A part of Paul’s instruction to the church at Thessalonica was to “prove all things”. The word “prove” here is used as we used it back in geometry class. It means to look at it carefully and test it as to its validity.
In recent years our churches have been prone to accept so many ideas and means solely due to their immediate pragmatic results, without giving careful consideration to the longer-term effects of these ideas. Likely our greatest problem here is our interest in immediate and measurable results. Permit me to just submit one example that I have found in my study of recent church history.
Charles Finney is notable in our recent history because his practice led to the established way that we practice evangelism today. The public invitation that is used so commonly among our churches was rarely practiced as such prior to Charles Finney. Finney was very vocal and forceful in promoting this type of practice in his school of evangelism and pastoral training that he founded in Oberlin, Ohio. However, a significant thing that is often missed is his observation regarding this in his later life. In his writings on Systematic Theology he confesses that the greater number of his “converts” were a disgrace to religion and as for the lasting aspect the results in the churches were disastrous.
Many of his closest partners in the work of evangelism made the very same observations. Asa Mahan, Finney’s fellow worker and close friend for the whole of his life made the following observation, “…everyone who was concerned in these revivals suffered a sad, subsequent lapse; the people were left like a dead coal which could not be reignited…”
Charles Spurgeon warned his school of evangelists of the same things in these words, “In our revival services, it might be as well to vary our procedure. Sometimes shut up that inquiry-room. I have my fears about that institution if it be used in permanence, and as an inevitable part of the services.” We, as men, are so capable of finding ways and means to get things done, but it may not always be as genuine as we hope.
