be carried on until His pur-
pose is fulfilled. In the following chapter we divide
the evangelism of Jesus into:
1. The work done by the Master Himself. ‘‘For
the Son of man came to seek and to save that which
was lost’’? (Luke 19:10).
2. The special work done by His inspired fol-
lowers. ‘‘Jesus therefore said to them again, Peace be
unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send
I you’’ (John 20:21).
3. The work to be done by uninspired followers.
*‘Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the na-
tions, baptizing them into the name of the Father
and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit’’ (Matt. 28:19).
The best commentary on all this work of winning
the world to Him is the New Testament itself.
11
12 Evangelism
II. PERSONAL MINISTRY OF CHRIST
1. Jesus Prepared Himself for His Task.
(1) He had a complete knowledge of the word of
God. It was ever on His tongue and no gainsayer
could ever trip Him in its use.
(2) He prepared Himself by prayer and direct
communion with the Father, until He came before the
people to tell them of the Father, as one who has just
been in His presence.
(3) He prepared Himself by thoroughly familiar-
izing Himself with nature, as witness His ever-ready
illustrations from every feature of nature-life about
Him.
(4) He prepared Himself by coming to know men
and women in their every-day life and thinking, as
witness His ever-keen analysis of the life and think-
ing of every class of people.
2. Jesus Prepared His Hearers for His Message.
(1) Almost His every recorded physical act was
made to prepare the minds and hearts of men for His
spiritual message. He fed men on loaves of bread
that they might then hear of the bread of life. He
asked for a drink of water that He might tell of the
water of life. He took advantage of all men’s love
for a story that He might teach the most profound
things about God.
Example from the Scripture is recorded in the
fifteenth chapter of Luke: ‘‘Now all the publicans
and sinners were drawing near unto him to hear him.
And both the Pharisees and the scribes murmured,
saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with
The Evangelism of Jesus 13
them. And he spake unto them this parable, saying
.”’ Here follow the stories of the lost sheep, the
feet eoin, and the lost boy, all with one purpose, and
that to show the heavenly Father’s never-failing love
for sinful men.
3. Jesus Did Personal Evangelism.
To Him, one individual meant an opportunity.
One of the best examples contained in the New Testa-—
ment is to be found in the fourth chapter of John.
We find that:
(1) He was traveling, yet He won a soul on the
way.
(2) It was high noon and luncheon time, yet He
thought first of the bread of life for a perishing
soul.
(3) He was tired and hungry, yet He did not
allow that fact to cause Him to put off the oppor-
tunity.
(4) The opportunity seemed small, only one, and
that a strange woman.
(5) The one to be won was a despised woman of a
despised people.
(6) Excuses were abundant, but none of them
stopped Him.
(7) His method of approach was tactful, and not
offensive.
(8) He did not turn away because the woman did
not at first appreciate His meaning and purpose.
(9) He did not allow her to turn Him from His
point.
(10) He unerringly drove the truth home about
both sin and God.
14 Evangelism
(11) He convinced, convicted and won the woman,
until she became, in turn, one to bring to Him many
others.
(12) He uses the incident to further prepare His
disciples that they may be winners of souls.
4. Jesus Knew How to Reach the Multitude as
Well as the Individual. )
This fact is clearly set forth in the New Testa-
ment. ‘‘For when the many thousands of the multi-
tude were gathered together, insomuch that they trod
one upon another’’ (Luke 12:1). Jesus taught them
effectively. ‘‘Peter said, and they that were with
him, Master, the multitudes press thee and crush
thee’? (Luke 8:45). At one time we find that ‘‘ Jesus
went up into the temple, and taught’’ (John 7:14),
and at another time ‘‘all the people came unto him;
and he sat down, and taught them’’ (John 8:2).
5. Jesus Trained Others to Carry Out the Work
Which He Began.
‘‘For he taught them as one having authority, and
not as their scribes’? (Matt. 7:29). ‘‘And they told
him all things, whatsoever they had done, and what-
soever they had taught’’ (Mark 6:30). ‘‘And as he
was wont, he taught them again’’ (Mark 10:1).
Jesus says: ‘‘As thou didst send me into the world,
even so send I them’’ (John 17:18). ‘‘And as my
Father hath sent me, so send I you’? (John 20:21).
Jesus took particular pains to choose and instruct
men to carry on the work, and this is as strictly the
work of evangelism to-day as is the winning of men
to Christ. Every minister should have a group in
special training for preaching the Word.
The Evangelism of Jesus 15
III. WORK OF THE INSPIRED FOLLOWERS OF
JESUS |
While this phase of the evangelism of Jesus
deserves an extended treatment, we here give but a
few brief points.
1. Founded the Church and Gave Us the Word.
These men were especially chosen and specially’
equipped and specially guided to give the gospel to
the world in the day when the word of the New
Testament was not yet given. They were, therefore,
baptized with the Holy Spirit and given special pow-
ers to work miracles, as credentials of their appoint-
ment. They were empowered to speak by inspiration,
and were directly guided by the Holy Spirit, while
we are indirectly guided by the Holy Spirit through
His word, the New Testament. They were directly
commanded to unlock the kingdom, preach the first
gospel sermons, make known once and for all the
gospel terms of pardon, and the conditions of Chris-
tian life, conduct, service and reward.
2. Noteworthy Points to Their Ministry.
A few noteworthy things about the ministry of the
inspired workers are worth mentioning here.
(1) They did not allow the fact that they were
specially imbued, empowered and inspired to lessen
their heroic, persistent, personal efforts. They worked,
they sacrificed.
(2) They were absolutely loyal to the commission
under which they preached. Each and every one gave
answer to the question, ‘‘What shall I do to be
saved?’’ strictly according to the terms of the great
2
16 Evangelism
commission. Peter’s exhortation was: ‘‘Repent ye,
and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus
Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall
receive the gift of the Holy Spirit’’ (Acts 2: 38).
(3) They adhered strictly to the one thing above
all things—the preaching of Jesus Christ as Lord and
Saviour. Paul says: ‘‘I determined not to know any-
thing among you, save Jesus Christ and him erucified”’
(1 Cor. 2:2). ‘*‘But we preach Christ crucified, unto
the Jews a stumbling-block, and unto the Gentiles
foolishness’’ (1 Cor. 1:28). ‘‘Preach the word; be
urgent in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, ex-
hort, with all longsuffering and teaching’’ (2 Tim.
4:2). |
(4) They gave us the word of the Holy Spirit in
writing that we might all, and ever, have the guidance
of the Holy Spirit. ‘‘Every scripture inspired of
God is also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for
correction, for instruction which is in righteousness:
that the man of God may be complete, furnished com-
-pletely unto every good work’’ (2 Tim 3:16, 17).
IV. WORK TO BE DONE BY HIS UNINSPIRED
FOLLOWERS
1. Message and Method.
Inasmuch as the remaining chapters of this vol-
ume deal largely with the message and the method,
we shall confine the remainder of this study to the
man. 'To be an evangelist, whether professional evan-
gelist, minister evangelist or personal evangelist, we
must remember whose message it is we are to deliver,
and whom we represent.
The Evangelism of Jesus Ly
2. Requirements.
What kind of men ought we to be if we are to rep-
resent Him? If we are to do the evangelism of Jesus,
we must have men with the Christ spirit, with the
Christ passion. ‘‘For the Son of man came to seek
and save that which was lost’? (Luke 19:10). ‘‘And
this is life eternal, that they should know thee, the
only true God, and him whom thou didst send, even
Jesus Christ’? (John 17:3). And, ‘‘As my Father
hath sent me, so send I you’’ (John 20:21).
Summed up, our task is to make men know God.
This is evangelism indeed. The man, the messenger,
has much to do with the way the message is received.
It is great to be a Christian. It is wonderful to be a
messenger, an evangelist for Jesus Christ. In the last
great day it will be better to have been the humblest
citizen in the humblest nation of dark Africa and have
been a Christian, than to have been emperor of the
proudest empire and have failed to be a Christian.
Following we sum up some of the characteristics of the
Christ which are needed in every evangelist :
(1) Men of power. Jesus was a man of power.
An evangelist should cultivate his every ability. He
dare not be a weakling. He must stand the tests.
(2) Humility. Jesus maintained humility. Here
is a thing to be regarded by every evangelist. There
are peculiar temptations that go with the calling.
The very nature of the work, with the evangelist lead-
ing and all else following, tends to encourage egotism.
The work of all appears to be his work. The results
of the work all appear to be his results. To do the evan-
gelism of Jesus, humility must ever be maintained.
18 Evangelism
(3) Sterling honesty. Old-fashioned, common
honesty is a characteristic that it seems would not
even need to be mentioned. Yet the evangelist will
deal with many situations so harsh, many so unjust,
and many so unfair, that the edge of his own stand-
ards is likely to be dulled. Dissimulation, pretense,
departures from the truth, exaggerations, and even
exceeding carelessness in agreements and financial
matters, are snares over which many a good man has
fallen even while engaged in the Lord’s most sacred
work. ‘‘Take thought for things honorable in the
sight of all men’’ (Rom. 12:17).
(4) Prayer. Have we ever learned to pray?
There have been men who were mighty in prayer.
Are we? Have we not much to learn about prayer
if we are to be evangelists for the Saviour? Let us
remember Jesus ‘‘went up into the mountain to
pray’’ (Matt. 14:25).
(5) Confidence. Confidence is the opposite of
doubt. We ought to go out with absolute confidence
in God, in Christ, in the word of God and its power,
and, last of all, with confidence in ourselves. Vic-
tories are seldom won by those who start out with
their banners trailing in the dust. He who does not
‘confidently expect to win souls will searcely succeed.
(See Matt. 21:21.) Confidence, faith and conviction
eo hand in hand. It takes conviction to convince.
(6) Earnestness. Earnestness is an absolute essen-
tial to the successful soul-winner. Earnestness begets
fervor. It takes fire to start fire. Cold facts might
convince, but seldom convict or inspire. Earnestness
begets confidence and respect, in the hearers. You
The Evangelism of Jesus 19
want your hearers-to be in earnest, then be yourself
in deadly earnest. Jesus was enough in earnest that
He was willing to die, and thus convince a world.
We are to be ‘‘fervent in spirit; serving the Lord’’
(Rom. 12:11).
(7) An accurate familiarity with the word of
God. If, as evangelists, we are specialists in any one,
thing, it is as teachers of the word of God. A mounte-
bank may manipulate a crowd, but it takes a teacher
of the Word to make Christians. It is here that, as
a people, we are peculiar evangelists. ‘‘Preach the
word’’ (2 Tim 4:2). **. ... in your faith supply vir-
tue; and in your virtue knowledge; and in your
knowledge self-control; and in your self-control
patience; and in your patience godliness; and in your
godliness brotherly kindness; and in your brotherly
kindness love. For if these things are yours and
abound, they make you to be not idle nor unfruitful
unto the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ’’ (2
Pet. 1: 5-8).
TEST QUESTIONS
1. Name the three general divisions of the evan-
gelism of Jesus.
2. Give Scripture quotations summarizing the pur-
pose of all New Testatment evangelism.
3. Name five features of the personal ministry of
Jesus.
4. Name four features of Jesus’ personal prepara-
tion.
5. How did Jesus prepare His hearers for His
spiritual message?
20 Evangelism
6. Give an instance of the personal evangelism of
Jesus.
7. Quote instances of Jesus’ appeal to the multi-
tude.
8. How did Jesus arrange for His work to be con-
tinued in His absence?
9. Name four characteristics of the work of the
inspired evangelists.
10. What is the first thing to be considered in pre-
paring to evangelize?
11. Name seven characteristics that should be in a
New Testament evangelist.
II.
THE NEED FOR NEW TESTA-.
MENT EVANGELISM
21
OUTLINE STUDY II.
I. MEANING OF NEW TESTAMENT EVANGELISM.
1. Purpose.
2. In Spirit—Earnest and Sincere.
3. In Authoritative Proclamation.
4, In Method.
(1) Based on knowledge.
(2) Tact and resourcefulness.
(3) Patience.
5. In Points of Emphasis.
6. In Its Plan of Salvation.
7. In Power.
II. WHY SUCH AN EVANGELISM IS ESPECIALLY
NEEDED NOW.
1. Unbelief Is More Rampant than Ever.
2. Religious Confusion Is More Pronounced than Ever.
3. Worldliness Is More Pronounced than for a Century.
4, Intensity and Strenuousness of Modern Life.
5. The Halting Power of Denominationalism.
Ill NEW TESTAMENT EVANGELISM ALONE MEETS
THE NEEDS.
TT:
THe NEED FoR New TESTAMENT EVANGELISM.
I. MEANING OF NEW TESTAMENT
EVANGELISM
HE need for New Testament evangelism will
depend entirely on what is meant by the term.
Everybody is already convinced that all the world
needs something and needs it badly. The churches
are rapidly coming back to the idea that the world
needs evangelizing. The thought of tnis study is that.
the world needs a particular kind of evangelism,
which is here termed New Testament evangelism.
1. Purpose.
The purpose of New Testament evangelism is
salvation from sin and death. Why evangelize?
Without discussion, we eliminate mere party spirit,
self-glory and the desire to triumph in size over other
bodies, and proceed immediately to the New Testa-
ment purposes. Make note that he who preaches
only a social gospel and a social redemption, has not
yet preached the New Testament gospel of salvation
from sin and death. ‘‘For there is no distinction;
for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of
God’’ (Rom. 3:22, 23). ‘‘For the Son of man came
to save that which was lost’? (Matt. 18:11). Jesus
says: ‘‘All authority hath been given unto me in
23
24 Evangelism
heaven and on earth. Go ye therefore, and make dis-
ciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name
of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit:
teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I com-
manded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto
the end of the world’’ (Matt. 28: 18-20).
2. In Spirit.
Whatever message may be preached in evangelism,
it can hardly be said to be New Testament evangelism
if it lacks in sincere, fervent passion for lost and
dying men. Even the truth must be preached, not
mouthed. Organization, technique, efficiency so called,
ean never replace the passion for souls. Jesus loved
men and was willing to die that men might be saved.
3. In Authoritative Proclamation.
New Testament evangelism is a positive proclama-
tion of a message—God’s message—not the discussion
of a probability. The message should be a New Testa-
ment message, and it should be made plain that it is
a New Testament message. He who proclaims God’s
word as given in the New Testament can speak with
quite as much authority and positiveness as did any
of the prophets of old. Conviction convicts. There
might be a vast deal of difference between proclaim-
ing the gospel and delivering a discourse, even though
the discourse were based on Scripture. The Master
says teach them all things I have ‘‘commanded
[not recommended] you.’’
4. In Method.
(1) Knowledge. The New Testament method is
teach, baptize, teach. That evangelism which is based
on every kind of appeal, except the appeal of con-
Evangelism 25
viction which is in turn based on knowledge of New
Testament truths, could hardly be said to be New
Testament evangelism. ‘‘Ye shall know the truth,
and the truth shall make you free’’ (John 8: 32).
(2) Tact and resourcefulness. While Paul was
‘determined to know nothing save Jesus Christ and
him crucified,’’ yet he did not refrain from exercising
both tact and resourcefulness. He said: ‘‘I am be-
come all things to all men that I may by all means
save some.’’ The gospel deserves to be preached by
those who will throw every human resource behind it.
(3) Patience. New Testament evangelism is not
only passionately earnest, but is at the same time
patient and persistent. ‘‘The Lord is not slack con-
cerning his promise, as some count slackness; but is
longsuffering to you-ward, not wishing that any
should perish, but that all should come to repentance’’
(2 Pet. 3:9).
5. In Its Points of Emphasis.
A study of the New Testament evangelism reveals
that the points emphasized by the New Testament
evangelists were: The sinfulness of sin, that disobedi-
ence is sin, the deadly nature of sin, Christ as the
Saviour, Christ as the only Saviour, the gospel plan
for laying hold on Christ and the necessity for food,
exercise and growth in Christ.
6. In the Plan of Salvation.
The New Testament evangelists taught a clear-cut
and divinely appointed plan of salvation. They
hesitated not to declare the whole counsel of God.
Any modern evangelism which teaches a part of the
gospel for effect, and omits a part for policy, can
26 Evangelism
hardly be called New Testament evangelism. Men
were taught that they must believe in Christ, repent
of their sins toward Christ, confess their faith in
Christ, be baptized into Christ; that His name should
be above every name; that they who are in Christ
are new creatures, and that it is they who serve Him
that shall reign with Him.
7. In Power.
Evangelism in New Testament days was unafraid
to attack evil and entrenched wickedness, and was
powerful to lift men from every depth of sin. Men,
to-day, are aware that it will take power to stem the
tide of twentieth-century sin, indifference, carelessness,
worldliness and godlessness. Is an evangelism like the
above that evangelism which has in it the actual
power to accomplish the task? Is the gospel that
power that can meet the world’s needs and cure the
world’s woes? If it is, the need for New Testament
evangelism has been demonstrated beyond a _ possi-
bility of doubt or hesitation.
II. WHY SUCH AN EVANGELISM IS SPECIALLY
NEEDED NOW
A diagnosis of the world’s ills and a portrayal of
its conditions contains an answer to what may prove
to be the cure. There are some, claiming to be iden-
tified with the church of Christ, who insist that the
time has passed for the need of preaching ‘‘First
Principles.’? We need to remember that the first of
the ‘‘First Principles’’ is, ‘‘Faith in Jesus Christ, the
Son of the living God.’’
Evangelism 27
1. Unbelief Is More Rampant than Ever.
Political revolution is not the only revolution, but
revolt against Christ and every religion is openly and
widely preached in forum, press and pamphlet. While
we are talking New Testament evangelism, let us sub-
mit a few samples of another evangelism that is now
world-wide. The first sample is from a widely read
English book. ‘‘Self-worship is the last step in the
evolution of the conception of duty. . . . The evan-
gelist of this last step must, therefore, preach the
repudiation of duty. This, to the unprepared of his
generation, is indeed the wanton masterpiece of
paradox.”’
Quoting from an article in the Christian Herald,
by Geo. H. Sandison, in which he makes liberal use
of the literature in possession of the Department of
Justice in Washington, and with which this country
was being generally flooded, we give the following
excerpt in order to raise the question as to whether
New Testament evangelism is not now seriously
needed. ‘‘All religions, with their gods, demigods,
prophets, their Messiahs and their saints, are the
creation of credulous imaginations of people who
have not yet arrived at a full possession of their
spiritual power.’’
In a manifesto to anarchists and communists is
found this frank avowal: ‘‘We hate religion because
it lulls the spirit with lying tales, takes away courage
and faith in the power of men, faith in the triumph
of justice on the real earth and not in a chimerical
heaven. Religion covers everything with fog; real
evil becomes visionary and visionary good a reality.’’
28 Evangelism
From a report of the Lettish Executive Committee
of the National Lettish Socialistic Organization
(American), the writer quotes: ‘‘Religion is the opium
of the people. It is the striving of the people for an
imaginary happiness. It springs from a state of
society and requires illusion’’ (Karl Marx, ‘‘Critique
of the Philosophy of the Law’’ by Hegel).
From ‘‘Church and School in the Soviet Republic”’
by M. Bakunin: ‘‘With all due respect, then, to the
metaphysicians and religious idealists, philosophers,
politicians or poets, the idea of God implies the ab-
dication of human reason and justice; it is the most
decisive (foe) of human liberty, and necessarily ends
in the enslavement of mankind, both in theory and
in practice.’’
These evangelists are preaching this gospel. They
are sincere, and some of them are willing to die for
the gospel which they believe and teach. Is New
Testament evangelism needed? Should Christians —
spare themselves when atheists are willing to become
martyrs for their religious and political beliefs? This
atheistic propaganda, which aims at the ultimate
destruction of religion as well as government, is being
widely circulated throughout the United States, and
its appeal to the ignorant and the alien is dangerous
in the extreme to all that is good or sacred. What
are Christians going to do about their gospel? We
have taken space to insert these few quotations,
because to us they are a direct and clinching argu-
ment for the need for the New Testament evangelism.
Christians are challenged. Shall they meet the
challenge?
Evangelism 29
2. Religious Confusion Is More Pronounced than
Ever.
The need for New Testament evangelism is shown
by the columns of almost any one of our great metro-
politan papers in their Saturday announcements. In
consulting one paper, we found five full columns total-
ing one hundred announcements of the Sunday meet-
ings, aside from a full page of announcements of thea-
ters, picture shows, ete. In the five columns of
announcements of Sunday meetings were announce-
ments of eighteen bona-fide and recognized churches,
such as Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Episcopal,
etc. There were also eighteen announcements of and
for eighteen Christian Science churches. Spiritualistic
churches and meetings numbered twenty-five, or one-
fourth. The list of subjects is as follows:
Society of Transcendent Science, People’s Forum,
Laborite on ‘‘Exterminating the Devil’’; Rajah
Spiritual Church of Science, ‘‘Healing and Lecture;”’
Mary Garden Forum, ‘‘Co-operative Commonwealth ;”’
Society of Applied Psychology, ‘‘Growing Young and
Handsome;’’ Institute of Applied Psychology, ‘‘Psy-
chology of Faith;’’ Open Forum of Applied Psychol-
ogy, ‘‘Healing Methods;’’ Ancient Order of the Magi,
‘‘Lecture and Demonstrations;’’ Proletarian Forum,
‘“Mob Hypnotism;’’ Sunday Night Club, ‘‘Mind and
Memory Training;’’ Anthropological Society, ‘‘Un-
fulfilled Ideals,’? and Guild Hall, Demonstrations,
“Truth about ‘Psychological Complexes’;’’ ‘‘ Disillu-
sionment;’’ ‘‘Uses of Spiritualism;’’ ‘‘The Spiritual
Demonstration;’’ ‘‘Shall We Teach Applied Psy-
‘chology ?”’
