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soulwinning?

Discussion in '2000-02 Archive' started by Pete Richert, Aug 29, 2001.

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  1. Pete Richert

    Pete Richert New Member

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    Help me out with the terminology on this board. What is 'soulwinning'. I would have just assumed it refered to spreading the gospel, but it seems that some have taken adversion to the practice, so I'm not sure I know what it means. Could somebody help me out here?

    PASG
     
    #1 Pete Richert, Aug 29, 2001
  2. Bro Shaun

    Bro Shaun New Member

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    Soulwinning is going house to house, knocking on doors and trying to get people saved. It is a shame that the largest number of people that spread their message door to door is the Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses. I have had several of both come to my door to spread their lies, but never a Baptist. Isn't that sad? :confused:
     
    #2 Bro Shaun, Aug 29, 2001
  3. KeeperOfMyHome

    KeeperOfMyHome New Member

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    Well, the Lord didn't say go door to door did He? [​IMG] Didn't he say to go into the highways and hedges? I'm not saying going door to door is wrong, so please don't get me wrong. I can see the point one might make concerning the Lord's command for us to go and compel them to come in.
     
    #3 KeeperOfMyHome, Aug 29, 2001
  4. Chris Temple

    Chris Temple New Member

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    The Holy Spirit is the soul-winner, we are the imperfect tools he chooses to use to get the job done.

    When Cecil B. DeMille filmed the chariot sequence for Ben Hur, Charleton Heston was concerned about the scene. Demille told him "Don't worry about the race; you win in the end. Your job is just to hold on and not fall off". Similarly, the end is already written, the names are in the Book of Life. Our job is to be faithful and preach the gospel. In that way we participate in the Great Harvest, for our joy in the glory of God.
     
    #4 Chris Temple, Aug 29, 2001
  5. EPH 1:4

    EPH 1:4 New Member

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    Soulwinning is knocking on doors and asking a person "If you died today would you go to heaven or hell" if that person says "Hell" or "I don't know" then the "soulwinner" takes the person down "The Roman road" and then ask this person "Do you believe this?" and the person says "yes" then the "soulwinner" says "pray this prayer" and the person does and then they are saved. That's what the independent baptist are taught. I know.
     
    #5 EPH 1:4, Aug 29, 2001
  6. Dr. Bob

    Dr. Bob Administrator
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    Soulwinning is a term wrested from Scripture to imply some sort of favorable activity on MAN'S part to "assist" God. <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, but violence takes lives away.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

    The Bible says we are to be "witnesses" (marturion in the Greek) and to "preach the Gospel to all creation".

    I do this out of love for God, NOT to earn points. I have learned to LIVE by the same grace that SAVED me! God must do the regenerating work in the heart of the sinner; all my preaching, pleading, cramming tracts down their throat or dipping them in the baptistry only produce imitation fruit.

    For me to have someone repeat a little ditty without God's Spirit working in their heart is to make a convert for Bob, not God.

    Salvation is of the Lord. Period. End of discussion.
     
    #6 Dr. Bob, Aug 30, 2001
  7. EPH 1:4

    EPH 1:4 New Member

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    I agree Dr. Bob. I believe in Free Grace but was taught that God did all He can do and now you have to do your part. "Soulwinning" is man-made..independent baptist are BIG on this. In the eyes of an IB preacher, you are not right with God unless you knock on doors every week and try to get people to pray a "sinners prayer." They really brain-wash people. I know.
     
    #7 EPH 1:4, Aug 30, 2001
  8. Barnabas H.

    Barnabas H. <b>Oldtimer</b>

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    The proponents of wholesale soulwinning use Daniel 12:3 as one of their support Scriptures:
    <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>"And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever."<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

    The truth is, as Dr. Bob stated, we are to be witnesses and God prepares the hearts of the individual to accept His free gift, salvation by grace. [​IMG]
     
    #8 Barnabas H., Aug 30, 2001
  9. Pete Richert

    Pete Richert New Member

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    So let me see if I can sum this up so far. 'Soulwinning' defined by those who pratice it is going door to door, trying to win people for Christ. 'Soulwinning' by those who look unfavorabling on it is giving credit to man for others salvation and/or going around trying to get people to pray the sinner's prayer, even if they are not really repentent.

