Soul winning or evangelism?

[evangelist6589]

I am so sick and tired of hearing this word used inappropriately and hearing stories of people who say that they brought people to Christ (only the Holy Spirit brings souls to salvation), and being told that if I was an evangelist I would be able to bring lots of souls to Christ. I refuse to be called a soul winner, but instead refer to myself as an Evangelist. Sorry critics, this is not way of the master or Calvinism but scripture.

I believe that many have a confused definition of evangelism and so have a confused theology of evangelism. This is what Ji Packer said is evangelism from his book Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God.

"To Present Jesus Christ to sinful men, in order that they may come to put their trust in God, through Him to receive Him as their Savior and serve Him as their king in the fellowship of His church"

Many Baptists get the idea of soul winning from this verse in the KJV.

Pro 11:30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.

The 84 NIV used similar language but NIV 2011 says this

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,
and the one who is wise saves lives.

ESV says this

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,
and whoever captures souls is wise.

Looking at more modern translations that are more accurate using more available manuscripts I would question the entire theology of "soul winning" that Baptists have derived from that one verse in the KJV. If its so accurate why then does the ESV and the NIV 2011 challenge it?

The effectual Call of the Spirit

John 6:44 (ESV)
No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.

Eze 36:26 (ESV)
And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

No one regardless of training can persuade a man to come to salvation. No level of eloquence, intelligence, apologetics skill, persuasion abilities can do the work that only God can do and that is to bring souls to REPENTANCE and faith in Christ.

More verses

Rom 8:14
14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons[a] of God.

2 Cor 3:17-18
17 Now the Lord[a] is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

Matt 16:15-17
15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.

The Spirit Grants Faith and Repentance


Acts 13:48
48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.

Acts 11:18
18 When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.”

Acts 5:31
31 God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.

So many these days do not understand Jer 13:23 which says "Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Then also you can do good who are accustomed to do evil." and miss the point that only God can grant faith and repentance and only God can draw sinners to himself. It is once again not in the hands of a soul winner or a method, but in the hands of almighty God to save sinners. So after this post I sure hope that my critics stop saying that The WOTM is not an effective way to reach souls, and that my letter writing is also ineffective. For they are very effective ways to reach people because they point out that man is a sinner, man is headed to hell, Jesus died for them, and only God can save them.

 

[padredurand]

And all the while I though you preferred the title Evangelist because Narcissist was too hard to spell.

 

[evangelist6589]

And all the while I though you preferred the title Evangelist because Narcissist was too hard to spell.

Do you have an argument for what I wrote???????

 

[quantumfaith]

e·van·ge·list
əˈvanjələst/
noun
1.
a person who seeks to convert others to the Christian faith, especially by public preaching

 

[Rolfe]

And all the while I though you preferred the title Evangelist because Narcissist was too hard to spell.

I am surprised that you have not joined his Ignore List Club yet.

 

[padredurand]

Do you have an argument for what I wrote???????

Yup.

Luke 5:9-10 NAS77

9 For amazement had seized him and all his companions because of the catch of fish which they had taken;
10 and so also James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men."​

James 5:19-20 NAS77

19 My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth, and one turns him back,
20 let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death, and will cover a multitude of sins.​

Matthew 18:15 NAS77

15 "And if your brother sins, go and reprove him in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother.​

1 Corinthians 9:19-20 NAS77

19 For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, that I might win the more.
20 And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law, though not being myself under the Law, that I might win those who are under the Law;​

 

[blessedwife318]

Well I guess that means you need to throw out all your Spurgeon books.
http://www.spurgeon.org/misc/soulwinr.htm

 

[padredurand]

Well I guess that means you need to throw out all your Spurgeon books.
http://www.spurgeon.org/misc/soulwinr.htm

If God shall bless us to the winning of souls, our work shall remain when the wood, and hay, and stubble of earth's art and science shall have gone to the dust from which they sprang. In heaven itself, the soul-winner, blessed of God, shall have memorials of his work preserved for ever in the galleries of the skies. ~Spurgeon

Even if I were utterly selfish, and had no care for anything but my own happiness, I would choose, if I might, under God, to be a soul-winner, for never did I know perfect, overflowing, unutterable happiness of the purest and most ennobling order, till I first heard of one who had sought and found a Saviour through my means. I recollect the thrill of joy which went through me! No young mother ever rejoiced so much over her first-born child, no warrior was so exultant over a hard-won victory. Oh! the joy of knowing that a sinner once at enmity has been reconciled to God, by the Holy Spirit, through the words spoken by our feeble lips. Since then, by grace given to me, the thought of which prostrates me in self-abasement, I have seen and heard of, not hundreds only, but even thousands of sinners turned from the error of their ways by the testimony of God in me. ~Spurgeon

Soulwinning is the chief business of the Christian minister; indeed, it should be the main pursuit of every true believer. We should each say with Simon Peter, "I go a fishing," and with Paul our aim should be, "That I might by all means save some."~Spurgeon

 

[InTheLight]

way of the master
Calvinism

Keywords found. Posting streak maintained. Carry on.

 

[Jerome]

I am so sick and tired of hearing this word used inappropriately and hearing stories of people who say that they brought people to Christ (only the Holy Spirit brings souls to salvation), and being told that if I was an evangelist I would be able to bring lots of souls to Christ. I refuse to be called a soul winner, but instead refer to myself as an Evangelist. Sorry critics, this is not way of the master or Calvinism but scripture.

So after this post I sure hope that my critics stop saying that The WOTM is not an effective way to reach souls, and that my letter writing is also ineffective.

"The preacher himself wins souls, I believe, best, when he believes in the reality of his work—when he believes in instantaneous conversions! How can he expect God to do what he does not believe God will do? He succeeds best who expects conversion every time he preaches! According to his faith, so shall it be done unto him. To be content without conversions is the surest way never to have them" —Charles Spurgeon, "Soul-Winning"

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

I had a proponent of Lordship Salvation once use it as proof that "yours truely " is not truely saved. Therefore I see this Lordship junk used as a weapon.....& that's not Christian, rather its a holier than thou attitude that has no place in Gods Kingdom.

 

[quantumfaith]

I had a proponent of Lordship Salvation once use it as proof that "yours truely " is not truely saved. Therefore I see this Lordship junk used as a weapon.....& that's not Christian, rather its a holier than thou attitude that has no place in Gods Kingdom.

:applause::applause::applause:

A "holier than thou" attitude and posture is never appropriate.