30 Evangelism
We have merely given the name assumed by the
organization in each case and the subject to be dis-
eussed. The places of meeting were among the larg-
est halls and prominent meeting-places in a great city.
Where is the Christ in it all? Is this not the time
when New Testament evangelism is needed?
3. Worldliness Is More Pronounced than for a
Century.
This is a matter of common observation. From
the reaction from the World War, or some other un-
known reason, there has been a general sweep all
along the line to a pleasure-mad worldliness. The
attack of the revolutionist on the bulwarks of goy-
ernment may be serious, the attack of the religious
revolutionist on the foundations of the church may
be more serious, but neither has secured so many con-
verts as have these revolutionists who have led the
attack on the fortifications of the conventions of so-
ciety. A general spirit of ‘‘down with the conven-
tions’? has reached into almost every home. (Good
breeding, good taste, good manners, gentleness and
devotion have yielded to ‘‘jazz’’ and ‘‘flapperism’’ in
an alarming degree. This is, perhaps, but another
manifestation of the same thing that accounts for the
flood of aggressive atheism and the flood of religious
and psychologic nostrums offered to the souls of men.
Whatever it may be, it shows a marked disrespect for
things sacred, things good and right, things true and
pure and safe.
Again, if ever there has been in a century a need
for New Testament evangelism to save homes, to save
society, to save souls, that time is now.
Evangelism 31
4, Intensity and Strenuousness of Modern Life.
The nervous, strain and the speeding up of life in
most parts of our country have brought the need for
New Testament evangelism. People go in a rush.
They are slaves of the alarm-clock and the steam-
whistle. They rush for trains and street-cars, and
spend much of the rest of the time in speeding in au-
tomobiles. The sound of the trip-hammer and steam-
whistle is ever in our ears. Our eyes are ever filled
with the glaring announcements of a thousand bids to
do things.
People want things simple, brief, plain, Scriptural.
They searcely have patience to try to understand fine
theological arguments. A plain, simple, understand-
able gospel like that in the New Testament is needed.
People rush hither and thither, listening to many
theories of men, but this confusion only confuses them
more. Convince them once that they are hearing
what God has to say and they will listen with respect,
unless already seriously poisoned by false presenta-
tions of what was given them as the religion of Christ
and the Bible.
5. The Halting Power of Denominationalism.
The last item we shall give as showing the positive
need for New Testament evangelism is the halting
power of denominationalism. The searchings and
seekinges for plans of union, the general seeking for
methods to retain a crowd or a hearing, are evidences
of the failure of mixed and confusing messages.
New Testament evangelism, in purpose, spirit, author-
ity, method, points of emphasis, plan and power, can
alone meet the heart hunger and soul need so apparent.
3
32 Evangelism
Ill. NEW TESTAMENT EVANGELISM MEETS
THE NEEDS
‘““The gospel is the power of God to save men,’’
as it has ever been. It has successfully attacked the
wiles of ancient infidelity, the thrones of heathen
dominion, the confusions of human philosophies, the
entrenchments of baecchanalian lust and sin, and the
barriers of dense ignorance. It has no greater evils
or obstacles to meet to-day, but it needs to be
preached in its own natural and divine simplicity and
power.
TEST QUESTIONS
1. Name eight points under which evangelism
might be tested to see whether it is New Testament
evangelism.
2. What is the purpose of New Testament evan-
gelism ?
3. Illustrate this purpose by quotations from the
New Testament.
4. Mention some of the marks of the spirit of New
Testament evangelism.
5. What advantages has New Testament evan-
gelism in the matter of authoritative proclamation?
6. What are some of the characteristics of New
Testament methods?
7. What are the points mainly emphasized by
New Testament evangelists?.
8. Give five reasons for a present need for New
Testament evangelism.
9. Illustrate the aggressiveness of modern un-
belief.
Evangelism 30
10. Give illustrations of present religious con-
fusion.
11. Give illustrations of modern tendency to
worldliness.
12. Give probable reasons for the world’s present
demand for a message brief, plain and Scriptural.
13. What effect should the halting power of |
denominationalism have on the proclamation of the
New Testament message?
14. Show how New Testament evangelism meets
the needs.
Il.
ADVANTAGES OF OUR PLEA IN.
EVANGELISM
85
OUTLINE STUDY III.
I. TERMS DEFINED.
Li
What We Mean by Advantages,
2. Our Plea Defined.
3.
(1) What it is not.
(2) What our plea is.
What We Mean by Evangelism.
II ADVANTAGES ENUMERATED.
Le
O35
5.
6.
7.
8.
Advantage of Its Divine Authority.
(1) It commands the hearing of men.
(2) It commands the respect of men.
. Advantage of Its Simplicity.
(1) Everybody can understand it.
(2) Everybody can believe it.
(3) Everybody can obcy it.
(4) Every Christian can teach it.
. It Requires No Apologetics.
4,
Its Symbolism Perfectly Pictures the Foundation Facts
of the Gospel.
Its Terminology Calls Attention to Its Central Truths.
Its Basic truths Are All but Universally Admitted by All
Christian Scholars.
It Is a Practical Solution of a Universally Admitted
Need.
The Fact that What Is Called ‘‘Our Plea’’ Is Not Our
Plea at All, but the Holy Spirit’s Plea.
III. ADVANTAGES BRING RESPONSIBILITIES.
36
Ii.
ADVANTAGES OF Our PLEA IN EVANGELISM.
I. TERMS DEFINED.
HIS is not an attempt to give a lengthy disserta-
tion on the plea, but to point out clearly the
tremendous advantages which the plea has in win-
ning the unsaved.
1. Meaning of Advantages.
By advantages we mean that the plea contains
those elements and principles by which it is easier to
reach and win people, and more people, than aly
other plea can reach and win.
For example, Catholicism may have the advantage
of what is called authority of the clergy, which has
a certain effect and influence over many people, but
over against that we set the all authority of Christ.
Certain other peoples may have stressed the advan-
tages of beauty and dignity, but is there, or can there
be, anything more stately, dignified and beautiful
than the simple plea of Christ and the apostles? If
these advantages exist, are we, as a people, guiltless
if we overlook or fail to use them to the glory of
Christ and the saving of souls?
2. Meaning of Our Plea.
(1) What it is not. Perhaps it will be clearer if
first we state a few things that it is not. (a) Our
37
38 Evangelism
plea is not a plea for immersion. If that were so, then
we should frankly call ourselves Baptists. We have
lost much by allowing this erroneous notion to persist.
(b) Our plea is not a plea for the name. Beautiful
and sacred as is the divine name, and much as it has
been obscured by other names, and much as it needs
to be put above every name, yet that is not our plea.
(c) Our plea is not Christian union. Much confusion
has arisen lately along this line. We have succeeded
in arousing a desire for union until the clamor for
union of some kind or any kind has almost sacrificed
the very foundations on which any lasting and divine
union can and must be builded.
(2) What it is. Our plea is a plea for the absolute
Lordship of Jesus Christ as head over all things per-
taining to the church, and hence carries with it, as
indispensables, the divine authority and inspiration
and all-sufficiency of the Scriptures.
It naturally, therefore, carries with it, and can
not be separated from:
a. The plea for the New Testament as the only
rule of faith and practice, plus nothing and minus
nothing, because sufficient in itself to thoroughly
furnish the man of God unto all good works.
b. Divine and Bible names for divine things.
e. Bible baptism in design and administration
as the Christian baptism.
d. The observance of the Lord’s Supper on the
Lord’s Day as the central feature of the worship,
fittingly showing the world our Lord’s resurrection
on the resurrection day.
Evangelism 39
e. A constant plea for the union of God’s people
in Christ and on Christ, that His purpose and prayer
may be fulfilled, and that the world may be won to
Him.
What we ordinarily term ‘‘Our Plea’’ could,
therefore, much more fittingly be referred to as
‘“‘The Divine Plea,’’ or ‘‘The Christian Plea.’’
3. Meaning of Evangelism.
By evangelism we do not mean merely the conduct
of revival or protracted meetings. We do not mean
alone the work done by professional evangelists.
By evangelism we do mean the use of the word of
God by as nearly as possible every Christian to win
to Christ as nearly as possible every one who is un-
saved. The thought needs to be restored and re-
emphasized that every minister of the gospel is an
evangelist first of all, and that, second of all, every
Christian is capable of being, and, therefore, ought to
be, a winner of souls for Christ.
Il. ADVANTAGES ENUMERATED
1. Advantages of Its Divine Authority.
The first outstanding advantage is the fact that he
who preaches the New Testament plea can speak as
one having authority. He can frankly say: ‘‘Fellow-
men, I come to present, not what I think or some one
else thinks, but what God says.’’
(1) It commands the hearing of men. In this day
of intense competition for the time and attention of
men operating at twentieth-century speed, with ears
filled with the sound of the steam whistle and the
trip hammer, it takes something more than the mes-
40) Evangelism
sage of a man to attract the attention of most men.
Most men are willing to listen to God, hence the ad-
vantage of proclaiming only the word of God, and
proclaiming it as the word of God.
(2) It commands the respect of men. Positive
teaching is convincing teaching, especially if backed
by unquestioned authority. The preacher and teacher
of the word of God should keep in mind that he ean
speak with exactly as much authority as did the
prophets of old. They were guided directly by the
Holy Spirit. We are guided quite as specifically by
the same Spirit through His written word. Keeping
this in mind will add much to the positiveness of
preaching, and, therefore, its convincing qualities.
The one warning here is to be absolutely sure to
preach the Word, and not opinions and interpreta-
tions of it.
2. Advantages of the Simplicity of the Plea.
(1) Everybody can understand it. When a God-
given answer is given to the question, ‘‘What shall I
do to be saved?’’ the terms are simple enough that a
‘‘wayfaring man’’ can understand. People who are
out of Christ are, for most part, very simple in their
knowledge of divine things, even though they may
be learned in other things.
First give all the people the information. Most
of them do not know that there are leaderless, dying
and closed churehes at their own doors. Most of our
ministers have been so indifferent to any personal re-
sponsibility in the matter, and have left it so sacredly
to some one else, that our people have not been told.
Make the information specific, concrete, not gen-
eral. Show them the samples.
Help them to see and know the tragedy of a
closed, dying or dead church of the living God. Make
them feel that these doors must be opened. Bring
the responsibility for these conditions down to where
it belongs, down to the people in the local churches.
Plan as systematically for enrolling and enlisting
numbers of your people for solving this problem as
you would plan for a revival meeting to enroll and
enlist sinners in the kingdom.
In solving this particular problem, dispense with
the old stock, standardized notion of the ministry,
supported and full time. These churches need expert
leadership in many things besides preaching. Send
them expert deacons’ help from the rich experience of
your experienced deacons. Send them teaching and
organizing help from your trained workers. Leave
your own pulpit at times and preach a few sermons
Evangelism 203
for those who are hungrier and will appreciate it
more. Train some of those enrolled, so that they can
teach the Bible, conduct a communion service, or
baptize people in a way to be inspiring.
This combination service will give the church that
is unable to secure even fourth-time service, full-time
service, and of a more expert character than some are:
receiving that are using employed service.
3. An Objection.
It may be said that these workers must continue at
their vocations in order to live, and that they will
not be willing to give up their trades and professions
for the work of the ministry to the small churches.
There are two answers: First, with a proper
appeal, many will be found who are willing, and,
second, there is no need at all why most of them
should give up their regular calling. The churches,
which we are discussing, must have a ministry. They
will never be able to support a ministry; then we
must find a ministry that can and does support itself.
Even Paul made tents for a living and yet did worth-
while things for the Lord.
4, Training the Ministry for the Small Church.
Most of these workers must be trained in the local
church from which they go out. Granted that other
training is impossible, yet why should not every
church of Christ be a training-school for real workers
in His kingdom, and why should not every skilled
preacher be a trainer of men and women for real ser-
vice? Local church training, local Bible institutes,
summer-camp training, church training, correspon-
dence work and other features are now a possibility
204. Evangelism
to all who earnestly desire them. The minister who is
a college man and an experienced laborer ought to
be able to impart many things educational and prac-
tical to those who go out for service.
TEST QUESTIONS
1. How is the securing of ministers related to
evangelism ?
2. Give some facts and figures as to the inade-
quate supply of ministers.
3. What is a most apparent need?
4. What of the present supply of ministers?
5. Is a decrease in number in keeping with the
purpose and program of the churches of Christ?
6. Why is the present system wrong, and what is
its actual result?
7. What of the future supply as indicated by the
number of students preparing for the ministry?
8. Can college training solve the problem?
9. What of the problem of incompetents?
10. What has been done to increase the supply?
11. Give five vital reasons why the small churches
must be maintained.
12. Name three situations that constitute the real
difficulty.
13. Discuss each.
14. Where can a ministry be found?
15. How can this ministry be found and enlisted?
16. How can guidance and training for the recruits
be found?
XVI.
HOW TO PREACH TO REACH
OUTLINE STUDY XVI.
I. THE MAN.
1. His Character. ip
2. His Convictions.
3. His Preparation.
II. THE MESSAGE.
1. Its Content.
2. Its Appeal.
(1) Self-righteousness,
(2) Attitude toward Christ.
(3) Relation to His Fellow-man.
3. Its Construction.
(1) Simplicity.
(2) Built for a Purpose.
(3) Illustrations,
4. Its Delivery.
(1) Use Natural Voice.
(2) Forget Self.
(3) Be Earnest.
III. THE OBJECTIVES.
1. World Salvation.
2. Transformed Life.
206
XVI.
How to Preacu to REACH.
I. THE MAN
HE minister’s throne is his pulpit, and when he
abdicates that to become an organizer of char-
ities, or a caterer of amusements, or a gossip in stores
and on street-corners, the ministry will cease to hold
the place which belongs to it in the respect of men.
Many things are now expected of the ministry, and
some of them of importance, but the minister makes a
mistake who permits his pulpit work to take a sec-
ondary place. Christ taught that the one supreme
purpose of His mission to the world was that He
might bear witness to the truth, and the same must
always be the high calling of the minister of Christ.
No vocation, in all the world, calls for more of the
best in manhood or requires greater ability to reach
the hearts of men.
In addition to our regular ministers, there are
scores of men in our churches to-day who have the
ability to preach the gospel acceptably. In this way,
congregations can be ministered to in neglected and
remote districts. Churches can be organized in
homes and schoolhouses. Mission stations can be
reached. In fact, any one who can speak to a group
14 207
208 Evangelism
need go no further for a commanding opportunity. In
these days, when so many churches are without
preachers, there ought to be scores of elders, deacons,
and members of the church, trained and willing to
devote their strength to the advancement of the king-
dom in neglected places.
In the consideration of this study on ‘‘How to
Preach to Reach,’’ we shall include every Christian
who desires to tell the gospel story of Jesus and His
love.
1. His Character.
There is just one important thing to be said about
the character of the man who preaches the gospel of
Christ: He must be a Christian. He should be a man
who places all his confidence and hope in Jesus
Christ, his Saviour. His love for humanity and for
his heavenly Father should make him gentle and
true, and unfold within him a Christlike sympathy
towards all sorts and conditions of men, women and
children, and fill him with a supreme passion to serve.
To this quality all other things are secondary, but
they are, nevertheless, important.
‘“‘Be thou an ensample to them that believe, in
word, in manner of life, in love, in faith, in purity’’
(1 Tim. 4:12).
2. His Convictions.
There are two things to be said about the preach-
er’s convictions:
(1) He must believe that Jesus Christ is the Son
of God and the only Saviour. Any one who fails to
see that the Bible gives Jesus Christ a peculiar and
distinctive dignity all His own can not hope to reach
Evangelism 209
men by his preaching. The world wants something
more than ‘‘You with God,’’ by Theodore Parker,
for its Saviour. It demands a Christ and Saviour
Himself. The hunger of the human heart can never be
satisfied with less.
You might as well attempt to cure an easily
frightened horse by painting the red barn white, as.
to save a sinner by a beautiful bit of language or a
rosy sentiment. One thing is certain, if a man is lost
he needs a Saviour. Truly, then, every preacher
should feel the necessity of Jesus Christ as his per-
sonal Saviour, or he will fail utterly in spite of per-
sonality or any other grace that nature may
bestow.
(2) He must believe that men are lost. There is no
use trying to rescue men from drowning on dry land.
The testimony of the Scriptures concerning sin and
the doom of the sinner is very plain. ‘‘And you did
he make alive, when ye were dead through your tres-
passes and sins, wherein ye once walked according
to the course of this world, according to the prince
of the powers of the air, of the spirit that now
worketh in the sons of disobedience; among whom we
also all once lived in the lusts of our flesh, doing the
desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by
nature children of wrath, even as the rest’’ (Eph.
2:1-3).
When a preacher really believes down in his heart
that the man out of Christ is lost, is going down to
eternal destruction, and that no power but the blood
of Jesus Christ can save him, there will be more
earnestness for the saving of mankind.
210 Evangelism
3. His Preparation.
(1) Self-development. Nothing should be lacking
which is needed to bring the minister to his fullest
perfection, because of the daily influence of his work.
He deals constantly with human life, and toils to
realize the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of
man. To do the best work, his mind must be speeded
up to the limit of its power and capacities. Every
faculty and talent must be brought into play. The
more richly he is endowed, the more manifold will be
his usefulness, and no talent need go to waste.
(2) Theological difficulties. The minister is pre-
eminently a lover and imparter of truth. He is ex-
pressly told to prove all things and hold fast to the
truth. He is not an intellectual prisoner of a closed
eanon. The promise of Jesus is: ‘‘Ye shall know the
truth, and the truth shall make you free’’ (John
8:32). It is sometimes hard for the modern minis-
ter to teach the truth, but he needs to learn that
new theories and liberal theology can not be crammed
down men’s throats. Preach the truth, not theology;
that is, the essence of Christianity. Truth does not
need to be kept in a strong box. It thrives on free-
dom and fresh air.
Some scholars of eminence assure us that the
teachings of God are rapidly being relegated to the
realm of folklore and primitive superstition. But our
restless age shows, as it turns hopefully from one sect
or religious fad to another, that it hungers for the
truth. For the brave and honest preacher of the
truth, thousands of churches fling their doors wide
open. The only man for whom there is not room in
Evangelism 211
the church of Christ to-day is the theological trimmer
and dodger, who juggles with truth for the sake of
personal advantage and in the name of higher educa-
tion. Jesus says: ‘‘To this end have I been born, and
to this end am I come into the world, that I should
bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the
truth heareth my voice’’ (John 18:37). The minis:
ter must constantly remember that he ‘‘ecan do nothing
against the truth, but for the truth’’ (2 Cor. 18:8).
(3) Educational advantages. The young man who
contemplates entering the ministry should take every
advantage for a thorough education. However, edu-
cation is not a prerequisite or requirement for the
work of the ministry. Men have succeeded in the past,
and will continue to succeed in the future, by native
talent, common sense and the ability to make life
itself serve them as a university.
The age at which a man decides to enter the min-
istry affects the question of preparation and train-
ing. Each man must decide for himself as to the best
investment of his time and money in preparation for
service, and all men must realize that all they know
about the Christ, whose name they bear, whose gospel
they proclaim, whose life they try to exemplify, is
contained in the Bible. How little the minister can
sueceed, even with the most careful preparation and
active diligence, in regard to the great ends of the
ministry, without careful, diligent study of the Word.
The Bible imparts not only divine doctrine, but also
the finest of human culture. That this Book, above
all others, will be the subject of his study, needs
seareely to be emphasized.
212 Evangelism
II. THE MESSAGE
1. Its Content.
As to the content of a sermon, it should be, of
course, the pure and simple gospel of Jesus. If we
preach Christ and Him crucified, we will have power
and a message the people will accept. It is this sim-
ple message that the crowded churches and halls are
hearing to-day. If a preacher desires to preach to
empty pews, simply leave the cross and Christ out
of the message. ‘‘But far be it from me to glory,
save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through
which the world hath been crucified unto me, and I
unto the world. For neither is circumcision anything,
nor uncireumeision, but a new creature. And as
many as shall walk by this rule, peace be upon .
the Israel of God’’ (Gal. 6: 14-16).
2. Its Appeal.
As to the appeal of the message, it should always
be to the individual as touching one or the other of
the following three things:
(1) Self-righteousness. This appeal is to the
Christian. The spirit of our own righteousness has
erept into the church to-day to an alarming degree.
With the spirit of self-righteousness, the church can
not stand erect and be the power in the world she
ought to be. No need to remember the words of
Jesus, contained in His Sermon on the Mount, when
He said: ‘‘Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypo-
erites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which
outwardly appear beautiful, but inwardly are full of
dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye
Evangelism 2138
also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but in-
wardly ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity’? (Matt.
23:27, 28).
(2) Attitude toward Christ. This means the
appeal to the unsaved. This is the peculiar glory of
every man’s effective preaching. Paul and Silas
preached great gospel sermons when they converted
the Philippian jailor. ‘‘They spake the word of the
Lord unto him, with all that were in his house. And
he took them the same hour of the night, and washed
their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, im-
mediately. And he brought them up into his house,
and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly, with
all his house, having believed in God’’ (Acts 16:
32-34).
