Here are four aspects of evangelistic effort to which a preacher must give attention as he seeks to build up a right ethos in the church.
1. Every congregation needs to develop a pressing sense of responsibility and calling in this matter, feeling the burden of having received an urgent commission from the Lord. This must be seen as one of the great reasons for our existence.
As churches we stand or fall to a great extent on whether we please our Redeemer in our attitude to Gospel proclamation. Indeed, we should even have a fear of punishment or loss should we fail the Lord in witness, perhaps by the forfeiture of privileges. The Lord cares whether we obey him, or disobey. If I am a pastor I must ask myself – What am I doing to encourage a high level of responsibility in God’s people?
2. Beyond this sense of responsibility, every true church needs a positive thirst for instrumentality in evangelism. All the members should closely follow the progress of all departments of the work, praying much for individual lost people. Foundational to a thirst for instrumentality is deep feeling for the lost. Preachers particularly should constantly plead for compassion to be felt for the lost.
3. Churches certainly need an unclouded view of the free offer of the Gospel, or zeal will be vulnerable to confusing views. Is everyone clear that the sovereign God, who initiates the work of salvation in regeneration, still desires that sinners are consciously convinced by the reasoning of the Gospel? The Spirit alone will make them willing to hear and respond, but persuasive preaching is the external agency.
Conversion is not an unconscious experience. Does everyone in our mainline reformed congregations know why so-called hypercalvinism is inadequate and mistaken? Is the gracious and convicting tender of salvation to individuals loved, understood and defended? Vagueness in these things soon undermines the pleading tones of the Gospel.
4. In addition, an evangelistic church needs a truly hospitable, welcoming spirit, and a readiness to patiently parent babes in Christ.
All these virtues begin with the pastor and officers. A minister or ruling court should never nominate for any kind of office a man who possesses a heart of stone in regard to evangelism – or who has never been conspicuous for soul-winning zeal.
What is our policy for training the fellowship in zeal, supportiveness and undying, unflagging effort to bring people under the sound of the Gospel? The minister who neglects to build a right attitude among the people will soon find himself a lone warrior in evangelism, discouraged, unprayed for, and unsupported by a witnessing flock. But one who leads the way, by evangelistic preaching, by keeping alive the soul-winning flame in all departments of the church, and by manifesting a clear love for and thirst for souls, will surely build a like-minded fellowship.