Wrong Ways to Win Souls

Acts 5:42 "And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ."

I am not against inviting people to church. I am not against membership campaigns that churches might carry out. However, I do want you to notice that the Bible does not say that the early church tried to multiply the number of the disciples. What it does say is that every day, publicly and privately, they told people about Jesus Christ. The result, as we find from the next verse, was that "the number of the disciples was multiplied."

One of the mistakes of church building is that church growth should not be the primary goal. We should not wait until we get enough good workers to start a Soul-Winning program. We should be winning souls no matter how many people we have in our churches.

When it comes to Soul-Winning there are a number of misconceptions people have about it. Let me give you five truths about Soul-Winning that will correct some of those misconceptions.

1. Soul-Winning Is A Command, Not A Spiritual Gift 

Matthew 28: 19-20 "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:  [20]  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen."

All those who have been born again should carry out this command. It's not a suggestion to consider; it's a command to obey! You don't need to pray about whether or not you should do it. You just DO it!

We should coach our converts. Look at Matthew 28:20a "Teaching THEM to observe ALL things whatsoever I have commanded YOU." Don't forget that part of the 'teaching them' is doing what is commanded in vs)19. Too many people today want to do the teaching part but not what was initially commanded. Many people have never been trained to go Soul-Winning. But, thank God that we here at SBC have given people numerous opportunities to learn how to win people to Christ.

2. Soul-Winning Is Chief, Not Secondary 

1 Timothy 1:15 "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief."

Soul-Winning was the motivation of Christ. He came into this world to save sinners. He lived without sin so He could die as a sacrifice for sinners. He died on the cross for sinners. He rose again for sinners. Therefore it is the mission of the church.  

Matthew 4:19 says, "And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." If you take to heart 2 Corinthians 5:20a where it says, "Now then we are ambassadors for Christ," we see the clear and compelling mission of the church.

It is the main emphasis of the church. Every ministry of the church is either to win souls or to strengthen Christians so that they are able to win souls. If a ministry is not doing that we have forgotten what the main emphasis of the church ought to be.

3. Soul-Winning Is Charity, Not Solicitation 

Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Some businesses today try to forbid Soul-Winning on their property with a posted notice against solicitation. However, Soul-Winning is not solicitation. To solicit is "to ask for or plead for, especially in reference to receiving payment or money."

We offer a fantastic gift - eternal life. What can be better than spending an eternity with God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ in heaven. Nobody can offer us eternal life except for Jesus Christ. Jesus said in John 3:15 "That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life." Some have tried to find the fountain of youth, others have spent millions of dollars in hope cryogenics will preserve them so they can one day be brought back to life to be healed. But Jesus said in Matthew 25:46, speaking of all those who reject Him as Saviour, "And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal."

We offer a free gift. It's free, but it's not cheap! It was paid for by the most precious substance in the universe, the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. You can't buy it. You can't earn it. You can't work in order to get it. You can only  receive it as a free gift from God by faith in Christ Jesus. What was the cost of this gift? It was none other than the life blood of Jesus Christ. 

Peter 1: 18-22 "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God. Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:" 

4.    Soul-Winning Is Cooperation, Not A Single Effort 

In 1 Corinthians 3:6 Paul says, "I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase."  

The Bible makes it clear that we don't win souls by our self. We cooperate with our Saviour. Paul writing to the Corinthian church tells us that in 1 Corinthians 3:9a  "For we are labourers together with God." Throughout the Bible we are taught that God requires the work of man, and that he will not help those who will do nothing for themselves or for him. The world was to be evangelized not by sudden miracle, but by faithful human labour. Mark 16:20 states, "And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen."

We cooperate with other Soul-Winners. Luke 10:1 "After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come." I believe it's the Lord's plan for us to go out two by two in our Soul-Winning and evangelistic efforts. King Solomon said, "Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour" (Ecclesiastes 4:9). What joy and fellowship I have experienced down through the years as we shared the gospel to a lost and dying world with my Soul-Winning partners. 

5.    Soul-Winning Is Continuous, Not Sporadic 

From out text we find these words, "and daily." Our Soul-Winning should be daily. I'm for churches having a night for organized Soul-Winning and visitation, but we should be winning souls every day! As a matter of fact, if the church as a whole would win souls on a daily basis our churches would be overflowing with new converts.

Our Soul-Winning should be deliberate. Jesus told His disciples to follow Him, and He would make them fishers of men. People don't catch fish by accident; they catch them on purpose. The reason Christians don't win souls is that they do not make a deliberate choice and plan to do it.

I challenge you to just do it! Let's go after sinners as we're commanded to do! No excuses, no lies, no alibis and no reason why not, just do it!

Dr. Jack Hyles went to be with the Lord years ago and wrote the following little poem entitled "Incomplete."

Like a fire with no glow, Like a winter with no snow,
Like a river with no flow, Like a conviction without a "NO,"
Like an oar without a row, Like a wind without a blow,
Like a scale without a do,  Like a pitcher without a throw,
​Like a harvest without a sow, Like a trip without a go,
Like a kneader without dough, Like a Santa without a Ho,
Like excess without overflow, Like a foot without a toe,
Like a gardener without a hoe, Like a cock without a crow, 
Like a con without a pro, Like a high without a low,
Like a truth without a know, Like a fast without a slow,
Like a buck without a doe, Like an actor without a show,
Like above without below, Like a to without a fro, 
Like violins without a bow,

IS A CHRISTIAN WHO WILL NOT GO.

- Pastor David Carroll, Senior Pastor, Sharon Baptist Church