    I would think we could try to strike a balance. We could go know full well that it is God who changes men's hearts and brings people to Himself, but we will be so filled with passion to be His tools and bring honor to His name that we would go door to door and face the embarrasment (and possible offensivness) of people thinking your harrassing them. I know from personal experience that just approaching people you don't know (like in airports, fast food joints, on the street) is the least effective witness, but there I'm going again talking about effectiviness. My big fallback is that I'm planting seeds everywhere, or taking part in a chain of twenty people who are all watering someone else's seed, and ultimatly God will use it for His glory.

    It is sad that JWs and Mormans are the biggest door to door evangelists. Then again, that's what you get for having a religion based on works. They are real motivated because they are all scoring points for heaven. I'm not sure their door to door whitness is very effective (I have never heard of an actual convert, only mocking) and even if it was, they are just joining a dead religion. Its easy to join a dead religion, just be 'religious' and your cool. Its one thing altogether different to trust in Jesus Christ.
     
    #9 Pete Richert, Aug 30, 2001
  10. El Fundamentalista

    El Fundamentalista Guest

    I am in a big dilema. I am a missionary to Mexico. How in the world does a missionary start a church from three members (himself, his wife, and baby) without going door to door soulwinning?
     
    #10 El Fundamentalista, Aug 31, 2001
  11. Missionary to Mexico

    Missionary to Mexico New Member

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    Dear El Fundamentalista:

    Open a coffee shop? Give out medicine to the sick? Open a Christian Book Store? Or, maybe your example will cause your neighbors to ask what is different about you!! Or maybe you can do what my husband does: Door to door soulwinning with people saved every day!

    Missionary to Mexico
     
    #11 Missionary to Mexico, Aug 31, 2001
  12. Kiffin

    Kiffin New Member

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    Certaintly Door to Door Evangelism is something a Church should do. Ours canvases streets with New Testaments and tracts with info on our church. I think the Hyles method of a salesmen type of evangelism that often is easy believism and at times seems to be like a contest who can win the most souls is what disturbs me.

    Balance I think is the key.

    [ August 31, 2001: Message edited by: Kiffin ]
     
    #12 Kiffin, Aug 31, 2001
  13. Don

    Don Well-Known Member
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    I believe, El Fundamentalista, that the problem is with the term "soul winning." The problem being that, many people tend to scratch marks on their bibles for each person won to the Lord. For example, my pastor told us once about a group of pastors he associated with for a short time, and each time they met, there was some sort of tally about new members for each church. One man consistently, every week, told everyone about how many people were won to the Lord on each of his "soul-winning excursions" during the week--but his actual membership numbers never changed.

    Another incident occurred in a church I attended for about nine months, where if you didn't go out soul-winning every Thursday night and Saturday morning, well, there was something wrong with your Christianity....

    And of course, there are those in the "I won more souls to the Lord than you did" competition....

    I personally believe we should drop the term "soul winning," and stick with "spreading the Gospel." It is not us that wins souls to God; it is the Holy Spirit that convicts, and changes men's hearts. It is God that wins them. We are simply the messengers, the sowers, doing our best to please Him and spread the Word.

    By all means, knock on as many doors as you can, and spread the Gospel to everyone you meet!
     
    #13 Don, Aug 31, 2001
  14. Lorelei

    Lorelei <img src ="http://www.amacominc.com/~lorelei/mgsm.

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    IMO going door to door can a be a good thing, but...if you do it, you should be prepared to become involved in the lives of those you reach, even if they do not accept Christ. I think the real problem people have with "soul winning" is that people show up at their door, try to "win them to Christ" then walk away. Jesus never walked away. Ask the missionary, I am sure when they go door to door they find themselves meeting more then just spiritual needs of those they visit, and in doing so more people are reached for Christ. Spreading the Word is more then just using words. All methods of "soul winning" can be effective if done by prayer, through the power of the Holy Spirit. Just be sure you are willing to be that instrument for many times it will take more actions then words to get the job done. Of course be sure it is the Lord doing the work to begin with. I know that I can not bring anyone to Christ! The Holy Spirit can use me though...and that is just truly amazing!!! If you knew me you would understand just how amazing that is! :D

    Just my thoughts [​IMG]

    ~Lorelei
     
    #14 Lorelei, Aug 31, 2001
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