How do we know that ministerial exhortation is important?

Ministerial exhortation serves a significant role in the proclamation of the Gospel, as both Scripture and the historical practices of the Church demonstrate its importance. Successful ministers who have been effective in awakening and converting sinners typically adopt a more direct approach to exhortation, calling for repentance and faith amidst the truths of grace. As Newton notes, those ministers who actively engage sinners tend to bear more fruit in their ministries than those who avoid direct application. In this context, exhortation becomes a tool in the hands of the Holy Spirit, utilized to stir the hearts of the unconverted and compel them towards the Savior, thus fulfilling the great commission to make disciples.