And to-day a preacher’s chief compensation is the
joy of leading souls to Christ, ‘‘and they that are
wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament;
and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars
for ever and ever’’ (Dan. 12:3).
(3) Relation to his fellow-man. This is the appeal
for brotherly kindness. ‘‘Is Christ divided? was Paul
crucified for you? or were ye baptized into the name
Oreranl tenn (1) Cor. 1:13.)
The call of God to every human soul is not only
come and be saved, but come and serve. To preach
to reach is to know and love humanity.
3. Its Construction.
We can only emphasize, here, a few things which
we have found most helpful in our own experience.
(1) Simplicity. A man who preaches to reach
must remember that his audiences are filled with vari-
214 Evangelism
ous kinds of people—some who can not think pro-
foundly and some who have been working hard all day
and are too tired to think. Keep this fact in mind,
and remember that in trying to preach to please a
lawyer or a college professor, you will probably let
the biggest part of your congregation go hungry.
Do not walk around in the pulpit on stilts. Get
down where the common people are. Do not put
the new-mown hay too high in the manger. Jesus
said, ‘‘Feed my sheep.’’ He did not say, ‘‘Feed my
giraffes.’’ Do not try to be an intellectual skyscraper.
A little soaring now and then may be permissible,
but do not stay up in the air too long; your audience
will miss you. Do not use lengthy sentences, big words
and heavy style. Tell the people what you want
them to know in plain, simple, direct English lan-
guage. In doing this you will command their atten-
tion. And, furthermore, the preacher who does not
command attention ought to stop preaching and go
to fixing umbrellas.
(2) Built for a purpose. Every sermon should be
made for a purpose. And if it fails to accomplish
that purpose, it is like salt that has lost its savor,
‘it is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast
out and trodden underfoot of men.’’
The supreme question is, Does the sermon do the
work? Does it reach the hearts of men? Does it
accomplish a definite purpose and stimulate to action?
If it does not do this, the sermon should be recon-
structed before it is used again.
(3) Illustrations. There is great power in the in-
telligent use of illustrations that illustrate. They
Evangelism 215
will help to hold the attention of the people and
bring out more forcibly the point you wish to make.
Do not be afraid of illustrations.
4. Its Delivery.
There are just three things to be said about the
delivery of a sermon:
(1) Use natural voice. Always preach with the |
voice nature gave you. There is such a thing as a
preacher’s tone. It’s a kind of deep bass tone, but
unnatural. Some preachers use it because they think
it is one of the main essentials of success. But an
unnatural voice is not effective and oftentimes
ruins a good sermon. If the preacher expects the
- people to pay attention to what he is saying, he
must use his own natural voice.
(2) Forget self. Keep self in the background in
all you do and say. Step behind the cross, and the
people will see Jesus Christ and Him crucified. When
the preacher enters his pulpit in the spirit of humility
and prayer, he will lose himself so entirely in Christ
that both the congregation and preacher shall ‘‘see
no man save Jesus only.’’ Paul, in his first letter to
the Corinthians, said: ‘‘For I determined not to know
anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him
erucified’’ (1 Cor. 2:2).
(3) Be earnest. It takes pep to put a sermon
over. A sermon without earnestness in its delivery
is dry and without results. People will go in large
numbers to hear a sermon flow red hot from the
heart of a man filled with the passion of Christ’s
love. Be earnest, and the fire in your own heart will
kindle a flame in the souls of others.
216 Evangelism
Ill. THE OBJECTIVES
‘“‘Mor seeing that in the wisdom of God the world
through its wisdom knew not God, it was God’s good
pleasure through the foolishness of the preaching to
save them that believe. Seeing that Jews ask for
signs, and Greeks seek after wisdom: but we preach
Christ crucified, unto Jews a stumblingblock, and
unto Gentiles foolishness; but unto them that are
ealled, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of
God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolish-
ness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of
God is stronger than men’’ (1 Cor. 1: 21-25).
The scope of Paul’s entire ministry was simply
preaching Jesus Christ and Him crucified. And,
hence, he says to the Corinthians: ‘‘For I determined
not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ,
and him ecrucified’’ (1 Cor. 2:2). This, then, sug-
gests the twofold object of all preaching.
1. World Salvation.
The primary object in preaching is to convince the
world that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, through
whom alone any sinner can find peace and pardon.
This was Christ’s great objective, and it must,
therefore, be our objective.
2. Transformed Life.
The second great objective in preaching is to per-
suade men to receive, honor, love, serve and obey
Him. ‘‘Blessed are they that wash their robes, that
they may have the right to come to the tree of life,
and may enter in by the gates into the city’’ (Rev.
22:14).
Evangelism 217
We can teach men to use the power He has given
them by taking Christ into the life and then passing
Him out to others. The constant repetition of this
type of preaching will help transform lives into the
likeness of God.
With regard to the entire study of ‘‘How to
Preach to Reach,’’ the author simply refers the.
preacher to the example of Christ and His apostles.
Their sermons are still our best models of rhetoric
and pulpit oratory.
TEST QUESTIONS
1. What was the one supreme purpose of Christ’s
mission to the world?
2. Why should the man who preaches the gospel
be a Christian?
3. What two things are to be said about the
preacher’s convictions?
4, Is education a prerequisite for the work of the
ministry ?
5. Does the age at which a man enters the min-
istry affect the question of preparation?
6. What should be the contents of a sermon?
7. What is the preacher’s chief compensation?
8. Should every sermon be built for a purpose?
9. What is the twofold object of all preaching?
10. What was Christ’s great objective?
uy Vale Pa ‘ , Ba
; : } ne! ¢ ' j J 4 ’ “vas |i) 4M. 7 eee a
a , i Wi Oe Lee | \ ) vi i \ isa, ue ya's 1 2 ites bows i wih J mI
; 1 . , ' Lea | AV at ’ 1 Pau 4 mos sf
ty sy 4 A, "
J a f3\\ ¢ *
I
(
4
1
{
¢
4
i
t
It
‘ j
}
‘
ys {
I
‘
1
j
|
ui ie
|
;
i
i Y
,
iit (oper
i vy
Fie fg tiie ‘
XVII.
HOW TO CONDUCT THE INVI-
TATION
OUTLINE STUDY XVII.
I. TYPES OF PEOPLE TO BE REACHED.
1. The Willing, but Ignorant.
. Those Lacking Conviction.
. The Willfully Indifferent.
. The Doubter.
. The Young Christian.
. Those Turning Back.
IT. PREPARATION FOR THE INVITATION.
1. The Minister.
(1) Prayer.
(2) Concern for Unsaved.
(3) The Sermon.
2. The Choir.
3. The Membership.
(1) Individual Effort.
(2) Pray for Minister.
(3) House Well Ventilated.
(4) Members Visit Each Other.
(5) Watch for Effects of Preaching.
III. EXTENDING THE INVITATION.
1. The Sermon.
2. The Crisis.
3. The Invitation Song.
4. Co-operation.
Oo rm OF dD
220
XVIL.
How to Conpuct THE INVITATION.
TI. TYPES OF PEOPLE TO BE REACHED
N all soul-winning, we should realize that each per-
son is led to accept Christ through the use of the
word of God. ‘‘The gospel is the power of God unto
salvation to every one that believeth’? (Rom. 1:16).
The preacher is only a man offering the gospel
message, and it is ours to use methods and helps that
will make it easy for every individual to accept
Christ.
In consideration of this study we should keep in
mind the kind of people to be reached. There are six
typical cases, which practically cover the various
conditions of mind and heart with which we are likely
to meet. They are as follows:
1. The Willing, but Ignorant.
It is a strange fact that in every community there
are some who know practically nothing of Chris-
tianity. They are willing and ready. to become
Christians, but woefully ignorant of the way of salva-
tion.
2. Those Lacking Conviction.
This class of people is especially prominent in
communities where personal evangelists have never
221
222 Evangelism
been active. ‘‘These things have I written unto you,
that ye may know that ye have eternal life, even
unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God’’
(1 John 5:13).
3. The Willfully Indifferent.
This type presents the general condition to be
met by nearly every personal evangelist.
4, The Doubter.
This type is not generally prominent. He will,
however, require special attention.
5. The Young Christian.
This class must be led into full fellowship with
Christ.
6. Those Turning Back.
It is astonishing how many people in a community
have turned their backs upon God and wandered
from Him. This class is frequently referred to as
backsliders.
Let the golden text of every worker be: ‘‘At an
acceptable time I hearkened unto thee, and in a day
of salvation did I succor thee: behold, now is the
acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation”’
(2)Cor,)6:2),
There is no more difficult piece of work in the
ministry than bringing men to a decision for Christ.
Before discussing the nature of the invitation, we
simply must pause to emphasize the absolute necessity
of thorough preparation in prosecuting it.
II. PREPARATION FOR THE INVITATION
General preparation should be made before the in-
vitation is given. The whole church should get
4°
#
Evangelasm 223
ready for every invitation. Every member as well
as the minister should prepare for the service.
1. The Minister.
The minister who does not prepare, must not ex-
pect any return. If we would stir the community
with mighty revival power, it is worth the minister’s
time to stop and ask himself what he is willing to do ’
to bring it about. There is no use expecting great
things without attempting great things. And so the
value of the preparatory work of the minister can not
be overestimated.
(1) Prayer. The first essential is prayer. It is
the greatest power in the world. The reason a minis-
ter sometimes preaches an unsuccessful sermon is
because the minister has neglected to pray. A sermon
must originate and progress in prayer.
(2) Concern for the unsaved. With heart-earnest
effort to help the unsaved, the interested minister will
help the unsaved on their way to God. He will know
what texts to choose and what truths to emphasize.
(3) The sermon. Paul says: ‘‘Preach the word;
be urgent in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, ex-
hort, with all longsuffering and teaching’’ (2 Tim. 4: 2).
The minister who would win souls must preach the
gospel of Christ. His supreme question, in the prepa-
ration of his sermon, is, What must I preach to save
men? His great task is to carry to men and women
the story of the cross. Preach the whole scheme of
redemption.
2. The Choir.
Much depends on a well-organized and well-trained
ehoir. The leader must use great skill in order to
15
224 | Evangelism
keep everything running smoothly. Clear, distinct
enunciation is absolutely necessary in_ successful
choir work. Each song should have a message.
The song-leader and choir should understand the
preacher’s methods. Grant all his requests, and co-
operate with him in every way possible.
3. The Membership:
If evangelism is to find its proper expression,
every church activity should be made an _ evan-
gelistic agency, and every part and department of the
local church work should be used to help the un-
saved come to Christ. And whatever is accomplished
in soul-winning at a church service depends, to a
great extent, upon the work of the membership before
the invitation song.
If you wish to stand by your minister in the work
of evangelism and assist him greatly in extending the
invitation, do not, by your lives, contradict his preach-
ing. There are several ways to aid in the preparation
work.
(1) Individual effort. When Dr. Beecher was ac-
complishing such a successful evangelistic work in
Boston, he was asked how it was that so many re-
sponded to the invitation. He replied: ‘‘I preach on
Sunday with all my power, and then I have four
hundred church-members who go out and preach
every day in the week.’’ If there is any one need,
greater than another, for a successful invitation, it is
a practice of just that kind.
(2) Pray for minister. The Christian should pray
for the minister as the agent of God breaks down
sinners with the Word of truth. While the minister
Evangelism 225
preaches, you pray. This is more important than you
can imagine.
(3) House well ventilated. If the house is warm,
the people, instead of listening to the truth, are fan-
ning and panting for breath, and the train of thought
and feeling is lost and the effort of the sermon is
wasted. How important it is that the church should:
be awake to the subject, that the minister may labor
to the best advantage, and the people give their atten-
tion to the truth which is to save their souls.
(4) Members visit each other. The members of
the church should visit each other and stir up each
other, and provoke one another to love and good
works. How can they work together in the winning
of souls when they are not even acquainted with each
other?
(5) Watch for the effect of preaching. When
Christians pray for the success of the preached Word,
they will watch for the effect of the preaching. They
should keep a sharp lookout, and when any one in the
congregation gives evidence that the word of God
has taken hold of him, they should follow it up. If
the members do not do this, they neglect their duty.
There are many other minor points to be noted.
The principal thing to be remembered is that the
response during the invitation song depends largely, if
not altogether, upon the preparatory work.
III, EXTENDING THE INVITATION
1, The Sermon.
The preacher should always remember that the
simplicity of the gospel converts men. Paul says:
226 Evangelism
‘‘Preach the word’’ (2 Tim. 4:2). Peter declared on
the day of Pentecost the Lordship of Jesus. If we
are to stir the hearts of men, we must preach the
Lordship of Jesus. Whatever the theme, the message
should be told in tender love, leading up to the exhor-
tation to accept Jesus as the Christ. Every sermon
should be like the lawyer’s appeal before the jury on
the last day of the trial. Life and death depend
upon this last appeal. He pleads, with all his power,
for acquittal. And what pleasure and satisfaction
comes to his heart when he realizes that his client
is acquitted.
The preacher should put joy, hope, pardon, in
every sermon. He should appeal to every man to
free himself, through Jesus Christ, from the bondage
of sin. Oh, what joy and happiness will come to the
minister when he realizes that the sinner has been
pardoned and saved.
2. The Crisis.
The invitation hymn immediately following the
sermon is always the crisis in the work of winning
souls. It is the critical moment in which frivolity in
the choir, or inattention in the audience, will deter-
mine, to a great extent, whether men and women
will accept or reject Jesus. The conduct of the
echurch-members and the singers will rum or greatly
help the invitation.
When the song of invitation is announced, every
one in the audience should stand up immediately.
Lazy church-members have ruined many invita-
tions. No one should remain seated during the in-
vitation except the feeble, who should be given side
Evangelism 227
seats or special section, so that they will not hinder
those who desire to come to Christ. First of all, look
after the annoying janitor, advise the very important
usher, and quiet the babies.
No one should leave the auditorium during the in-
vitation. Ofttimes a thoughtless woman or careless
man will bring defeat by going home or strolling about
in the building just before or during the invitation.
This will attract the attention of all, and usually
divert the interest from the invitation song.
In this great crisis, forget everything except the
souls of men and women. Your only movement should
be to help some one decide for Christ and His church.
3. The Invitation Song.
The first thing to be desired in the invitation song
is that the entire congregation should heartily par-
ticipate in it. When all of the people thus praise
God in unison, it is possible that each should join with
some real joy in soul-winning. The members of the
ehureh will learn, if they are taught, to sing the in-
vitation song with the spirit and with the understand-
ing also. The organ and the choir, under good leader- |
ship, can easily suggest to the people the tender ex-
pressions and sentiment of the song. The invitation
song must not be considered good when everybody
sings, all the time, with all his might. There must be
evidence that the members are thinking of the words
of the song and are touched with their meaning.
It is beautiful to see how a congregation will
learn to follow such intelligent leadership and will
come, after a little, to make the exhortation of the
invitation song their own. The great value of this
228 Evangelism
part of the invitation service is thus indefinitely
increased.
4. Co-operation.
The final success of the invitation depends upon
the co-operation of the working forees of the church.
The most glaring weakness in the average evangelistic
effort to-day is the lack of real co-operation on the
part of the membership. Let the members, the choir,
the song-leader, the minister, not forget the value
and purpose of co-operation.
TEST QUESTIONS
1. How many types of people to be reached?
2. Name the types to be reached.
3. In dealing with these typical cases, what should
be kept in mind?
4. Should general preparation be made before the
invitation is given?
93. State the value of the preparatory work of the
minister.
6. What is the first essential in preparation for the
invitation ?
7. Does the suceess of the invitation depend on a
well-organized and well-trained choir?
8. Does soul-winning at the church service depend
upon the work of the membership?
9. What are some of the main points to be noted
in soul-winning?
10. State the importance of the invitation song.
11. What does the final success of the invitation
depend upon?
XVIII.
HOW TO TAKE THE CONFESSION
229
OUTLINE STUDY XVIII.
I. IMPORTANCE AND MEANING OF THE CONFESSION.
1. In the Plan of Salvation.
2. In the Life of the Convert.
II. PREPARATION OF THE MINISTER.
1. Need for Preparation.
2. His Personal Preparation.
III. PREPARATION OF THE AUDIENCE.
1. Spiritual.
2. Mental.
IV. PREPARATION OF THE CANDIDATE.
1. Must Appreciate the Place and Importance of the Step.
2. A Necessary Distinction.
V. CONFESSION SHOWN TO BE MORE THAN A FORMAL
ACT OR MENTAL STATEMENT.
1. Some Thinks to Be Guarded Against.
(1) Formality.
(2) Hurry.
2. Some Things to Impress.
(1) Christ Above All Else.
(2) Belief with the Whole Heart.
VI. ADMINISTRATION OF THE CONFESSION.
1. The Form Used.
2. Time to Be Given.
3. Exceptional Cases.
(1) Unimmersed Believer.
(2) Other Places than the Church Service.
4, Other Procedures.
230
XVIII.
How to TAKE THE CONFESSION.
I. IMPORTANCE AND MEANING OF THE
CONFESSION
N the three discussions following, ‘‘How to Take
the Confession,’’ ‘‘How to Baptize,’’ and ‘‘How
to Conduct the Communion Service,’’ we shall empha-
size two things. We shall attempt to suggest ways by
which their spiritual significance and impressiveness
may be made more apparent, and by which all tenden-
cies to carelessness or formality may be eliminated
and the act made spiritually impressive.
These three acts are public acts, witnessed by
Christians and non-Christians, and in themselves con-
tain a more eloquent message than any that can be
delivered in words by the best preacher. This is true,
provided, of course, that they are so administered as
to bring out and not mar nor obscure the message they
contain.
In taking the confession, therefore, the first requi-
site is a true appreciation, on the part of the minister,
the candidate, and the audience, of the true and
deeply spiritual significance of the confession. All
must appreciate the place and importance of the
confession.
231
232 Evangelism
1. In the Plan of Salvation.
We have been accused of not believing in con-
version, because it appeared to the observer that, in
merely walking forward and answering a question, there
was little of spiritual import. This step means so
much that, regardless of from what else we may take
the time, time must be given to properly take the con-
fession. We work many days to gain a confession,
and then rush the confession through in a _half-
minute as though it were of incidental consequence.
We must take time to make all appreciate that this is
a divinely appointed step. ‘‘Because if thou shalt
eonfess with thy mouth Jesus as Lord, and shalt
believe in thy heart that God raised him from the
dead, thou shalt be saved: for with the heart man
believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth
confession is made unto salvation’’ (Rom 10:9, 10).
Minister, candidate and people must appreciate and
feel the significance of the fact that this is one of
the four God-given steps in the divine plan of salva-
tion. It is well to always take time to enumerate
the steps and point out the place of confession in the
gospel plan.
2. In the Life of the Convert.
The convert and all the people should be made to
know the place which this act occupies in the life of
the convert. It is one of four steps, the most signifi-
cant and important that can be taken in a lifetime.
It is the fork of the road, the turning of the ways.
Let the candidate know the importance which Jesus
Christ places on the confession. ‘‘Every one there-
fore who shall confess me before men, him will I also
Evangelism 233
confess before my Father who is in heaven’’ (Matt.
10:32). It is not out of keeping with this Scripture
to say to the candidate: ‘‘While you are confessing
the Saviour before men, He is confessing you before
the Father in heaven.’’
II. PREPARATION OF THE MINISTER
1. Need for Preparation.
Bearing in mind that it is neither the number nor
eloquence of our sermons that will count in the judg-
ment-day, but who and how many are in Christ, why
should so much time be given to sermon-building,
and none at all to study and preparation for properly
taking or administering the good confession? If we
earefully prepare a half-dozen sermons with the
specific purpose of leading one to confess Christ,
why should we approach this sacred service with no
preparation whatever?
There is no Bible college or seminary that we
know of but what gives courses in sermon-building,
and there is none that we know of that gives actual
training in hearing the good confession, baptizing or
administering the Lord’s Supper. There is need for
preparation and training along this line for the reason
that a confession so heard as to give it its rightful
importance, will be more impressive to the candidate
and to the hearers than many sermons.
2. The Minister’s Personal Preparation.
The minister’s preparation consists in so impress-
ing himself with the importance of this step in the
scheme of the gospel and in the life of the one
making the confession that he can not help but make
234 Evangelism
the ceremony impressive. His preparation should,
therefore, be both mental and spiritual. By mental,
we mean that he should know all the Scripture on the
subject, and then should read everything he can
find that is worth while on it. Also, he should pre-
pare himself in mental bearing as he approaches the
ceremony. .
III. PREPARATION OF THE AUDIENCE
1. Spiritual.
Inasmuch as the divinely ordained steps in salva-
tion are capable of teaching the most profound les-
sons in the most impressive and lasting way, when so
administered as to bring forth their full significance,
one must keep in mind not only the act of the candi-
date, but the effect upon the audience, and, especially,
upon the unsaved in the audience. We believe time
should always be taken for a brief word of prayer
before the confession is taken. ‘‘And that every
tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to
the glory of God the Father’’ (Phil. 2:11).
2. Mental.
In a brief, well-prepared, impressive statement,
much teaching can be given in few words. There
is no teaching on baptism so impressive as a properly
administered baptism. There is nothing so suggestive
to a sinner, in regard to making the good confession,
as an actual confession properly administered. It
tends to reverence to ask the audience for bowed
heads while the confession of Christ is being made.
Carelessness in securing quietness, reverence and re-
spect for sacred things, mars the whole effect.
