A little over a year ago, we visited the US, and to show people in my hometown church in KY the importance of preaching hell like Jesus did, I asked for a show of hands. “How many of you would say a fear of hell was at least a very significant part of the reason you initially trusted Christ as your Savior?” I don’t remember seeing any believers not raising their hands across the room. And I could count on the fingers of my left foot how many effective evangelists I’ve met in my life who were in the “don’t talk about hell” camp of Christianity. It is by God’s design, not man’s, that those who come to Him come to Him because they are convicted of their sin and the wrath they will receive at His hand if they are not saved from it by His grace. This is just as true of 21st century converts as it was of those a thousand years ago.
But the practicality of the gospel being preached more effectively when it is complete with the message of God’s wrath isn’t the main reason we should accept it and preach it. The main and simple reason we must believe in hell and preach it is because it is the truth of God’s word, and could not be wished away even if humanity were unanimous in our disbelief.