True Drawing Force by E. M. Bounds

March 30, 1893

The masses of people are not in the church, and to get them there is of the first importance.  Under the stress to do something, many ingenious expedients have been devised and adopted.  At times some of these expedients are successful in drawing crowds to the church.  The main objection is that the spiritual force of the service must be lowered to get the people there, and still further depraved to hold them there.  The crowds who are drawn by an appeal to itching ears, by sensational methods, must have their itchings gratified or else they will not come again.  The crowds who flocked to Christ for the loaves and fishes or those affected by the sensation of his miracles were blown away like a breath when he laid “judgment to the line and righteousness to the plummet.”  The preacher who adopts nonspiritual methods will find himself in bondage to those who come, feeling compelled to give them what they want, for he knows as well as they do that they come for no spiritual ends and that they have no taste for the serious things of religion.

Taken From: Powerful and Prayerful Pulpits pg. 110