Evangelism 235
IV. PREPARATION OF THE CANDIDATE
1. Must Appreciate Importance of Step.
Too much ean not be said on this subject. For the
benefit of the audience and the benefit of the convert,
he must be made to know and feel that what he is
about to do is so important that Christ and the angels
take heed. Christ says: ‘‘Every one who shall confess
me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess
before the angels of God’’ (Luke 12:8).
2. Necessary Distinction.
Both the candidate and the audience must be made
to know the distinction between ‘‘confession of faith
in Christ’’ and profession of religion. One is Scrip-
tural, the other is a humanism that keeps many people
back. It must be made plain that the one coming,
comes to confess, not his goodness nor his religion,
but to acknowledge his weakness and sin, and con-
fess his total inability to save himself except through
the Christ whom he comes to accept.
V. THE CONFESSION SHOWN TO BE MORE
THAN A FORMAL ACT OR MENTAL STATEMENT
1. Some Things to Be Guarded Against.
(1) Formality. The most sacred and significant
things can lose both their sacredness and their signifi-
cance, if so done as to come to have the effect of mere
forms or formalities. Here is one of the things to
be guarded as we would guard the very heart of the
gospel.
(2) Hurry. We must guard against the appear-
ance of rush and hurry. Such is bound to lead to for-
236 Evangelism
mality and to the impression that the confession is a
small matter, to be gotten out of the way as quickly
as possible.
2. Some Things to Impress.
(1) Christ over all else. The one outstanding and
impressive feature of the confession must be ‘‘ Jesus
Christ, the Son of the ‘living God.’’ While it may be
well to emphasize the courage or nobleness of the
step taken by the candidate, this must not be done
to the obscuration of the Christ whom he comes to
accept and acknowledge. ‘‘ Whosoever shall confess
that Jesus is the Son of God, God abideth in him,
and he in God’’ (1 John 4:15).
(2) Belief with the whole heart. This step means
more than a mental statement of fact; it means
acknowledgment and acceptance of the Christ with
the whole heart; intellect, feeling and will; to know
Him as the Son of God, to love Him as Saviour and
to will to do His will as Master and Lord. Scriptural
belief requires more than mere intellectual assent.
VI. ADMINISTRATION OF THE CONFESSION
1. The Form Used.
Bearing in mind the truths mentioned above, the
good confession will take on a new impressiveness
and sacredness in the life of the minister, in the lives
of those making the confession, and in the thought of
the hearers. While the Scripture gives us the good
confession, there is not a uniform or fixed wording.
One quite generally used is, ‘‘My brother, do you
believe with your whole heart that Jesus is the
Christ, the Son of the living God, and your Saviour?’’
Evangelism 237
2. Time to Be Given.
It may occur to some that the suggestions made
above can not be earried out without taking an
amount of time that is simply not available. Per-
sonally, we feel that too little time is always given to
the good confession in proportion to the amount spent
on many other things. Second, it will be found that, .
with careful preparation, every one of these sugges-
tions can be carried out with very little time used.
Take time to do sacred things rightly.
3. Exceptional Cases.
(1) Unbaptized believers. The above suggestions
have been made, having in mind the confession of the
alien sinner in the public service. The question may
arise, What is the procedure when one comes forward,
having previously acknowledged and accepted Christ
as Lord, but who has not been buried with Him in
baptism? While it may be technically unnecessary
to make the confession again, yet a bit of tact will
suggest something as follows: ‘‘While there is no
question raised as to the faith that has led the way
hitherto, yet they who believe in Christ and love Him
are always glad to proclaim their faith in Him, there-
fore, just prior to your burial with Him in baptism,
will you state publicly to all who are here, your faith
in Him?’’ Then take the confession as usual.
(2) Where the confession can not be taken at the
ehurch nor by the minister. Here, again, all ought to
know that there is Seripture and also abundant
precedent for any Christian taking the good con-
fession of any one anywhere, if need be. The ex-
ample of the deacon Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch,
238 Evangelism
recorded in the eighth chapter of Acts, will perhaps
suffice.
4. Other Procedures.
In great meetings where forty or fifty or a hun-
dred come forward in one invitation, the question has
arisen as to taking the confession in concert. Some
are for this procedure; and some against it. One
thing for it is, the avoidance of holding a large, and
perhaps weary, audience for an undue length of time.
The one thing against it is, that it does not seem
to make the confession sufficiently individual. Where
the confession is taken in concert it, of course, involves
all who have come, whether by letter or statement
or for confession. In case this is done, it is well to
announce immediately that all who have come for-
ward will now go immediately to the prayer-meeting
room for prayer, further instruction, arrangements
for their baptism, and the making of the records as
to the step which each has taken. Where efficient and
trained church officers assist in this work, the step of
each one can thus be taken up and made very helpful
and thoroughly individual. This also lends oppor-
tunity for personal acquaintance, greeting and helpful
suggestions.
TEST QUESTIONS
1. What are the two things to be emphasized in
the study of how to administer the confession, bap-
tism and the communion?
2. Why should great care be used in performing
these public acts?
3. What is the first requisite?
Evangelism 239
4. Why should the confession be not hurried?
5. What is the place and importance of the con-
fession in the plan of salvation?
6. What is the place and importance in the life of
the convert?
7. Why should the minister especially prepare for
this service?
8. How should the minister prepare?
9. Why and how should the audience be prepared?
10. What preparation should the convert have?
11. Name two things to be guarded against in
administering the confession.
12. Name two things that must be especially im-
pressed in the confession.
13. Give a form which you would use in taking
the confession.
14. How can the confession be properly admin-
istered in the time allotted?
15. What of the confession of unbaptized believers
or those who have been members of some church, but
not immersed?
16. Where and by whom may the confession be
taken?
17. Give methods of procedure with large number
coming forward at one invitation.
16
i) 1
; Ava
‘ } ,
i} Ne
Rune: |
} |
i is
| say
aa ae
’ :
y Avy
v ;
1a, OF
!
Wt
e
}
i
i
{
F
com |
CAR
i
ir
/
;
(i
j
tT
i
LEON
th URN yrs
aN
ut ‘ LN
isin ‘i
Pee di yy
ms
Asie
‘4
Uy re '
AD hh
{
+3
uf vir
t) bey
. A fi rt, ,
ey ay } :
wine | Ay
Yih ¥ may LW
i
¥ bal us ality
wie}
ina y)
XIX.
HOW TO PERFORM A NEW TES-
TAMENT BAPTISM
OUTLINE STUDY XIX.
I. REASONS FOR CAREFUL PREPARATION.
1. It Is a Divine and Sacred Ordinance.
2. It Is the Most Significant Step in the Life of the Convert.
3. It Stands for the Most Tragic and the Most Triumphant
Events in the Life of Our Lord.
4, It Stands for the Solemn Burial of the Candidate.
5. The Act Itself Is the Greatest Sermon on the Sacred
Ordinance. »
6. The Way in Which It Is Performed Determines Whether
Its Message Is Made or Marred.
7. Preparation Determines Ability to Administer.
II. PREREQUISITES.
1. The Minister Impressed with the Sacred Significance of
the Act.
2. The Candidate Impressed with the Real Meaning of the
Act.
3. The Audience Impressed that the Service Is a Sacred
Burial.
III. PREPARATION FOR THE PHYSICAL ACT OF THE
BAPTISM.
1. Robes and Robing-rooms.
2. The Baptistery.
3. The Assistants,
IV. PREPARATION OF THE MINISTER.
1. Spiritual.
2. Mental.
3. Physical.
V. PREPARATION OF THE CANDIDATE.
1. Spiritual.
2. Physical.
3. Mental.
VI. PREPARATION OF THE AUDIENCE.
VII. THE BAPTISMAL FORMULA.
VIII. THE ACT OF BAPTIZING.
. The General Error.
. Manner of Holding Candidate.
. Means of Avoiding Strangling.
. Preserving the Beauty and Sacredness of the Act.
242
he 0 Ne
AD. B.E
How To PERFORM A New TESTAMENT BAPTISM.
I. REASONS FOR CAREFUL PREPARATION
1. Baptism Is a Divine and Sacred Ordinance.
It is not a humanly appointed act or form. Jesus
Christ Himself it was that said: ‘‘Teach all nations,
baptizing them into the name of the Father and of
the Son and of the Holy Spirit.’? That which is done
by the direct command of Christ, and in the name of
the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, is the most
solemn and sacred possible, and deserves and demands
the strictest reverence and solemnity. He who looks
upon it as a form of formality has never caught the
first glimpse of its sacred significance and deep
meaning.
2. Baptism Is the Most Significant Step in the
Life of the Convert.
‘“‘For as many of you as were baptized into
Christ did put on Christ’? (Gal 3:27). ‘‘There is
therefore now no condemnation to them that are in
Christ Jesus’’ (Rom. 8:1). There can be no step more
significant than being born to everlasting life. He
who administers baptism, therefore, has no right to
take away from, mar, nor allow to be obscured, the
sacred significance of this divinely appointed act.
243
244 Evangelism
3. It Stands for the Most Tragic and the Most
Triumphant Events in the Life of Our Lord.
The most tragic event in the life of the world was
the death and burial of the Lord, and the most trium-
phant event in all the world was His resurrection.
Without these, all hope vanishes, and with them, hope
has no limits except the limit of assurance. These
lie at the absolute foundation of Christianity. Take
these away, and there is not a claim for Christianity
that can stand. Baptism, standing for these things,
must be so performed as to be in keeping with the
things for which it stands.
4, It Stands for the Solemn Burial of the Candi-
date.
(1) The baptistery typifies and stands for the grave
of the Lord Himself. ‘‘We were buried therefore
with him through baptism into death’’ (Rom. 6:4).
We should, therefore, teach old and young to have
respect for that which stands for the grave of the
Lord. Hence, the inadvisability of a baptistery so
placed that we walk and tramp carelessly over it
and perpetrate other indignities.
(2) Baptism signifies in the life of the candidate:
Burial to the old life out of Christ, and resurrection
to the new life in Christ; burial to the old life without
promise, and resurrection to the new life with all
God’s promises; burial to the old life unforgiven, and
resurrection to the new life forgiven and redeemed;
burial to the old life out of the kingdom, and resur-
rection to the new life in the kingdom; burial to the
old life of disobedience and sin, and resurrection to
the new life of obedience and service; burial to the
Hvangelism 245
old life with death as its end and the grave as its
goal, and resurrection to the new life with eternal
life as its reward and heaven as its goal.
5. The Act Itscif Is the Greatest Sermon on the
sacred Ordinance.
There is no sermon so eloquent on the subject of
Christian baptism as a properly performed baptism. .
With the Scriptures on the subject being quoted
while a baptism is being so performed as to bring out
the sacredness, the beauty and the significance of the
act, unbaptized men are impressed, and, perhaps,
persuaded, to thus obey Him, as they could not be by
any human oratory or argument.
6. The Way in Which It Is Performed Determines
Whether Its Message Is Made or Marred.
If a baptism is so earelessly or unskillfully per-
formed as to appear to be a ‘‘ducking’’ instead of
a solemn burial, then shall we blame the irreverent,
or shall we blame ourselves, for the impression that
has been made and which they reveal when they call
it a ‘‘ducking’’?
If the impression is left that it is a silly act of
fanatics instead of a sacred and significant act of
obedience, is it not because of failure to properly
prepare the minds of the beholders?
If the impression is left that it is a foolish spec-
tacle, disgusting and even immodest, rather than a
most beautiful and sacred act of deepest significance
and piety, is it not because of carelessness?
7, The Answer Lies in the Care of Preparation.
The solution of the problems mentioned above lies
in easy reach. It consists in most careful prepara-
246 Evangelism
tion—spiritual, mental and physical—of the minister,
the candidate and the audience.
II. PREREQUISITES
1. The Minister Impressed with the Sacred Signifi-
cance of the Act.
The minister must be thoroughly impressed that a
baptism is a serious and sacred burial. While bap-
tism is the fulfillment of a command, it is more than
that. It is a burial. While baptism may be and is
the fourth and consummating step in becoming a
Christian, it is something more than merely the next
necessary step. It is a solemn burial ‘‘with Christ.’’
The minister must not only know this, but he must
ever keep it in mind.
2. The Candidate Impressed with the Real Mean-
ing of the Act.
The candidate must be thoroughly impressed that
baptism is a serious and sacred burial, and not mere
conformity to a congregation’s customs.
3. The Audience Impressed that the Service Is a
Sacred Burial.
The audience must be thoroughly impressed that
baptism is a serious and solemn burial done under the
direct command of the Son of God, and demands the
strictest of reverence and most profound respect.
Til. PREPARATION FOR THE PHYSICAL ACT
OF BAPTISM
1. Robes and Robing-rooms.
Regardless of the size of the chureh, provision
should be made for convenient and decent robing
Evangelism 247
facilities. No church of Christ is complete with these
omitted. Robes are most advisable. One advantage
is that they enable many a baptism to be performed
immediately after the confession, which is better than
putting the matter off for convenience. Again, they
eliminate the tendency to undue display in the mat-
ter of clothing. Again, they make all candidates ’
appear the same, and thus leave a bit of Scriptural
lesson by suggestion. Again, they make it much
more possible to immerse ladies without any chance of
any untoward happening tending to embarrassment.
Again, they make provision so that the minister may
know that all are properly robed without leaving any-
thing to the inexperience and unwisdom of the candi-
dates. These robes, in sufficient quantities, can be
easily prepared by the ladies of the church at only
the cost of material.
A suggestion is here offered for baptisms per-
formed in open pools, rivers, ete. Let the minister
provide himself with a long, sleeveless cape with a
clasp at the throat. This must be made of thin, rub-
ber-filled material, incapable of absorbing water. This
is in addition to his own personal equipment. The
neckband can be clasped about the minister’s neck
while going out. Immediately upon raising the candi-
date up, the cape can be unclasped and placed about
the candidate before starting from the water. Being
non-absorbing, the cape will not cling, and will pre-
vent all embarrassment due to clinging robes.
2. The Baptistery.
(1) Location and arrangement. As _ suggested
above, the baptistery should be so located that, as a
248 Evangelism
grave for burial, it will not be tramped or stamped
upon. It should be a prominent feature in every
church of Christ. It should be as ever present to the
vision as the communion table. It should be beauti-
ful and suggestive of that for which it stands.
(2) The water. Apparently, small details some-
times have great bearing. A careless janitor who is
not thoroughly impressed with the importance of
baptizing properly may easily make an error that
will annul all that the minister may have been able
to teach on the sacredness of baptism in months. The
water should be flesh warmth, tempered with a ther-
mometer, and not left to guesses. In depth it should
be slightly above the knees of the average-sized man.
By all means it should be clean. Baptism stands for
a cleansing.
(3) Baptistery approach. There are two impor-
tant and sometimes overlooked matters in regard to
the baptistery approach. Too frequently the approach
is long, narrow, winding, inconvenient and ugly. To
get to the baptistery, one would feel that he was
following the crooked way to darker regions. These
errors should be eliminated where possible.
The other matter is that the approach should be
such that curtains can be used, concealing the can-
didate and the minister from the audience until the
candidate is down in the water. Some very urgent
reasons for this will appear in the paragraph on
‘‘Preparation of the Candidate.”’
3. The Assistants.
The matter of assisting the minister and assisting
the candidates in preparation for baptism should not
Evangelism 249
be left to any one and every one. There should be
men and women specially instructed and regularly
appointed for this work. These men and women
should know and appreciate that baptism is a sacred
burial, and should be capable of leading in prayer and
in conversation, while preparing the candidates, that
would help the candidates to appreciate the meaning
of the ordinance.
IV. PREPARATION OF THE MINISTER
1. Spiritual.
The minister must have an appreciation of the
holiness of the task which he is about to perform. A
thorough, Scriptural knowledge of the meaning, place
and significance of baptism is absolutely essential to
any proper spiritual preparation. It also seems hardly
possible for one to be prepared to perform an act so
sacred without prayer, earnest and devout.
2. Mental.
To properly perform a baptism, the administrator
must be in absolute and perfect mental command of
himself. He must throw off the thousand and one
other things that may distract him at times, and give
his whole heart and mind to the one thing.
The minister must be in perfect command of him-
self mentally, because the responsibility of perform-
ing the act rightly and sacredly is entirely his re-
sponsibility. It is little less than sacrilegious to do
a bungling job of that which is sacred. He must
also be in perfect command of himself, because his
mental poise and assuredness will have everything to
do with the mental calmness and general performance
250 Evangelism
of the candidate. Perhaps more errors, made in bap-
tizing, are due to a bit of mental excitement and lack
of complete mental poise on the part of the minister
than to any other one cause.
3. Physical...
No minister has a right to distract the attention
from the sacredness of a baptism, nor cheapen its
appearance by ridiculous dress. We saw one devout ©
and worthy college professor perform a country bap-
tism. He was attired in a pair of plow-shoes, a pair
of too-short overalls, with a red handkerchief tied
about his neck and a large straw hat on his head.
No one who witnessed that baptism ever forgot it,
but the things remembered were not the right things.
It were better had he ruined the only good suit of
clothes he had, than to have left the impression of
Christian baptism that he did. We here suggest that
every one who expects to do any baptizing should
appreciate its sacredness enough that he would honor
it with decent attire. We suggest that a loose-flow-
ing robe, similar to a college gown, is easy and in-
expensive to provide, convenient to don, and con-
venient in use. It conceals the bulging rubber suit
where used. If ordinary clothes are used, they should
be such as to show proper respect for the occasion.
In other words, this is a necessary part of the equip-
ment.
V. PREPARATION OF THE CANDIDATE
1. Spiritual.
Those about to be baptized should be made, so
far as possible, to appreciate the deep and sacred
Evangelism 251
significance of the act. The attitude of the minister
and assistants will do much along this line. Loud
and light talk while dressing should be quietly pre-
vented. Levity is entirely out of place, but will occur
frequently unless the assistants prevent it by lead-
ing the conversation in the right lines. A prayer by
the minister with the whole group who are to be bap-
tized is advisable. In many places elders always kneel
in prayer with the candidates in the robing-rooms
before they go to the baptistery.
2. Physical.
While the mistake of improper attire will not
occur often, it will at times. One time is once too
often. Therefore, all candidates for baptism should
always be placed in charge of some one whose duty
it is to instruct them as to their needs along this line,
and assist in seeing that each candidate is properly
prepared. The oversight of a pin may do irreparable
harm. Again we suggest that every church should be
equipped with a sufficient supply of properly made
robes, kept in charge by a lady whose special duty it
is to look after this work.
3. Mental.
By this we refer especially to the state of mind
of the candidate. Some will be in a state of bravado,
others in a state of painful timidity and fear. It is
a part of the minister’s task to know how to eliminate
these mental conditions. His own perfect calm and
self-possession will help. Quiet words of instruc-
tion, occupying the candidates’ attention, will help.
Take plenty of time. Go slow. Let them get accus-
tomed to the temperature of the water. Ask them to
252 Evangelism
dip up a bit of the water and bathe their own faces
in it. Instruct them and show them exactly how
you want them to hold your wrist, how they are to
handle themselves. Ask them to leave the matter
entirely to you, as it is very easy. In case of very
heavy people, assure them they need have no fear of
your ability to raise them up, as they only weigh
twenty pounds when under the water, etc., ete.
All this can be done in a half-minute, and the
time is well spent. All this should be done after
down in the water, but yet concealed by the baptistery
curtains, which are essential for this very reason.
Be sure that they and you are thoroughly ready before
proceeding.
VI. PREPARATION OF THE AUDIENCE
The minister can usually be ready for the bap-
tismal service before the candidates, and the time can
well be spent in preparing the audience. Standing
in the baptistery, the minister can read or quote the
Scriptures on baptism, offer a prayer and give a few
words of instruction.
Among other things, almost every audience needs
to be told plainly, but sweetly, that a baptism is not
a spectacle, but a sacred service, a burial service, and
demands the greatest reverence. They should be in-
structed that every one must be seated and that dur-
ing the entire service there must not be one word
spoken, even in a whisper. All this helps the audi-
ence to appreciate the meaning of the act.
At a baptism in an open stream, all should be in-
duced to get out of their conveyances, assemble in one
Evangelism 253
group, and remove their hats during a preparatory
word and prayer. This will soon educate a whole
neighborhood to respect for the service.
VII. THE BAPTISMAL FORMULA
While the essence of the formula is always the
same, there is not a universally used formula. The
following is a good form that has wide usage: ‘‘ And
now, upon your confession of faith in Jesus Christ,
and by His authority, I baptize you, my brother,
John Brown, into the name of the Father and of the
Son and of the Holy Spirit.’’
Many do not use the name of the candidate, but
it has these advantages: It calls the candidate’s
attention to his own act, and impresses it as indi-
vidual. Where a large number are coming into the
church, it enables the record-keeper to take the name
of each as he is baptized, and thus keep the
records perfectly. In addition, it helps keep the
audience in a happy and undisturbed frame of mind,
from the fact that each one thus knows who is being
baptized, without any worry or wondering or the ten-
dency to whisper and ask some one. This is especially
true where gowns and caps are used upon the eandi-
dates. These make them more difficult to recognize
from the audience.
VIII. THE ACT OF BAPTIZING
If the minister, the candidate and the audience
thoroughly appreciate that the act to be performed is
a burial, a sacred burial in semblance of the burial
of the Lord Jesus Christ, and if the act is performed
254. _ Evangelism
with that in mind, it will be rightly performed, and
carry its message to the candidate and all present.
