The Art of Conversation: On Being Natural in our Evangelism

By / Jun 24

On January 4, 1859, Spurgeon gave his first public lecture at Exeter Hall for the Young Men’s Christian Association. He began, “I do not feel in my place here to-night. This is the very first occasion in my life upon which I have ever presented myself before the public as a lecturer – at least before any audience worthy of being called a multitude.” As a famous preacher, Spurgeon regularly turned down invitations to give lectures on random topics of public interest, even when the organizers offered to pay him handsomely. On this occasion, he agreed to lecture, but he warned his hearers that he would still preach, “Do whatever I may, I shall have to preach a sermon to-night. I cannot lecture anyhow; I told your Secretary so; and I tell you so also, so that when you shall retire you will say, ‘Well, I am disappointed, but it is just as he said it would be.’”

The title of his lecture was De Propaganda Fide, on the propagation of the Christian faith. After describing the wrong ways Christians attempt to spread their faith and what it truly is, Spurgeon concluded with a charge for those attending to engage in conversational evangelism. He called it “the art of conversation.” What advice did he have for them?  

Don’t dominate the conversation

Have you noticed in these times, that if you have a dozen people together they either talk about nothing, or else about something they had better have left alone; and if they happen to spend a pleasant evening at all, it is owing to some one body who has all the talk to himself. Very useful and pleasant to him, I dare say; as Mr. Smith said to his friends, after he had eaten all the dinner on the Christmas day, “I hope, dear friends, you have enjoyed yourselves.” The good Mr. Smith talks all evening himself, and no one can thrust a word in edgeways, and then he imagines that it has been a very delightful party.

In groups where people are not naturally talkative, be careful not to dominate the conversation. The art of conversation involves drawing people out, asking good questions, and fostering good conversation. The goal is not simply to be a charismatic speaker but a helpful facilitator, prompting meaningful conversation that draws everyone in.

Learn to converse with people individually

Some of us cannot speak – or think we cannot – would not like to – unless we had fifty or a hundred for an audience – we should like a thousand perhaps all the better.

Spurgeon envisions a young man delivering a fine lecture on some random topic (“Was Judas Iscariot first or third cousin to Julius Caesar?”) to the great applause of all listening. But then,

He goes home. There are five or six young men up in the common room sitting together; he has nothing to say there… Now what we want to breed in our churches is a set of men that know how to shoot at an individual, and who know how to scatter Gospel shot among a small knot of persons.

How many young preachers have well-studied theological arguments, polished off their sermon manuscripts, and furiously defended the faith online, but when interacting with people in person, they are utterly unprepared? Public teaching is a useful skill, but a pastor must also be able to bring edifying conversation naturally with their people. Otherwise, all that preaching will appear to be for show.

Be intentional with edifying conversation

The art of conversation: Will you try and study it? It will take you a long time to get at it. You will have to say to yourself, “Now, I am likely to see five or six to-night; what shall I make them talk about?” The conversation may run upon something you do not like – light, frivolous, perhaps licentious; now your business is to turn it, just as the pointsman turns the train on the railway. You are not to place yourself in front of the train, and say, “Now, heave back there; you shall not come this way.” You are to act more dexterously than that. You are just to turn the points the right way, and keep the train going in the right direction…

If you are going to grow in the art of conversation, this will take preparation and planning. The opportunities for meaningful conversation are numerous: you might be going out to a movie with friends, grabbing dinner, going on a long car ride, working on a home project, or countless other situations. Learn to see these times as opportunities for meaningful conversation.

Of course, meaningful conversation will not happen naturally. You will need to work on the skill of turning the conversation. Don’t just impose your will and abruptly change the topic. Rather, in the flow of the conversation, look for opportunities to turn the discussion naturally toward deeper topics that matter — struggles, hopes, purpose, identity, love, faith, etc… This doesn’t mean you have to get to a gospel presentation at every event. Each conversation can be a building block, leading to the gospel. But this will not happen without intentionality and patience.

Be willing to speak about Christ

At some point, however, the goal is to speak about Christ.

… and then, taking your companions, as it were, by guile, you are to bring in Christ Jesus; without their hardly knowing what you are at, you are to begin talking of the things of Christ to them; and you cannot tell what miracles and wonders will be accomplished by the simple art of conversation.

It would be easy to assume that evangelism was easy in Spurgeon’s Victorian England, where church-going was much more common. But even then, the unbeliever might have his guard up if he perceived that you were trying to proselytize him, hence the need, not for deception, but for conversational skill.

This kind of skill continues to be crucial in our evangelism, especially in our post-modern society. For so many, unless they perceive that you care for them and understand their perspective, there will not be an opportunity to talk about Christ. But for those who are skilled in the art of conversation, there can be many opportunities to share about the difference Christ has made in our lives and to invite others to consider His claims.

Pray!

You must add, however, to this, most fervent prayer; and again I must reiterate the same truth – with this prayer must go an inward travailing of soul, on account of that person for whom you are interested. If you shall select any one person, and he shall be made the subject of your intense anxiety and earnest prayer, you shall not miss your reward in that instance. I invite you to try it. If you are believers in Christ, try it. You may seem to fail, but fail you cannot; good must be done, and the answer from Heaven must be sent. Only try it.

At the end of the day, salvation belongs to the Lord, not to us. Skilled as we may be in the art of conversation, all is in vain unless the Lord works. And so we must pray. And we must persevere in prayer and faith. There will be instances where we will fail, but as we pray, God can use even our failing efforts. Pray, ultimately trusting not in your efforts but in God’s power and grace.

Conclusion

How will the Christian faith be passed on from generation to generation? In large part through the efforts of individual Christians to speak of Christ to those around them. But this does not happen only through scheduled programs, rehearsed presentations, and evangelistic events (though God can certainly use those!). Instead, so often, it happens as Christians prayerfully and intentionally engage in natural conversations with their neighbors. May we have open eyes and bold hearts for the opportunities around us!



Rationalism and Dissenting Ecclesiology

By / Jun 3

The excerpt below is taken from my forthcoming book, The Army of God: Spurgeon’s Vision for the Church with Christian Focus. Nineteenth-century rationalism elevated human reason above the authority of Scripture. What was the effect of this movement on the ecclesiology of dissenting churches? Here, I draw out three results: the removal of a credal basis for churches and church associations, the removal of Scriptural arguments for church polity, and the rise of ecclesiological pragmatism.

Learn more about The Army of God and Spurgeon’s defense of Reformed and Baptist ecclesiology here.

One way rationalism eroded the ecclesiology of dissenting churches was by challenging any credal basis for churches and church associations. The use of creeds among dissenters, especially Congregationalists, had always been controversial.[1] As those who had left the Church of England, where the Thirty-Nine Articles and the Book of Common Prayer were imposed on all its ministers, dissenters understood that such an imposition was meaningless without the minister’s voluntary subscription. John Owen, in the preface to the Savoy Declaration, states that when it comes to the imposition of creeds, “whatever is of force or constraint in matters of this nature, causeth them to degenerate from the name and nature of Confessions, and turns them from being Confessions of Faith, into Exactions and Impositions of Faith.”[2]

Owen’s caution was not an objection to the use of creeds; he still defended their necessity for “[expressing] the substance of the same common salvation or unity of faith.” But in the 19th century, this caution against the misuse of creeds changed into an objection against the use of creeds at all. As people and churches wrestled with the questions and doubts of rationalism, many began to move away from doctrines as articulated in the historic creeds. Increasingly, the cry of the day was for toleration rather than dogma. Convictions could still be held on an individual basis, but tolerance of individual convictions trumped any common creed, even the historic creeds of Christianity. Robinson’s vision for a church that transcended denominational divisions included members holding to a variety of creeds: “some of its Christian people may receive the Athanasian, and some the Nicene creed; others do not fully approve of either, or may flatter themselves with the notion that they believe both.”[3]

In all this, the revolt was not merely against the use of creeds, but “against the whole idea that a Church as such should have common beliefs.”[4] The strategy of the New Theology was not to make their teaching the new orthodoxy, but rather to escape from theology altogether by removing credal statements as a source of accountability in churches and associations. Without a theological basis for churches, ethics now became the source of unity. In his vision of the Church of the Future, P. T. Forsyth envisioned the church united around Christian character that comprehended all God’s family. The basis for communion was “the saving faith which bound men to God… unsupplemented by ‘essential truths.’”[5] These ideas would spark conflict between conservatives and liberals in the Leicester Conference Controversy in 1877 for the Congregationalists and the Downgrade Controversy in 1887-1888 for the Baptists.[6]

