D.L. Moody is the most prominent evangelist in recent American history, and his influence is still widespread.

With some exceptions, Moodys preaching typically had little biblical depth, ignored such basic principles as analyzing the context, defining words, and comparing Scripture with Scripture. Moodys preaching consisted largely of a string of heart-tugging stories; and it was accompanied by a quick and shallow invitation program. This is a perfect recipe for empty professions, and that is exactly what has come from it, in large part, and the percentage of empty professions has increased through the decades.

There were great numbers of professions recorded in Moodys campaigns (e.g., 7,000 Edinburgh, 12,000 Philadelphia, 8,000 New York, 10,000 Chicago), but the sad fact is that the campaigns were too often like a bottle rocket. Many reports were published in his lifetime that proved this. A number of these are cited in Modern Revivalism by William Mcloughlin, Jr.

For example, George Horr, editor of The Watchman, investigated the results of Moodys campaigns and made the following conclusion:

The statistics appear to show that in Eastern Massachusetts, for example, the addition to the evangelical churches for five-year periods after the Great Tabernacle meetings in Boston were not so large as for five-year periods before. And most pastors have observed that the quality of the material brought into the churches under those influences is not so high as that gained by the devoted work of the local church by its own methods among its own clientage (The Watchman, Jan. 20, 1898).

Horr went on to say that in the instances in which they [Moodys campaigns] have been apparently most blessed they have been followed by a disheartening period of spiritual indifference (The Watchman, Oct. 26, 1899).

Here is a description of Moodys invitation system:

As the anxious filed into the inquiry room after one of his sermons, they were seated in rows of chairs while the trained personal workers sat beside them or ranged themselves along the walls, Bibles in hand, waiting for Moody to begin the meeting. Moody entered briskly, marched to the front of the room, climbed up on a chair so that everyone could see him, and read briefly from the Bible some passage about the freedom of salvation for all who believed. Then he made a short, forceful exposition of the text, insisting upon the necessity for immediate surrender to Christ. He asked all who wished to find God to get on their knees until the thing was settled. All the inquirers knelt. Moody then asked them to repeat after him, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? If he did not get a hearty response, he would make them repeat it again (Daily Advertiser, Boston, Feb. 7, 1877). Then he gave the signal for the personal work to begin. For half an hour or more he and his coworkers went from person to person, asking them why they were not Christians, what doubts kept them from immediately accepting the terms of salvation. ... MOODY NEVER TRIED TO REASON WITH SINNERS. The voice of reason is the voice of the devil, he said. YOU MUST SEEK GOD WITH YOUR HEART, NOT WITH YOUR HEAD. ... ALL QUESTIONS OF DOCTRINE WERE DISMISSED as irrelevant in the inquiry room, but such Christian ideals as forgiveness, meekness, restitution, and humility were insisted upon. ...

By emphasizing the moral aspects of the Christian life, Moody reduced conversion for many churchgoers to the simple act of confessing belief in the fundamentals and promising to give up wine, tobacco, dancing, theater-going, card-playing, novel reading ...

The inquiry room produced some dramatic conversions, of course, such as those by avowed atheists, drunkards, and thieves, for Moody maintained that a man could be vile as hell itself one moment and saved the next. But these cases were rare even in his wide experience. For the most part all that happened in the inquiry room was that pious people became more pious.

When Moody concluded an inquiry meeting either he or some other worker was ready to announce to the press the number who had been saved that night (McLoughlin, pp. 260-262).

We make the following observations:

The invitation was confusing. Mixed messages were given. Is salvation changing my ways? Is it asking the Lord what should I do and then doing good works? Is it surrender? Surrender how? To what? Is it just believe? Believe what, how? Is there repentance? If so, what is it? These questions were not properly answered, because the time was so limited, and because Moody rejected reason and doctrine when dealing with sinners.

The personal work was quick and shallow and insufficient. The whole program was finished in about a half hour. We must remember that the personal workers were drawn from all sorts of churches and represented all sorts of theological thinking. We must remember that the vast number of the seekers were complete strangers to those who were working with them, and they came from every sort of Christian and religious background. It is nearly impossible to know how a stranger is understanding the gospel and what is actually happening in his heart in a matter of minutes. He might not be understanding the gospel at all. He might be agreeing to everything but redefining the words in his mind (e.g., grace, believe, sin, salvation) according to former teaching and experience. He might be thinking that regeneration is reformation. He might simply be seeking help with a major life problem, thinking that he is making a deal with God. The New Testament warns plainly and emphatically of the great danger of false professions. Consider Matthew 7:21-23; John 2:23-25; 2 Timothy 3:5; Titus 1:16; 1 John 2:4.

