Additional Info

By Charles Whittle

The first known meeting of the Conference Secretaries of Evangelism was held in Indianapolis, IN December 4-8, 1944 at the Central Avenue Methodist Church.  Estimated attendance was between 130 and 150.  Dr. Harry Denman, General Secretary of the General Board of Evangelism, called the meeting.  There are no known records of how often they met.

“At the meeting of the Conference Secretaries of Evangelism held in Stillwater, OK, October 13-18, 1955, the Council of Evangelism of The Methodist Church was officially organized.  Dr. George A. Fallon, pastor, Lakewood Methodist Church, Cleveland, OH, was elected president.

“Sponsored by the General Board of Evangelism, the Council’s primary purpose is to enlist the interest and support of both ministers and laymen in evangelism at the ‘grass roots’ level.

“Membership in the Council is open to persons from every sphere of the Church’s life – from the Local Church, the District, the Conference, the Area, and the national levels. (P. 19, Shepherd’s magazine, January, 1956)

“Additional to the Conference Secretaries, the Conference Chairmen of Evangelism and as many District Secretaries of Evangelism as could arrange to do so were invited to attend.  Two hundred  and forty-nine persons registered attendance at the Conference, which was an occasion of great inspiration and helpfulness.” (from General Board o f Evangelism Yearbook – 1956)

I recall that Dr. Harry Denman had originally invited the Conference Secretaries of Evangelism for the sharing of ideas, concerns, and what the Board could do to assist.   For Dr. Denman this was ‘listening and responding to’ the grass roots.  At that time each Conference had a Conference Board of Evangelism with a Conference Secretary of Evangelism, a Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Secretary.

Until 1972 there were Jurisdictional Boards of Evangelism, Conference Boards of Evangelism, District Committees on Evangelism, and Local Church Commissions on Membership and Evangelism.  In each local Church the Commission was organized into committees on: Prospect Discovery and Cultivation, Personal and Visitation Evangelism, Church Attendance, Developing the Prayer Life, Membership Care and Recovery.

Dr. Denman sought to train Conference leaders on the national level (The Council on Evangelism), District leaders on the Jurisdictional level (Jurisdictional Conferences on Evangelism) and local Church leaders on the District level (District Rallies and Seminars on Evangelism).

In the Discipline of The Methodist Church the aim of evangelism was as follows:

The Aim of Evangelism

• to bring all men into living, active fellowship with God through Jesus Christ as divine Saviour and through the regenerating power of The Holy Spirit.;
• to gather them into the fellowship of the Church;        
• to lead them to express their Christian discipleship in every area of human life that the Kingdom of God may be realized.”

The merger in 1968 of The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren, denominational structure changed in 1972, resulting in fewer Conferences having Board of Evangelism; the membership of the Council was enlarged to include other persons with responsibilities and interests in Discipleship.   A staff-liaison continued to be represented on the Council Executive Committee, and the General Board of Discipleship continues to cosponsor the annual CONGRESS on Evangelism..

 The basic purposes still include:

• Provide an arena for dialogue and exchange of ideas.
• Identify grass roots concerns and need for supporting resources.
• Focus on issues that concern the evangelist.
• Create an atmosphere receptive to the Spirit of God for the motivation and guidance needed for mission.

The annual meetings are funded by registration fees offerings, pledges and gifts from Annual Conferences and individuals.

Though all the changes in our Church the Council on Evangelism helps to keep evangelism a visible priority.