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| Theology | |
Charles Stelzle on Church Mission
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"Important as gospel methods may be, there is none
more important than personal evangelism. For this is fundamental, even in
the large, public enterprises. It was Philip's method. Philip brought
Andrew, and Andrew brought Peter. Andrew never preached a great sermon nor
did a 'great' thing, so far as we know. But he was instrumental in saving
his famous brother, and that was worth while. "It was Christ's method. He dealt personally with the women at the well. He gave Nicodemus the best and greatest truth that He had. ... If every Christian were to give himself to personal evangelism, winning one soul a year, more persons would be saved than are today being led to Christ by the preaching of all the ministers in the world combined." (225) "Not only has the Church adjusted herself to changing social conditions, but she has been the principal factor in social progress." (13) "More dangerous than any opposing religious system is the Church's apparent failure to recognize the influence of the social and physical conditions which affect many of those whom we are seeking to win to Christ." (21) ""Class distinctions are more sharply drawn in the city than they are in the country. A deep hatred for those of the so-called upper class is only too frequently manifested by men and women whose lives have become narrowed by what they consider great inequalities in opportunity for securing more of the comforts of life." (23) "The world that works is waking up! and waking particularly to a sense of its own great power. Some day they will peacefully take that justice which is denied them, and not only for themselves, but for all." (24) "Will the Church be true to her commission, to the example of her Master, and to her own history, or will she admit defeat at the hands of here rivals or her foes, ancient and modern? Will she confess that the social conditions which confront us as a Church and as a nation are too great a problem for her to meet and solve?" (37) "The Church most realize that the ordinary means of grace will not suffice in the average city mission field. Dozens of dead or dying churches testify to this fact. The people living in such a community will look to the Church for almost every need in their lives." (47) "The Church must preach a clearer message with regard to the social problems of the day. ... the preacher must apply the great principles of Jesus Christ, the principles of righteousness, of justice, of love, and of service to these great problems." (60) "Some good souls are very much afraid of ethical preaching. But we have excellent authority for such preaching in the example given us by the pr9ophets and by Jesus Christ Himself. Some of the people in the Church who are retarding the progress of the kingdom have undoubtedly experienced a spiritual conversion, but they need to be converted socially." (61) "What is needed, therefore, is a regularly organized Church, which ministers to all the needs of the people living in the community. Such a Church, peoperly organized and aggressively conducted, with an evangelistic basis, is sure to win the people." (166) "Whatever may be said in condemnation of individualistic evangelism, and however inadequate it may be to meet all the needs of men - social and ethical - nevertheless it is fundamental in the task of bringing about right relationships between men. Therefore, in the gifts which God has distributed among men, He has given it to some to be evangelists - men whose peculiar work it is to win others to Christ." (192) excerpts from Christianity's Storm Centre, Charles Stelzle, Fleming H . Revell, 1907. Charles Stelzle graduated from Moody Bible Institute. As a theological conservative, he ministered in New York City tenements and established a Labor Temple. Click here to go to Stelzle on labor Return to Homepage |
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