Reason and doctrine were avoided. Moodys thinking that you must seek God with your heart, not with your head is unscriptural and dangerous. Salvation is both a head and a heart thing. The you must seek God with your heart, not your head principle results in a mystical approach, which is to emphasize feeling and experience over rational thinking. To the contrary, in the Bible, salvation is described as coming unto the knowledge of the truth (1 Ti. 2:3) and being wise unto salvation (2 Ti. 3:15) and obeying from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you (Ro. 6:17). There is a form of doctrine to obey and that doctrine is the gospel. The gospel is simple in a sense. It can be stated in a few words, such as in John 3:16 and 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, but every word must be understood and believed with the whole heart. Who is God? who is Gods Son? Who is Christ? What is the world? What is sin? What does it mean that that Christ died for our sin? What does it mean that He died and rose according to the Scripture? What does it mean that He rose from the dead?

Those who made some sort of profession during Moodys invitations were pronounced saved right then and there, even though they were mostly strangers and it was impossible to know what was really going on in their hearts.

This type of thing has always puzzled me since I first saw it practiced at Highland Park Baptist Church, Chattanooga, in the 1970s. What is the hurry? Why not be more patient, more careful? Why not spend more time explaining the gospel and finding out exactly what the individual is thinking and how he is interpreting what he is hearing? Why not wait to be more certain that a biblical conversion has really happened?

How long does this take? It takes as long as it takes! Every case is different; every place is different. A Protestant environment is not the same as a Roman Catholic environment, which is not the same as a Hindu environment, which is not the same as a Buddhist environment, which is not the same as a Muslim environment, which is not the same as a tribal spiritist environment, which is not the same as an atheist/agnostic environment. Dealing with an individual who has never seen a Bible before and dealing with an individual who was raised in a Bible-believing home and church are dramatically different situations.

When it is clear that an individual has been converted biblically by the Spirit of God, then it is time to baptize him and receive him as a church member, if that takes five hours or five months or five years. But not before that. We should wait until things are clear.

This has gotten ever more important as false christs and false spirits and false gospels have multiplied and become ever more subtle and apostate Christianity has wrought such confusion in mens minds.

We think of the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8:26-40 who was dealt with by the evangelist Philip. They rode along together in the chariot while Philip dealt with him carefully, explaining the prophecy in Isaiah 53. We dont know how long they were together. We know it was long enough to explain the gospel and to discuss baptism. And it was the eunuch himself who wanted to be baptized. There was no manipulation. Philip knew nothing of a formula for how to win souls and get them down the aisle. The treasurer of Ethiopia made an unequivocal public profession of faith in Jesus Christ before his entourage. He was clearly changed, and went on his way rejoicing. This is biblical evangelism.

But what about Pentecost, when the converts were baptized the same day? Thats a good question, and here is our answer: First of all, that was Pentecost. It was the coming of the Holy Spirit! It was a special outpouring; it has never been repeated. Second, the Jews who were present were steeped in Gods Word and in the Messianic prophecies. They had a strong foundation to understand the gospel. These werent Hindus and Buddhists and animists. When Paul preached to Bible-ignorant pagans on Mars Hill in Athens, he had little visible results. Some men clave unto him, and believed, but we dont read that he baptized anyone that day (Acts 17:22-34). Third, on Pentecost Peter preached a long, serious Bible message rather than heart-tugging stories, and afterwards he taught the people with many other words (Ac. 2:40). Fourth, the people were under deep spiritual conviction. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart... (Ac. 2:37). They were under the same conviction that the Philippian jailer experienced when he cried out, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? (Ac. 16:30). Fifth, Peter preached and demanded repentance from his hearers. Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost (Ac. 2:38). Sixth, the people gladly received his word (Ac. 2:41). There was no man-made pressure, no manipulation, no salesmanship tactics. Seventh, the people who were baptized gave clear evidence of conversion. And they continued stedfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers (Ac. 2:42).

Consider, too, what was absent from Pentecost. There was no Romans Road, no mention of going to heaven when you die, no sinners prayer, no mention of receiving Jesus into your heart, no attempt to create a special invitation environment, no altar.

Whenever you have a man crying out of his own accord, What must I do to be saved? and being changed inside out in one night, and whenever you have a man eager to confess Christ before his business associates, and whenever you have a man who gladly receives the gospel and is ready to continue stedfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bead, and in prayers--then we say, by all means, baptize such that man today if you please!