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Evangelistic Preaching

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Mar 26, 1914

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 91, No. 13.

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Evangelistic Preaching

THE preaching of the early Christians was evangelistic in its character. Says the Christian Observer of Feb. 11, 1914, of this kind of preaching:—
It did not aim so much at the imparting of information or the pleasing of the audience, but its aim was to reach the heart. If the church today is to accomplish its God-given mission in the world, it must make its chief aim the turning of the hearts of men back to God. The sermon that is preached to the intellect alone will accomplish little. But the sermon that is preached to the whole man, that not only convinces his intellect but causes him to know that his heart is not right with God and that God longs to have him surrender his heart to him, will be greatly blessed of the Spirit. The story is told of a young preacher who once came to Mr. Spurgeon lamenting the fact that there were so few conversions under his ministry. Mr. Spurgeon, with keen and discriminating understanding, turned to him and said sharply: "Young man, you don't expect a conversion after every sermon, do you?" The answer was given rather hesitatingly: "Well, no, not after every sermon." Mr. Spurgeon then turned to him with stern severity and said, "That's the very reason you don't have them."