That typifies spiritual work in every generation. There have been those like the Church of Rome, who in the past have thought that lands can be converted by military conquest, by compelling people against their will. No, the church of Christ cannot use military conquest; it won't be by force. It won't be by manipulation, or by any means such as that; it will be by the power of the Spirit.
Here we are in this present world, outnumbered by the promoters of atheism. They have seized the public media and have got control of most of the channels of communication, and we are hopelessly – humanly speaking – outnumbered and outclassed by much greater forces. So what? It is by the power of the Spirit, by preaching and by prayer, that we shall advance according to the scale of blessing which God gives us. ‘Not by might, not by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.’ The temple will be built. Get on; start building. Organise the workers; go to it in a spiritual manner, and God will see to it that you get the temple, and then in another generation the walls built.
The church does not win souls by might, nor by power. It does not use worldly methods and gimmicks. Souls are not won by trying to draw people under the sound of the gospel with worldly music that appeals to their unchanged carnal tastes. They are not convinced by skilfully produced dramatic presentation of the gospel. They cannot be won by pulpit histrionics or emotionalism. God uses those who honour his word and, although they preach with passion and feeling, use Biblical arguments and gospel persuasion to urge lost souls to come to Christ for forgiveness and new life. Not by avoiding preaching about sin out of fear of causing offence: the exposing of sin is an essential element of the gospel, and it will not permanently put off any who God has chosen from eternity.