1. The One General Error Is Haste.
The one instruction is ‘‘go slow.’’ If the minister
hurries, it will tend to excite or frighten the candi-
date. Every move should be deliberate. The ecandi-
date is probably under the impression, since he is
voing to have his face under the water, that he will
be without breath over-long. Very often the min-
ister is thinking of the same. Bear in mind that, even
though you baptize as slowly as possible and dip the
candidate deeply, yet even then the face will be
under water only a fraction of the time that any one
is capable of holding the breath. Any sudden move
or thrust, however, is liable to make him catch
his breath and strangle. Water too cold or too hot
will do the same.
When the baptismal formula has been pronounced,
let the candidate back very slowly, remembering
that it is a burial you are performing. Some minis-
ters go slowly until just as the head is near the
water, then make a sudden plunge and withdrawal.
This is a serious mistake. Go slowly all the way down
and all the way up. Bury the candidate deeply.
These suggestions are based on experience in thou-
sands of baptisms.
2. Manner of Holding Candidate.
While there are many ways, there is no perfect
one. The one point is to cause the candidate to have
perfect confidence in the minister, and the minister to
have perfect control of the candidate. Therefore,
precaution should be taken to accomplish two things:
Evangelism 255
The candidate’s hands must be under control to pre-
vent their lashing out to catch at the minister’s gar-
ments, and the nose must be protected from the rush
of water as the face submerges.
3. Means of Avoiding Strangling.
Use two cloths the size of men’s handkerchiefs.
Place one cloth in the front of your robe where easily
secured when needed. Hold the other in the left
hand, so as to cover both the back and palm of the
hand. With the left forearm pointing upward in
front of the candidate, ask him to grasp your wrist
with both his hands, locking his fingers together on
the back of your wrist and clasping his thumbs on
the front. Instruct the candidate to grip and hold
your wrist tightly. The locked fingers will prevent
his losing his hold, and his grasp will give him assur-
ance and assist you to raise him.
After pronouncing the baptismal formula, place
the right hand on the back of candidate’s neck, move
your left foot well to the right to preserve balance,
and very slowly lower the candidate, remembering
that it is a burial you are performing.
Just as the face submerges, press the palm of
your hand tightly on the candidate’s mouth and grip
his nose shut between your middle fingers. The
handkerchief conceals this action.
By all means do not speed your movement at this
time. The sudden thrust and consequent splash will
cause the candidate to gasp and strangle. Bury
deeply, and raise the candidate slowly. Immediately
use the extra cloth to remove water from candidate’s
face.
17
256 Evangelism
4. Preserving the Beauty and Sacredness of the
Act.
See that the candidates still go slowly from the
baptistery. Step immediately behind them, facing
them until they are handed to the assistants.
If this is practiced, strangling will be avoided,
splashing will be avoided, the appearance of throw-
ing the candidate into the water will be avoided, and
harmful impressions will be avoided. Above all, a
sacred service will have been made sacred, beautiful
and impressive. All present will have been taught a
lesson in reverence for sacred things.
TEST QUESTIONS
1. Give seven reasons for careful preparation to
perform a Christian baptism.
2. Name three prerequisites to the administration
of baptism.
3. Name three phases of the minister’s prepara-
tion.
4. How may the minister be spiritually prepared?
5. What should constitute the minister’s mental
preparation ?
6. Why should the minister take exceeding care
as to his attire?
7. Give some suggestions as to robes and robing
of candidates.
8. Name and discuss three important details in re-
gard to the baptistery.
9. What of assistants to the baptizer?
10. How may the candidates be prepared spirit-
ually ?
Evangelism 257
11. How may provision be made for the physical
preparation of the candidate?
12. How and why should the candidate be men-
tally prepared?
13. Suggest ways of preparing the audience.
14. Repeat the baptismal formula.
15. What of the use of the candidate’s name?
16. What is the one most prevalent error in bap-
tizing? How avoid?
17. Discuss ways of holding the candidate.
18. How may strangling be avoided?
19. Name ways to preserve the beauty of the ser-
vice.
ci
1h,
XX.
HOW TO CONDUCT THE COM-
MUNION SERVICE
259
OUTLINE STUDY XxX.
I. WHY THE COMMUNION SERVICE MUST BE MOST
CAREFULLY CONDUCTED.
1. Because of Its Sacred and Spiritual Meaning.
(1) It Stands for the Most Tragic Event in the Life
of the Lord>
(2) It Tells of the One and Only Hope for Sinful Men.
(3) Its Message Is Spiritual and to the Hearts of Men.
2. Because It Is Possible for the Observance to Drift into
Formality and Lose its Sacred Significance.
(1) The Fact of Physical Emblems Involves Possibility
of Formalism.
(2) A Sacred Ordinance Becoming Formal Mars and
Desecrates It.
II. NEED FOR KEEN AND CONSTANT APPRECIATION OF
THE SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE AND MEBES-
SAGE OF THE COMMUNION SERVICE.
1. Need on the Part of Those Conducting the Service.
2. Need for Preparing the Participants.
III. PLACE AND IMPORTANCE OF THE COMMUNION
SERVICE AMONG OTHER FEATURES OF WOR-
SHIP AND SERVICE.
1. The First and Central Purpose of the Lord’s Day
Meeting.
2. Not Only Scripturally Important, but an Important Fea-
ture of the Plea.
3. Making the Service so Effective that Christians Will Not
Miss It.
4, Making the Communion Service to Satisfy and Edify
the Souls of Christians without the Help of a Sermon.
5. The Australian Plan.
IV. WHO SHOULD CONDUCT THE COMMUNION SERVICE.
1. The Elders.
2. The Elders and Minister.
3. Others than Elders or Ministers.
V. ORDER WITHOUT FORMALITY.
260
DOM
How to Conpuct THE COMMUNION SERVICE.
I. WHY THE COMMUNION SERVICE MUST BE
MOST CAREFULLY CONDUCTED
1. Because of Its Sacred and Spiritual Meaning.
Because of its sacred and spiritual meaning the
communion service must be most carefully conducted.
If not, it may degenerate into a mere formal obser-
vance of a form and lose its whole deep message and
spiritual power.
(1) It stands for the most tragic event in the life
of the Lord—His crucifixion and death. ‘‘As oft as
ye do this ye show my death.’’ It is a memorial, a
monument to the Christ, and contains an inefface-
able inscription telling the story of His death and
suggesting why.
It is the most practical monument that could be
builded to Him, for the reasons that it is a monu-
ment the inseription on which can never be effaced,
and a monument on which every Christian may look
the first day of each week.
Had a monument to Christ been builded of gran-
ite or bronze on Golgotha Hill, only a few Christians
could have looked upon it, and they, perhaps, only
once in a lifetime. Before now, time would have
261
262 Evangelism
effaced the inscription. As it is, the inscribed story
is written in the bread and the wine, never to be
erased or dimmed, and it is a monument so practical
that every Christian, whether in Africa or America,
ean look upon the monument and read its inscribed
story on the first day of each week.
To look upon Bunker Hill monument and read its
inscription, stirs again and anew the blood of patri-
otism. To look upon the monument to Christ and
really read its inscription understandingly, can not
but stir again and anew the pulse-beat of Christian
faith.
(2) It tells of the one and only hope for sinful men.
If it merely told of one hope, the matter might not be
so important, but when it tells of the only hope, then
its importance is beyond measure. Ink-stains on
white linen may be removed by certain acids, but
there is no acid that can remove sin-stain. The blood
of Christ alone can do that. ‘‘The blood of Jesus his
Son cleanseth us from all sin’’ (1 John 1:7). The
wine is the reminder of that fact to every Christian
on every Lord’s Day.
(3) Its message is spiritual and to the hearts of
men. If that spiritual message does not show forth
and get to the hearts of men, then the communion ser-
vice has been marred, its message obscured, and its
sacredness made carnal.
2. Because It Is Possible for the Observance to
Drift into a Formality and Lose Its Spiritual Sig-
nificance.
(1) The fact that a regularly performed physical
act is involved, lends a tendency to formalism. We
Evangelism 263
have heard fairly well-informed members of churches
of Christ refer to baptism and the communion ser-
vice as ‘‘the formal part of Christianity.’’ If we
neither see nor show anything but forms in these acts,
we have neither seen nor shown the first beginnings
of that for which they stand.
(2) When the sacred ordinances become formali-
ties they are both marred and desecrated. If a young
man has committed a crime, the penalty for which
is death, and if his mother should step forward and
offer and be permitted to pay that penalty for him,
and if then she were buried in the home churchyard
and a monument were erected bearing the inscribed
story, if then, that son should come scrupulously
once each year on the anniversary of her death and
punctiliously shed exactly two tears upon the grave,
‘“Just formally,’’ would not this act be devoid of all
but the most revolting heartlessness? Would not both
his act and his life be totally void of love, devotion,
appreciation, goodness, contrition or any other worth-
while quality? The application of this illustration
should be borne in mind by any one who conducts a
communion service.
II. NEED FOR KEEN AND CONSTANT APPRE-
CIATION OF THE SPIRITUAL SIGNIFI-
CANCE AND MESSAGE OF THE COM-
MUNION SERVICE
1. Need on the Part of Those Conducting the
Service.
With the exception of some who are well grounded
in the inner things of the gospel, a large part of each
264 Evangelism
audience will depend on those conducting the service
for their spiritual appreciation and valuation of
the service. Merely to be able to go through the
form of the service, patterning after the procedure
observed in some one else, should not be thought to be
satisfactory preparation to administer the communion
service. Any one ¢Ghosen to conduct the communion
service, that is to say, elected as an elder or chosen
as a minister, should certainly so appreciate the
honor and responsibility that he would prepare most
conscientiously both in mind and in heart, in life and
in deed. There are many of our ministers that now
as carefully prepare for each communion service as
for the sermon.
2. Need for Preparing the Audience.
Bearing in mind the truths discussed in the first
section of this lesson, it will be apparent that the
minds and hearts of the people in the audience must
be prepared if they are to receive the spiritual food
from the communion service that our Lord meant they
should receive. Merely to constantly repeat a set
ritualistic formula, even though composed almost en-
tirely of Scripture verses on the subject, eventually
loses its effectiveness. Whatever facts and truths,
Seriptures and illustrations will help all to ‘‘be in
the spirit’’ of ‘‘communion with the Lord,’’ should be
carefully thought out and prepared. Whatever will
be conducive to real self-examination and consecra-
tion, and drive away the two evils of formality and
mind-wandering indifference, is both helpful and
worthy to be sought after diligently. Prepare this
thought as carefully as you would the sermon.
———
eS ee
Evangelism 265
Ill, PLACE AND IMPORTANCE OF THE COM-
MUNION SERVICE AMONG OTHER FEA-
TURES OF WORSHIP AND SERVICE
1. Practically All Admit It to Be the First and
Central Purpose of the Lord’s Day Meeting.
Practically all our people, ministers and others,
admit and constantly say that the communion ser-
vice is the central and main purpose and feature of
the Lord’s Day meeting, but do we actually make it
stand out as such? Would a rank stranger gather
that impression without being told, if he should visit
our morning services from the beginning of the Bible
school? In discussing the subject ‘‘How to Conduct
the Communion Service,’’ we would ‘say, ‘‘Conduct
it so that it will occupy actually that place of promi-
nence and effectiveness that we assign to it theoretic-
ally.’’ If as a people we do not know how to do this,
then it is time we should begin to study the subject
most contritely.
The fact that ministers and others prepared
specially, each week, for the preaching, and did not
prepare specially each week for the communion ser-
vice, had two results: The communion service lost
its actual power and effectiveness until it was tacitly
admitted that the people would not come unless
drawn by the eloquence of the minister. The com-
munion, in actual practice, was being rendered sec-
ondary and incidental, while yet, in theory, primary
and fundamental. The second result was naturally
that the communion had been more or less obscured
by the preaching. We are not here arguing merely
266 Evangelism
that more time should be given to the conduct of a
poorly conducted and ineffective communion and less
time to the preaching, but that ways must be found
to conduct the communion so that it shall stand out
in actual power and attractiveness, greater than any
other feature of the morning service.
2. Not Only. Scripturally Important, but an Im-
portant Feature of the Plea.
One of the great denominational leaders said:
“Alexander Campbell was wise enough to reach out
and put his finger upon this beautiful ordinance and
give it a central place of importance in the movement
which he led.’’ In our plea to win the world to
Christ by restoring the New Testament chureh, in
doctrine, ordinances and fruits, as the basis of union
of Christ’s forces, we dare not stop anywhere with
the letter, but must restore the great ordinances, not
only in form, but in power. When we have done this,
the communion service will be one of the greatest
sources of strength to the plea.
3. Making the Service So Effective that Christians
Will Not Miss It.
We no doubt may labor with indifferent results
so long as we teach people that to attend the com-
munion service is only a ‘‘privilege’’ or even a
‘‘duty.’’ The world is so fertile with apparent
privileges and apparent duties that people become
somewhat dulled to both at times. These features
should continually be taught, but to this we should
take care to add such attractiveness and spiritual
power that, whatever other services Christians may
miss, they will not miss the communion service,
Evangelism 267
4, Making the Communion to Satisfy and Edify
the Souls of Christians without the Help of a Set
Sermon.
At present, and in most cases, it must be frankly
admitted that the communion service, as ordinarily
conducted, does not seem to satisfy the large number
of church-members. They seem to have to have the
sermon by the employed, professional minister. How-
ever, that does not mean that there is not the edify-
ing and soul-satisfying power in the communion. It
merely means we have not brought it out. When
Christians come to look upon the communion as did
President Garfield, ‘‘as an appointment with the
Lord,’’ which he would not break for any other
appointment on earth, we shall have begun to
approach a solution. We will do well to remember
the Seripture: ‘‘And when he had given thanks, he
brake it, and said, This is my body, which is for you:
this do in remembrance of me. In like manner also
the cup, after supper, saying, This cup is the new
covenant in my blood: this do, as often as ye drink
it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this
bread, and drink the cup, ye proclaim the Lord’s
death till he come. Wherefore whosoever shall eat
the bread or drink the cup of the Lord in an un-
worthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the
blood of the Lord. But let a man prove himself, and
so let him eat of the bread, and drink of the cup.
For he that eateth and drinketh, eateth and drinketh
judgment unto himself, if he discern not the body.
For this cause many among you are weak and sickly,
and not a few sleep’’ (1 Cor. 11: 24-30).
268 Evangelism
5. The Australian Plan.
Our Australian brethren follow a plan for the
morning service that is worthy of mention in this
connection. They frankly make the communion ser-
vice the main feature of the morning service, in
charge of carefully trained elders. Aside from the
elders in charge at the table, there are also, on the
right and on the left, two young men assisting and
in training for future service. One reads a passage
from the Old Testament, the other a passage from
the New Testament, and the elders then proceed with
the service. The employed minister is not expected
to be present at this service, except incidentally. He
is expected to be out as an evangelist of the Word,
earrying the Word to other fields. In the evening
service he is back to evangelize in his home pulpit.
If this were done in America, it would help to restore
the communion service to its place and power, and
would, in addition, relieve about five thousand min-
isters for one service each Lord’s Day as missionary-
evangelists to evangelize the unreached.
IV. WHO SHOULD CONDUCT THE COMMUNION
SERVICE?
1, The Elders.
From both Scriptural and practical grounds, it is
usually deemed fitting that the elders should conduct
the service. However, we know of no more reason
why they should exclusively conduct the service than
that they should exclusively do the baptizing, which
is usually done by the minister. If the fact, that the
local elders always conduct this service, lends a
Evangelism 269
tendency for them to feel that this is their whole
duty as elders, and that conducting this service re-
lieves them of the responsibility of equipping them-
selves for being teachers of the Word and kindly, con-
scientious guardians of the flock, then this exclusive-
ness has resulted wrongly.
Also, if the presumption that being an elder en-
titles one to lord it over the communion, without con-
scientious preparation to make the communion the
sacred and effective service that it should be, then
the custom has resulted badly.
Practically, it is a good thing for the elders to be
trained to care for this service properly and effec-
tively, so that there may be no need for break in the
service of worship, with the coming and going of the
employed ministers. Also, it is a good arrangement
if it may finally result in proper care for the home
work, so that the minister may be sent to preach the
gospel to the needy while the communion service,
properly conducted, preaches the Word with power
at the home church.
2. Elders and Ministers.
In some of our best churches, a very beautiful
and earefully wrought-out plan of co-operation of
the minister and elders in the communion service is
used. Space will not permit detailed description here,
but where the minister is always present, we believe
that he, with the elders, should give definite time
every week to planning for the conduct of the com-
munion service on the following Sunday. Prayer,
study and planning every week will not only develop
an appreciation for the beauty and power of the com-
270 Evangelism
munion, but will most surely discover ways to bring
it to its rightful place of prominence, power and
effectiveness among the various features of the
ehurch life.
3. Others than Elders or Ministers.
Just as in the case of baptism, so also in the case
of the communion, it may be conducted, in ease of
necessity, by others. If no regular elder or minister
can be present, there is no reason why any group of
disciples, regardless of how small the group, should
forego the breaking of bread. Some one of their
number may and should be appointed to take charge,
and the Lord should be remembered on the Lord’s
Day, in the Lord’s appointed way, by His disciples,
wherever they may be and however few they may be.
It is much better that in conscientious love, a humble
band of disciples should so remember their Lord on
the Lord’s Day, though it be done stumblingly and
haltingly and far from the way here suggested, than
that they should neglect it. However, this is not
intended to suggest that those who are regularly
chosen to conduct this service should longer conduct
it without most prayerful preparation to do full honor
to the sacred service.
V. ORDER WITHOUT FORMALITY
As a closing thought we add the suggestion of
need for care, that in seeking order we do not degen-
erate into formality. There must be order. Disorder
and reverence can scarcely go hand in hand. How-
ever, that order which is secured by practically driv-
ing the young out of the service is the order of death,
Evangelism 211
rather than the order of reverence. Strive for rever-
ence, respect and appreciation, and order in the
audience will be secured, many times the best order
from the youngest members. Careful, continual
planning will conduce to order in the administration
by the deacons and elders.
When it is seen that the striving after order in
conducting the service gives the faintest suggestion
of stiff or cold ritualistic formality, then care must
be immediately taken to bring back the warm glow
of soul-touching spiritual life.
TEST QUESTIONS
1. Give two good reasons for most careful conduct
of the communion service.
2. Give three reasons why its spiritual significance
should be made plain.
3. Why is there a tendency to formal observance?
4. Why must formalism be avoided?
5. State reasons for the need of a keen apprecia-
tion of the spiritual significance of the communion.
6. Why need the audience be specially prepared?
7. Show how communion takes central place in
services.
8. Show its importance to the plea.
9. Why should it be made a drawing feature?
10. Why should it be made to answer the soul
needs of Christians?
11. Give the Australian plan.
12. Who may conduct the communion service?
13. Give reasons for care as to order and
formality.
18
Ni Rt
' Petantedc
Pia:
XXL.
HOW TO USE TRACTS
OUTLINE STUDY XXI.
I. ADVANTAGES IN THE USE OF TRACTS.
1. Always Stick to the Point.
2. Never Lose Their Temper.
3. Avail When Other Methods Fail.
4. Often Reach the Unapproachable.
5. Lead Many to Jesus Christ.
it. PURPOSE OF TRACTS.
1. To Save the Unsaved.
2. To Correct Error.
3. To Set Christians to Work.
III. WHO SHOULD USE TRACTS.
. The Preacher.
. The Bible-school Superintendent.
. The Bible-school Teachers.
. The Shut-ins.
The Traveling-man.
The Business Man.
. The Housekeeper.
. Every Christian.
IV. HOW TO USE TRACTS.
1. To Begin a Conversation.
2. To Close a Conversation.
3. Where a Conversation Is Impossible.
V. SUGGESTIONS FOR USING TRACTS.
1. Read the Tracts Before Giving Them to Others.
2. Choose Tract Suitable to Person.
3. Always Carry a Selection of Tracts.
ANAAE WN EH
EXEX LT:
How to User Tracts.
I. ADVANTAGES IN THE USE OF TRACTS
OT every Christian can be an efficient worker
and occupy a prominent place in the local
church, but every Christian can become a user of
tracts, and perform a mighty ministry for Christ in
this way.
If there is any one need greater than another
in the church to-day, it is that every individual should
always carry and wisely distribute good tracts. And
it is just this lack in which we ean discover the
secret of our past failure to spread the plea of the
disciples of Christ in any way commensurate with
what we must acknowledge Christ could have rea-
sonably expected.
The importance and advantages of this ministry,
therefore, can not be too strongly stressed, and it
ought to be given prayerful and persistent study.
1. Always Stick to the Point.
Tracts enable us to do our individual work in the
most satisfactory manner, because they always stick
to the point. They show how the Scripture texts are
related, what they establish and the main point to be
emphasized. For the reason that tracts always stick
275
276 Evangelism
to a definite idea or purpose, various cults and in-
terests are using them to propagate their peculiar
ideas, and they are getting results. Shall we, who
have the true message of Christ, longer neglect this
important ministry while others scatter abroad the
doctrines of men?
All can not speak fluently or talk to the point
successfully, but all can use tracts, and when people
are aroused to sense the great need and unlimited
possibilities of tracts, they will desire to do some-
thing to help preach the Word.
2. Never Lose Their Temper.
Christian workers sometimes lose their tempers,
but tracts never do. They always remain calm.
