A Vital Factor
A Vital Factor "A VITAL FACTOR"
F. B. SHEPHERD. The three great ideas of the gospel of Christ are Testimony—Faith—and Life. In the absence of testimony faith cannot come. (Romans 10:17.) without faith life will not be granted. (Hebrews 11:6). Evangelism then is a primary and fundamental need of the race if it is to inherit the kingdom prepared of the Father from the foundation
of the world (Romans 10:14.) Evangelism Is of Two Kinds
Public speakers with consecration and courage proclaiming the "Word of Reconciliation" and. Personal witnesses to kindred and friends, the most difficult yet the most forcible and fruitful of the two.
It is because I believe there is an ever present and abiding need for the latter class of workers as well as the former that I choose to present this address before the student body and friends of the Abilene Christian College on this occasion.
God is the Divine Economist—Jesus Christ the PreEminent Evangelist
After preparing the world 1000 years for the reception of Christianity, God with full cognizance of the limitations, imperfections, carelessness, and indifference of man placed this "exceeding great treasure" in "earthen vessels" thus releasing a force whose potentiality is only fully realized by Himself. Hence to obey is not impossible, service being required, however, in keeping with our ability, possibilities, and opportunities. The vision of the Son of God was "All nations" discipled; "Every creature" preached to and told of "Repentance and Remission of Sins." The establishment of "One Body" upon the Apostles and Prophets, with himself as the "Chief corner stone;" which should exist in perfect harmony of its members and symmetry of corporate being to convince the world that God sent Christ unto its salvation. The unconquerable spiritual army marching irresistibly forward to the crushing of die image and tilling of the world with its message and presence.
During his personal ministry Christ was continually seeing promise of fruitage in the most unlikely places. Wherever the pulse of human life was beating the vigilant enterprising alertness and universality of his sympathies constrained him to behold harvest where others saw only unfruitful soil (John 4:35.) The Immediate Need of the Churches Today is Not Numerous Accessions, Enlarged Co-operation, Increased Facilities, or Closer Organization: it is Better Members Burning With intense Desire (or Souls. The True Fire From Off the Altar of Apostolic Sacrifice, Devotion, and Lore.
Love, not eloquence, is the mightiest factor in winning souls. The successful soul winner is not the highly polished or deeply logical pulpiteer produced by some educational or ecclesiastical machine; but rather the devout, earnest student and humble, unselfish, proclaimer of the unsearchable riches of God's love and sacrifice. We too soon loose the ardor of discoverers, the intensity of real propagandists. Zeal must become expansive—greater as we live then at our conversion—and only by continuous steady and ever-increasing zeal can a proper measure of Christian influence be exercised, the Christian character be matured, and success in Christ enterprise, be attained. Only life can communicate life, and then there must of necessity be possessed a superabundance or overflow to have to transmit to others. Gladstone said: "The supreme issue confronting the church is how to bring the truths of the Bible into vital contact with all classes of people." Personal evangelism answers the question; presents the only solution of the problem. The reason why millions (billions in 2018) of the world's people are without Christ is not because God is not willing, Christ lacks sympathy, the Holy Spirit is inactive, or the Gospel deficient ; it is through the indifference, neglect, and dawdling of those whom the Word has been entrusted. Indolence, contentment, and sloth is the insidious poison whose working, though often imperceptible, is none the less deadly and sure. Remember the Church is to go to the sinner, the sinner is nowhere commanded to go to church. "Make disciples" is the universal obligation ( Matthew 28:19.) "Go" the power is "Mine" (Romans 1:16.) But "Some" says the critic "are so afraid of overworking they are dying of self-control." The Supreme Triumph of the Scheme of Redemption is its Catholicity; The Universality of its Appeal to all Classes of Men, livery Shade of Color, Degree of Caste, or Measure of Information: Which Not Only Furnishes the Opportunity, But Places the Responsibility for Evangelism Heavy Upon Every Individual Who Embraces It. The world can never be saved by the "Preacher" alone Personal private effort is as necessary as "pulpiteering" and not merely supplementary to, but vitally, imperatively, essential within itself. We are not Christians for ourselves alone, but unto obedience of faith. Not saved that we may conserve or protect a formal creed or system of religion or theology; but saved to serve and save. The
divine order being Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, unto the uttermost parts of the earth. The mission of the Christ must become the burden of his people; to conceal or hide our christian knowledge or experience is to betray our trust. The "Light of" the World" "Salt of the Earth" we are to go on illuminating and preserving as being the prime object for which we exist. Christ! Christ!! Christ!!! with conviction, earnestness, persuasion, and power, is the only answer to Paganism, Infidelity, degradation and sin.
Personal Evangelism so Conduces to Conservation of Power by Enlisting Every Member in .Active Service as to Become a Very Vital Factor for Sustaining Contentment Within the Local Body and Assuring Satisfaction With the Simplicity of the New Testament Plan for Spreading
the Gospel. The great power, efficacy and efficiency of the "Assembly" results from vitalizing every factor weak or strong to the utmost of its capability. What you do not use you lose. The greatest loss to the congregation results from Failure to assign the new life something to do. God is the divine economist utilizing everything available before creating additional matter. Much of our discontent resulting in
Missionary Organizations self-appointed individuals or corporate bodies comes from failure here.
In the language of Billy Sunday, let all:- "Make a definite effort, to persuade a definite person, to accept a definite Christ, at a definite time, and that time is now." Preach Him in accents of conviction anywhere, everywhere, under all circumstances. There is no time when the Gospel is out of place. In this age when people all over the world are clamoring for emancipation and release from the bondage and oppression, there is that which alone contains the germ of freedom and true soul purification; it is the "Gospel" of scrutinizing truth (Hebrews 4:12). Let us therefore stop worrying about precedent, propriety, and what men will think about us, and unhampered by "Traditions", "History." "Articles of Faith". "Human Creeds" or "Precedents"; merciless despots of a fettered society, arise in the freedom and independence of New Testament christians and with an every day, everywhere, emphasis on the Great Commission practiced as the Apostles and early congregations did: light such a fire in this generation as shall shine unto the uttermost corner of the earth and burn unquenched and unquenchable through succeeding ages to the glory of God.