Famous evangelist Dwight L. Moody once said, “If this world is going to be reached, I am convinced that it must be done by men and women of average talent.” Dwight was a man that understood the needs of others and addressed it the best way he could; by spreading the good news in a way that attracted people.
Moody’s life was different. At the age of 13, he stopped going to school and by age 18 he would find himself working at a shoe store to make ends meet. Moody came to faith after someone shared with him how God moved in their life. From this point forward, he began to do work with youth and help them to know God and to join in serving his kingdom. What he did not know was that thousands of people all around the world would soon gather to hear him preach.
Putting on his creative thinking hat, he brainstormed ways on how to present the gospel in a way that would attract people to listen to it. He held gatherings such as mass events and open prayer meetings to attract and gather many people. Yet, one thing that he always made sure to do was to preach and before his passing, this is what he did 6 times a day.
Before Moody became well known in America, he preached to many in the UK. It was through the method of doing both evangelism in the U.S. and in Europe that he gathered 100 million people to listen to the word of God. As AM HQ’s goal is to train and raise thousands of young adults, they have analyzed the ways in which Moody did effective mass evangelism in his time. One of the techniques that they are doing is reaching out to youth in countries outside of the U.S.
AM teaches them the Word of God as well as provides students with small group activities that they can be a part of. Similarly, and in response to his followers, Moody began to partner with local outreach communities to provide a large venue for all believers to gather and worship together. In one single day, there were 130,000 who gathered at Moody’s events to listen to him preach. He soon later opened a school for girls and boys to be trained in the word of God. As students become committed members with AM the hope is to train them well, so that they can go out and share the good news.
Moody’s legacy of mass evangelism still lives on today. Who would have ever thought that a small boy Massachusetts with little education would turn out to be one the world’s greatest and most known evangelist? It is indeed true that God can use average people with passion-filled hearts to reach thousands all over the world.
AM is constantly strategizing and implanting new techniques, so that youth from all over the world can come to know the gospel of Jesus Christ and can be sent to share it with others.