"But the seed on the good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop" (Luke 8:15, NIV).
I have read about great evangelists like T.B. Larimore, Marshall Keeble, and Jimmy Allen. Each one of them would come into a community and conduct evangelistic meetings for a small congregation of Christians. By the end of the series of meetings, hundreds would be added to the local church either by faith and baptism or by repentance and restoration.
How were they so productive? More personally, why am I not so productive?
One reason for their productivity is that each of those men was gifted by God to be an evangelist. I am not gifted in the same way. God has given me gifts, but he has not given me the gift of being able to speak effectively in large public gatherings.
However, while I do not want to take away from the accomplishments of great evangelists, I have come to believe that they are not as productive as they appear. Very seldom are evangelists solely responsible for bringing people to Christ. While they have a crucial role in presenting the gospel in clear and attractive ways, they need other Christians as much as we need them.
Most of the people who are baptized into Christ by an evangelist were actually led to Christ by rather inarticulate people. How many children grow up to know the Lord primarily due to the teaching and example of godly parents? How many employers, employees, and co-workers have been nudged toward Christ by the people who work with them? They may have noticed that a co-worker took the time to visit them in the hospital, lived with integrity, and put in a good word for Jesus every once in a while. Perhaps their co-worker even persuaded them to come to the evangelistic meeting. How many neighbors have learned to respect God because of a saintly neighbor who would rather help than judge?
Everyday, Christians are making a difference. They are persevering. When they think that they are spinning their wheels and going nowhere, they keep going with the hope that somehow God is using them. The good news is: He is! As Jesus taught in the parable of the sheep and the goats in Matthew 25:31-46, he notices the good that his people are doing even when they don't recognize it.
I'm thankful for the evangelists, but I'm just as grateful for the unknown disciples whose less articulate words but godly attitudes and actions are backing up the message of the evangelists. We all need each other, and we need to keep persevering in order to produce a harvest.
I must not give up despite my apparent ineffectiveness.
"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up" (Galatians 6:9, NIV).
Showing posts with label T. B. Larimore. Show all posts
Showing posts with label T. B. Larimore. Show all posts
Friday, September 07, 2007
Saturday, May 19, 2007
The Key to T.B.Larimore's Effectiveness
"Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near" (Philippians 4:5, NASB).
T. B. Larimore was one of the best preachers to serve in the Churches of Christ in America. Converted to Jesus Christ after the Civil War, he started preaching a few years later and did not stop until his death in the late 1920s. During that time, Mr. Larimore was instrumental in bringing thousands of people to the Lord.
Although T. B. Larimore was known as an eloquent speaker, he was even better known for his character. He was a careful Bible student, a devoted family man, and a man of integrity who obviously cared about people. In an era when religious debates were popular, he avoided arguments. (He only engaged in one debate, in which both participants treated each other with deep respect and courtesy.) Even when insulted from the audience by a potential opponent, T. B. would thank the antagonist for his comments and move on with his biblical message.
Several years ago, while reading In Step with the Spirit by Rubel Shelly, I came across this paragraph:
"A while back I was reading of a man who was led to Christ by a gentle soul named T. B. Larimore. The man in question had been to hundreds of church services and dozens of evangelistic meetings before Larimore came and preached in the town. So someone asked him, 'Why did you respond to the gospel under Brother Larimore's preaching when you hadn't before?' His answer is a rebuke to some of us and our methods. 'From other preachers I'd learned I was going to hell,' he said, 'but they seemed pleased that I was. From Larimore I learned I was going to hell, but I could tell it broke his heart to have to tell me so.'"
I would like to be like T. B. Larimore...faithful to the biblical message (even the hard parts) while caring about the people who hear it. I believe that was the key to his effectiveness. Obviously, the Spirit of Christ lived in T. B. Larimore.
T. B. Larimore was one of the best preachers to serve in the Churches of Christ in America. Converted to Jesus Christ after the Civil War, he started preaching a few years later and did not stop until his death in the late 1920s. During that time, Mr. Larimore was instrumental in bringing thousands of people to the Lord.
Although T. B. Larimore was known as an eloquent speaker, he was even better known for his character. He was a careful Bible student, a devoted family man, and a man of integrity who obviously cared about people. In an era when religious debates were popular, he avoided arguments. (He only engaged in one debate, in which both participants treated each other with deep respect and courtesy.) Even when insulted from the audience by a potential opponent, T. B. would thank the antagonist for his comments and move on with his biblical message.
Several years ago, while reading In Step with the Spirit by Rubel Shelly, I came across this paragraph:
"A while back I was reading of a man who was led to Christ by a gentle soul named T. B. Larimore. The man in question had been to hundreds of church services and dozens of evangelistic meetings before Larimore came and preached in the town. So someone asked him, 'Why did you respond to the gospel under Brother Larimore's preaching when you hadn't before?' His answer is a rebuke to some of us and our methods. 'From other preachers I'd learned I was going to hell,' he said, 'but they seemed pleased that I was. From Larimore I learned I was going to hell, but I could tell it broke his heart to have to tell me so.'"
I would like to be like T. B. Larimore...faithful to the biblical message (even the hard parts) while caring about the people who hear it. I believe that was the key to his effectiveness. Obviously, the Spirit of Christ lived in T. B. Larimore.
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