C.E. Matthews was an early pastor of Travis Avenue Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas. [1] He "was recognized as one of the great pastor-evangelists in the Southern Baptist convention". [2] Matthews took the church from less than 50 members to over 3000 in a 30-year period, beginning in the 1920s. He was director of evangelism for the Southern Baptist Convention Home Mission Board at a time when baptisms were being reported in record numbers. [3] [4] [5] A former accountant and baseball player, he converted to Christianity in his early 30s. Matthews believed that either personal or mass evangelism were the only two forms of evangelism, and that mass evangelism was the most productive. [6]
Matthews was noted for urging the Southern Baptist associations to "extend an invitation" and include all Baptist groups "regardless of race or color." [7]
References
- ^ Stricklin, David (1999). A Genealogy of Dissent: Southern Baptist Protest in the Twentieth Century. University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 0813159458. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
- ^ "Twenty-fifth annual session of the Panhandle Pastors' and Laymen's conference". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. February 3, 1946. p. 20. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
- ^ "Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Evangelistic Meeting At University Baptist". Baltimore Sun. 4 January 1955. ProQuest 536769359.
- ^ "Baptist Hour Slates Matthews". Washington Post. 19 April 1947. ProQuest 151947132.
- ^ Evangelism Ministries (PDF) (Report). Baptist Convention of New Mexico. July 15, 2006. pp. 13–14. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
- ^ Johnston, Thomas P. (May 23, 2011). "8". Mobilizing a Great Commission Church for Harvest. Wipf and Stock. ISBN 9781610972642. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
- ^ "Baptist Group Elects Dr. Lee To Third Term". Washington Post. 12 May 1950. ProQuest 152206015.
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