Copyright © 2013 Johnny Derrick Yelton All rights reserved. The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary has permission to reproduce and disseminate this document in any form by any means for purposes chosen by the Seminary, including, without limitation, preservation or instruction. THE EVANGELISTIC EMPHASIS IN THE PASTORAL PREACHING OF ADRIAN P. ROGERS A Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy by Johnny Derrick Yelton December 2013 APPROVAL SHEET THE EVANGELISTIC EMPHASIS IN THE PASTORAL PREACHING OF ADRIAN P. ROGERS Johnny Derrick Yelton Read and Approved by: __________________________________________ J. D. Payne (Chairman) __________________________________________ Hershael W. York __________________________________________ David E. Prince Date______________________________ To the three men who greatly influenced my life: my father, Johnny W. Yelton; my Sunday school teacher, Tommy Humphries; and my pastor, Rev. Grady B. Parker. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ........................................................................................... vii PREFACE ........................................................................................................................ viii Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................1 Thesis ..................................................................................................................2 Background .........................................................................................................5 Definitions ...........................................................................................................8 Limitations ..........................................................................................................9 Methodology .....................................................................................................12 Outline of Study ................................................................................................13 Conclusion ........................................................................................................15 2. A BIOGRAPHY OF ROGERS ............................................................................16 The Childhood of Rogers ..................................................................................17 The Conversion of Rogers ................................................................................19 The Call of Rogers ............................................................................................22 Formal Education of Rogers .............................................................................25 Early Pastoral Ministry of Rogers .....................................................................31 Ministry at Bellevue Baptist Church .................................................................46 Denominational Leadership of Rogers..............................................................52 The Broadcast Ministry of Rogers ....................................................................59 iv Chapter Page Retirement and Death of Rogers .......................................................................61 Conclusion ........................................................................................................66 3. THE PREACHING OF ROGERS ........................................................................68 Homiletical Style of Rogers’ Sermons ..............................................................68 Preparation and Organization of Rogers’ Sermons ...........................................75 Functional Elements of Rogers’ Sermons .........................................................86 Characteristics of Rogers’ Preaching ................................................................92 Allegorical Elements in Rogers’ Sermons ......................................................103 Conclusion ......................................................................................................107 4. THE INVITATIONS OF ROGERS ...................................................................109 Definition of the Altar Call .............................................................................110 Biblical Argument for the Altar Call ..............................................................110 Theological Evidence for the Altar Call .........................................................114 Historical Evidence for the Altar Call .............................................................116 Characteristics of Rogers’ Invitation ..............................................................130 Examples of Rogers’ Invitations .....................................................................138 Evaluation of Rogers’ Invitations ...................................................................144 Conclusion ......................................................................................................147 5. AN EVALUATION OF THE EVANGELISTIC PREACHING OF ROGERS ...............................................................................148 Defining Evangelistic Preaching .....................................................................149 A Method of Measurement .............................................................................150 Evangelistic Content of Sermons ....................................................................163 Critique of Rogers’ Sermons ...........................................................................164 v Chapter Page Recommendations ..........................................................................................181 Conclusion ......................................................................................................189 6. CONCLUSION ..................................................................................................190 Reasons for Evangelistic Preaching ................................................................192 Discoveries from Study ...................................................................................194 Applications from Study .................................................................................197 Areas of Further Study ....................................................................................206 Conclusion ......................................................................................................207 Appendix 1. ONE HUNDRED SERMONS ...........................................................................208 2. EXAMPLE OF GOSPEL PRESENTATION FROM LOVE WORTH FINDING ....................................................................267 BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................................................................................................269 vi LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS BDE Timothy Larsen, ed., Biographical Dictionary of Evangelicals EDT Walter A. Elwell, ed., Evangelical Dictionary of Theology SBC The Southern Baptist Convention SBJT The Southern Baptist Journal of Theology SBTS The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary vii PREFACE When I returned to SBTS in 2003, I was a defeated pastor contemplating a departure from the ministry. I am certain that I would have quit the ministry if it had not been for the encouragement of Dr. Chuck Lawless and his help during the application process that allowed me the privilege of studying in the Billy Graham School over the past several years. I am also grateful for the friendship and guidance of Dr. Timothy Beougher. I especially appreciate the opportunity I had to serve as his grader for two years in his Personal Evangelism class and to have been his research assistant for a semester. Likewise, I wish to acknowledge my appreciation to both Dr. Hershael W. York and Dr. David Prince. Their guidance and comments were instrumental in the completion of this assignment. I also give thanks to Dr. J. D. Payne for serving as my advisor. I realize he inherited me when Dr. Lawless left the seminary, and I am truly thankful for his helpful advice, patience, and encouragement, which were paramount in the completion of this dissertation. Gratitude must also be expressed to the members of Beechmont Baptist Church in Louisville, Kentucky. The gracious people of this church have allowed me to serve as their pastor over the past ten years. I am so grateful that they gave me an opportunity to return to the pastorate, and I appreciate deeply the prayers and financial support they gave to me and my family. They have been instrumental in restoring my faith and love toward the people of God. I must finally express my appreciation to my loving family. Words cannot express the thanks I have for my wife, Joy, who proof-read so many of my papers into the late hours of the evening. She has been my companion for over thirty years and is the greatest Christian woman I have ever known. I wish to express gratitude to our children: viii Charity, Jonathan, Phillip, and Timothy. When we moved to Louisville, they were all school children; they are now adults and pursuing their careers. I am proud of each of them and am grateful for their patience and cooperation in allowing their dad to write papers and read books while they were still at home. Lastly, I wish to mention my parents, Johnny and Carolyn Yelton. I know they missed having our family nearby, especially the grandchildren, after we moved to