Local Personal Evangelism

by Alton B. Bailey
Preacher's Study Notes 1993
I count it an honor to be asked to take part in this study. I would like to thank the brethren of this congregation for selecting this subject to be studied, and those in charge, for asking me to participate. It is one of the most important themes that could be discussed, for the salvation of both the lost sinner and our own salvation is at stake. It would be easy for men and women o feel no sense of personal obligation or responsibility toward the lost, and be at ease in spiritual Zion, while the lost go on their way to condemnation. Yet we are told by Ezekiel the prophet that the Lord said:

“Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand” (Ezekiel 3:17-18).

I read somewhere that brethren fail more in personal evangelism than in any other phase of our plea. We have restored the New Testament name, organization, plan of salvation, scheme of redemption, and manner of worship, but we often fail when it comes to personal evangelism.

“Local Personal Evangelism” Defined
The word “evangelism” has been defined both by explanation and by the dictionary. In order to better understand our subject we must keep the meaning of the term before us.

Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary defines “evangelism” in simple terms:
“1. a preaching of, or zealous effort to spread the gospel, as in revival meetings.
2. the work of an evangelist.” The New International Dictionary defines “evangelize” as “to instruct in the gospel; to preach the gospel; to convert to Christianity” One who brings the “gospel or system of Christianity” an evangelist. “Evangelism” is defined as “the preaching or promulgation of the gospel.”

In a sense, local evangelism could have been described somewhat as the limited commission of the Lord in Matthew 10:5-6:

“These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, ‘Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.’ ”

The term “personal” suggests the idea of individual involvement. God intended that every member of the church should be active agents in carrying His purpose into the world. It seems that all activities of the church, as such, may be included under three headings: converting sinners, edifying itself, and helping the needy saints.

When talking about converting sinners through evangelism, it is necessary to make a distinction between home and foreign mission work. With the Lord, “The field is the world” (Matthew 13:38). Every unsaved soul is a portion of the field. When the harvest is ready, evangelism is the reaper. For this reason, Jesus said in Matthew 9:37b-38:

“The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest.”

While I am absolutely behind our foreign mission efforts wherever they are, we must not neglect the local work in our own country, states, and cities. I am absolutely convinced that there are good, honest souls in every city that would obey the gospel, if they only knew the truth.

Whether it be individuals in foreign lands or in local surroundings, the truth is the same as that described by Paul when he said,

“How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent?" (Romans 10:14-15a).

The work of evangelism requires a united effort between the church as a body and the preacher. One is dependent upon the other in getting the work done.

In local evangelism I have labored with a number of our gospel preachers in personal work and so-called mission meetings. Such brethren as Bobby Pepper, Richard Nichols, Bob O’Rear, Miles King, J. W Kornegay, Don Snow, Vance Ayers, and others.
We used the term “mission meetings” to imply that it was not an established church or work. We sometimes go into a town, city or area where there is no faithful church of Christ and hold a gospel meeting. Since no one sent us there or no one called us, we often found ourselves on our own as far as advertising and places for meeting in were concerned. I can assure you there is much more involved in this kind of meeting than there is in a meeting in an established church where the work has already been done when the evangelist arrives. For far too long we have been content with letting meetings and the work done by traveling evangelists be the answer. With such a view we can see why there are so few involved and little being done. This work should be shared by all Christians. Gospel meetings anymore are more of a “revival” meeting than a gospel meeting and there is a difference.

Methods of Advertisement
A number of years ago I began publishing a little paper called The Informer, and kept it going for ten or twelve years. This gave us an opportunity to inform churches in the South about the mission type meetings and the needs that were required for advertisements, and places to meet, and other related expenses. When brethren joined in the work with both their finances and personal help, the work began to be more profitable.