The other effect of rationalism on dissenting ecclesiology was the removal of any Scriptural basis for church polity. Historically, Independents and Presbyterians believed that their particular forms of church government, church officers, membership, discipline, and many other aspects of church polity, were all based on New Testament teaching and example. But by the 1870s, historical criticism caused many to question whether early church practices ought to be binding for all time. Dissenters were glad to employ historical criticism against the Oxford Movement’s argument for de jure Episcopacy, showing how the New Testament church could not have held such a position. But “with surprising suddenness Nonconformists, especially Congregationalists, decided that they must abandon their claim to be the sole inheritors of apostolic practice.”[7] In his lecture to the Congregational Union in 1897, John Brown declared, “We maintain that our Lord has nowhere authoritatively prescribed one definite organization for the Church He instituted.”[8] C. A. Scott, a Presbyterian professor of New Testament, took it one step further by arguing that “in the organization and government of the Church… God has left men to the guidance of their reason, sanctified and illumined by the Holy Spirit.” Therefore,

The various forms of Church government which have actually been evolved correspond in fact with the forms of political organization familiar to us—pure democracy, representative democracy, oligarchy, and autocracy. And to none of them can we admit impediment; for none of them can we claim a legitimacy which makes illegitimate the rest. Each type, Congregationalist, Presbyterian, Anglican, or Papal, has arisen through special emphasis being laid on some one feature in the organization of the primitive Church.[9]

For Scott, all forms of church polity found some biblical justification, and none could be argued as unbiblical.

With the biblical supports of church polity removed, ecclesiology now became a matter of expediency rather than conviction. The great concern of the age was to establish the Kingdom of God by improving society and creating a new brotherhood among men. R. J. Campbell, Joseph Parker’s successor in London’s City Temple, puts it this way,

The true church of Christ in any and every age consists of those and those only who are trying like their Master to make the world better and gladder and worthier of God… The church exists to make the world a kingdom of God, and to fill it with His love. No greater mistake could be made than to estimate the church of Jesus by ecclesiastical squabbles and divisions.[10]

According to Campbell’s definition, any group of Christians working together for social good might well be considered a church. And, on the other hand, as Fairbarn put it, “churches that do not work for these ends are not churches of Christ’s religion.”[11] Under the New Theology, churches are defined not by any ontological understanding but primarily a functional one. Regardless of denominational background, the churches that worked towards this mission “by fittest means, and so to best issues, are the most Christian of churches.”[12] This pragmatic spirit was prevalent among all evangelicals but was especially evident among the Baptists.[13]

Against the backdrop of the church’s mission, all debates about church polity and ecclesiology were viewed as mere squabbles and distractions. Churches were to lay aside their differences and partner together for the betterment of society. Associations were to unite with one another to increase effectiveness. By the 20th century, discussion over matters of polity had largely ceased among dissenters, except when dealing with those in the established church. Some ecclesiastical forms from previous generations remained, but the theology behind them was forgotten. Church membership “was not consciously repudiated but in some quarters it ceased to be understood.”[14] Subsequently, membership rolls became inflated as the practice of church discipline faded.[15] Church meetings, once the hallmark of congregationalism, now took on a secular character, devoted to the “business” of the church and devoid any spiritual understanding.

[1] The Salters’ Hall Controversy in 1719 is an early example of dissenters wrestling with the use of creeds following the Act of Toleration of 1689. See Jesse F. Owens, “The Salters’ Hall Controversy: Heresy, Subscription, or Both?” Perichoresis 20.1 (2022), 35-52.

[2] John Owen, Preface, Savoy Declaration.

[3] Robinson, Biblical Studies, 258.

[4] Grant, Free Churchmanship in England, 117

[5] Hopkins, Nonconformity’s Romantic Generation, 107-109.

[6] For an account of these two controversies, see Mark Hopkins, Nonconformity’s Romantic Generation: Evangelical and Liberal Theologies in Victorian England (Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock Publishers, 2004).

[7] Grant, Free Churchmanship in England, 124-125

[8] John Brown, Apostolical Succession in the Light of History and Fact (London: Congregational Union of England and Wales, 1898), 31.

[9] C. Anderson Scott, Evangelical Doctrine – Bible Truth (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1901), 256-257.

[10] R. J. Campbell, The New Theology, (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1907), 245-246.

[11] A. M. Fairbarn, Catholicism: Roman and Anglican (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1899), 42.

[12] Ibid.

[13] Bebbington, The Dominance of Evangelicalism, 135-136.

[14] Grant, Free Churchmanship in England, 147.

[15] “In the Congregationalist literature of the period there is scarcely any mention of the subject.” Ibid., 148.



Introducing Spurgeon’s Private Devotional Poems

By / May 15

For over 130 years, an unassuming notebook of poems has resided among Spurgeon’s books. As his library made its way from his Westwood study in London to William Jewell College in Liberty, MO in 1906, and then to Midwestern Seminary in Kansas City, MO in 2006, this little notebook has gone with it. Among Spurgeon’s books are many great works of poetry. First editions and collected works of famous poets like Byron, Tennyson, and Herbert fill the shelves.

But among all those works, this little volume is unique. It has no title page. Rather, on the spine, are just two words:

Poems

Spurgeon

Inside are 186 handwritten poems. The handwriting does not belong to Spurgeon. Likely, these poems were collected and copied into the notebook by one of his secretaries (perhaps for future publication?). But the theological content and biographical details (along with the ascription on the spine) make it crystal clear that these were penned originally by the Prince of Preachers himself.

Those who knew Spurgeon well also knew of his love of poetry. Throughout his ministry, he published many of his own poems and hymns in The Sword and the Trowel and Our Own Hymn-Book. He frequently quoted hymns in his sermons. He sometimes wrote poems for his friends. But for the past century, the existence of these poems, and the poetic side of Spurgeon, has been largely forgotten… until now.

Encountering Spurgeon in Private Prayer

Today marks the release date of Christ Our All: Poems for the Christian Pilgrim, the first-ever publication of Spurgeon’s 186 unpublished poems, along with his other poems. In reading and transcribing these poems, it quickly became clear to me that they were his private, devotional reflections and prayers. Spurgeon often spoke to his students on the importance of the minister’s private prayer. He once said to them,

Of course the preacher is above all others distinguished as a man of prayer. He prays as an ordinary Christian, else he were a hypocrite. He prays more than ordinary Christians, else he were disqualified for the office which he has undertaken… Over all his other relationships the pre-eminence of the pastor’s responsibility casts a halo, and if true to his Master, he becomes distinguished for his prayerfulness in them all.[1]

But among all the Spurgeon published, he gave very little evidence of his own private prayer life. This is understandable… after all, this was meant to be private.

But now, with these poems, we have evidence that he lived what he preached. In these poems, we encounter Spurgeon in his prayer chamber, confessing sin, pleading for help, meditating on Scripture, delighting in Christ, and hoping in heaven. As I transcribed these poems last summer, I found myself marveling at the beauty and spirituality of these prayers.

The Prayers behind the Prince of Preachers

The publication of these poems would not be the first time Spurgeon’s private life was made public. When Susie Spurgeon compiled her husband’s autobiography, she included entries from his diary that he had given her. He had once charged her to keep it a secret. But now that he had died, Susie believed these diary entries could reveal the heart behind her husband’s famous ministry.

I feel that I am justified in at last revealing the long-kept secret of the book, for a perusal of its soul-confessions and holy resolutions can only redound to the glory of God, and show how He was leading His young servant by a way which he knew not. And I believe God would have me do this. The words of the dear boy of sixteen are very touching when read in the light of his subsequent marvelous career. As the trunk and branches of the future tree may, in some cases, be seen faintly outlined in the fruit it bears, so we can here discern something of the form and beauty of the fair character which the Lord was preparing for a glorious service.[2]

In other words, Susie believed that these early diary entries, in their “soul-confessions and holy resolutions,” could encourage readers and reveal the spiritual roots of the “subsequent marvelous career” to come.

Similarly, this has been my prayer in publishing these poems. Though these were once private devotional prayers, they are now available for the edification of the church, to encourage us in our own prayer and meditation. Alongside other devotional classics like The Valley of Vision and Morning and Evening, my hope is that these poems would be a companion to strengthen believers on the road to the Celestial City.

And for all those who know something of Spurgeon’s life, ministry, suffering, and faithfulness, these poems are all the richer and full of meaning. If you haven’t already, pick up a biography of Spurgeon and read about how God used him in remarkable ways. Then read and reflect on these poems to hear the prayers behind all that God did. Behind all that powerful preaching fruitfulness was his humble confession of sin. Behind those amazing accomplishments was a deep sense of his dependence on God. Behind the painful controversies was an abiding view of heaven. For discouraged and weary ministers, Spurgeon’s prayer life can be a help to us, modeling hope and joy amid the struggles of life and ministry.

