When we think about the role that gospel meetings has played throughout history, our minds may go back to the days of revivals. In all actuality, revivals, by their purpose, were simply a mixture of preaching for the purpose of creating restoration or change in the lives of people. As such, the revival may be seen in the days of Hezekiah or Josiah, and the preacher may be seen in the prophets of old, the apostles of Jesus, or the first century Christians who heralded the saving message of Jesus Christ (i.e., Philip preaching in Samaria in Acts 8). More modern records of the influence that gospel meetings or revivals had will take our minds back to the eighteenth century when Jonathan Edwards preached his infamous sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” or many of the other instances of revival preaching both here and abroad. Over the years, it has taken a number of different names, including protracted meetings, evangelistic meetings, or even tent meetings (many times held outside under a tent). While the practice of such decades ago would often span many weeks, such meetings have diminished over the years to the point of lasting just a few days, with many congregations of our Lord now choosing no longer to conduct them at all. We can also see changes to such by noting that day services (in addition to those held at night) used to be normal years ago—such is quite the rarity today. Our rich legacy consists of great preachers of our past who were quite successful in these gospel meetings (J. D. Tant, Marshall Keeble, Foy E. Wallace, Jr., G. C. Brewer, T. B. Larimore, N. B. Hardeman).
Nevertheless, times have indeed changed. Such preaching thrived in a time when preachers would boldly speak out against sin, Christians were much more aggressive with their evangelism, preaching was distinctive and forceful, exposing sin and condemning immorality without apology, and preachers would exhort those who longed to hear the spoken word of God toward obedience in clear language that included Bible examples.
We add to this the role that lectureships have placed throughout the years. Of course, the term “lecture” simply refers to a style of teaching—a teacher publicly speaks to a group of students, of which the practice goes back hundreds of years, and is a common form of education in higher institutions of learning. In the nineteenth century, “parlor lectures” began to become popular—the act of inviting guest speakers for private lectures. As far as our concern for religiously educational purposes, in the summer of 1936, N. B. Hardeman wrote H. Leo Boles a letter to say that he was thinking about a lectureship program for preachers to run for four weeks to suit the needs of preachers whose opportunity to receive the rich benefits of a college education were denied. In the letter, he pointed out that tuition to such would be free, and they would discuss such practical topics as church history, spoken English, vocal music, Bible geography and the preparation and delivery of sermons. Brother Hardeman then invited brother Boles to serve as a guest “teacher” for this lectureship, which began in January 1937. Sixty-five preachers from seventeen states attended this lecture program, with Foy E. Wallace, Jr., B. C. Goodpasture, Batsell Baxter, C. R. Nichols and others among the well-known speakers invited for this event. The lectureship was a great success, and Freed-Hardeman University has conducted such a lectureship ever since (they just held their 76th Annual Lectureship earlier this year).
What benefit and influence do gospel meetings and lectureships offer? Certainly, it underscores the public pronouncement of heralding the good news of the gospel. Lest we need reminding, Paul pronounced, “For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe” (1 Cor. 1:21). Gospel meetings and lectureships often bring out the passion and zeal in preaching. As one song leader humorously said to the preacher, “I like to follow your sermons with a rousing hymn—something that really gets the blood flowing again!” Jesting aside, the combination of uplifting singing and powerful preaching has provided quite the platform for the word of God to reach the masses effectively. Gospel meetings and lectureships provide an opportunity to underscore the power of preaching—overcoming ignorance, false doctrine and worldliness—just as Paul and his companions did time and again in synagogues, on Mars’ Hill and even by a riverside—anywhere people were willing to listen to the spoken word of God!
How sad that gospel meetings and lectureships are declining! May we resolve to restore the power behind the gospel of Jesus Christ (Rom. 1:16)!