Featured "Soul-Winning" what's the problem?

It is a good term. It actually speaks of the Lord Jesus Christ....taking souls

YLT

The fruit of the righteous [is] a tree of life, And whoso is taking souls [is] wise.

He uses the means of His body...to take souls like an army takes victory in battle but the strength is Jesus Himself...

 

"Soul-Winning" what's the problem?

The problem I have with soul-winning is not the term. Proverbs 11:30 says, "He who wins souls is wise." My issue has to do with how the term is often applied. My Baptist bona-fide was of the fundamentalist brand. Soul-winning, in practice, became something that the individual did. The training was often sales inspired (think Zig Ziglar like). Follow these steps and you will know how to win souls. That was the model of Charles Finney. Finney was a great persuader and a great salesperson, but even he admitted that his approach to evangelism was long on decisions but short on staying power. That mindset has permeated personal evangelism programs. There is always that push to get the decision. So what if only 2 out of 10 stick? Praise God for the two! That is not soul winning. That is marketing and salesmanship.

The biblical idea of soul-winning is to proclaim the Gospel and look to Holy Spirit to convict of sin and grant the repentance that leads to life (2 Cor. 7:10). In my opinion decisional evangelism has lead to many false converts who think they are saved, but they are not. I was trained, by A well known ministry, to welcome people into the family of God after they "said the prayer". Really?! How do I now if they really meant it? Instead of pushing for a decision I now ask people what they confess and believe? Do they believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God? Do they believe He died to pay the penalty for sin? Do they believe they are sinners? Do they believe that they will face God's judgment if they die in their sins? Are they willing to turn from their sins (repent) and place their faith in Jesus Christ? I ask them to tell me these things verbally, which is confessing (Rom: 10:9, 10). More than asking them to "say the prayer" what they believe and confess is more revealing. Then, and maybe even the most important part, are they willing to forsake all for Christ? Will they submit to Christ's teachings in a local church setting (if not providentially hindered)? This is far different than just a sinners prayer which is the focus of most soul-winning efforts today.

Rev, I am not accusing you personally of any of this. You asked and I am explaining to you may thoughts on "soul-winning".

This will be my only post in this thread, but I will read the thread with interest.

 

Similar to Reformed, it's not the term I have a problem with, it's the method. Without giving too much detail, a place I used to be focused on numbers saved so much that unless you were walking someone down the aisle each and every week, you were looked down upon. The associated college had a class entitled "personal evangelism", and if you didn't have at least one conversion during the semester, you could not pass the class.

I still occasionally go out " door knocking", but I don't push for a prayer standing in their doorway. Mostly I invite them to church, and let them know about programs we have at the church. While I believe that God is able to lead you to a person that is under conviction, I sincerely doubt those who claim to lead several people to Christ every week, and then you never see our heart from those people again.

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Notice that scripture says soul winning is wise, but some question whether it is possible. Since God is the one who causes the increase in the family of God, the efforts of Christ's ambassadors the cultivate, plant and water is seen as something suspect. If someone does not stick, why the "soul winner" did something wrong. Hogwash. We are to present the gospel, including the part about partaking in the suffering of Christ, as a servant. Or do you love Jesus with all your heart, or do the treasures of this world still hold your fancy?

Evangelism is a requirement of following Christ. Period.

 

I have no problem wit hit. We refer to satan as the enemy so a soul brought to Christ is defeating the enemy or "winning."

 

A person who is wise, holy spirit lead, devoted to the Savior will be a witness, and as the Grace and Mercy of God uses His Word, souls will be won. In that, the person is an instrument of God for soul winning.

There is little doubt that the typical "pray this prayer after me" technique that was and is so popular in some assemblies is an abuse and shame of soul winners.

There is not a single incident in Scripture were a person prayed the "sinner's prayer" to get saved. Yet, there is a place for prayer. Place for crying out to the "Son of David (to) have mercy upon (me)."