In all this, Christians today can follow Spurgeon, not mainly in writing poems, but in his theologically rich vision for the Christian life, which informed his private prayers and devotion to God. May these poems “redound to the glory of God!”

Christ Our All: Poems for the Christian Pilgrim by C. H. Spurgeon is available for purchase at Lifeway or other online bookstores.

[1] Lectures to My Students 1:40.

[2] Autobiography 1:127



Spurgeon Library Conference 2024: “Spurgeon on the Christian Life”

By / May 10

In Hebrews 13:7-8, the author says,

Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

The aim of the Spurgeon Library Conference is to remember one of our leaders in church history, who, amid all kinds of difficulties and opposition, sought to be faithful to the gospel and to promote a vision of Christian life and ministry that is centered on Christ. This is what gives Spurgeon’s ministry such enduring value. There’s no doubt that Spurgeon was a Victorian, ministering in a 19th century context in London that is so very different from our context today. But at the heart of his ministry was his desire to preach Christ, to make Christ known, to live in communion with Christ, who is the same yesterday, today, and forever. And therefore, in that, Spurgeon remains a relevant and helpful example and model for us today.

Session 1: “John Brown is Immortal: Charles Spurgeon, the American Press, and the Ordeal of Slavery” with Thomas Kidd

Session 2: “Spurgeon on the New Birth and the Christian Life” with Michael Reeves

Session 3: “Spurgeon on the Cross and the Christian Life” with Michael Reeves

Session 4: “Ecclesiological Downgrade: How Spurgeon Fought for Healthy Churches” with Geoff Chang



Spurgeon on the Marks of a Missionary

By / Apr 26

One of the proudest achievements of the Pastors’ College was the increasing number of missionaries sent out internationally. However, Spurgeon did not forget that there was much work still to be done at home. Speaking to the Baptist British and Irish Home Missionary Society in 1870, Spurgeon sought to encourage all Christians to engage in the work of home missions.

There are certainly differences between evangelistic efforts at home and international missions. The differences may involve in the specific calling on the individual’s life, the means of the work, the cross-cultural dynamic, and the potentially greater risk that comes with international work. However, the common core of both efforts is obedience to the call of our Lord Jesus Christ and the expansion of His Kingdom. Therefore, whether serving at home or abroad, the missionary will share many of the same qualities.

But what are the qualities of an ideal missionary? Spurgeon listed five qualities: ability to teach, willingness to toil, prayerfulness, compassion, and sacrifice. To the missionary of any rank, aspiring, current, or retired, these are encouragements from Spurgeon to lift you up and push you forward. And the best way to know the attributes of a missionary is to behold and imitate Christ Himself: “Behold the Model Missionary in the person of the Lord Jesus.” [1]

Ability to Teach

First, of the disciplines of a useful servant missionary, Spurgeon speaks of the importance of one’s ability to speak and preach the Gospel clearly and appropriately to the hearers.

If you want a man to spread the gospel among his fellow men, he must be one who can preach. He must be apt to teach. He must have a way of making plain what he means, and of winning attention, so that men may be willing to listen to him. Our Lord had this grand capacity in the highest degree. He could bring the sublimest truths down to the level of his hearers’ comprehension. He knew how, with a divine simplicity, to tell a story that would win even a child’s attention; and though the truth be spake was such that archangels might well marvel at it, yet he put it into such a form that the little children gathered around him, and the common people heard him gladly. Aptness to teach this is what we want. Pray ye, my brethren, the Lord of the harvest to send us many who have this choice gift. The pulpit, the Sunday-school, and every form of Christian service need earnest workers who have the power of translating their thoughts into the language of those with whom they come in contact, so that they may be interested and impressed.

It is central for the missionary to not only know how to speak clearly and directly but also how to properly and faithfully contextualize the Gospel to the receiving culture and language, to “bring the sublimest truths down to the level of his hearers’ comprehension.” This is not to change the message but to clarify it against cultural misunderstanding. Therefore, he must know the culture and language of his hearers while holding fast to the biblical message.

Willingness to Toil

In addition to the ability to convey the Gospel effectively, there are yet more qualifying attributes than this. Too often, gifted teachers are put forward without sufficient consideration of their character and overall maturity. The missionary must be hardworking and willing to toil, as our Lord did.

[Jesus’] life was a scene of unrivalled labor. We can hardly conceive how thoroughly our Redeemer laid himself out for us. Christ’s kingdom will never be extended by persons who are afraid of labor. God will bless his church by the power of the Holy Spirit, for all the power lies there, but he will have his church travail, or the blessing will not come.

Missionary work will be toilsome. But as Spurgeon reminds us, we do not toil alone. It is in faithful toil and dependence on the power of the Spirit that we experience the truth of Jesus’ promise, “Come to me all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (ESV).

Prayerfulness

The difficulty of ministry can certainly weigh upon the missionary, but we must carry it all to Christ in prayer, for He is our source of power. Apart from prayer, the missionary can do nothing. If Jesus prayed amid his ministry, how much more should we?

What a proficient in the art of prayer was Jesus! He was as great with God in prayer as he was with man in preaching. I heard a brother speak the other day of our Lord’s coming from the mountainside with the wild flowers on his garments, and the smell of the heather on his vesture, for he came fresh from the lone spot where he had spent the night in prayer. Ah! my brethren, here is the center of power. Prayer breaks hearts. These granite rocks will never yield to our hammers till we go down on our knees to smite. If we prevail with God for men, we shall prevail with men for God. The main work of the minister must be done alone. Let him do as he pleases when the multitude are listening, he shall not bring them to Christ unless he has pleaded for them when none heard him but his God. Our home mission wants men who can pray.

“The main work of the minister must be done alone.” How often have we considered prayer as primary and our preaching secondary? But if we believe that God alone can save, then we must follow the example of the apostles and devote ourselves to prayer first, and then to the ministry of the Word (Acts 6:4).

Compassion

In his incarnation and in his earthly life, Jesus modeled a humility that is to be a pattern for all his disciples. To reach sinners, we must be willing to go to them and sometimes this will mean meeting people in their low and difficult situations.

Our Lord received sinners and ate with them. They must have seen how different he was from themselves, but he affected no distance, he pretended to no caste, he drew no lines of social demarcation. He was not a Pharisee, who stood apart in his pious eminence: pride and assumed dignity had no attractions for him. He was holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners, in the highest and best of senses, but in other respects he was the friend of publicans and sinners. If we are to have London blessed, it will never be by ministers who are too great to speak to the poorest of the people; nor will your benevolent societies work much good if your lordships and ladyships cannot mingle with the humbler classes. We must be one with those whom we would bless; we must not be ashamed to call them brethren; we must without being conscious of stooping, reach out a fraternal hand to the fallen and the degraded, that we may lift them up for Christ’s sake.

As we meet people in their suffering, the missionary must have a soft heart and an ability to weep over the plight of man. This is not sentimentality or fearfulness, but a heart that feels deeply the eternal lostness of man and the coming wrath of God.

Manly weeping is a mighty thing. Our Lord Jesus was thoroughly a man; far too masculine to fall into sentimentalism and affectation, but when he beheld the city, and knew all the sufferings that would come upon it from the siege as a punishment for its sin, he could not restrain the waterfloods, his great soul ran over at his eyes. If he had not been a man who could weep himself, he could not, humanly speaking, have made others weep. You must feel yourselves if you would make other men feel. You cannot reach my heart till first of all your heart comes to meet mine. Lord, send into thy field men of strong emotional natures whose eyes can be fountains of tears.

Sacrifice

Perhaps the most powerful model that Jesus offers is that of his sacrifice. His death is utterly unique. But his death also provides a model of sacrifice for the Christian missionary.

Zeal for God’s house must eat us up; love of life must yield to love of souls; trials must be counted as nothing for Christ’s sake, and death must be defied, or we shall never capture the world for Jesus. They who wear soft raiment will never win Ireland, or Africa, or India, for Christ. The man who considers himself, and makes provision for the flesh, will do little or nothing. Christ revealed the great secret when it was said of him, “He saved others, himself he cannot save.” In proportion as a man saves himself he cannot save others, and only in proportion as he is carried away with self-sacrifice, willing to renounce luxuries, comforts, necessities, and even life itself, only in that proportion will he succeed.