Indeed, how enormous and wonderful would be
the results if all Christians should begin to be
active in the distribution of tracts to the extent of
their ability! Nothing else would do so much to
promote the love of Christ in a peaceful and effec-
tive way.
3. Avail When Other Methods Fail.
Tracts often succeed in reaching men where a
sermon or personal conversation has failed. He may
forget the sermon or personal conversation, but
tracts stay with him. They meet a definite need,
and often avail where other methods fail.
4. Often Reach the Unapproachable.
Some can not and others will not listen to a ser-
mon or attend church services, but tracts can reach
them all.
A man may repulse a personal worker when he
tries to speak to him about his soul, but he will fre-
Evangelism 217
quently read a tract if left in some place where he
comes upon it accidentally, and that tract may be
the means of bringing him to Christ.
5. Lead Many to Jesus Christ.
There are many who have attended church for
years, listened to some of the best-known preachers,
and still are unsaved. One of the best ways to bring
them to a definite decision is by the use of good
tracts. Even, sometimes, when men are aroused,
tracts are necessary to bring them to a clearer
understanding of the gospel plan of salvation. A
large church of many members, with powerful
preaching, can not accomplish as much as a small
church with comparatively poor preaching, where the
members generally use good tracts. One of our
recent evangelists received, before his death, nearly
one thousand letters from people who had been led
to Christ by reading his tracts.
II. PURPOSE OF TRACTS
1. To Save the Unsaved.
A Christian man gave a tract to his caddie while
they were waiting together on the golf-links; the
boy became a Christian, and later a minister of
the gospel.
A Bible-school teacher distributed tracts to her
elass of boys one Sunday morning. That same day
she had the joy of seeing two of her pupils take
their stand for Christ.
A business man in Kansas City makes it the rule
of his life to hand a tract to every man with whom
he has business dealings, if there is the slightest
278 Evangelism
chance for him to consistently do so. He has been
instrumental in winning many to Christ.
2. To Correct Error.
It is a mistake to limit the use of tracts to soul-
winning.
W AA
pd
Wi
Ay
f Mery ie
ie
Aah
AXIV.
ORGANIZATION AND PREPARA-
TION OF THE CHURCH FOR
EVANGELISM
I. ORGANIZATION FOR CONSTANT EVANGELISM.
IT.
OUTLINE STUDY XXIV,
1. Ways of Locating Prospects.
(1) Church District Lookouts.
(2) The Census.
(3) Sunday-school Enrollment Cards.
(4) The Lookout Committee.
2. Following Up the Prospects.
(1) The Card-file.
(2) The Calling Committee.
3. Reaching the Prospects.
(1) Personal Calling.
(2) Bible-school Invitation.
(3) Regular Weekly Evangelistic Service.
(4) The Revival or Protracted Meeting.
ORGANIZATION FOR THE REVIVAL MEETING.
. Instructing All Regular Forces.
. Advertising Committee.
Ushers.
. Personal Workers.
. The Choir.
. Co-ordinating the Forces.
Oopwnd
Ail WM FURTHER PREPARATION.
1. Creation of Expectation Among the Workers.
2. The Willingness to Work.
3. The Spirit of Unselfishness.
IV. SOME IMPORTANT DETAILS.
. Importance of Details.
. The Janitor.
. The Lights.
. The Seating.
. Song-books.
. Baptistery and Robes.
. Thorough Knowledge of the Field.
310
NOOO P OND FH
a —_ -
XXIV.
ORGANIZATION AND PREPARATION OF THE CHURCH FOR
EVANGELISM.
I. ORGANIZATION FOR CONSTANT EVANGELISM
1. Ways of Locating Prospects.
Evangelism is frequently builded too much on
hope, and too little on definite and sensible planning.
Hoping to reach a hundred may prove vain. Know-
ing exactly where there are a hundred that may possi-
bly be reached, knowing who they are, and going
definitely after that particular hundred, will reach
fifty of them and another fifty that has not been
thought of. There are very definite and sensible ways
of locating the prospects. We here enumerate some
of them.
(1) Church district lookouts. Various names are
given to these appointees, but their duty well per-
formed is the main thing that counts. These men
and women are appointed with instructions definitely
given as to their district in a city or a county. It
is their business to watch the moving-van. If a new
family moves in, they are to call within the first part
of the first week, extend a welcome to the district and
the city, extend an invitation to the church, and
gather all information possible. This information is to
311
312 Evangelism
be immediately transferred to file-cards and taken to
the church. If any possibility of enlisting interest
is shown, they are to follow up until the new family
is in the church.
(2) The census. It is quite possible for any min-
ister and congregation to take a census of and card-
file every family in a good-sized city. It is much
better to do this than to enter into any federation
eensus. List every family of all kinds and _ per-
suasions. List all children, together with their ages,
and whether they are in any Bible school. List every
boarder or work-hand. List everybody. This will
discover an amazing number of easily reachable pros-
pects, and will be a much more workable list than
any secured by a census taken by people from all
churches. |
(3) Sunday-school enrollment-cards. Use special
file-cards for enrolling Sunday-school pupils. Have
these printed to your own order, with place for name,
address, age, birthday, phone number, class, depart-
ment, teacher, parents’ names and whether they are
members of the church. All this can be gotten on a
3x 5-inch card, with squares around the edge for
each Sunday in the year to be punched, showing
attendance record. These ecards will discover and
record, from the children enrolled, a host of good
prospects among the parents.
(4) The lookout committee. This is a committee
of well-known church-members, who are regular atten-
dants of both morning and evening services. Their
apparent duty is to shake hands and make themselves
generally agreeable to all strangers who attend.
Evangelism 313
Their actual duty is to discover, by conversation,
all new persons, learn their addresses, their church
interests, and card-file all possible prospects, to-
gether with any and all information of interest that
has been gained.
2. Following Up the Prospects.
(1) The card-file. Some are zealous in collecting
large lists of prospects, but fail utterly in the follow-
up. Every prospect, together with all available infor-
mation, should be listed on a 3x5-inch file-card and
placed in a desk-holder that will be given careful
consideration each week and be gone through entirely
each month.
OUTLINE STUDY XXV.
I. WHAT IS ADVERTISING?
1. A Means of Attracting Attention to the Truth.
2. A Means of Arousing an Interest in the Truth.
3. A Means of Getting People to Investigate the Truth.
4. Scriptural Examples of Advertising.
II. WHY ADVERTISE.
1. It Takes Advertising to Make a Success.
2. A Light Should Not Be Hidden.
3. Right Advertising Means More to Be Saved.
III. VARIOUS METHODS OF ADVERTISING.
. Old Method of Sermon Advertising.
. Chain Telephone Method.
The Calling Method.
. The Use of Children.
. Moving Pictures.
. Theater Ads and Street Signs.
. Bills and Posters.
. Newspapers.
. Special Days and Enterprises.
IV. FOUR FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF PRINTED
ADVERTISING.
1. Must Attract Attention.
(1) Something New.
(2) Color Contrasts.
(3) Size.
(4) Abundance of Repetition.
(5) Unusual Pictures.
(6) Display and Attractive Arrangement.
2. Must Hold the Interest and Secure Complete Reading.
(1) Something Unusual Announced.
(2) Unusual Arrangements.
326
OMDIALH MHP OW
(3) Long Lists of Alliterations.
(4) Newspaper Imitation.
(5) Interlinked with Matters of Current Interest.
3. Must Arouse a Desire to Investigate.
(1) Curiosity.
(2) Crowd Interest.
(3) Success.
(4) Desire to Hear or See the Unusual.
(5) Desire to Know.
4, Satisfied Customers.
(1) Satisfied Customers the Final Test.
(2) Advertise What You Can Deliver and Deliver What
You Advertise.
(3) Stick to the Strict Truth.
V. NEWPAPER ADVERTISING.
1. Relative Value of Paid ‘‘Display Ads’’ and News Stories.
2. Why Space Is Hard to Secure for News Stories.
VI. OTHER FORMS OF ADVERTISING.
1. The Street Parade.
2. Church Building in a Day.
3. Street Services.
4. Special Days.
327
mak :
i
tar Bil:
) ty hai i
¥ Ube Yo } i
Wd uM eae is i"
XXV.
ADVERTISING, WHy AND How.
I. WHAT IS ADVERTISING?
1. A Means of Attracting Attention to the Truth.
Some religious workers are prejudiced against
what they recognize as advertising, but all are glad
to share in its benefits. We first want to remove any
prejudice against right advertising. While advertis-
ing, like all other good things, may have been used for
base purposes and used to draw attention to error, the
fact remains that attention must be drawn to the
truth. Advertising is the means of accomplishing
three things, the first of which is to attract attention
to the truth. Truth can be overlooked. It is not
good for men that it should be.
2. Means of Arousing an Interest in the Truth.
If there is that which can arouse an interest in
the truth, even a faint and passing interest among
those who are totally uninterested, then that means
ought to be used with the hope that the truth itself
will arouse a further interest. The second thing that
good advertising accomplishes is to arouse an interest
in that good thing which you have to offer.
3. Means of Getting People to Investigate the
Truth.
329
330 Evangelism
This is the third accomplishment of good advertis-
ing, of whatever kind or plan it may be. If it does
these three things, it is good advertising; if it fails
in any one of the three, it is a failure, and means
wasted money and effort as we shall show.
4. Scriptural Examples of Advertising.
There are many ways of advertising besides the
printed posters and newspapers. There are many
examples in the Scriptures, of which we mention a
few.
(1) Old Testament. The Jewish trumpets were
generously used to awake and arouse the people, to
call them to worship and remind them of duty.
Parades and pageants were in common use for the
same ends.
(2) New Testament. Jesus fed the hungry miracu-
lously. This was done not only that the hungry
might be fed. If so, He would have fed all the hun-
ery all the time. He did feed the hungry on loaves
of bread that the way might be prepared to teach
them of the bread of life. He healed the sick, though
evidently not for that end alone, else He would
have healed all the sick. The healings performed were
that He might call attention to the healing of the
soul, for which He really came.
Again, on the day of Pentecost, on which the
ehurch of Christ was founded, the tongues of flame
not only marked out God’s messengers, but attracted
the fixed and intense attention of the great multitudes,
and brought the crowds to hear the truth. Advertis-
ing is not cheap and undignified; it is great in pur-
pose and possibilities.
Evangelism 331
Il. WHY ADVERTISE
1. Takes Advertising to Make a Success.
Success is made up of many things large and
small. There are a number of things that a Chris-
tian preacher needs to be if it is possible. He first
of all should be one of the best men in town.
Second, he should, by all means, be the best preacher
in town, for the reason that he has a message that is
easier to preach well than any other message. He
ought to be the best known man. He ought to be a
thoroughly good business man, able to make every
dollar do two dollars’ worth of service for the
Lord. Having the best and most needed thing in
town—the gospel—he ought to be the best advertiser
in the town. Some ministers expend all their brain
and talent on their sermons and none on advertising
or promotion, and the result is some very fine ser-
mons preached to vistas of empty seats. Some spend
most of their brain and talent on advertising and like
enterprises, and the result is, a good promoter, but a
poor preacher. Like a good watch, all the parts need
to move and work together and all at once, in order
to get results. For this reason we have seen fit to in-
clude this lesson on advertising for the benefit of
ministers.
2. A Light Should Not Be Hidden.
A reason why the gospel and its enterprises should
be advertised is that a light should not be hid, but
set where all can see it. There are two things that
must be accomplished if the masses of the people are
to be reached with the gospel and the tide of sin
332 Evangelism
stemmed. More and more we must find ways to get
the people to come to the places where the gospel is
to be preached.
3. Right Advertising Means More to Be Saved.
Paul said: ‘‘I was determined to become all things
to all men, that by all means I might save some.’’ If
our failure as preachers, or our weak place, is along
this line, then we ought to study this line.
III. VARIOUS METHODS OF ADVERTISING
There are so many methods of advertising—. e., of
accomplishing the purposes stated above—that it would
be impossible to name all. We shall name a few and
discuss some of them.
1. The Old Method of Sermon Advertising.
One old method in planning the sermons for a three-
weeks meeting was to plan a week of popular sermons
to get the crowd; a week of doctrinal sermons to teach
the people; a week of hortatory sermons to reach the
people. While one of these old-time evangelists would
have resented being so told, yet the fact is he might
have frankly classed his first week of preaching as
advertising. If the advertising can be done in some
better way, and save the sermons for other purposes,
as well as save the time, is it not better?
2. The Chain Telephone Method.
The evangelist is the head of the chain. He
chooses ten good members whom he will call and give
a message in regard to the meeting. They are to take
this message and pass it on just as received to ten
other members each, who have been _ previously
assigned to them. This makes one hundred church-
Evangelism 333
members working at the task. From the phone direc-
tory a list of a thousand names has been listed and
divided into tens. These have been assigned, by
tens, to each of the hundred church-members. They
receive the message from their captain and pass it out
just exactly as received. If desired, the evangelist
can choose a general captain over all. Thus the evan-
gelist makes one phone call to the general captain.
He ealls ten, and the result is that there have soon
been eleven hundred phone calls made. The message
should be started just as it is eventually expected to
be shaped for the outsider. Something like the fol-
lowing: ‘‘Hello! Mrs. Brown? This is Mrs. Blank. I
have just called to tell you that there is an unusually
interesting revival going on in the church of Christ
on Main Street, and I want to invite you to come
to-night.’’
3. The Calling Method.
In general there is no printed matter that can
equal a personal invitation. Therefore, in sending
out the first printed bills of a revival, there should be
enough printed for every house in town. Good
women should be sent with these bills (never boys
on this first round). These callers should eall at
every door of every kind, knock, extend a personal
invitation and leave the bill. This will get some re-
buffs, but will get results. By many actual tests,
sixty people can call on three thousand homes in two
hours.
4. The Use of Children.
When rightly used, children are the best adver-
tisers on earth. When used, they should not be used
334 Evangelism
apparently as advertisers. What we have in mind
is simply cultivating the friendship of children. If
you were going into a place as a stranger, we can
suggest no better thing than to, as quickly as possi-
ble, make a friend of every urchin on the streets.
You will quickly be known in all the homes, and
favorably at that, if the children are for you.
5. Moving Pictures.
Moving pictures are a good thing in many com-
munities if rightly used. Some have made the mis-
take of trying to make the pictures deliver the
message. They simply can not do that. If one will
use the pictures as a part of the opening service, but
in his mind, class them frankly as advertising and
nothing more, they will prove a successful help. Of
course, they should not be advertised as advertising,
but advertised for the interest there is in them. The
fact that they are advertising should be recognized,
however, by the one who uses them. Many who
would not come to hear any sermon, come to see a
good and well-advertised picture, and, incidentally,
they hear the gospel and like it, though they thought
they would not.
6. Theater Ads and Street Signs.
While these are different, we mention them
together for brevity. Most all the other good things
in town are mentioned on the curtain, and if there
is a legitimate and popular theater, or preferably
picture-show house, against which there is not a prej-
udice that would spoil the effect of the advertising,
we know no reason why, in cases, this should not be
used to tell of the church. Be it remembered that
Evangelism 335
millions every day attend the moving-picture houses
and will be reminded of the call of the gospel. Other
enterprises yet find the large street sign worth the
cost, and, if so, why not the church?
7. Bills and Posters.
We merely mention these here, and will give them
special attention further on.
8. Newspapers.
The newspaper is one of the great institutions
of the day, and is a power for good or evil. If the
preacher of the gospel does not know how to make
large use of the newspaper, he simply ought to learn
how. We shall discuss this in detail in a later para-
graph.
9. Special Days and Enterprises.
This we discuss in the closing paragraph, and but
mention it here.
IV. FOUR FUNDAMENTALS OF PRINTED
ADVERTISING
Printed advertising of any kind that fails in any
one of the following principles of advertising is a
failure and worthless, and means wasted money.
Every piece of advertising drafted should be checked
for these things and studied to see whether it will
fill these requirements when thought of in terms of
the uninterested outsider.
1. It Must Attract Attention.
Bearing in mind that advertising must first of all
attract attention, consideration should be given to
what there is in any proposed piece of advertising to
attract attention. What it takes to attract attention
22
336 Evangelism
is partly determined by the locality and the times. What
might attract attention in a rural community might
attract no attention in a city. We can mention but
a few of the things that help in this line.
(1) Something new. Never use forms of adver-
tising that some one else has previously used. Lead
the way, do not follow. If some one else has used
it, avoid it. ;
(2) Color contrasts. It is better to spend more
money and get results, than to spend less and get no
results. It costs more for two-run, double-color print-
ing, but it pays. Red ink does not necessarily cheapen
advertising or take away its dignity; it may add to
it. The ordinary-sized, black-and-white bill has been
used by everybody in every community, until no-
body pays any attention to it.
(3) Size. The small dodger-bill is of very little
use anywhere since the large, attractive war bulletins
accustomed everybody’s eyes to large, attractive,
highly colored posters. The small, unattractive dodger
simply ean not be seen, or, rather, will not. We sug-
gest two ways of getting large bills at little above
ordinary cost.
Show-bills. Large, two-color show-bills, specially
printed, can be gotten from show-bill printing com-
panies. These cost, for 36x48-inch bills, about
$50 a thousand. By a number of Christian churches
combining and drafting material that is general
to all, $10 apiece will provide each of five churches
with two hundred large show-bills that will be seen and
read. These will do more advertising than thousands
of small, unseen bills. Blank space can be left at the
Evangelism 337
bottom for place, date and special announcement,
and this added by local printer as required.
Hand-made, large posters or bulletins. Almost
any minister or committee can have large, many-
colored bills at little expense. From the printer get
sheets of book-paper, 24x36 inches. Make your own
easel and drafting-board. Buy good, red sable
brushes. They cost much more, but an amateur can.
do good work with them where it is impossible to do
good work with camel’s hair brushes. Get small tubes
of red and black printer’s ink and ‘‘cut’’ it with gaso-
line. Work brush out each time on piece of glass or
paper before touching work. Take some lessons from
a sign-painter if possible. Practice lends skill. Give
your fancy free rein. These bills can be tacked on
boards of the same size made from boxes, at no cost.
(4) Abundance of repetition. The psychology of
advertising requires much repetition. Let the same
thing strike the passer-by in the eye again and again.
He will begin to take notice. Post up a dozen bills
of the same kind in a row. Put them at every turn.
Keep on. Repetition will tell.
(5) Unusual pictures. Pictures are useful to
break the monotony of the make-up of bills, but have
been used so much that they have little other value
in attracting attention, unless unusual. If you can
draw cartoons, or can learn, then draw these in India
ink and get your newspaper to make etchings, which
you can use in printing your bills. Posed cuts will
get attention on bills and space in the newspapers
where other cuts will not. A picture of yourself hold-
ing hands in a circle with twenty tots will do more
338 Evangelism
to advertise your Sunday school than the best cut
of yourself.
(6) Display and attractive arrangement. A crowded
bill packed full and monotonously arranged will
neither attract attention nor get itself read. Avoid
ugly, commonplace arrangement. Make a practice
of studying the make-up of posters of all kinds and
everywhere. Appropriate this knowledge for the
work of the Lord. These are but a few of the ways
that may be used. Space demands that we leave the
others to the ingenuity of the student.
2. Must Hold the Interest and Secure Complete
Reading.
A bill that attracts attention and stops at that has
failed. There must be something in it to hold the
attention until the facts proclaimed have gotten to
the reader. Every bill drafted should be studied to
see whether it contains this element. Study it from
the standpoint of the ordinary passer-by. We men-
tion a few means that may be used:
Something unusual announced, or announced in a
very unusual and striking way; acrostic arrangement;
long lists of alliterations; bills arranged same as half
the front of a newspaper, exactly imitating news-
paper ‘‘get-up,’’ with scare-heads, slug-heads, sub-
heads and reading-matter, advertisement, cuts and all.
Your own advertising interlinked with informa-
tion on something that has the whole public atten-
tion at the time.
3. Must Arouse a Desire to Investigate.
Advertising, though attracting attention and secur-
ing a reading, has yet failed entirely if it fails to
Evangelism 339
arouse a desire to follow it up, or look into the thing
advertised. Means to that end must be in every
piece of printed advertising. Among the means we
mention a few in general. The ‘‘you’’ interest must
here prevail instead of the ‘‘we’’ or ‘‘I’’ interest.
Show the reader there is something for him.
(1) Curiosity. Curiosity is one of the first and
easiest approaches to human interest. Work to arouse
curiosity.
(2) Crowd interest. Human beings follow the
erowd. Let a crowd begin to gather anywhere and
for any purpose, and larger crowds will immediately
erowd around. Use this wisdom in getting a hear-
ing for the Word. Get a crowd and then tell all the
people the facts and there will be yet larger crowds.
(3) Success. Never advertise failure, but never
fail to becomingly advertise success. Horace Greeley
said, ‘‘Nothing succeeds like success,’’ in which Mr.
Greeley said a wise thing. Few people can resist suc-
cess, though they may be otherwise naturally hostile.
Use this feature, if possible, in securing the third
feature of your advertising.
(4) Desire to hear or see the unusual. Noel Shaw
once promised that if a large crowd would come out
on the following night he would show them how to
make a pair of shoes in a minute. They came. He
brought an old pair of boots and when the time came,
calmly cut the tops off and slitted the front and
punched eyelets. Then he said: ‘‘You have come to
see me make a pair of shoes in a minute, and I have.
