Arnold Kurtz, Ph.D., is professor of church organization at Andrews University, Berrien Springs, Michigan. At least, it is a fact that God has always chosen this way, as the wisest and best that He could devise or adopt.
In this excellent article, Dr. Mike Horton explains how Charles Finney distorted the important doctrine of salvation.
: The Belknap Press, Harvard UniversityPress, 1960), pp. 17,13, 12. If it is God who builds and revives his church, then this modern reincarnation of Finney’s pragmatic revivalist techniques is no less wrong than the original. These, and other of Finney's new measures, were resisted because they violated the customs of the day.
.” And I am left to think, “But what?” Setting aside churches that are committing the sin of partiality by intentionally excluding certain ethnic groups (which I think any fair-minded person would agree is a sin), what could possibly come after that “but” that is consistent with the Gospel of Christ and what we know about how He forms His church?
It is wrong for the same reasons.
See here for one such discussion. . There are so many exciting subjects constantly brought before the public mind, such a running to and fro, so many that cry "Lo here!" How Finney transformed the whole philosophy and process of evangelism. The same distinctions, in substance, that now exist, have always existed, in all seasons of reformation and revival of religion. 9, When objectors cry out that this is letting down "the dignity of the pulpit," they ought to remember that while they are preaching "sanctimonious starch" the "theatres will be thronged every night," for "the common-sense people will be entertained." "The design" of a protracted meeting, he said, was "to devote a series of days to religious services in order to make a more powerful impression of divine things upon the minds of the people."
To be practical, said Finney, revival preaching had to attract attention. 3 William G. McLoughlin, Jr., Modern Revivalism (New York: The Ronald Press Company, 1959), p. 84.
I called upon them to kneel down and then and there commit themselves forever to the Lord. 17, A minister who wished to work up a revival, he believed, should show the same wisdom as the politician and use "the appropriate means to the end. By this method of advertising "the house could be filled any evening in the week." He was convinced from experience that the use of anxious seats and anxious meetings was "undoubtedly philosophical and according to the laws of mind." 10, Those who objected to revivalists' arousing the emotions forgot, said Finney, that "God has found it necessary to take advantage of the excitability there is in mankind to produce powerful excitements among them before He can lead them to obey."
that the Church cannot maintain her ground without sufficient novelty in measures, to get the public ear. He addressed them "in the language of the common people." 11, Yet Finney was no advocate of emotionalism for its own sake. Mere words will never express the full meaning of the gospel." Their being continued from day to day served to enlighten the mind and has a philosophical tendency to issue in conversions." The ignorant revivalists stopped at arousing the animal emotions, instead of proceeding to appeal to the religious affections. If by 'theatrical' be meant the strongest possible representation of the sentiments expressed, then the more theatrical a sermon is the better."
They not only helped to break the "chains of pride" but they forced a definite commitment "to be on the Lord's side" from per sons who might otherwise hold back.16 This, too, was a comparatively new measure that went back no farther than the use of the "mourners' bench" at the Methodist camp meetings. He quoted the Biblical injunction, "Let all things be done decently and in order," and deplored the "fanaticism" and "rash zeal" of the great revivals of Edwards and White field. It has been said "evangelism entered modernity with him." The frontier camp meeting had strongly emphasized congregational singing, but the Presbyterian and Congregational churches were slow to abandon the old psalms and the stolid hymns of Isaac Watts. If you're a print subscriber, we'll complement your print copy of Ministry with an electronic version. Wherever the Methodists have gone, their plain, pointed and simple, but warm and animated, mode of preaching has always gathered congregations. 18. 12. Not only did he develop new techniques for promoting conversions and a new style for pulpit oratory but he transformed the whole philosophy and process of evangelism.
What was needed was a "plain, pointed, and simple but warm and animated mode of preaching." Instead of conforming to the new age many ministers still "retain the same stiff, dry, prosing style of preaching that answered half a century ago." Seventh-day Adventists believe in inspiring those around us to experience a life of wholeness and hope for an eternal future with God. What do the politicians do? Why, then, do many who know that Finney was wrong about pragmatic revivalism, think that today’s church can adopt “new measures for the social justice age” and thereby manufacture a particular level of ethnic diversity in a given local church congregation? In contrast to Finney, they are dedicated to the truths of the Gospel as being of utmost importance, recognizing that, as one of Finney’s contemporaries, John Williamson Nevin, wrote: “We must not do wrong even to gain a soul for heaven.” True revival, like salvation itself, is a work of the Holy Spirit that cannot be manufactured by human efforts.
The fact is that God has established, in no Church, any particular form, or manner of worship, for promoting the interests of religion.
Can anyone honestly say that when Christ said He would build his church that he meant, “I will build My church, but it’s up to you to figure out what techniques work in order to reach a certain level of ethnic diversity based on the surrounding community?”.
Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. It is the purpose of this study to review Finney's contribution, especially from the standpoint of these "new measures," as they came to be termed.
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