While we can never give our lives as the Lord Jesus Christ did, we offer our lives as living sacrifices in order that Christ may use our lives to bring the aroma of life to the perishing.

Conclusion

Whether at home or abroad, may the Lord raise up many evangelists and missionaries for Himself. As those who claim to be his disciples, let us live for the cause of Christ; let us labor for the glory of God; let us hate what He hates and love what He loves; let us not look to our own burdens in self-pity but take up each other’s burdens in selfless love; let us be moved for the lostness of the world and weep for the praise of the mercy we have found in Him; and let us strive for the multiplication of the worship of the name of our Lord Jesus Christ among the nations.

[1]  Spurgeon, Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit NO. 929



Making the Ordinances Meaningful: Spurgeon on Baptism and the Lord’s Supper

By / Apr 18

For most churches, the challenge of church attendance is not practical but theological. Beyond busy schedules, online services, and all other contemporary challenges, many Christians today struggle with a weak understanding of what it means to belong to a church. One evidence of this weakness is in the way so many churches practice the ordinances. 

So often nowadays, baptism and the Lord’s Supper are simply a matter of individual expression. Rather than being the church’s affirmation of one’s profession of faith, baptisms now happen spontaneously, with little or no pastoral examination or ongoing commitment to the church. Rather than a corporate celebration, the Lord’s Supper is often simply an experience between “you and Jesus” as people go forward to partake of the elements on their own. In these individualized practices of the ordinances, we see the infiltration of consumerism into the church. And consumerism will never be strong enough to bring a community together.

Charles Spurgeon, however, thought highly of the ordinances. As he pastored the largest evangelical congregation in the 19th century, he understood the importance of baptism and the Lord’s Supper for their identity as a church. Rather than downplaying or individualizing them, he elevated their importance and incorporated them into their life as a church. What might Spurgeon have to say to church leaders today about making the ordinances more meaningful in the life of the church? 

1. Connect the ordinances to the preaching of the Word

When the church celebrated baptism and the Lord’s Supper at the Metropolitan Tabernacle, they always did so in the context of corporate worship. Whether they observed the Lord’s Supper on a Sunday evening or baptism on a Monday night, the church always gathered publicly, and the gathering would include all the regular elements of a worship service: prayer, singing, Scripture reading, and preaching. This was vital because Spurgeon understood that apart from the Word, the ordinances are mute. Only the Scriptures make clear what these ordinances meant. 

Removing any superstitions attached to these practices was essential in a nominally Christian society. Many believed that showing up at church, getting baptized, and taking the Lord’s Supper could commend them to God. So in these services, Spurgeon had an opportunity to make the gospel especially clear for all those participating and all guests observing. On one occasion, preaching at a baptismal service, he reminded those being baptized of their true washing, not in water but in the blood of Christ:

“This is what Christ died for. He loved the church, and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse it by the washing of water by the Word, that he might present it unto himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy, and without blemish. Christ died to save his people, not from some of their sins, but from all their sins. His precious blood cleanseth from all sin. His perfect atonement secures perfection to his saints. The death of sin is guaranteed by the death of Christ. [1]”

Similarly, prior to a Lord’s Supper celebration, Spurgeon declared:

“If any of you, who have come to the table of the Lord, are not believers in Christ, never dare to come again while you are in that state. You have no right here unless you are resting in Jesus, and trusting in him. This is the proof of your being new creatures in Christ Jesus. But if you have the faintest, feeblest faith in Jesus, come and welcome. If you are trusting in your own merits, go to your own table; if you think there will be some merit in your coming to the communion, do not dare to come, for that were to turn the ordinance upside down.[2]” 

Pastors should preach the gospel in every sermon. Still, it is especially vital to preach the gospel when celebrating the ordinances because it is the gospel that explains their meaning. Apart from faith in the finished work of Christ, they are powerless to reconcile us to God. But through faith in Christ, they become a wonderful reminder of our union with Christ and peace with God. 

2. Connect the ordinances to the membership of the church

The ordinances reflect Christ’s vertical work in reconciling us to God and his horizontal work in forming a new people and uniting us to his Body. This is especially evident in the Lord’s Supper. As the congregation sat around one Table, they were reminded that they all now belonged to the household of God (Eph. 2:19). As the congregation partook of one cup and one loaf, they gave expression to their unity as one Body (1 Cor. 10:17). In other words, through baptism and the Lord’s Supper, the church gives her corporate, visible affirmation of those who belong to Christ and His people.

Therefore, Spurgeon always connected the ordinances with church membership. If you wanted to be baptized or regularly take the Lord’s Supper at the Metropolitan Tabernacle, you had to go through the regular membership process involving multiple pastoral interviews and public testimonies before the congregation. That membership process would culminate not merely with a congregation vote but baptism (if needed) and a celebration of the Lord’s Supper. At the Lord’s Table, the church would officially extend “the right hand of fellowship” and welcome people into membership. All this reinforced the conviction that church membership was not merely an administrative bureaucracy. Instead, it was a theological reflection of a spiritual reality: these Christians were united to Christ and His people. 

3. Connect the ordinances to the accountability of the church

One of the gifts of church membership is the ongoing accountability of the church. As baptism is the initiatory ordinance, the church is responsible for examining one’s profession of faith before baptism. This is why Spurgeon required candidates to undergo the membership process before baptism. He once declared, “As the communion table should be fenced, so also should the baptismal pool, so should the promises of God, and so should those great and glorious doctrines which are the essentials of our faith.”[3]

Spurgeon protected the communion table in the same way. He gave members in good standing communion tickets that allowed them to partake of the Lord’s Supper regularly. Visitors who wanted to partake would need to meet with an elder during the week to share their testimony and explain why they were taking the Lord’s Supper at the Tabernacle rather than their church. If all were in order, they would receive a limited number of communion tickets. 

But rather than viewing those coming to the Table with suspicion, Spurgeon encouraged his people to leave the work of fencing to the elders and to embrace one another as brothers and sisters in Christ. 

“Some professedly Christian people urge that they cannot come to the table because there are certain persons there who, in their judgment, should not be allowed to come. Is the Lord’s table to be a judgment-seat, whereat we are to revise the verdict of the church? … ‘But there is a person at communion who acted inconsistently.’ That is highly probable; and he may be wearing your coat, and looking out of your eyes. If you know of any case of open sin, let the elders of the church be informed, and it will be dealt with tenderly and firmly… But now, really what have you to do with the faults of others when you are remembering Christ Jesus? [4]”

Conclusion

Here is where the church can push back on the idolatry of individualism that is so prevalent today. Christianity is not a lone ranger experience. It is not merely a journey between “you and Jesus.” Yes, Christ saves each of us individually, but a glorious aspect of his salvation is that he adopts us into His family and unites us with His own Body. In the church, God restores humanity to His original vision. Through the gospel, we learn to love those with whom we have nothing in common but Jesus. Week by week, we gather to worship our King. And we give visible expression to this wonderful new reality through the ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s Supper. 

A version of this article was first published on The Focused Pastor website.

[1] MTP 34 No. 2049

[2] MTP 45:480.

[3] MTP 47:350.

[4] MTP 34:455.



Susannah Spurgeon: A Faithful Wife

By / Mar 28

Susannah Spurgeon experienced both tremendous joys and agonizing suffering throughout her life, but the legacy she left behind testifies to her ultimate hope in the Lord and her undying faithfulness to her husband. She lived a life of service and devotion to God and her husband, and was ever his constant encourager and source of both incredible joy and comfort. Thought she was often incredibly ill and spent many years as an invalid, she remained steadfast in trusting the Lord and His sovereign plan in all things and sought to serve both in her own home and church body. Mrs. Spurgeon should serve as a beautiful example of a joy-filled life that was grounded in the truth of God’s word and dedicated to pursuing good works. Her life and position as Spurgeon’s wife can be viewed as an exemplary model of genuine and glad service that was characterized by humility, love, active faith, and strength of character. Looking upon her life of service should leave one with the encouragement to live in the same hope that characterized her life – a life of faithfulness and endurance. While reflecting upon her life’s work and role as Charles’s wife, she thoughtfully said, “I thank God that he enabled me to carry out this determination and rejoice that I have no cause to reproach myself with being a drag on the swift wheels of his consecrated life. I do not take any credit to myself for this; it was the Lord’s will concerning me, and He saw to it.”[1]

When Susie Met Charles

Susannah was not impressed when first introduced to Charles Spurgeon, but soon afterward found incredible comfort and spiritual encouragement from his preaching, conversations, and marked devotion to the honest state of her soul. She reflected later in life that “None could have more needed the quickening and awakening which I received from the earnest pleadings and warnings of that voice, — soon to be the sweetest in all the world to me.”[2] In their blossoming relationship, she had found a man who would lead and guide her in the Lord; he had found a woman in whom he could honestly confide, discuss deep spiritual truths with, share his burdens, receive comfort, and shepherd in the truth and light of God’s word. She not only supplied him with these qualities, but further served him in tender love and care, as both were continually drawn closer to one another in genuine and enduring affection. Susannah functioned as a comforter and devoted helper to her husband, and sought to uphold him amidst the burdens he carried. Throughout their marriage, “Charles also benefited from Susie’s spiritual encouragement of him,”[3] and his life was ever enriched by her Christ-centered companionship. Charles later said, “My wife’s presence is also a main ingredient in my cup, which runs over with mercies.”