Now I am going to show you in a few more minutes
how your eternal souls can be saved for all eternity,’’
340 Evangelism
and he did. We would not suggest a repetition of the
performance, but a deep pondering of the underlying
psychology.
(5) Desire to know. There are some things that
almost every normal soul wants to know. There are
some of these things that a Christian preacher can
answer. Take advantage of that in planning the
advertising. These are but a few of the psychologic
facts that may be made usable in planning good
advertising.
4. Satisfied Customers.
The American Advertising Association met in
national meeting some time ago and adopted, as their
central and scheme word, the word ‘‘truth.’’ These
greatest advertisers wrote it down once and for all
that advertising that does not tell the truth is worse
than no advertising.
(1) The final test. All the advertising in the
world will do little good in the long run unless those
reached become satisfied customers. If a standard
shoe is advertised at half the usual price and the cus-
tomers find that the shoe was not the standard at all,
but a cheap substitute, the advertising campaign has
worse than failed. It has wrecked all future possi-
bilities.
(2) Delivery. Advertise what you can deliver,
and by all means deliver what you advertise. If you
say there will be a crowd, then have a crowd, or a
frightful storm as a perfectly satisfactory excuse.
It does not pay to say in the newspapers that great
crowds are attending every night, and then allow
each one who comes to discover that that simply is
Evangelism 341
not so. Do not pick the wrong thing to stress in the
advertising. If you have, or are sure to have, a
crowd, advertise that, if you desire, but if you are not
sure, then pick something else to advertise.
(3) Stick to truth. Stick to truth, not imagina-
tion, in advertising. If you advertise the ‘‘friendly
church,’’ take no risks of any one coming and re-
ceiving a cool reception. Make the church a friendly
church if it is the last thing you ever do. Otherwise
do not advertise friendliness. If for any reason some-
thing comes up by which you are totally unable to
deliver the goods advertised, frankly tell the public
you failed, and why.
V. NEWSPAPER ADVERTISING
Our final word is in regard to newspaper adver-
tising. The same general principles apply to news-
paper advertising as to all advertising. This is true
of both news story and ‘‘display ads.’’
1. Relative Value of Paid ‘‘Display Ads’’ and News
Stories.
There is practically no comparison as to values.
The news story is in every way superior. It some-
times pays to buy and pay for a ‘‘display ad’’ in
order to open the way to get a news story. We are
using the word ‘‘story’’ in the newspaper sense, by
which we mean any article relating items of interest.
Get the news story if there is any way to get it.
2. Why Space Is Hard to Get for News Stories
about Religious Work.
Preachers as a class, and for most part, simply
can not write newspaper material. Preachers may
342 Evangelism
deny this statement or resent it, but any editor will
confirm it. Most preachers have never tried to learn
how to write readable news material. They have the
greatest story on earth, of interest to more people,
they conduct the most important enterprise in the com-
munity, yet they simply can not write it up in news
form. Every preacher ought to know how to write
material that is not only acceptable, but desirable, for
the newspaper. We can not here enter into a dis-
cussion of how to write, but we make the following
two suggestions.
Study your own newspaper ‘‘write-ups’’ of your
work from the standpoint of the strict outsider, and see
whether, if you were the outsider, there is anything
to catch your attention or hold your attention or
arouse any desire to investigate. Then take the same
list of facts contained and write them up ten times in
ten different ways, trying to get the desired results.
Pick out one fact with which you start, and build all
the rest around it. Try to pick a fact that has some
human interest in it.
Go to school to the editor or reporter. You can
tell him much about what to do to be saved, but he
ean tell you much about how to write things so
that people will read them and be interested. He
will be glad to do it. Tell him frankly you recognize
your failing and want to learn. Meantime, you may
elicit the interest of the editor in yourself and your
enterprise until he will take the trouble to write many
a good story about your work. Incidentally, you
may convert the editor, which is a final achievement
in not only good advertising, but soul-saving.
Evangelism 343
VI. OTHER FORMS OF ADVERTISING
i. The Street Parade.
From time immemorial the well-prepared parade
or pageant has been one of the forms of advertising.
This has been used on a national scale, as in the
great mission pageants of recent years, and when
rightly used and abundantly prepared for can be used °
by a local church to wonderful advantage.
2. Church Building in a Day.
Where a tabernacle is being used, it should always
be builded in one day, with as nearly the whole com-
munity helping as it is possible to secure. This will
do more to arouse a general interest, get unlimited
newspaper space and win the sympathy of a whole
community than any other one thing.
3. Street Services.
As a people we have used the street services but
very little. However, the ‘‘faker’’ and the agitator
and some religious bodies use this method to great and
constant advantage. There is no reason why ways
could not be employed by which a local church could
take advantage of this method of getting the gospel
and the enterprises of the church before the people.
4, Special Days.
The services of certain Sundays can be builded
around things of special interest. ‘‘Home-coming,’’
‘‘harvest home,’’ ‘‘visitors’ day,’’ ‘‘old folks’ day,’’
‘‘yvoung folks’ day,’’ and so on without limit. Such
days, well prepared for and well announced, reach
the attention and interest of many in the community
that could not otherwise be reached.
344 Evangelism
TEST QUESTIONS
1. Give a threefold definition of advertising.
2. From this definition tell why advertising is not
only permissible, but important.
3. Give some Scriptural examples of advertising.
4. Give three good reasons for advertising gospel
work.
5. Discuss each in detail.
6. Name at least nine methods of advertising.
7. Describe how each is used.
8. Give fundamental principles of advertising.
9. How determine whether a proposed piece of
advertising will be worth its cost?
10. What determines what may attract attention?
11. Name six methods of attracting attention.
12. How overcome the difficulty of single-color and
small-size bills?
13. What of the uses of cuts?
14. If advertising merely attracts attention, has it
succeeded or failed?
15. Mention five means of holding attention and
securing a reading.
16. Name five elements that may be used to arouse
a desire to investigate or follow up.
17. Discuss each of these elements.
18. What is the fourth fundamental of advertising?
19. Discuss the relative value of paid news ads
and news stories.
20. Why is news-story space hard to secure?
21. Give two ways to overcome this difficulty.
22. Give four other means of advertising.
XXVI.
GONSERVINGSTmEsRESULTS
345
OUTLINE STUDY XXVI.
I. NECESSITY OF CONSERVING THE CONVERT.
1. Its Significance.
2. Its Importance. .
II. THE EVANGELIST’S CONSERVATION.
1. In His Preaching.
2. In the Thoroughness of His Work.
Ill. THE MINISTER’S CONSERVATION.
1. In Genuine Concern for All.
2. In a Definite Plan of Work.
IV. THE MEANS OF CONSERVING THE RESULTS.
. Early Reception into Church Fellowship.
. Enlisting Interest of the Church Membership.
. Special Services.
. The Social Phase of the Work.
. The Use of Literature.
. Bnlisting Converts at Once.
(1) In Bible Study.
(2) In Some Definite Form of Christian Service.
Oo onrm 08D
346
XXVI.
CONSERVING THE RESULTS.
I. NECESSITY OF CONSERVING THE CONVERT
1. Its Significance.
Conservation is a great word. It merely means
the preservation from loss or waste or injury. We
hear much about conservation in these times. In
fact, it is imperative on account of the multiplied
demands made by the awful tragedy of the recent
World War. But in spiritual things such tremendous
issues are involved that we should be even more
eareful in making it effective. And nowhere so much
as at the close of an evangelistic campaign is the
need of conservation so imperative.
2. Its Importance.
The permanency of the evangelistic work depends
much, very much, upon the fidelity of the minister
and faithful workers just at this point.
It is a regrettable fact that many of those who
have accepted Christ will slip back again into the old
life, if some one does not care for them and carefully
direct their feet in the paths of usefulness and
knowledge.
Conservation of results should begin with the
preparation for the revival to be held. And the fact
that the minister holds his own meeting does not
347
348 Evangelism
alter the necessity of appointing the conservation
committee along with the other usual, necessary com-
mittees. Much preparation should be made for the
‘‘babes in Christ’’ in the new Christian home. They
should be fed upon the sincere milk of the Word, if
they are to ‘‘grow in grace and in the knowledge
of the truth.’’ :
Let us always remember, concerning the new
members received into the church, that our duty to-
ward them has only just begun, and that their
Christian characters will become largely what our
churches make them.
We need to realize that all of those who have
come into our churches are just beginners. They
have started, but we are to see that they do not turn
back. They are souls we are to help and guide
and teach and lead.
New members coming into the church assume
grave responsibilities, but their responsibilities are
no greater than those laid upon the chureh. Much
is going to depend, in all our churches, upon how we
do our duty toward the new members received.
II. THE EVANGELIST’S CONSERVATION
There are two ways in which the evangelist can
render a valuable service toward the conservation
of the convert: First, in the character of his preach-
ing, and, second, in the thoroughness of his work.
1. In His Preaching.
The business of the church and the business of
the ministry is to convert men from evil unto God—
to turn men from sin into the path of eternal life.
Evangelism 349
Evangelists everywhere know that this is true. The
evangelist’s first and great task is to win men to Jesus
Christ, the world’s Saviour. The erying need of the
day in the evangelistic world is for preaching that
gives evidence of more study and hard work on
the part of the evangelist and hews a little closer to
the injunction, ‘‘Preach the Word.”’
If our evangelists in their preaching would root
our minds and hearts deep down in the fundamental
truths of God’s word, we would find again the true
conviction and sound conversion of New Testament
days. When a person comes to Christ under these
circumstances, he will not so easily be enticed again
into the sinful elements of the world.
2. In the Thoroughness of His Work.
To the earnest New Testament evangelist there is
something else of importance besides getting names
on the membership roll. For this reason, many of
our evangelists have the converts, after making the
good confession, repair to an adjoining room, where
the minister and workers get in personal touch with
these new Christians. The evangelist should see to
it that each department of the church work is pre-
sented to the converts. In truth, thorough and con-
scientious work must be done by both evangelist and
minister, during the evangelistic campaign.
III. THE MINISTER’S CONSERVATION
‘‘After the meeting’’ is a time of special responsi-
bility and special opportunity for the minister. The
evangelist may have been ever so thorough, but if
the minister is not just as thorough in the follow-
350 Evangelism
up work, much of the good accomplished will be lost.
Conservation is, therefore, the chief work of a min-
ister and his people.
1. In Genuine Concern for Ali.
It should be the minister’s constant endeavor to
secure from each member of his flock, even the
feeblest, some co-operation in the work to which the
church is called.
In genuine concern for all, he ought to keep be-
fore their minds the extent and urgency of this work.
The relation of the church to the community in
which it stands, and its duty to do for the people round
about the work that Christ would be doing if He
were there, is the truth which he must constantly
urge upon the consciences of his people. The possi-
bility and the duty of some active participation in
this work by every one of the new converts, as well
as the older children of God, must be faithfully en-
forced. The minister must have genuine concern for
all in the church in order to reach and hold and
build them up in the fear of God and in the doctrine of
the gospel.
2. In a Definite Plan of Work.
No minister can expect to have good results with-
out a definite plan of work in conserving the re-
sults. We are sometimes inclined to say that it
would be better for all our churches if they could
be sifted, as Gideon’s army was sifted; if the faint-
hearted and the worldly minded could all be sent to
the rear, and. only the brave and faithful were left
in the ranks. But this is the counsel of unwisdom.
These timid and indifferent people in the church are
Evangelism 351
worth saving, and the only way to save them is to
set them to work. Even if the work which they
undertake is but slight, it will be good for them
to feel that they are identified with the life of the
church. In order to secure this co-operation of all,
including the new converts, the first thing to be done
is to have some definite plan of work and then con-
scientiously work the plan.
III. MEANS OF CONSERVING THE RESULTS
1. Early Reception into Church Fellowship.
Gather the converts into the church fellowship
at once. They should be made to see that their alle-
giance to Jesus Christ involves a responsibility to
the institution that Christ established to propagate
His gospel throughout the world.
The church as a whole should have a grand recep-
tion, at which time future plans for church work
ean be outlined and old and new members become
acquainted with each other. This will increase their
interest in each other, and assist them in ‘‘mutual
burden-bearing.”’
2. Enlisting Interest of the Church Membership.
There is a lot of unutilized interest in the church.
And the wise and vigilant minister will not fail to
find some task for every member of the church to
do. ‘‘Rounding up’’ of the converts, is a work in
which every member can have a part, if the assign-
ments of such work be carefully made.
3. Special Service.
Special services should be held devoted to such
themes as are fundamental to a true and earnest Chris-
23
252 Evangelism
tian life. Certainly this is a duty every minister
owes to those uniting with the church.
4. Social Phase of the Work.
It is important that frequent meetings for the
promotion of acquaintance and fellowship be held—
meetings to which the entire membership should be
invited. One of the deepest needs of our churches
is a more perfect fellowship. It is needed to
develop and express Christian sentiments of good
will. It will aid greatly in cultivating and manifest-
ing a genuine Christian brotherhood of ‘‘laborers
together with God.”’
5. The Use of Literature.
The minister should see that every convert gets
some good literature especially adapted to the need
of those having just entered the Christian life.
Tracts may be used advantageously in strength-
ening and making secure the young Christian in his
new life. Use tracts and good books freely in the
work of conservation.
6. Enlisting Converts at Once.
Just as important as any of the things we have
mentioned is that the convert should be enlisted
actively at once in two definite forms of work.
(1) In Bible study. The Bible is the guide-book
to govern every Christian. It is the business man’s
best adviser, the housewife’s best guide, the Chris-
tian’s best directory, and the young man’s best
companion. The Bible is the regulator of all worthy
standards, the answer to the deepest human heart
hungerings. It should fill the mind of every Chris-
tian, rule his heart and guide his feet. He should
Evangelism 353
read it slowly, carefully and prayerfully; not simply
because he has been commanded to ‘‘study to show’’
himself ‘‘approved unto God,’’ but because it is a
mine of wealth, and the only guide-book in Chris-
tian living. It involves the highest responsibility,
and will reward the greatest labor.
The proper use of the Bible is absolutely nec-
essary to the development of the Christian life. The.
necessity of the daily study of the Seriptures as a
means of spiritual nourishment and culture is the
more apparent when we consider the fact that a
ereat part of our Christian life is made up of activi-
ties. The nourishment of the Scriptures is as neces-
sary to the spiritual hfe as that of food to the body.
Such a Bible class, therefore, should be organized
as will afford the new convert opportunity for the
study of the Word, which will best suit his need in
the early experience of his Christian life.
(2) In Christian service. Our belief in Christ
must culminate in Christian service or else the belief
itself will wither away. Jesus said: ‘‘Even so let your
light shine before men; that they may see your good
works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven’’
(Matt. 5:16). In giving His parting instruction to
His disciples, Jesus said: ‘‘Go ye therefore, and make
disciples of all the nations’’ (Matt. 28:19). These
passages ring with an optimistic call to service. We
first express our belief in Christ and then go to work
to render faithful, loving service.
It will be a great day when the thousands upon
thousands of professing Christians come to a burn-
ing consciousness that service is the keynote of the
304. Evangelism
Christian’s life. The pressing need in every genera-
tion is that the Christian should make a business of
‘“serving’’ even as did our Lord. It is the Christian’s
first work. We can not too often remind ourselves
that we can but serve Him by ‘‘serving’’ one
another.
Whether we feel like serving or not, as Chris-
tians we must serve until we do feel like it, for this
is the means which has been entrusted to us, by
which we can lift the world.
a. Personal work. The most effective service is
accomplished through personal work. Every man
who accepts Christ becomes, in a certain sense, a per-
sonal worker to enlist others in His service and to
give them the light of life.
b. Teaching. Jesus Himself taught the people, in
large and small groups, on the mountain (Matt. 5:
1, 2), in the synagogue (Matt. 4:23), by the seaside
(Mark 2:18) and in the temple (Matt. 26:55). He
set an example of painstaking instruction for His
followers.
e. Ministering to the sick. All of us should seek
the privilege of ministering directly to the comforts
and recovery of the sick. Wherever Jesus went, the
people thronged about Him for the healing touch.
He used His mighty power to heal and help
humanity. There are many that are sick in body
and mind. Here is a large field for this service of
love and mercy.
d. Caring for the needy. It is the commonplace
of Christ’s teachings that we should care for the
poor, afflicted and destitute.
Evangelism 300
We need to see with unmistakable clearness that
Christian service is not simply spiritual ministry to
men’s souls, but that ‘‘pure religion and undefiled
before our God and Father is this, to visit the father-
less and widows in their affliction, and to keep one-
self unspotted from the world’’ (Jas. 1:27).
e. Reclamation of character. It is every Christian’s
duty to work for the reclamation of character. We
need to fill our hearts with deep compassion for
those who have fallen ‘‘by the wayside,’’ and hasten
the reclamation of character for the sake of Jesus
Christ our Lord.
f. Specialized service. By specialized service we
mean work designed to serve a certain end or ends.
Some must be wholly occupied in direct specialized
service, but all must be wholly devoted to the great
tasks of the church. The work of a Christian is not
reserved for peculiar talents. The task is as wide as
life, with room for every human ability.
These are only a few of the suggestions that
might profitably be made concerning the conserva-
tion of results of an evangelistic campaign.
If the minister will give himself, with studious ear-
nestness to this work, he will not be disappointed in
the permanent results of his recent evangelistic
meeting.
TEST QUESTIONS
1. What is the significance of conservation?
2. Why conserve the convert?
3. What are the two ways in which the evangelist
can render valuable service?
356 Evangelism
4. What is the chief business of the evangelist?
5. How will thoroughness in his work aid con-
servation?
6. Why do you consider conservation the chief
work of the minister?
7. Can a minister have results without a definite
plan of work? ‘
8. Why early reception of the convert into the
chureh?
9. Why should the entire membership be enlisted
in the work?
10. Why hold special services?
11. What advantages in the use of good litera-
ture?
12. In what two special things should the con-
vert be enlisted?
13. Why study the Bible?
14. What lines of service are offered?
15. Where does God eall you?
XXVIL.
FINANCING THE MEETING
357
OUTLINE STUDY XXVII.
I, THE PROBLEM STATED.
1. The Evangelist.
2. The Church.
II. TWO GENERAL PLANS.
1. Freewill-offering Plan.
2. The Salary Plan.
III. THE SUCCESSFUL ‘‘KELLEM PLAN.’’
358
XxX VLG
FINANCING THE MEETING.
I, THE PROBLEM STATED
1. The Church.
One of the most difficult questions in arranging
for a series of evangelistic meetings by the average
church is, ‘‘How can we finance it?’’ Many a church
would have an evangelistic awakening if they could
see how the money could be provided. This is
most certainly looking at the problem from the
wrong angle. Jf our people would first face the
situation by asking the question, ‘‘How many souls
can we save?’’ and, instead of worrying about the
money, devote all of their time and energy to the
business of promoting the work and to the privilege
of winning men and women to the Christ and His
church, they would find at the close of the meeting
the finances all taken care of and a splendid harvest
of souls. Let us have more faith in God, in the evan-
gelist and in ourselves, and the money question will
not look so large.
2. The Evangelist.
A few years ago, one of our evangelists, in nego-
tiating with a church for a meeting, made this state-
ment: ‘‘If we have a good meeting, the money will
359
360 Evangelism
come easily; if not, we don’t deserve much.’’ The
first part of this statement is very significant, and
every evangelist should understand its deepest
meaning.
It is our strong conviction that an evangelist
should hold a meeting, regardless of the finances, in
as many fields as. possible, where his methods of
work are adapted to the condition of the locality. If
the meeting is needed, let the evangelist go into it
with prayer and a zeal for souls, and God and the
people will see to the money. Of course, every evan-
gelist can not receive the amount desired or his
usual fee, but the joy of having helped a struggling
congregation, or having planted the plea of the New
Testament in a new field, amply repays for the loss.
II. TWO GENERAL PLANS
1. Freewill-offering Plan.
The freewill-offering plan has been successfully
used by many of our conscientious evangelists and
ministers. However, it is our candid opinion that
the plan fails to meet the requirement of a real
wholesome campaign for soul-winning.
Where this plan is used, money must be men-
tioned frequently, and, of course, given a very promi-
nent consideration. If the evangelist has any mental
reservations about looking after his own interest in
this respect, he will not be sufficiently supported.
If he mentions it frequently, then there are some
who immediately question his motives as an evan-
gelist, and think that he is more concerned about
getting money than he is about winning souls.
Evangelism 361
The financial responsibility should always be
placed upon the church and not upon the shoulder
of the evangelist.
2. The Salary Plan.
This ‘‘stated amount’’ plan is not subject to the
eriticisms which we have made against the freewill-
offering plan.
The church knows, beforehand, approximately
what the meeting will cost, and can make provision
for this item. When this plan is followed, many
churches plan each year for their meeting, and in-
elude this item of expense in the total yearly church
budget. In this way the expense of the meeting is
shared by all and becomes a matter of common re-
sponsibility. We have no criticism to offer on the
stated-salary plan, because each party knows the
responsibility to be met before the meeting begins.
Therefore, at the close of the soul-winning campaign,
all are satisfied.
III. THE SUCCESSFUL “KELLEM PLAN”’
The ‘‘Kellem Plan’’ for financing a meeting has
been tried for many years, and is universally suc-
cessful.
By special permission we hereinafter present ex-
tracts from Mr. Jesse Kellem’s latest book, ‘‘New
Testament Evangelism,’’ Chapter VIII.
We recommend this plan to our churches every-
where as being the most successful and satisfactory
plan of financing the meeting.
