Book Review of A Pastor's Sketches
Spencer, Ichabod. A Pastor's Sketches: Conversations with Anxious Souls Concerning the Way of Salvation. Vestavia Hills, AL: Solid Ground Christian Books, 2006. 600 pp.
Introduction
A Pastor’s Sketches by Ichabod Spencer, first published in the mid-1800s, is a classic text on pastoral ministry and personal evangelism. Known as the "Bunyan of Brooklyn," Spencer published in his Sketches a sampling of the thousands of personal interviews he had conducted with individuals about the state of their souls. In the Sketches, Spencer offers an intimate look at how he effectively led thousands to faith in Christ. The modern Christian can find much wisdom here in the great work of partnering with God to facilitate the conversion of sinners. The purpose of this review is to highlight some of the lessons learned that can strengthen our evangelism today.
Spencer’s Philosophy of Evangelism
It is evident from the Sketches that Spencer conducted his ministry of evangelism with a tremendous grasp of biblical theology, the inner deceptive workings of the sinner’s heart to avoid the need for faith and repentance, the process of conversion, and reliance on the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Spencer made a point of taking initiative to see that everyone within his sphere of influence came to a genuine and complete conversion. He demonstrated a keen interest in people "to do them good" as he would often say. He was very bold and direct, as well as cordial and respectful, in his approach. By his long experience he developed a sensitivity and discernment in knowing what to say, how to say it, and when to back off.
Furthermore, it is evident that Spencer benefitted from a Christianized culture. In general, the people he ministered to had a far greater respect for the Bible, a knowledge of and assent to the fundamental doctrines of Christianity, and genuine concern to be saved than is true of the present time in America. While human depravity is always a reality in every generation, Spencer lived in a time prior to modernism and postmodernism with its rationalism, naturalism, multi-culturalism, positive tolerance, general acceptance of evolution, increased skepticism and materialism, and spiritual declension in the professing church. It is doubtful that there will ever be a Christianized culture as conducive to mass conversions in America as was true in Spencer’s time and it is therefore doubtful that the results Spencer enjoyed can be duplicated today. With that said, there are still a great many lessons to be learned and applied from Spencer’s approach that can increase the effectiveness of evangelism in the present time. These lessons will be addressed in the next section.
Strengths
In the encounter with the young Irishman, Spencer demonstrated tremendous patience, wisdom, and intellectual prowess. The young Irishman was a skeptic who was only able to place confidence in what is physical and not in was is spiritual. Spencer powerfully demonstrated to him that spirit is more certain than they physical since our perception and knowledge of things is a matter of spirit (28-29). It was obvious that Spencer had given serious thought to questions such as the Irishman had so as to be prepared to answer such objections. Christians today would do well to consider how to answer common objections so as to be prepared to remove such obstacles to faith. The apostle Peter exhorted his readers to "always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you" (1 Pet 3:15, NKJV). Spencer was a good example Peter’s instruction. Another lesson learned from the story of the young Irishman is that Christian conduct is as important, if not more so, than the answers we can give to objections. The example of the Irishman’s aunt demonstrated this truth when he said of her "[she] has been a demonstration to me" (47). Spencer made of point of this remark saying, "Private example of godliness is what the world needs most" (50).
Spencer was a master of the fine art of identifying the true seat of a person’s unwillingness to repent and trust Christ for salvation. Objections that many Christians would not know how to answer, Spencer identifies and confronts with great precision and clarity. For example, in "Waiting for Conviction," he points out to a young woman who would not repent until she had a feeling of conviction that it was a mere excuse to put off her responsibility. He said to her, "At present, you are excusing yourself from all this, by the false notion that you have not impressions enough to be able to do so. . . . This is your excuse; and it is all a deception, in my opinion" (75).
Another lesson from Spencer’s experiences is that often well-meaning Christians can thwart a seeker’s conversion by disrupting the sense of conviction by prematurely offering consolation. For example, one young woman who was experiencing a sense of conviction and urgency about her soul was told by another Christian woman not be discouraged (79). This counsel caused the troubled seeker to feel better. Spencer was dismayed at the idea of her feeling better while she was yet in her sin and sought to arouse her to seek salvation but it was in vain at this point. A similar example is a young man who received similar counsel when he was under conviction. This man’s heart seized upon the consolation offered him and, in the words of Spencer, "he took it as a sedative to his conscience" (86).
A lesson from Spencer that I had not considered before is the importance of knowing when to stop talking with a seeker. Previously, I thought the longer I can keep someone is discussion about spiritual things the better. Spencer demonstrated that once the seeker knows the truth of the gospel and his necessary response, the seeker should be left alone with God. For example, Spencer refused a man who wanted to visit with him to share his feelings saying that it would do him no good. By the time this man reached his home he was converted because he was forced to go to God with his feelings and seek relief there rather than by talking with Spencer (81-82). In the words of Spencer, "It is vastly important to know when to stop" (83).