We went into the work with the intent for it to be a success. We wanted at least some of the work to be done before the meeting. This, to me was very important. If we were going to use a tent, we would try to set it up several days in advance. The tent alone was a good advertisement. We passed out flyers from house to house in the vicinity where the meeting was to be held. We went to every extreme that we knew. We would buy the local newspapers and go to yard sales and pass out flyers to those who were there, and leave some to be picked up by other shoppers. At times, we ran large ads in the local newspapers with pictures of the preachers. We bought a number of thirty second announcements to be broadcast over the radio several times daily. There were times that we were interviewed by the radio management. At times we bought TV. announcements over local TV stations. We would often use the school house or rent an old store building that was out of business to hold the meetings in and have studies in with the people who would come. We walked the streets talking to whomever we might meet and invited them to the services.

Brother Bobby Pepper and I worked for years together in these endeavors. As a result, there were a number of people that obeyed the gospel. New churches were established. Some came out of digression and others were restored to the faith. We often had confrontation with the liberal or digressive brethren who resented our presence in their town and the way we advertised, calling our work “a mission effort.” Once, in Fort Meyers, Florida, they grouped a number of their preachers together and came to confront us in the home of some of the members. We were thankful that after the episode, the lady of the house took a stand with us and her husband was baptized. This was our first break in that area and the result was another congregation established. We went back several times after that and held a number of meetings and continued to do personal work as we could.

How We Choose Places For Mission Meetings
In the Informer we asked for any leads that might be profitable. We had determined that no lead would be ignored. Some of the leads were fruitful and some were not. If we found enough interest, we would go there and hold meetings. We decided if there were any converts in such meetings, we would suggest they attend the nearest congregation to them, and leave it up to the individuals as to where they would make their home church.

When there were enough members, we helped start new congregations. We usually went back several times with other meetings to follow up the work. Brethren from other congregations would come and help with the services until they could carry on themselves.

Because of honesty and love for the truth, there were some churches in this area that changed their manner of worship to become scriptural, renouncing all forms of digression.

Scriptural Methods of Evangelism
I do not believe the Scriptures bind “mission meetings” as such. Each work is unique within itself and must be approached with due consideration of the local circumstances. It would be very easy for an experienced evangelist to become loyal to methods they have used in the past, without feeling the need to do differently in other places that might be profitable. People differ in different places due to their background, education, customs, etc. I think Paul would say it better than any:

“And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; to them that are without law, as without law, (being not with- out law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some” (1 Corinthians 9:20-22).

There are three groups involved in local evangelism:

1. The local church a. Jerusalem sent out Stephen and Philip (Acts 6-8). b. Antioch sent out Paul and Barnabas (Acts 13). c. Timothy was sent from the church in Lystra (Acts 16:1-3). d. From Corinth went Priscilla and Aquila (Acts 18:18ff). 2. The Evangelist. The evangelists that were sent out were men of good character, conviction, and consecrated to the cause. They were men like Stephen, Barnabas, Philip and others. Men like Demas soon faded out of the picture. We still experience such today. 3. The whole world is to be evangelized. And He said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned (Mark 16:15-16). “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth”(Acts 1:8).

The Kind of Message Needed in Evangelism
The Lord said “Preach the gospel,” and further, “Teach them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20). In doing so we should use wisdom and tact and present biblical facts in our teaching, whether public or private, concerning Diety; the doctrine of Christ, and how to obtain salvation. Preaching should be done in a positive manner about what is right, one’s duties to the church, about the Second Coming, the judgment of God, and so forth. Avoid being negative as much as possible.

Every preacher, young or old, should take by memory and apply Paul’s instruction to Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:1-5:

“I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and His kingdom; preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.”

We should study to show ourselves approved (2 Timothy 2:15), then preach with all authority (Titus 2:15). We should preach from the pulpit, teach from door to door, by radio, TV, by the printed page, by whatever means that is right, and to as many people as possible. One of the greatest rewards we could have in this life is to bring one to salvation (James 5:20). We have a great message to offer to the world. We need to do it with enthusiasm and work at it with all our might. Let us do it with the thought in mind that these people are lost, and the only hope they have is what we have to offer—the gospel of Jesus Christ (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9).
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