Love and Sacrifice

While being married to Charles Spurgeon was one of the most distinct blessings in Susannah’s life, being the wife to such a prominent and devoted man was not an easy role. In an incident just prior to their marriage in which Spurgeon forgot about Susannah’s presence due to his immense focus on his Gospel proclamation, she had to face a difficult truth. She realized that his calling was to be a faithful and steadfast minister, and that she must not seek to detract or distract him from his work, but rather uphold him in it. This honest assessment of a life of sacrifice for the sake of her husband’s work in the Gospel was not easy, but it was a task that she intentionally took up with joy and dedication. After being forgotten by Spurgeon and discussing it with him and her mother, she said, “It was ever the settled purpose of my married life that I should never hinder him in his work for the Lord.”[4] She understood from that point on that, though it meant giving up many of her own personal desires, her life was to be one of willful and glad service to her husband in his devoted work to the Lord.

Their marriage was marked by deep affection, and the many letters that the couple wrote to each other over the years give a glorious glimpse into their tenderly rich love for one another. They would often spend sweet time together on Sunday evenings after Spurgeon’s work was complete, and Susannah would frequently read aloud. Spurgeon felt at times that he had not preached as earnestly as he ought to, and upon reading from Baxter’s Reformed Pastor, “husband and wife would sob and weep together, he ‘from the smitings of a very tender conscience towards God,’ and [she] because, she ‘loved him and wanted to share his grief.’”[5] She was ever involved and invested in his work. While her health permitted, she served alongside him in their church and “often gave spiritual consolation to women and girls who were in trouble about their souls.”[6] They worked alongside one another for the Lord and His glory, and in many instances when the public would slander Charles, Susannah “stood like a shield between him and the arrows of wickedness, quenching their fiery darts most easily with the shield of domestic love.”[7] Susannah loved him deeply, and sought to build him up not only in his work, but also in his own personal walk with the Lord. She truly was his helpmate, and determinedly lived out her life in steadfastness to Charles.

Service and Suffering

Mrs. Spurgeon knew the worth of her husband’s work, and this truth encouraged her to build him up in it, while he at the same time looked for any way to care for and tenderly love his wife. Proverbs 31:11-12 could very well be applied to Susannah Spurgeon: “The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life.” She lived and served to bless and support her husband in the Lord and in his efforts to serve Him and those who were placed in his path. In this excerpt from a letter he sent to Susannah, it is easy to perceive the great love and trust Charles had for his beloved wife:

“My Own Dear One, — None know how grateful I am to God for you. In all I have, ever done for Him, you have a large share, for in making me so’ happy you have fitted me for service. not an ounce of power has ever been lost to the good cause through you. I have served the Lord far more, and never less, for your sweet companionship. The Lord God Almighty bless you now and for ever!”[8]

Charles and Susannah had a marriage that was woven throughout with gentleness, affection, love, and hope, and she repeatedly sought to uphold and strengthen him, especially during some of their most trying hardships.[9]

Only a short while after their twins were born, the terrible tragedy at the Surrey Gardens Music Hall occurred, in which several of Spurgeon’s listeners were killed. While Charles was most seriously dejected and depressed in mind and spirit, Susannah sought to uphold and sustain him. In his book on Mrs. Spurgeon, Ray Rhodes remarks that “Susie’s godly character is one important reason why Charles survived what was both a life-and ministry-threatening tragedy.”[10] Though it was a severe trial that both husband and wife had to endure, Susannah “displayed unusual courage, unwavering faith in God, and deep devotion to her husband.”[11] Susannah herself stated, “Though we may not at the time, see His purpose in the afflictions which He sends us, it will be plainly revealed when the light of eternity falls upon the road along which we have journeyed.” Her strength of faith and character are abundantly evident here as she conveys her trust in the Lord’s goodness and sovereignty. In his book Yours till Heaven, Ray Rhodes remarks, “It is likely that Susie was the human means that God used to not only rescue Charles’s ministry but also to save his life.”[12] Her support of Charles and genuine trust in the Lord in the midst of trials should encourage and convict all who reflect upon her life and realize that her faithfulness was supplied through the Lord’s power and work in her life. She remained steadfast in her identity as one beloved by Christ, and the humility and sacrifice with which she lived her life testify to her devotion to the Lord and those around her.

Though Susannah served within the church while she was well, her sickness often prevented her from regular work, and at the encouragement of her husband, she thus undertook Mrs. Spurgeon’s Book Fund. In this endeavor, she sought to provide theologically sound books to pastors in need, and she began by sending out her husband’s first volume of his Lectures To My Students. In the course of her life, she sent out thousands of books. Her heart’s desire was ever to serve the Lord and those around her, and she thus continued the Book Fund until her death. She considered this work the joy of her life and was thankful for the opportunity to be of such service to the many poor pastors throughout England and abroad.[13] Her life of willful and joy-filled service was not an easy or carefree task, but she sought to model the faithfulness of Christ in her life which serves as a beautiful example of true and humble devotion.

A Faithful Wife

            After this short summary of only a few main facets of Susannah Spurgeon’s life, what conclusions can be drawn? Her steadfast devotion to the Lord is evident in her life of humility and sacrifice, and it can be clearly seen that she was a faithful follower of her Lord. When she became Charles Spurgeon’s wife, she realized that this was also in God’s sovereign plan, and sought to live her life in glad service to her husband which was marked by sacrificial love and encouragement. Her life should not be forgotten or drowned under the exaltation and praise of her husband but should be appropriately held on to and remembered as an exemplary life of joy-filled service. One should recall the faithfulness with which she endured many sufferings and see the grace of Christ in her life as she sought to honor the Lord and her husband. She set his interests and desires above her own and loved him deeply, even after his death had left them separated. As she reflected on some of Charles’s letters to her after his death, she wrote,

“That I smiled on them then, and weep over them now, is but a natural consequence of the more complete separation which God has willed for us, – he, dwelling in the land of glory, — I, still tarrying amid the shadows of earth; — but I verily believe that, when I join him, ‘beyond the smiling and the weeping,’ there will be tender remembrances of all these details of earthly love, and of the plenitude of blessing which it garnered in our united lives.”[14]

Susannah Spurgeon was a woman of steadfastness, both in her faith and in her constant affection for her husband. The indelible impact she had upon his ministry was one that greatly benefited and blessed both himself and his work. The Lord used her as a flame that continued to ignite and spur him on in his dedicated proclamation and living out of the Gospel. Her constancy in service and encouragement should be taken to heart by all who remember her and should consequently push them towards the source of her joy, strength and hope: the Lord Jesus. Looking upon her life leaves one with the clear and tender understanding that she was indeed a most encouraging, steadfast, and faithful wife.

[1] Ray, Mrs. C.H. Spurgeon, 32-33.

[2] Spurgeon’s Autobiography, vol.3, 11.

[3] Rhodes, Susie, 134.

[4] Rhodes, Susie, 134.

[5] Ray, 21.

[6] Ray, 29-30.

[7] Rhodes, Susie, 79-80.

[8] Spurgeon’s Autobiography vol. 2, 21.

[9] Rhodes, Yours till Heaven, 82.

[10] Rhodes, Susie, 99.

[11] Rhodes, Susie, 107.

[12] Rhodes, Yours till Heaven, 82.

[13] Rhodes, Susie,139.

[14] Spurgeon’s Autobiography, vol. 3, 175.



Keep Up the Prayer Meeting Pt. 1

By / Mar 4

The congregational prayer meeting was a key component of Spurgeon’s ministry. He believed that prayer meetings were “at the very secret source of power with God and with men.” Apart from earnest, consistent prayer, a congregation should have little hope that God would use and bless their ministry.

