THE WINTER CAMPAIGN
by C H SpurgeonFROM SWORD & TROWEL 2005 No
3
An insight into the labours of a vast congregation enjoying a time of
awakening. Portions of an exhortation applicable today.
THE NEXT FEW months are, in many churches, the period of harvest when
we look for larger meetings. Between this month and the spring much may be accomplished
if pastors and churches have a mind to work. The time has come: are we ready to avail
ourselves of it?
It is important that ministers should call special attention to the usual prayer
meetings by mentioning them from the pulpit, with a special request that they may be well
attended, or, better still, by a sermon on the topic, stirring up the minds of the members.
People’s minds are exercised with many thoughts when they see that the
pastor is setting himself in a zealous manner to the work of God, and availing himself of the
opportunities of the season.
Every one of the members of a congregation should be made to feel -
‘Whether I help or hinder, whether I unite in effort or am idle, whether I get a blessing or
remain indifferent, the minister in God’s name has summoned the church to seek a gracious
visitation of the Holy Spirit, and he acts like a man who will not rest without it.’
Then, having cried unto the Lord for strength, the church should each week
make some distinct inroad upon the territory of the arch-enemy. We assume that her Sunday
Schools, her Bible Classes, her preaching stations, her tract distribution, and so on, are all
maintained with vigour, and that grace rests on all the workers. What we have to propose is
extra and beyond all this. We suggest some new effort, beyond all that is already done,
should be made every week.
For instance, in the department of tract distribution, could not a number of
selected tracts be produced at the meeting for prayer, paid for by the gifts of all, and then
distributed to all for dissemination all over the district during the week? In large towns, tens
of thousands do not even know of the existence of a chapel which may stand within a street
or two of them.
Or take another instance of what we may do. Is there room for more children
in the Sunday School? Then let the meeting for prayer, at one of its gatherings, consider
mainly the School, and plead for a blessing upon it, and let the godly persons there agree to
scour the neighbourhood to bring in all the stray children. If the pastor and superintendent
would come prepared with a map or plan, with districts marked out, they would probably
find sufficient persons volunteering to do all the needful child-gathering, and the whole
meeting would feel a far greater interest in the Sunday School than it has ever done before.
Each week, then, we suggest some distinct, new effort for advance, publicly
announced and prayed over at the council of war held weekly at the prayer meeting. Real
work should be done, not talked about.
Meanwhile the congregation should be, by God’s help, vigorously plied with
the Gospel. Within her own circle - to the very fringe - the church should make it hard for
sinners to be at ease. Appeals should not only come from the pastor, but from all the
members. Whichever way the unconverted turn they should be confronted with
expostulations, entreaties, invitations and warnings. Frequent seasons should be set apart
for enquirers: the pastor and officers should lay themselves out to converse with all persons
under concern of soul. No one should find it difficult to unbosom his doubts, or relate his
struggles after pardon: all experienced believers should be upon the watch to lend their aid.
Love on fire with holy zeal must make the meetings pleasing, and induce the
timid to take courage, the retiring to be less backward, and the self-condemned to be more
at ease in the company of believers.
During this winter crusade a course of sermons upon the first truths of the Gospel would be peculiarly appropriate, and if all hearers were urged to bring friends with them it would be well. At any rate the preacher must dwell largely at this time upon arousing the soul-saving topics. He must preach Jesus most distinctly, and the plan of justification by faith as clearly as words can put it. The more advanced truths can wait awhile, but the rudiments of the Gospel must be laid before people’s
minds in the hope that they will believe and live. Every sermon should have a warm side for
sinners, and never be concluded without the proclamation of free grace.
Every believer should be doubly on the alert in watching for souls. None in
the congregation should be able to say, ‘We attended that place, but no one spoke to us.’ If
all members of the church became seekers of souls they would, with God’s blessing, all
become winners of souls. This would yield a season of increase such as our present
experience has not enabled us to realise.
O that the Lord would send forth real power into our midst! We need not
great talents or intense excitement. With what we already have the battle may be won if the
Lord will put His Spirit within us.
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