01.04. The Evangelist

4 THE EVANGELIST

One of the best times to interest people in church membership is during a revival. New people are coming to the services, folk are getting saved, and the tactful evangelist can do a great work in helping the pastor line them up for the church. A revival campaign should not only be a time for winning souls, but a time for conserving the results by gathering them into the church.

During the last week of the campaign, if the evangelist will take a few minutes in each service to speak of the advantages, the need, and the duty of every Christian having a church home, it is sure to bring results.

Why Don’t They?

It has bothered me that so few people unite with the church as a result of the revival campaigns on my district. On inquiry, pastors tell me that many of the evangelists will preach ten or twelve days and never mention church membership.

If only sopercentwould promote joining the church in their meetings, it would mean hundreds of additions for our work.

I am sure this can be done in evangelistic meetings without becoming obnoxious to our visiting guests or without driving loyal people of other denominations from us. We do not need to knock other denominations or speak unkindly about them in order to brag on and boost our own. Not a Hindrance Emphasizing church membership in our revivals should in no way hinder our zeal for souls.

If we speak about it in the preliminary service, it will not keep people away from the altar. A few words from the evangelist such as, "Your coming to the altar in no way obligates you to join the Church of the Nazarene," given when he is speaking about the church or at the beginning of his invitation, will clear this matter in the minds of the people. The influence an evangelist wields over people during a series of good revival services is tremendous, and if he will use it wisely over those who do not have a church home, he can tie them to the church and pastor.

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