Spurgeon always gave thought and planning to the prayer meetings at the Tabernacle. He once said to his students, “Do not go walking into the prayer-meeting, as so many do, to say anything or nothing that may occur to you at the moment; but do your best to make the meeting interesting to all who are there.” How did Spurgeon make his prayer meetings interesting? We see four examples of how he did this in the 1882 The Sword and the Trowel. In this series, we will examine each of these examples and draw a few lessons for pastors as they seek to lead their church’s prayer-meetings.

Monday evening, September 25

The meeting opened by singing hymn,

“He’s gone — the Savior’s work on earth,
His task of love is o’er,”

to a tune which it was desired to introduce into the worship of the Sabbath. By singing the tune to both of the first two hymns the people caught the strain, and are now prepared to recognize it when the tune is used in the great congregation. Prayer was offered by Pastor C. H. Spurgeon, who presided. There was a large attendance, occupying both the area and the first gallery. Again we sang, and prayer was offered by our deacon, Mr. Allison, and by Mr. H. Driver, a student who has come to the College from Auckland, New Zealand. These prayers did not exceed five minutes, and followed without break.

The following request for prayer was then presented before the Lord by Mr. Harrald: — “ A lady, who has already lost several children by consumption, asks for special prayer for her daughter, who has been attacked by the same disease. Her mother begs for prayer both for her and for her only son, whom she has long since dedicated unconditionally to the Lord. The letter further says, — ‘I have no rest in my spirit till these two are brought in.’“ Upon this sentence the Pastor dilated, stating that our anxiety for others is frequently a prophecy of good to their souls. He hoped that many of us would become thus restless till our children are all saved.

After Mr. Harrald’s intercession we joined in song with the lines: —

“With joy we meditate the grace
Of our High Priest above;
His heart is made of tenderness,
His bowels melt with love.
Touch’d with a sympathy within,
He knows our feeble frame;
He knows what sore temptations mean,
For he has felt the same.
He, in the days of feeble flesh,
Pour’d out his cries and tears,
And in his measure feels afresh
What every member bears.”

The Pastor read the following notes: —

“A mother requests the prayers of the Lord’s people for a daughter once good and kind, but now addicted to drink.”

A wife says, “I write these few lines to ask you to pray for my dear husband. He was once a preacher, but his present sin is drink I cannot bear the thought that after he has preached to others he himself should become a castaway. Do make special prayer for us both.”

In calling upon Elder Cox to pray for these two cases, Mr. Spurgeon said — “It is a dreadful thing that so many hopeful spirits, bright spirits, loving spirits, who were beloved by all who knew them, should fall by little and little through the insidious habit of drunkenness. They never meant to take too much; but they were lured on by the appetite. This withering sin touches the character as with a hot iron, and all the beauty and the joy of life fade away. How can this plague be stayed? No one can bear the thought that those who have preached to others should themselves fall short of the kingdom, yet drink has slain its millions; I had almost said it has dragged down men who stood like angels in their brightness, and quenched them into degradation and misery till they were like to devils in wickedness and fury. Alas, alas, for the doings and the undoings wrought by drunkenness! All sins are deadly, but this is a sword with which men play till it cuts them to the heart. God he? us to blunt the edge of that sword! Meanwhile we plead for the wounded.” Mr. Cox prayed with much earnestness, and the great congregation was stirred with strong desire.

Mr. Wm. Olney, Jun., prayed for several persons in spiritual distress, whose cases were described by the Pastor. Elder Sedcole and Mr. Perry, one of our students, very touchingly related the way in which they were brought to Christ, and urged sinners to fly to Jesus. This was deeply interesting, and constituted the feature of this gathering. The brethren were called upon without notice, but spoke most touchingly, and we believe that their testimonies will be used of God to conversion. Hymn 499, commencing —

“Come, poor sinner, come and see,
All thy strength is found in Me,”

was sung, and then Mr. Dunn pleaded for some who desired to be healed of bodily sickness, and specially for one who was believed to be dying with cancer in the throat, who, if taken away, would leave a wife and ten children behind him. There was much fervor in the meeting at this point.

Pastor Levinsohn, himself of the seed of Israel, next prayed for his own nation, after we had sung that choice hymn —

“Wake, harp of Zion, wake again,
Upon thine ancient hill,
On Jordan’s long deserted plain,
By Kedron’s lowly rill.
The hymn shall yet in Zion swell
That sounds Messiah’s praise,
And thy loved name, Immanuel!
As once in ancient days.
For Israel yet shall own her King,
For her salvation waits,
And hill and dale shall sweetly sing
With praise in all her gates.
Hasten, O Lord, these promised days,
When Israel shall rejoice;
And Jew and Gentile join in praise,
With one united voice.”

Just before the close of the meeting a telegram arrived from Pastor C. Spurgeon, of Greenwich, who was on his way to attend the Christian Convention at Chicago. This was the message: —

“1 Thessalonians 5:25. 2 Corinthians 13:14.” — “Brethren, pray for us.” “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy G host, be with you all. Amen.”

Mr. William Olney, Sr., prayed both for Mr. Charles Spurgeon in his work in America, and for his brother Thomas in New Zealand. The Pastor pronounced the benediction, and as we left the Tabernacle we felt that we had been doing real business at the throne of grace, and that the “Sweet hour of prayer” had passed all too quickly.

What can we learn from this account?

Make efficient use of the time – Beware of long prayers or long sharing that monopolize the prayer-meeting. Spurgeon make efficient use of the time by having members send in their prayer requests by letter and by calling on trusted leaders in the church to lead in prayer. These prayers are earnest, biblical, and brief, allowing for more time to pray for more requests.

Pray for personal matters – Among the prayers requests are health matters, lost friends and relatives, and other kinds of personal griefs and afflictions. How often are the prayer requests at a prayer meeting simply over trivial things? Here, the heartfelt and vulnerable sharing of urgent prayer requests allows the congregation to more fully engage in prayer and to go before God earnestly for these things.

Pray for ministry opportunities – The sharing of the Pastors’ College students and prayers for Charles, Jr. and Thomas Spurgeon are a reminder of the evangelistic and missionary endeavors of the church. In addition to praying for personal matters, we want to look beyond ourselves and pray for the expansion of the work of the gospel through the church.

Congregational singing – Spurgeon also wove in congregational singing throughout the prayer time in response to the things being discussed and prayed. In other words, he mixed praise with prayer, adoration with supplication, hope amid sorrow. This helped create variety and freshness. Notice also that Spurgeon used the prayer-meeting to teach new tunes (“to a tune which it was desired to introduce into the worship of the Sabbath”), so that the congregation would be better prepared to sing it on Sundays.

Look for teaching opportunities – Without taking too much time, Spurgeon took advantage of brief teaching opportunities throughout the prayer meeting, at one point commenting on drunkenness and warning against its dangers. These spontaneous opportunities provided helpful pastoral teaching on any number of topics throughout the night. So rather than just moving quickly through prayer requests, look for teaching opportunities that present themselves for the edification of the Body.

One biographer writes, “Probably no pastor ever took more pains to make the prayer meeting a success than Mr. Spurgeon for he showed his interest in its prosperity by continually studying how to make the service more attractive.” May we learn from his pastoral example.



Building a Culture of Evangelism

By / Feb 20

Spurgeon’s vision for the church was of an army engaged in the same fight that he was in, namely, proclaiming the gospel and pushing back the dominion of Satan through the salvation of sinners. But how did Spurgeon mobilize his church for evangelism? How can we build a culture of evangelism in our churches? In one of his lectures to his pastoral students, entitled “How to Induce our People to Win Souls,” Spurgeon gives three basic principles for building a culture of evangelism: Patience, Pastoring, and Prayer.

Patience

He says to his students,

Do not expect to get in the first year of your pastorate, that result which is the reward of twenty years’ continuous toil in one place… I should certainly say to you, do not expect all this [i.e., a culture of evangelism] at least for some months after you settle down to work. Revivals, if they are genuine, do not always come the moment we whistle for them. Try and whistle for the wind, and see if it will come. The great rain was given in answer to Elijah’s prayers; but not even then the first time he prayed, and we must pray again, and again, and again, and at last the cloud will appear, and the showers out of the cloud. Wait awhile, work on, plod on, plead on, and in due time the blessing will be given, and you shall find that you have the church after your own ideal, but it will not come to you all at once.[1]

In giving us a “How To”, Spurgeon begins with patience. He says it could take many months. Or it could take twenty years. Either way we must be patient. Why? Because building a culture of evangelism is ultimately the Spirit’s work. He refers to it as a kind of revival, which means that it must be wrought by the Spirit, rather than by our pragmatic methods. We can’t manipulate our way to it. We can’t force it. No, we must look to God for it. That’s why we must be patient.

