Evangelism and Revival

Your job is to save souls

You have nothing to do but save souls. Therefore spend and be spent in this work. It is not your business to preach so many times; but to save as many souls as you can. to bring as many sinners as you possibly can to repentance, and with all your power to build them up in that holiness, without which they cannot see the Lord

John Wesley, The Twelve Rules

The best preacher

The practical application of this rule is demonstrated in the life of Wm. Bramwell one of their most remarkable men. "He was not, as the words are commonly understood, a great preacher. But if that man is the best physician who performs the most cures, that is the best preacher who is the instrument of bringing the greatest number of souls to God; and in this view Mr. Bramwell will be entitled to rank amongst the greatest and best Christian ministers."

Memoir of Wm. Bramwell.

Daily conversions

John Oxtoby was so used of God that he was able to say: "I am witnessing daily the conversion of sinners, I seldom go out but God gives me some Fruit."

Aim at souls

It was said of John Smith, one of their most wonderfully anointed men and the spiritual father of thousands, that "he ceased to estimate all preaching, and indeed all ministerial labor except as it produced saving effects. 'I am determined by the grace of God to aim at souls,' he exclaimed. 'A minister of the Gospel is sent to turn men from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God!' Of that species of preaching which only produced intellectual pleasure, he had a holy abhorrence. Nothing can be more characteristic of the man than his remark to a friend, on sermons in which power of intellect or imagination is almost exclusively predominant: 'They achieve nothing, Sir.' "

Life of John Smith.

No fruit?

"I cannot tell how they get their time over who can drag on and see no Fruit. Were that so in my case I should be ready to conclude that I was out of my place."

Thos. Taylor.

Preach in hope

"If your hearts be not set on the end of your labors, and you do not long to see the conversion and edification of your hearers, and do not study and preach in hope, you are not likely to see much fruit of it. It is an ill sign of a false, self-seeking heart, that can be content to be still doing, and see no fruit of their labor."

Richard Baxter.

All above found in by Oswald J. Smith, The Revival We Need, p12-13

Over our dead bodies

“If sinners be dammed, at least let them leap to Hell over our bodies. If they will perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees.

Let no one GO there UNWARNED and UNPRAYED for.”

C. H. Spurgeon

This generations responsibility

“This generation of Christians is responsible for this generation of souls on the earth!”

Keith Green quoted http://www.sermonindex.net/mail_si/oldpaths/oldpaths_sept2.pdf

Use your days for the glory of God

“Your days at the most cannot be very long, so use them to the best of your ability for the glory of God and the benefit of your generation.”

General William Booth, Quoted http://www.sermonindex.net/mail_si/oldpaths/oldpaths_sept2.pdf

The night cometh

I have read that the Rev. Robert Murray McCheyne had the picture of the setting sun painted on the dial of his watch, and underneath written, 'The night cometh.' Every time he looked at his watch he was reminded of his responsibility as a minister of the gospel, and the charge entrusted to him.

Duncan Campbell, The Lewis Awakening, p. 14-15

The simultaneous conversion of thousands

The quiet conversion of one sinner after another, under the ordinary ministry of the gospel must always be regarded with feelings of satisfaction and gratitude…; but a periodical manifestation of the simultaneous conversion of thousands is also to be desired, because of its adaptation to afford a visible and impressive demonstration that God has made the same Jesus who was rejected and crucified, both Lord and Christ.

William Reid, quoted A. Wallis, In the Day of Thy Power.'

Evangelism: a product and a stimulus

Evangelism is both a product of revival and a stimulus to revival.

Earle E. Cairnes, An Endless line of Splendour p. 15