Required reading
Lectures to my students by Charles Spurgeon (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Chapter 5 (Open-air preaching - remarks thereon).
My summary
Today Spurgeon continues with his theme of open-air preaching by giving us his own thoughts on the subject.
Spurgeon teaches us that the benefits of open-air preaching include:
(i) getting so many newcomers to hear the gospel who otherwise would never hear it;
(ii) being better for the usual hearers;
(iii) having your choice of a spot to preach.
A good portion of the third point concerns advice on preaching in the open air.
What grabbed me
I appreciated Spurgeon's advice on the dangers of open-air preaching: 'I am persuaded that the more of open air preaching there is in London the better. If it should become a nuisance to some it will be a blessing to others, if properly conducted. If it be the gospel which is spoken, and if the spirit of the preacher be one of love and truth, the results cannot be doubted: the bread east upon the waters must be found again after many days. The gospel must, however, be preached in a manner worth the hearing, for mere noise-making is an evil rather than a benefit. I know a family almost driven out of their senses by the hideous shouting of monotonous exhortations, and the howling of “Safe in the arms of Jesus” neat’ their door every Sabbath afternoon by the year together. They are zealous Christians, and would willingly help their tormentors if’ they saw the slightest probability of usefulness from the violent bawling: but as they seldom see a hearer, and do not think that what is spoken would do any good if it were heard, they complain that they are compelled to lose their few hours of quiet because two good men think it their duty to perform a noisy but perfectly useless service. I once saw a man preaching with no hearer but a dog, which sat upon its tail and looked up very reverently while its master orated. There were no people at the windows nor passing by, but the brother and his dog were at their post whether the people would hear or whether they would forbear. Once also I passed an earnest declaimer, whose hat was on the]ground before him, filled with papers, and there was not even a dog for an audience, nor any one within hearing, yet did he “waste his sweetness on the desert air.” I hope it relieved Ms own mind. Really it must be viewed as an essential part of a sermon that somebody should hear it: it cannot be a great benefit to the world to have sermons preached in vacuo.'
If the gospel gives offense, then so be it.
If we give offense in our presentation of the gospel, including by preaching in the open-air, then shame on us.
Next week's reading
Read Chapter 6 (Posture, action, gesture, etc.).
Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
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