The Impact of Charles Spurgeon On the Christian Church
Hermeneutics is succinctly defined as the science of interpretation, especially of the Scriptures. Mostly known for his oratory display of interpreting the scriptures, Spurgeon was a great preacher. He was so gifted in this area, that by the age of twenty-years-old, he was pastoring in London and invited to preach at many events throughout the city. Historians state the following about his preaching influenced parishioners to listen to his sermons:
“His energy and oratorical skills and harmonious voice earned him such a reputation that within a year and a half, he was invited to preach in London, at the historic New Park Street Chapel”.
Clearly, he was a man led by the Holy Spirit, but his commitment to reading several books every week and writing regularly, Spurgeon was highly prepared to exegete and provide discourse in the things of God. It is said that he acquired over twelve-thousand books in his personal library, with over a thousand of those books written before the eighteenth century. His example of zeal and preparedness is reflective of many pastoral offices of preachers in a way that blurs the lines denomination, becoming a source of inspiration for pastors who desire a similarity in efficacy.
His level of effectiveness was parallel to the man that he was. Being a righteous man of integrity, he dedicated his life to preaching holiness to, purely based on the Word of God. Historians denote his ability to preach with passion, with a great rising and falling of his voice, and with great conviction that compelled people to reconsider their choices and commit to a life in Jesus Christ. It is from this footing that many preachers, long after his death and up until today, are compelled and purposed to speak truths to God’s people in a way that will convict them and cause them to apply this preached Word to their lives.
Spurgeon only lived from 1834 to 1892. In his short life, his empirical achievements are the aspirations of many preachers of all ages and various walks of life still, today. His example and message permeates with any protestant preacher, resonates in the traditional black church, and has become a source of impartation in seminaries all over the world. But, his influence began as a young pastor with thousands of parishioners. Similar to the way journalists and media, as a whole, assert allocution for any person who gains the attention of the public, the same was done to Spurgeon.
Emulating the ministry of Charles Spurgeon means applying the great work ethic and dedication that he had. This dedication not only garnered thousands of Christ followers in his church, but it inherently attracted naysayers and those who criticized his style of preaching “antics” and horrid stories that would “scare” a crowd into the kingdom of God. These “mockings” caused Spurgeon to suffer from mental depression that would distress him for the remainder of his life. While some may think that his depression was a reflection of mental weakness, others may argue that this distress stemmed from the empathy that he possible had, concluding the carnality of his mockers. Moreover, he suffered from concerning himself over their souls. This concern that Spurgeon had for others could be compared to the way Jesus concerned himself with those who crucified him, praying for them even at the point of death. Like Jesus, Spurgeon’s community was encompassed with followers and mockers, believers and non-believers. He had the attention of them all. Like Jesus, he had the ability to change hearts and minds in the midst of pain and suffering. Jesus suffered on and before the cross. Spurgeon, a committed, soterical soul suffered, not only from depression, he was afflicted with gout and possibly some other illnesses. Never allowing his circumstances to hinder his purpose, Spurgeon’s emphatic belief in Jesus Christ would never waiver.
In addition to his own physical and mental sufferings, the wife from his youth was afflicted with a life-altering illness from her thirties. Because of her great affliction, she was unable to attend church, missing several of her husband’s sermons. It is without any doubt that this affected Spurgeon within his mind and his spirit. Yet his vow to share the Word of God was not hindered.
In this discussion about the man who is considered the greatest preacher of the nine-teenth century, it is important to denote his conversion experience. Of the opinion that all preachers should be able to express such an experience, Spurgeon’s conversion experience was clear. Although he was born as a legacy of Calvinistic preachers and proclaimed to be one himself even after his decision, he experienced the anointing of the Holy Spirit in a Baptist church, got baptized at the age of fifteen, and started his journey from there. This empirical reality of Spurgeon influences the Christian church, but particularly resonates with the Baptist denomination.
As previously stated, Spurgeon pastored from the time he was nineteen years of age in a church that hired him on a temporary basis. He began this charge in February, 1854, at Park Street Chapel in London. He continued on as the pastor for the next forty years. His ministry was not limited to pastoring and preaching in the Park Street Chapel pulpit. He wrote in his own monthly, publication, “The Sword and the Trowel.” At the age of twenty-one, he started The Pastor’s College, opening up the opportunity to train and develop other pastors who attended the school. The school grew quickly from one-hundred and ten student enrollments who eventually produced more than nine-hundred graduates and two-hundred churches. The influence that he had on others during his life is an aspiring hope that many preachers desire. But his humility never allowed him to praise himself and his own works. All that he did, he gave God glory and worked hard to continue on the path that God placed him on.
In conclusion, this composition is a brief overview of how the preacher, Rev. Charles H. Spurgeon, has influenced preachers, the Christian community, and the art of hermeneutics. His influence was an exemplary life and that mirrored the message of Jesus Christ. It is certain that he was not a perfect man, but he was a man of great character and conviction.
Bibliography
Christianity Today. n.d. Charles Spurgeon: Finest Nineteenth-Century Preacher. Accessed April 2016. http://www.christianitytoday.com/history/people/pastorsandpreachers/charles-spurgeon.html.
Farley, William P. n.d. Charles Haddon Spurgeon: The Greatest Victorian Preacher. Accessed April 2016. http://enrichmentjournal.ag.org/200701/200701_136_spurgeon.cfm.
Harmon, Jerry. 2006. "The Soteriology of Charles Haddon Spurgeon and How it Impactd His evangelism." Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society 46-63. Accessed April 2016. https://faithalone.org/journal/2006i/5_harmon.pdf.
Lewis, John W. 2012. "Insights From Charles Spurgeon's Christ-Centered Preaching for a Changing Culture." Thesis, Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary, Lynchburg, VA, 144. Accessed April 2016. http://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1585&context=doctoral.
Spurgeon, Charles Haddon. 1866. Broad Churchism: Rev. C. H. Spurgeon and The Christian World. London: Houlston & Wright 65, Paternoster Row. Accessed April 2016. https://books.google.com/books?id=Zx1gAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA2&lpg=PA2&dq=journal+articles+on+the+influences+of+charles+spurgeon&source=bl&ots=4QAP2cFcPb&sig=9rsmTGTgdg_mtm9hhwCjLg1Xqtw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwietK_mm6TMAhVP3GMKHVqtARs4ChDoAQgeMAE#v=onepage&q=journa.
Spurgeon, Charles. 2013. The Complete Works of Charles Spurgeon. Delmarva Publications. Accessed April 2016. https://books.google.com/books?id=7rAyCgAAQBAJ&pg=PT81&lpg=PT81&dq=journal+articles+on+the+influences+of+charles+spurgeon&source=bl&ots=02j3oiCDqR&sig=522Tt81NxgSUDspD3m-K-R0njVc&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiYvqDvmqTMAhVOxGMKHZYPCVMQ6AEIPTAF#v=onepage&q=journal.