‘‘T have seen a great many different plans tried,
and in a large number of meetings, but this is the
362 Evangelism
best of all of them, for it partakes of the nature of
the best in all of them. I do not claim any origi-
nality for it, because it is not mine. I have picked
up suggestions throughout the years, until gradually
the plan has formed itself. Briefly stated, it is a
combination of the pledge and freewill-offering plan.
On the second Lord’s Day of the meeting, for reasons
which we will notice later, pledges are taken in a
public manner from the members of the church and
from any friend of the church who desires to give.
These pledges are to be made on the weekly basis,
and they are to begin with the first Lord’s Day of
the campaign and close with the last one. In addi-
tion to these pledges, a freewill offering is to be
taken every night of the meeting. On the last Lord’s
Day an offering is to be taken from the new econ-
verts. This is to be in the nature of a thank-offering,
showing their appreciation of the work that has been
done for them during the campaign. From these
three sources—the pledges, the freewill offerings
and the thank-offering at the close of the meeting—
enough money will be secured to pay all of the bills
of the campaign, and generally it will be found that
it will provide a fine surplus when the meeting is
over.
‘‘Now, there are several reasons why the pledges
for the support of the meeting should be taken on
the second Lord’s Day:
“‘(1) All the members will be present on the
second Lord’s Day. It generally takes a week to get
started in a good meeting, and by the end of the first
week every one is becoming interested; they are
Evangelism 363
acquainted with the evangelist, and on that day they
will all be present.
‘*(2) They should be taken on this day, also,
because it is right to get the finances out of the
way in the first part of the meeting, so that the
matter of soul-winning may be stressed from that
time on to the close of the campaign. If the last
of the meeting is used for this purpose, it leaves the
wrong impression on the minds of the people, as we
have already noted. If this day is used for the pur-
pose, the matter of money will not interfere in any
way with the progress of the campaign.
“*(3) The pledges should be taken thus early,
in order to tie the members up with the work to be
done. As we have before said, there is no better way
for a man to become interested in the work of lead-
ing men to Christ than for him to put some of his
life into it, and money is coined life. Into a dollar
he has coined a part of his muscle and his brain, and
he has thus made that dollar sacred. When he in-
vests some of that life in the work of saving his
brethren from their sins, he will immediately become
vitally interested in the success of the work. ‘‘ Where
thy treasure is there will thy heart be’’ (Matt. 6:21).
‘‘(4) The pledges should be taken on the second
Lord’s Day, because, if they are taken thus early,
the last part of the meeting will be left free so that
the evangelist can tie up the new converts with the
work of the church in a financial way. That this is
one of the most potent ways to hold a man in the
kingdom is easily understood, and time must be left
for it.
i)
364 Evangelism
‘‘In preparation for the second Lord’s Day, a
special meeting of the officers of the church should
be called. This meeting should be called early in the
week, so that time may be given for the preparation
which is so essential to the best success. It is a
good plan to have this meeting on the way the very
first Lord’s Day, and not later than Tuesday night.
At this meeting the evangelist should explain care-
fully the plan to be followed, or, rather, the plan that
he has followed up to this time. He should not place
it before his brethren in a dogmatic manner, but
rather as the best plan he has known. He should
recognize that their community may be a little differ-
ent from others in which he has served, but that,
generally speaking, the plan he suggests is the best
one he has known. He must clearly state it, so that
there may be no possibility at all of any misunder-
standing. If he follows this method, he will find
that the board will enthusiastically adopt his plan,
and that he will have them solidly behind it. In a
word, it will become their plan. At this meeting, also,
a financial committee should be appointed, if one does
not already exist, and on this committee the strongest
men should be placed. Now, this committee should
not be too large; three, or at most five, men will be
found to be sufficient. At this meeting, also, it
should be decided who is to be the master of cere-
monies on the day the pledges are to be taken. It
is sometimes a good thing, also, to get some of the
pledges from the officers of the board that very night.
Careful preparation will go far in bringing the suc-
cess desired.
Evangelism 365
““The duties of the finance committee are very
important. They should come together as soon as
possible after the meeting of the board and decide
upon the weekly budget which must be raised. Of
course, every item of expense—salaries, traveling
expenses, entertainment, advertising, etc.—must be
included. As soon as the amount to be raised is
determined, then it is a good plan to decide on how °
much shall be asked for as the highest weekly pledge.
This will depend altogether on the amount to be
raised. It has been my own experience that one-
third of the weekly expense should be secured in the
first four pledges. This will, of course, be modified
by the amount to be raised and the number of mem-
bers in the church to raise it. The committee should
then quietly canvass the best givers of the congrega-
tion during the week, and secure from them the
largest pledges, so that, on the morning of the second
Lord’s Day, everything will go smoothly and without
any hitch.
“In answer to the question which always arises
here as to who should preside on the day of raising
the pledges, no definite answer can be given. Gen-
erally speaking, if the minister of the church is a
popular man with his congregation, if he has a
good bit of humor in his makeup, if he has enthu-
siasm, he will be the best man for the work. Many
times, however, the minister does not possess these
necessary characteristics, and it would be a grave
mistake to have him try to secure the pledges.
There are times when it is necessary for the evan-
gelist to do this work, although it is not the best
366 Evangelism
taste for him to do it. He should reserve his part in
raising money until the last of the meeting, when
he is to take time to raise debts, if there be any, and
to pledge the new people to the local work and mis-
sions. The man appointed to do this work must be
one who can keep his audience in a good humor all
the way through.
‘‘In preparing for the second Lord’s Day service,
some psychological helps should be taken into account.
If possible, on the evenings just preceding that day,
a great effort should be made to secure a number of
fine additions to the church. There is nothing that
will put people in the right mood for this day like
additions to the church, for this is an evidence that
the work is succeeding. It is also good to make a great
endeavor for a Bible-school invitation just preced-
ing the morning service. The teachers and officers
ean be working on this all through the week, and
everything will be in readiness for the great day.
The Bible-school service should be a little shorter
than usual, so as to give plenty of time for the invi-
tation. The Bible school must close promptly, so
all the time needed may be given for the work of
securing the pledges. If, in the invitation, a touch-
ing appeal can be made, and a number of boys and
girls and men and women can be induced to confess
their faith in Christ, the atmosphere will be just
right for the following important service. It should
be emphasized all through the week that the main
invitation on the Lord’s Day morning will be ex-
tended at the Bible-school hour. It will be of little
use to expect any additions after the regular morn-
Evangelism 367
ing service on the day when the pledges are taken.
The main emphasis has been placed on finance, and
it is seldom that any one responds at the morning
invitation. It should be kept in mind, however, that
the objective to be reached in that service is the
financing of the meeting, and everything should be
made to contribute to that end.
‘‘The service itself, at which the pledges are
taken, is one of peculiar interest. Everything possi-
ble that will tend in any way to interfere with the
work in hand must be sidetracked. The first song
should be the communion hymn. After the com-
munion and offering, another hymn ean be sung.
After this hymn, and preceding the morning ser-
mon, the one who has been chosen to secure the
pledges should then take charge and do the work.
This should always be done before the sermon, and
never after it. Remembering that this is the objec-
tive to be reached, it should have, after the com-
munion supper itself, the first place. If you have
time left for a sermon after this work has been
accomplished, well and good. The sermon, however,
on this occasion must take the secondary place. The
one who is to raise the money should then state
clearly the work that he wishes to do, that it is to be
done in order to get the financial side of the meeting
out of the way, in order that the time may be spent
in winning souls, and that at the close of the meeting
the evangelist may have the time for the purpose of
lining up the new converts with the work of the
ehurech. He should state carefully the budget to be
yaised and the terms of the pledges, that they are to
24
368 Evangelism
begin with the first Lord’s Day of the meeting and
to close with the last one, each Lord’s Day counting
one full week. This must be made so clear that no
one can misunderstand it. It is well, if he can do
so, to give a glowing and enthusiastic commenda-
tion of the success that has already been accom-
plished and a prophecy of the results which will
come in the future days of the meeting. In asking
for pledges, it will be of value if he will begin higher
than the amounts that he knows have already been
pledged. Then, when he comes to the largest pledges
that have been made, every one will be anxious to
do their part, and he will find the work easy.
‘*‘A moment may be very profitably given just
here to the consideration of the freewill offerings
to be taken during the meeting. In times past, there
were many who objected to taking a public offering,
and even now there are occasionally a few who
think that it is not just the thing to do. But why
not? In these modern days your audience is con-
tinually changing. Every night there are new
people, and these people are used to giving to the
church. Not only so, but it is good to teach men
that money has a place in the work of the kingdom
of God. Many good men have failed in the service
of the King because they were afraid of money.
These offerings, while they may not be always large,
depending, of course, upon the size of the audience
attending, will help in a fine way, and they should
be taken. Not only so, but they should be taken
every night, especially if the place where the meet-
ing is being held is of any size at all. As to the
°
Evangelism 369
effect on these offerings after the pledges are taken,
it might be here noted that it does not seem materially
to affect them at all. The members of the church
know that their part is to be paid in pledges, hence
the loose offerings of each evening are, as a rule,
from those who do not belong to the chureh or
those from sister churches.
‘A fine surplus in the treasury of the church,
after the meeting is closed, will have a great effect
upon the membership. It will make the next evan-
gelistic campaign easier, for the people will remem-
ber the ease with which they financed the former
one. It will make them happy, also, because it will
mean success, and nothing succeeds like success. It
is, therefore, a fine thing to strive in every cam-
paign you hold to leave money in the treasury of the
church. It will make the work of the minister less
difficult, and will leave the people kindly disposed
toward you and the great work you are doing for
the King.’’
TEST QUESTIONS
1. State the problem.
2. What are the two general plans?
3. What are the advantages of the freewill-offer-
ing plan?
4, Why is the salary plan subject to criticism?
5. What is the most successful plan?
6. Give in detail the ‘‘Kellem Plan.’’
XXVIIL
AN ADEQUATE EVANGELISTIC.
PROGRAM FOR THE LOCAL
CHURCH
OUTLINE STUDY XXVIII
I. RECRUITING.
1.
. Revival in Every Church.
. Bnlisting the Unaffiliated.
. Observe Decision Day.
to
ci oO
Increase of Membership.
Every Teacher an Evangelist.
II. TRAINING.
L,
oi
oe
Personal Evangelism.
School of Evangelism.
Evangelistic Library.
III. SERVING.
Ow WD A
. Group Evangelism.
. Special Groups.
Life Recruits.
. Field Survey.
. House-to-house Evangelism.
Every Preacher Evangelizing.
XXVITI.
AN ADEQUATE EVANGELISTIC PROGRAM FOR THE LOCAL
CHURCH.
HE chief end of the church is to carry on the
work which brought Christ into the world (Luke
19:10; Acts 1-8). All things should be made to serve
this purpose.
The activities and methods in the work of evan-
gelism have a wide range. What is highly successful
in one community may prove, however, a failure in
another. The means which produces large results at
one time, tried again in the same place at another
time, may show very small results. The prob-
lem of each church and community needs to be
studied, and that means may be properly adjusted and
adapted to the end sought to be accomplished. It is
remarkable how Jesus always adapted Himself to the
time and circumstances. It is the really earnest
spirit desiring to bring men to Christ which will pro-
duce the largest results. Mere machinery of effort is
doomed to failure, but when the spirit is in the wheels
and is adequate to the moving of them, the results
are sure to be large.
More and more the church is feeling the responsi-
bility for the welfare of the individual and of society
and of the State. Hence, the activity of the church
373
374 Evangelism
is seeking to evangelize men, not only at home, but
throughout the world.
It is a fact, however, that every church needs an
adequate evangelistic program in order that this
work may be prosecuted with the utmost vigor and
enthusiasm.
We suggest in this study a few aims and plans in
the field of church and Bible-school evangelism.
I. RECRUITING
1. Increase of Membership of Local Church.
With the church aroused and each individual mem-
ber seeking to do his best, many will be added to the
membership of the church, having been won to Christ.
To secure the best results the church should fix the
number of accessions desired. This can best be deter-
mined by a given percentage of increase of the mem-
bership.
2. Every Church Have a Revival.
A revival is a new beginning of obedience to God.
Christians will have their faith renewed. This will
lead them to labor zealously to bring others to
Christ. They will feel grieved that others do not love
God, when they love Him so much. And they will set
themselves feelingly to persuade their friends to sur-
render to Christ. For this reason every church should
hold at least one revival during the year.
3. Definite Campaign to Enlist Unaffiliated.
A list of all the unaffiliated may be given to the
members of the local church who will agree to call on
them and to urge them kindly to identify themselves
with the church as soon as possible. Many people are
Evangelism 375
not identified with the church to-day because they
have never been personally invited. This special cam-
paign of enlisting the unaffiliated should not be
neglected.
4. Observe Decision Day.
Many decisions are made on Decision Day in the
Bible school. However, if there were no results other
than the influence of the invitation service, it would
be well worth while.
5. Every Teacher an Evangelist.
It is the teacher’s business to lead his pupils to
Christ. Let every teacher see to it that from this
moment all the influences that go out from his class
should be influences for Christ.
II. TRAINING
1. Personal Evangelism.
(1) Why a study course. To the sincere Chris-
tian, his greatest joy and privilege is the opportunity
to make his Master known to others and to win them
to the same glad service he has undertaken. To do
this effectively, he must know his Bible and under-
stand how to use it. One of the best aids he can
secure to this end is a course of training in personal
evangelism; the studies will help to thoroughly equip
him to teach others the way of the Lord more per-
fectly. The plan and contents of a practical hand-
book in personal work should be such as to make it
invaluable to the Christian worker in actual touch
with individuals. There are many good courses, at
present, for use as text-books for Bible-school classes,
study groups, special classes and prayer-meetings.
376 Evangelism
(2) Suggested plans. Organized _Bible-school
classes, special mid-week classes, pastorless churches
on each Lord’s Day morning. Ministers and evan-
eelists may organize special classes for the purpose
of training workers for meetings. Also ladies’ aids
and missionary societies.
2. Schools of Evangelism.
Every church represented in a school of evan-
gelism.
Call forces together and arrange for State, district
or county school of evangelism. Be sure to take into
consideration the number of churches and size of
territory to be covered.
3. Evangelistic Library.
The minister of the church and the superintendent
of the Bible school will do well to secure a permanent
evangelistic library to be kept in constant circulation.
III. SERVING
1. Group Evangelism.
Choose now a place, or places, where you and your
members will go this year to plant a Bible school or
outpost preaching-point or church of Christ, or to
hold a meeting in and for a closed or struggling
congregation.
You may be able to bring to pass a county group
evangelism rally.
You may be able to be the means of arousing an
interest that will result in district group evangelism.
2. Special Groups.
There are many outstanding examples to-day of
this type of work. The attention of the church is
Evangelism 377
especially called to groups, such as Indians, foreigners.
3. Life Recruits.
Gospel bands and lay preachers are needed by the
hundreds to help in all phases of gospel work in the
outlying and smaller or unentered places. There is
a work for every life recruit.
4, Field Survey.
Every church make survey of its territory.
5. House-to-house Evangelism.
By personal effort, also by distribution of tracts,
literature, ete.
6. Every Preacher Evangelizing.
Every preacher holding meeting, backed by his
own congregation, in some other field.
What is needed in our church household to-day is
not so much an adequate program, but a mighty spirit
of evangelism, which will lead the people to seek in
every possible way to lead men and women to Christ.
Given such a church as this, many of our present-day
problems will be solved.
TEST QUESTIONS
1. Does every church need an adequate evan-
gelistic program ?
2. Give the threefold program.
3. How increase the membership of the church?
4. Name five ways of building up the membership.
5. State the importance of training the member-
6. What are the suggested plans?
7. In what ways can the church best serve?
8S. What is most needed in our churches to-day?
5
» |
j
‘
=e
4
»
'
sd
ty Rt
;
\
Ry ire, eat
\ if
}
"0
i 4
‘T
ig
5 ye
hi ye
ii y
. 1 be
Baa
J \
}
ar i
RN bel Na, vin
Por a
ey ape
i Aber
\
}
i?) ;
it
,
ay
.
i
‘
7
‘
AFTERWORD
THE GOSPEL'S POWER TO WIN
HIS volume began with ‘‘The Evangelism of
Jesus.’’ It now fittingly closes with ‘‘The Gospel’s
Power to Win.’’ The first chapter was an introduction
to all that was to follow; this chapter is merely an
afterword.
Will this gospel of which we have talked all the
while win? Will its cause triumph in that it shall
win the world to the Christ of the gospel? Shall the
black clouds that now threaten governments, threaten
moral standards, threaten all religion, threaten life
itself, be driven back and displaced by some power,
and that power the gospel of the lowly Christ?
There is power in mighty armies when mustered
in millions. There is a greater power, however, of
which the marshaled armies are but the manifesta-
tion. That power is the power of an implanted idea
or sentiment.
The idea crystallized by Nietzsche, of Germany,
the idea of ‘‘superman and the survival of the
fittest,’’ was the power that plunged a world into war,
sent forth the marching armies and baptized the na-
tions in blood and tears. The social and political ideas
of Karl Marx have penetrated the political, social and
religious consciousness of millions, until to-day Russia
: 379
380 Evangelism
has reverted to political, social and religious chaos,
and the church and social fabric in every nation have
been made to tremble and quake. There is scarcely a
home so remote or a fireside so protected that they
have not in some way been made to feel the far-reach-
ing effects. The sacred desk consecrated to the
preaching of the gospel of Christ has reflected and
sometimes re-echoed the sound.
Is there an idea or an ideal in all the world that
ean lift men and nations out of sin, deceit, selfish-
ness, death and destruction? If there is such an idea,
where is it to be found if not in the love of God as re-
vealed in a redeeming Saviour? Where is that idea
contained if not in the gospel? How shall men be won
to God if not by that gospel preached, for ‘‘the gos-
pel is the power unto salvation’? (Rom. 1:16)?
The marshaled hosts of men have overcome the
defenses of nations, the cohorts of science have suc-
cessfully attacked many of the strongholds of hard-
ship and disease, but two things have never been
successfully attacked by any human power or wis-
dom. These two are sin and death. Men able to con-
quer a world have themselves been conquered by sin
and death. One alone has come saying: ‘‘I am come
that ye might have life.’’ One alone has dared to
attack the stone gates of death. One alone attempts
to destroy the power of sin. Many have sought to
destroy; one alone has come saying: ‘‘I am come to
seek and to save.’’ Many have attempted by the
power of personality to drive men or to rule men;
one alone has come attempting by the power of His
personality to uplift men, all men. Can that message
Evangelism 381
of His love and power win among men of all kinds
and in all nations?
This gospel has been tested again and again, and
over and over. It remade Peter, the weak; Mary
Magdalene, the defiled, and Thomas, the doubter. It
found Thomas B. Gough a drunkard in a gutter, and
made him a firebrand for the forces of righteousness.
It found Africanus an outlaw even among savage
cannibals, and made him a man clothed, cleansed and
Christian, able to stand before Queen Victoria and
plead that the redeeming power of the gospel be
sent to his people, enslaved in sin and benighted in
savagery. It found islands of the South Seas in-
habited only by people in the deepest mire of canni-
bal beastliness and heathenism, and in one genera-
tion redeemed a race to Christian standards, life and
hope.
The gospel has met every kind of foe in every age,
and has arisen triumphant from every conflict. Re-
pression, oppression, hatred, fire and slaughter have
been turned upon it again and again, and yet it goes
on bearing its message of love and hope and right-
eousness in climes more numerous and to nations
more populous than ever before. It now speaks in
six hundred and ever-increasing numbers of tongues
and dialects. It sails every sea, it is penetrating every
forest and scaling every mountain.
Reeurring Saturnalia of sin, in every age, have
swept away thousands like devouring prairie fires, and
have caused some to doubt the gospel’s power, but
in the darkness and slaughter its cup of mercy is ever
extended and its light of hope has never ceased to
382 Evangelism
shine. It still goes on to bless and brighten and cheer
and encourage and guide and assure in every step of
life, from the birth-chamber to the dark chamber of
death.
Leaving out the inherent evidences of the gospel’s
power which appear in the gospel itself, its very sur-
vival from its many-~foes would show it as indestruc-
tible and sure to accomplish that where-to the Lord
has sent it. The gospel’s severest tests have come not
from the household of its enemies, but from within
the household of its friends. In all its centuries it
has never had one perfect representative, and yet
it has survived all that. In all its centuries it has
_ had millions of poor, weak, stumbling and failing
representatives, and yet it has survived all that.
Crimes have been committed in its name and by its
representatives and erring zealots, and yet it has sur-
vived all that. Unnumbered attempts at human im-
provements and interpretations have dimmed its
radiance, deluded its followers, and divided its forces,
but in the face of all that it has gone steadily for-
ward. What may it do when its friends, with puri-
fied hearts and chastened spirits, shall uplift a united
voice and go forth as heralds of the gospel itself?
This volume, which is a plea and a plan for a
vastly increased number of laborers in the Lord’s
ripe fields, is sent forth with the firm conviction
that there is nothing so powerful to restore and
strengthen faith in the gospel as the putting of the
gospel to the test, and watching it do the work
where-to God has sent it. TRAVERCE HARRISON.
ae e
acs ees
oe
= >
7 3
a
=
'
a J ”
ei
pis 4
t
;
=
ae 2
7
s]
-
——
: a,
| — he
+ |
te
ad
Pid
nee
ea
rR"
a
1 is ae
a See 5 aoe ai
{' na
— |
a
-_