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Proper Preparation Will Produce Proper Results

Not long ago, I overheard an exchange between two brethren who were arguing whether gospel meetings still have an effective place in the work of the church. One brother contended that they are a waste of time and resources. The other brother argued for the opposing view.

This writer is a firm believer in the value of concentrated studies, whether they be gospel meetings, lectureships, or sermon series. If well planned and enthusiastically supported by the host congregation, I’m convinced that such efforts can deliver immense spiritual benefits to those outside of Christ, as well as a tool of encouragement to the saints.

The problem with the above types of studies is not with the concept, but with the execution. Too often, the local congregation does very little in preparing for a meeting or lectureship, yet they expect sensational results. Not only will that system not work with much of anything in everyday life, it is a certainty that it will not work in the Lord’s kingdom.

If we were to take a test without properly studying in advance, we would expect to fail, would we not? If we were to open a store without adequate advertising and inventory, we wouldn’t be surprised by the lack of sales would we? If we were to go to a job interview in shabby clothes, with poor grooming, and with no completed resume or application, do we really think that the interviewer would hire us on simply our good looks and charm alone?

So it is with any evangelistic effort. If no preparation takes place, such as urging people to attend, following up with encouragement to invitees, and having a plan in place for meeting the spiritual needs of those who come, no one should be shocked if few results are evident. Let’s remember that we have to till a lot of soil if we expect seeds to grow (cf. Genesis 2:5; Genesis 3:23; Genesis 4:2; Genesis 9:20). Even Jesus encouraged John to “Prepare the way of the Lord” (Matthew 3:3 – NKJV). We also see the Lord’s disciples going into communities before the Lord’s arrival to get people ready to listen to Him (cf. Luke 10:1 – NKJV). We must be willing to prepare everything in advance if we anticipate good results from our studies.

It’s unfortunate that we often have an incorrect expectation of what constitutes “good results.” As an example, one brother was heard speaking with another brother who thought the local preacher should be let go. He exclaimed, “He’s not doing enough good for the money.” When the other brother named a few people who had been baptized after being taught by the preacher in question, the contentious brother said, “That’s still not enough.” “Not enough?” replied the brother. “Don’t you know how much those souls are worth? Say we only converted one person in ten years. Do you not suppose that one individual will be eternally thankful?”

The same can be said of our meetings. If only one lost soul were to be saved in a decade of meetings, is that one soul not worth the effort? Jesus said it was (Luke 15:7 – NKJV; Luke 15:10 – NKJV). Additionally, if only one weak or struggling Christian is encouraged to soldier on more faithfully, is that one brother or sister’s soul not worth the resources expended? The Scriptures say it is (cf. Galatians 6:1 – NKJV; James 5:19-20 – NKJV; 1 Peter 4:8 – NKJV).

Brethren, the bottom line is this: Let’s make proper preparation for all our evangelistic efforts, then our gracious God will provide the proper results (1 Corinthians 3:6 – NKJV; cf. 1 Corinthians 15:10; 2 Corinthians 3:4-5).