"What must I do to be saved?" should not be used as a place to pray a prayer, but to direct the person to belief. That belief will result in proclamation of the salvation. Do not distract with a prayer, rather point to the Scriptures. It is the Word that the Holy Spirit uses not a prayer.

All believers are witnesses. That is the what Chris said "will, shall" happen.

Wise believers are "soul winners" in the Scriptural meaning.

 

I view the term soul winning in the same way I view the term church. English is not the most precise language in the world and we like our short cuts.
When I say I go to the church at such and such place, I'm not saying that the building is the church but is the meeting place for the church. It's an understood short hand.
I know people that get all up in a tizzy when people use church in the short hand way but then they themselves do the same thing without thinking because that's how English is.
Same is true with "soul winning" when someone says they are going out soul winning I dont think they are saying that They are winning the soul, but that they are going out and presenting the Gospel so God can win souls. It's an older term coming from the KJV but I think we can all understand the short hand of what is being said.

Getting in a tizzy about that term is pointless IMHO. All it does is get into an argument about semantics, especially with people that use and think in KJV language.

Frankly any term used for Evangelism could get twisted to be what the person is doing, not what God is doing so to get into a tizzy over this phrase is just pointless and its seems just to be looking to nitpick at people.

 

This guy seems to like the term:

http://www.cerm.info/bible_studies/Topical/soul_winning.htm

 

Yeah I saw that and pointed that out once before as well.

 

Do we, born anew humans, win souls? 1 Cor. 9:19 and James 5:20 say we endeavor to do so. The Hebrew word translated win usually is translated take, but another alternate is bring or fetch.

 

The last words Jesus spoke before leaving this earth, Acts 1:8 you will receive power and you will be witnesses for him. So what does it mean to be a witness for Him.

 

Does the written word no matter what version you study from have the power to save souls?... Or does not the written word tell us about the Living Word who is the only eternal Soul Saver?

The Apostle Paul in his letter to the Corinthian brethren says this:

I Corinthians 3:6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.

7: So neither he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase... Also according to scripture doesn't it say The Lord added daily to the church such as should be saved in Acts 2:47... doesn't he still do that 24/7?... Brother Glen

 

Some will deny that our job as Ambassadors of Christ is to win (or bring or fetch) people to be reconciled with God.

Proverbs 11:30 makes our job, if we are wise, clear. The gospel is the power of God for salvation, but who will hear without a preacher?

So we are to endeavor to win souls, it is commanded, and it is rewarded.

The bible means what it says and says what it means as a general rule.

 

According to these verses they have already been reconciled by God!

II Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

5:18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

5:20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Notice this does not say they need to be reconciled by God that has already been accomplished but to God... be ye reconciled to God... Come to the understanding of what God in Christ has done for you... Brother Glen

 

He that winneth souls is wise. Who has an objection to the term?

 

These were reconciled not when Christ died, but when God set them apart in Christ through faith in the truth.

There were reconciled not when Christ died, but when God set them apart in Christ through faith in the truth. Thus we have the ministry of reconciliation for those not yet set apart in Christ. These are the ones we beseech with "Be reconciled to God!"

God is reconciling the world (mankind) to Himself one sinner at a time. Every time God sets apart a believer in Christ, that person is reconciled, and therefore the process is "reconciling the world."

Those doing the beseeching have been reconciled, those being beseeched have not or not yet been reconciled.

Those who have not yet been made the righteousness of God in Him have not yet been set apart in Christ. Those who have been made the righteousness of God in Him obviously have been set apart in Christ.

Therefore according to these verses, those set apart in Christ have been reconciled, those not or not yet set apart in Christ have not been reconciled. It is obvious.

 

That article was written when I was an evangelical Arminian. Its not that I have compromised the faith, its just that I lean more towards Reformed theology these days. Editing every single one of my articles to reflect a more Reformed POV would take far too much man power than what I have, and besides why do such a thing? Its not that being an evangelical arminian is another gospel.

 

Only God makes dead, too, but we're commanded not to kill.