What so many of our people need in evangelism is not simply better skills or tools to evangelize (though such training can be helpful). Rather, what they need most is a heart set on fire for the gospel. That’s something only God can do through His Word, by His Spirit.

Patience flows out of a humble dependence on the Spirit. The truth is that church leaders are not able to “build a culture of evangelism.” God must do that in our people. Certainly, pastors must teach and disciple and pray, but at the end of the day, it is God who gives the spiritual growth. So, the first thing Spurgeon urged for in his young students was patience. And as you seek to engage your people in evangelism, don’t expect transformation overnight. There’s a lot of work to be done before the growth comes.

Pastoring

And yet, while we wait, we must work. That’s Spurgeon’s second instruction: pastoring, or the patient work of teaching, discipling, and equipping. In other words, there’s no place for passivity when it comes to building a culture of evangelism.

Your work, brethren, is to set your church on fire somehow. You may do it by speaking to the whole of the members, or you may do it by speaking to the few choice spirits, but you must do it somehow.[2]

As a preacher in the church, you have a weekly opportunity to address the whole congregation and this may go a long way in cultivating a culture of evangelism. As you prepare excellent, gospel-rich sermons, as you organize edifying, Christ-exalting gatherings, and as you urge your people to join you in the work of the gospel, the Lord can take those efforts and spark new life in the congregation.

Sometimes, the very best plan would be to call all the members of the church together, tell them what you would like to see, and plead earnestly with them that each one should become for God a soul-winner. Say to them, “I do not want to be your pastor simply that I may preach to you; but I long to see souls saved, and to see those who are saved seeking to win others for the Lord Jesus Christ…” That might succeed in arousing them.[3]

And yet, often, the people may be appreciative of your ministry and yet go on unchanged. In such a situation, Spurgeon urged his students to look for smaller contexts to shepherd their people. As a pastor, you have to figure out what works best for your people. There is no one-stop method to building a culture of evangelism. Spurgeon tells his students:

In order to secure this end of gathering around you a band of Christians who will themselves be soul-winners, I should recommend you not to go to work according to any set rule, for what would be right at one time might not be wise at another, and that which would be best for one place would not be so good elsewhere.[4]

His students were all members of Spurgeon’s church. They were eager to see God replicate the Metropolitan Tabernacle in some distant place. But Spurgeon warns them that what worked at the Tabernacle might not work in another context. There are guiding principles, but there is no formula for revival. Building a culture of evangelism will likely be a multi-pronged approach. It will require prayer. It will require knowing your people and understanding their specific context and challenges.

As pragmatically-minded Americans, we are always on the lookout for the latest plug-&-play program to inspire our people. We want immediate results. We want evident fruit right away. But Spurgeon advises, be willing to start small. Beyond the gatherings of the church, look for one or two to disciple.

There is usually some “choice young man” in each congregation; and as you notice deeper spirituality in him than in the rest of the members, you might say to him, “Will you come down to my house on such-and-such an evening that we may have a little prayer together?” You can gradually increase the number to two or three, godly young men if possible, or you may begin with some gracious matron, who perhaps lives nearer to God than any of the men, and whose prayers would help you more than theirs. Having secured their sympathy, you might say to them, “Now we will see if we cannot influence [others in] the whole church…”[5]

This is the role of the pastor: waiting and working, plodding and pleading, praying that God would multiple your efforts.

Prayer

While you patiently teach, you need to pray, not only on your own, but with your people. If you want to build a culture of evangelism in your church, rally your people to prayer. Spurgeon says to his students,

If I were you, I would make the prayer-meeting a special feature of my ministry; let it be such a prayer-meeting that there is not the like of it within seven thousand miles… Keep up the prayer meeting, whatever else flags; it is the great business evening of the week, the best service between Sabbaths; be you sure to make it so.[6]

Prayer is what God uses to shape the hearts of his people. Prayer is what God uses to lift our perspective from the world up to heaven.

Prayer and evangelism go hand in hand. You say you believe that salvation belongs to the Lord, but if you don’t pray alongside all your evangelistic efforts, then what that shows is you really believe salvation belongs to you. And if your people think that, no wonder they’re discouraged in their evangelism!

But if salvation belongs to the Lord, then we have every promise of God that the gospel is powerful to save even the worst of sinners. So cultivate confidence in God by giving yourself to prayer and leading your people in prayer. If your church doesn’t have a regular prayer meeting, then start one. If your pastor won’t start one, then begin one with others in the church.

Gather people to pray for the lost around you, for lost loved ones, for neighbors, for coworkers, for the nations. Pray that God would have mercy and would save. Pray that God would raise up workers for the field. And as your people pray, some will begin to wonder, “Might the Lord be willing to use even us?”

Then follow Paul’s example in Colossians 4, where he prays not only for the salvation of the lost, but for open doors for the gospel and for his own boldness and clarity to share the gospel. Pray the same for yourselves, and you’ll be amazed at how God answers those prayers. And as your people share the gospel, give them opportunities to share their stories, and continue to pray.

Let evangelistic prayer become the culture of your church. When A.T. Pierson preached for Spurgeon, he commented,

This Metropolitan Tabernacle is a house of prayer most emphatically… prayer is almost ceaselessly going up. When one meeting is not in progress, another one is… there are prayer meetings before preaching, and others after preaching… No marvel that Mr. Spurgeon’s preaching has been so blessed. He himself attributes it mainly to the prevailing prayers of his people.[7]

Conclusion

Whether you’re a pastor or a faithful church member, here’s a basic guide for building a culture of evangelism: Patience, Pastoring, Prayer. In other words, there is no magic formula. We pray. We teach. We wait on the Spirit. And knowing that God is faithful, we do not lose heart:

Anticipate that you will have to do it yourself and do it alone. And begin doing it alone: sow the seed, tramp up and down the field, always looking to the Lord of the harvest to bless your labour, and also looking forward to the time when through your efforts, under the divine blessing, instead of a plot of land that is covered with nettles or full of stones…  you shall have a well-tilled farm in which you may sow the seed to the best advantage, and on which you shall have a little army of fellow-labourers to aid you in the service. [8]

[1] C. H. Spurgeon, The Soul Winner; Or, How to Lead Sinners to the Saviour. (New York: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1895), 120, 122.

[2] Soul Winner, 124.

[3] Soul Winner, 122-123.

[4] Soul Winner, 122.

[5] Ibid., 123.

[6] Soul Winner, 125-126.

[7] Hannah Wyncoll, ed., Wonders of Grace: Original Testimonies of Converts during Spurgeon’s Early Years (London: The Wakeman Trust, 2016), 14-15.

[8] Soul Winner, 121-122.

This article was originally published at 9Marks.



Principles from Spurgeon’s Sermon Prep Process

By / Feb 1

Known as the Prince of Preachers, Charles Spurgeon preached thousands of sermons over forty years of pastoral ministry. But preaching was only one part of his ministry. He also pastored a church of 5,000+ members, led his elders and deacons, performed membership interviews, chaired church meetings, gave oversight to two orphanages and the Pastors’ College, and much, much more. So, when did he ever find time to prepare his sermons?

One answer is that Spurgeon never really stopped preparing. He was always thinking about his sermons, meditating on Scripture, on the lookout for good content, and, in general, working on his craft as a preacher. Spurgeon warned his students, “We ought to be always in training for text-getting and sermon-making . . . the leaf of your ministry will soon wither unless, like the blessed man in the first Psalm, you meditate in the law of the Lord both day and night . . . I have no belief in that ministry which ignores laborious preparation.”

In other words, sermon preparation has to do not only with a sermon manuscript, but also the preacher’s self. Spurgeon reminded his students that preachers are “our own tools, and therefore must keep ourselves in order.” This included not only cultivating the right skills and abilities, but also keeping one’s heart and soul in nearness to Christ and love for the lost. Such preparations did not begin and end in the study but marked the preacher’s entire life.

More specifically, however, Spurgeon did have a sermon preparation process that usually took place on Saturday evenings after 6:00 p.m. He once gave the following description of his process to his students:

Brethren, it is not easy for me to tell you precisely how I make my sermons. All through the week I am on the look-out for material that I can use on the Sabbath; but the actual work of arranging it is necessarily, left until Saturday evening, for every other moment is fully occupied in the Lord’s service. I have often said that my greatest difficulty is to fix my mind upon the particular texts which are to be the subjects of discourse, on the following day; or, to speak more correctly, to know what topics the Holy Spirit would have me bring before the congregation. As soon as any passage of Scripture really grips my heart and soul, I concentrate my whole attention upon it, look at the precise meaning of the original, closely examine the context so as to see the special aspect of the text in its surroundings, and roughly jot down all the thoughts that occur to me concerning the subject, leaving to a later period the orderly marshalling of them for presentation to my hearers.