In a similar vein, Spencer would often seek to impress some great truth in the mind and leave the person with that truth ringing in their ears. For example, to one young lady who attend an inquiry meeting, Spencer said only, "For three weeks you have done nothing but resist the Holy Spirit" (105). With that, he left passed to the next individual and soon after left. Later she was converted and reported that what Spencer had said to her "opened her eyes" (105). In another example, he told one young man who said he had a very wicked heart, "It is a great deal more wicked than you think it" (152) and immediately left him. At first this made felt insulted, but afterwards thought long and hard on what Spencer had said and was converted. He later asked Spencer how he knows what to say to different individuals. Spencer replied that he aims to conspire with the Holy Spirit (153). That is, he seeks to make deeper any impression the Holy Spirit has made on the mind rather than leading the mind off to something else. Or, he seeks to remove any error of thinking in the individual’s mind. This is a great bit of wisdom.
Spencer did well to highlight the main gospel truths a sinner must embrace to attain salvation. In one case, he outlined the main truths to a dying young woman with the following: 1. We are sinners; 2. Jesus Christ came to seek and save the lost; 3. Lost sinners will be saved by Christ if they repent and believe in him; 4. We need the aid of the Holy Spirit to renew our hearts and to bring us to faith and repentance; 5. This salvation is freely offered to us now, today, and it is our duty and interest to accept it on the spot, just as we are (95-96). Many Christians today have not considered what the central truths of the gospel are that must be believed to be saved. They no doubt believe these truths, but without considering what is essential they often talk of secondary or unnecessary issues that do not help a seeker but only lead to idle talk or argument.
Spencer modeled another strength in how he implored sinners to talk openly with him about their state. Often those he spoke with would not answer his questions. In one case he asked to visit again a woman who was convinced she could not be saved though she agreed with the truths of the gospel. She refused him. Spencer pleaded with her saying, "Madam you must! I cannot leave you so! I will not! I love you too well to do it. I ask it a personal favour to myself; and I shall not think you have treated me politely, if you refuse it. May I see you a little while to-morrow!" (113). In this example, Spencer showed great concern but also appealed to her sense of propriety to allow him another visit.
One final strength of Spencer’s approach I appreciate is he always sought to put the onus for someone’s salvation on the seeker. He never sought to take responsibility for it or to alleviate someone’s troubled heart by leading them in a "sinner’s prayer." He never pronounced someone a Christian, even when that person gave evidence of being so yet without their full awareness of it yet. He never offered a person assurance. He left all the responsibility with the seeker and trusted that the Holy Spirit would use his witness to bring the person to faith. His aim was for the person to experience a conversion and allow that experience to give them assurance. For example, one young woman expressed a desire to be converted and was willing to do anything to be a Christian. Spencer’s counsel to her was that she needed to consent to do nothing, and let Christ save her (180). He pointed out her attempts at self-righteousness and abruptly left her. Later she reported her conversion to Spencer. She had learned to deny herself and trust in Christ alone.
Weaknesses
I do not have much to quarrel with in Spencer’s approach to evangelism. All I would say is that I do differ with him slightly on his covenant theology and paedo-baptism. An example of this was in the story about the woman who feared her husband’s reaction if she joined the church and was baptized. Soon after doing so, she presented all her children for baptism and found relief in their being in the covenant through their baptism. She wrongly concluded that her children would no longer be hindered from religion as she had been because of her fear of being baptized as an adult (138). Spencer’s reflection on the incident was that lack of baptism is an example of a "mere trifle" that kept convicted sinners from salvation and that it was important for to remove such an obstacle. I agree with him in principle but not on the specific example of baptism.
Another weakness I found was that Spencer did not appear to engage in evangelism training for his congregation. This fact seemed to me a great weakness since he reported how some well-meaning members of his own church thwarted his efforts by saying the wrong things to people he was working with. He seemed to think it was only his responsibility to evangelize when in reality the Bible instructs pastors to "equip the saints for the work of ministry" (Eph 4:11).
A final weakness might be a lack of follow-up or discipleship with those converted under his ministry. It may well be that once they participated in his church that discipleship took place, but knowing the times Spencer ministered in, it is doubtful that there were things like small group Bible studies or other venues for discipleship to take place. Jesus called his followers to make disciples and not just converts (Mat 28:18-20).
Conclusion
My thinking of the work of evangelism has greatly profited from reading Spencer’s book. I learned a great deal about how to engage unbelievers with a sense of urgency and personal responsibility for their salvation. I have often been clear and thorough but not urgent enough and not stressing enough their responsibility before God to repent and believe.
I also greatly benefitted from Spencer’s wisdom in knowing how to say something pertinent and convicting and then stop and move on. I have tended to say too much in the past and I have seen my error. I must listen for things the Holy Spirit has impressed upon the mind of the seeker and try to drive it deeper. I also must be looking for any error in their thinking like excuses they may be relying on to put off their responsibility. I am very grateful for Spencer’s book and look forward to applying the lessons learned.