When I have reached this point, I am often stopped by an obstacle which is only a trouble to those of us whose sermons are regularly printed. I turn to my own Bible, which contains a complete record of all my published discourses; and, looking at these I have preached upon the text, I find, perhaps, that the general run of thought is so similar to that which I have marked out, that I have to abandon the subject, and seek another. Happily, a text of Scripture is like a diamond with many facets, which sparkles and flashes; whichever way it is held, so that, although I may have already printed, several sermons upon a particular passage, there is still a fresh setting; possible for the priceless gem, and I can go forward with my work. I like next to see what others have to say about my text; and, as a rule, my experience is that, if its teaching is perfectly plain, the commentators, to a man, explain it at great length, whereas, with equal unanimity, they studiously avoid or evade the verses which Peter might have described as ‘things hard to be understood.’ I am very much obliged to them for leaving me so many nuts to crack; but I should have been just as grateful if they had made more use of their own theological teeth or nut-crackers. However, among the many who have written upon the Word, I generally find some who can at least help to throw a side light upon it; and when I have arrived at that part of my preparation, I am glad to call my dear wife to my assistance. She reads to me until I get a clear idea of the whole subject; and, gradually, I am guided to the best form of outline, which I copy out, on a half-sheet of notepaper, for use in the pulpit.[1]

Spurgeon did not intend this description of his sermon prep process to be prescriptive for his students. Indeed, he recognized that his process was influenced by his unique circumstances and abilities. While he was glad to share his approach, each preacher must figure out what works best for him. Still, from Spurgeon’s description, we can learn at least a few wise principles.

Prayerful Dependence on the Spirit

Week-by-week, Spurgeon selected a Scripture text from which he would preach. He found this to be “the greatest difficulty” of his preparations. This process involved not only careful study and pastoral consideration of his congregation’s needs, but he looked to the Spirit’s leading. He shared with his students, “I confess that I frequently sit hour after hour praying and waiting for a subject, and that this is the main part of my study.” But this was not a passive waiting. Even as he labored “in manipulating topics, ruminating upon points of doctrine, making skeletons out of verses,” he depended on the Spirit to guide him to a text.

Spurgeon did not forbid his students from planning a sermon series ahead of time and preaching through books of the Bible. But he warned them that a long series could end up being wearisome to a congregation. Part of the issue was that Spurgeon generally followed the Puritan model of preaching, which took one verse as its text and meditated on that text deeply. So, to preach through a book of the Bible one verse at a time could prove to be difficult, even for the most gifted of preachers.

Many preachers today plan out sermon series by simply preaching on longer passages through books of the Bible. While this presents many benefits, we must still learn the same sense of dependence on the Spirit as Spurgeon. Preachers must approach every Scripture text with the conviction that this is the word that God has for his people this week, praying “to know what topics the Holy Spirit would have me bring before the congregation” from that passage.

Rigorous, Personal Bible Study

After selecting a text, Spurgeon studied his text intensely, examining it in the original language, considering the surrounding context, and jotting down all his thoughts and reflections on the text. Having done that work, he then went back to see if he had already preached on this text and compared his notes to make sure there was not too much overlap. Spurgeon believed Scripture to be “like a diamond with many facets” and thus, he often preached multiple sermons on a single verse.

Spurgeon was remarkably original as a preacher of thousands of sermons. Some have accused Spurgeon of being open to plagiarizing other’s sermons, but that charge is ill-founded. It is true that Spurgeon read widely and drew from others’ insights, especially earlier in his preaching career. But the heart of Spurgeon’s sermon preparation was his original work and meditations on the text. He despised repeating himself, let alone another preacher.

Before preachers consult commentaries or even their own previous work on the text, they should aim to study the biblical text afresh, for themselves. The heart of our sermons must come from our personal meditations on the text, otherwise, our sermons may simply be the regurgitating of other people’s work. Such sermons based on other people’s insights will not be delivered with power. To be sure, Spurgeon was constantly studying the scriptures throughout his life, and his sermon prep certainly built on his ongoing personal Bible reading. Even so, in his sermon prep, Spurgeon examined and studied each sermon Scripture text anew, looking for new insights that the Spirit might illumine for him and his people.

Consulting Other Sources

Only after having studied the text for himself, Spurgeon consulted other sources, both academic commentaries and devotional writings. He found academic works less useful in his preparation. He consulted them particularly for difficulties in the text, but too often, commentators evaded those difficulties. More helpful were devotional works and sermons.

For this portion of his preparation, Spurgeon would often employ help from another. He would lay out select books from his library (commentaries, sermons, devotional works) dealing with his text, and his wife would read from those works, while Spurgeon reflected on what he heard. Susannah was always amazed at her husband’s knowledge of his library and cherished these times for her own spiritual growth.

While the heart of our sermons must be based on personal study and meditation, like Spurgeon, we would also do well to consult the insight that God has given to others in his word. The Spurgeon Library, located on the campus of Midwestern Seminary in Kansas City, MO, is evidence of Spurgeon’s wide reading throughout church history and in the latest scholarship of his day. And yet, with so many books out there, Spurgeon also reminds us that we need to be selective. His library clearly shows that his preference was for the works of the Puritans, who combined theological depth with devotional warmth.

We should also note that Spurgeon’s sermon prep was not performed alone, but involved others, namely his wife. Often, the preacher will find greater clarity and insight as they involve not only other books, but other people in their sermon prep process. This might involve discussing biblical insights, illustrations, applications, and much more.

Preparing Your Notes

Finally, he took all he had studied, and he organized his sermon, writing down his thoughts onto a half-sheet of paper. Earlier in his preaching career, Spurgeon tended to write out his sermons in fuller outlines or even manuscripts. Some of the sermons found in the Lost Sermons of C. H. Spurgeon series can span several pages. But as he grew more experienced, Spurgeon forced himself to preach more extemporaneously, reducing his sermon preparation to a simple outline.

This final step mattered because Spurgeon believed in the importance of well-arranged sermons. He taught his students that rather than simply letting truths fall at random from the pulpit, the sermon should proceed logically. “The thought must climb and ascend; one stair of teaching leading to another; one door of reasoning conducting to another, and the whole elevating the hearer to a chamber from whose windows truth is seen gleaming in the light of God.” Even though he only took an outline into the pulpit, it represented a disciplined process of preparation and prayer.

Whether a preacher uses an outline, or a manuscript will depend on one’s giftings, circumstances, and many other factors. Each preacher must figure out what works best for them. However, Spurgeon’s emphasis on a well-ordered sermon is exactly right. Whether outline or manuscript, the preacher must bring into the pulpit whatever will help them to deliver the message both with power, but also with clarity and order, so that the truth can be seen “gleaming in the light of God.”

Conclusion

Spurgeon was truly a one-of-a-kind preacher. Yet, what strikes me about Spurgeon’s sermon prep process is how similar it is to my own process, which I learned from other faithful preachers before me. To be sure, there are aspects of Spurgeon’s process that I would not dare to imitate. If I began to earnestly prepare at 6 PM on Saturdays, I would be in trouble! And yet, in his prayerful dependence upon God, careful meditation on Scripture, consulting of other sources, and ordering of his sermon outline, Spurgeon gives us basic principles that all pastors ought to follow.

Personally, I find the way Spurgeon forced himself to depend on the Spirit in the selection of a text the most challenging aspect of his process. I personally am not convinced that is the right practice for me or my congregation. But even if I believe that God has a message for his people out of a scheduled sermon text, how am I cultivating prayerful dependence on the Spirit in my preparation? How do I keep my sermon preparation from simply being a mechanical and academic process? As much as I may grow in my preaching, I pray that I will always remain in complete dependence on the Spirit’s work in my own heart and in that of my hearers.

As exceptional and gifted as Spurgeon was in his preaching, he understood that there were no shortcuts, but he gave himself to a diligent process of preparation week after week. So, pastor, go and do likewise. Give yourself to prayer, the study of God’s Word, and the preparation of faithful, excellent, gospel-rich sermons. And may the Lord use those labors for the blessing of his people.

Editor’s Note: A version of this article was originally published by Preaching Today.

[1] C. H. Spurgeon, C. H. Spurgeon’s Autobiography: Compiled from His Diary, Letters, and Records, by His Wife, and His Private Secretary. Vol. 4(London: Passmore & Alabaster, 1900), 65-68.