Remember:
- Build relationships with people across board.
- Anyone without Christ is dead while they live.
- Embrace people as children do!
- Every soul is important - Judge no one by appearance or speech
- Be full of love for that soul and pray they be established firm in Christ
- Appreciate you're only standing by His grace
- Believe the Holy Spirit will do the work, not you.
Introduction:
Soul-winning begins with evangelism, which is sharing the good news of Jesus Christ, what He did for us at the cross and how his death purchased our freedom from darkness. Evangelism itself is one serious business of the kingdom that is done casually by many believers today.
We are to go into the world and spread the good news according to His word in Mark 16:15, which says: “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.” Mark 16:15. It can be started as casually as saying hello to your neighbors and people around you to connect with them and have a relationship with them before inviting them to the church and other evangelistic meetings.
We live in a world where the good news is not appreciated for what it is, the power of God unto repentance. What the world rejoice at, are entertainment, money-making and 'bad' news of tragedy, disaster, the murder stories, that the TV stations carry daily. But the good news of salvation that is capable of transforming people is not considered as important.
Why is the gospel treated that way? Sometimes, I think some people see the gospel as restrictive of their freedom to do and say what they want, they think the gospel message telling them to repent of their sins as judging them. But the gospel of Jesus is not to judge a man, rather enlighten the person of the impending judgment of God and how they can escape.
The good news
The good news is simply the news of salvation; what Jesus did for you and I on the cross! The news that we are saved by believing and confessing Him as Lord and receiving him in our hearts. There is nothing better than this! I know sometimes it sounds too good to be true, but it’s because the news is true; that’s what makes it good! John 3:16 says "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life"
The commission is for us to go into the world, not to stay in the church because until their eyes are enlightened, they (The world) may never see the gospel differently. The church has a duty to train and nurture those saved through the word, but at the same time, we are all tasked to go out and win the lost, and all unsaved souls.
Different churches have their approach to evangelism and soul-winning. Some make it a duty for every member, while others create a department to handle every aspect of evangelism from training to fielding outreaches. Whether evangelism is a movement in your church or a Unit, the command to evangelize the world was addressed to the disciples of Christ The twelve, the group of seventy and other numerous followers of Christ.
The good thing to add here is that we are the church, the members and not the building. This is why we as individuals should prepare our heart and obtain the necessary training to win souls where ever we find ourselves. The individuals can win souls around them, bring people to church, while the church is responsible for group evangelism, community and city outreaches, and crusades.
The winning mindset
The body of Christ called the church has a responsibility as well as individual members of the church. This write-up, therefore, is targeted at personal and group evangelism. For anyone going out to share the tracts and invite people to church or those going to share the word with people and lead them to Christ, there is a mindset they need to have:
1. Evangelism and sharing of the good news is important for the salvation of souls in a dark and fallen world. It is one of Christ’s commands to every believer.
3. The Evangelist is never afraid because you are not going alone, the angels of the Lord are following you along the way to shield you from any danger. About what to say, will depend on your maturity level and how deep you study the Word. A simple message of Jesus loves you and wants you to be reconciled to your God, so you know God as your Father and helper will do, then you give them the tracts and pray for them, those who agree to be prayed for. The Holy Spirit will take it from where we stop, convincing and convicting the person of his/her sins.
4. Learn that sharing the good news and winning souls is easier when we are living right. The holy spirit is the one who gives wisdom and works through us to reach people. So, when we know who we are in Christ, His Ambassadors in truth and spirit and we connect with people, at any place, in our business meetings, office etc, you can share the good news with them and not being judgmental in any way. Our life should be a testimony to others, so share and let them see what God is doing.
File
The reasons for being shy and not prepared.
There is a group of people who feel they don't know much about God to begin to witness Him to people, yet we can deduce from all these that many believers are either not sure of their salvation or are not appreciative of what the Lord did for them. It will not be an understatement to say that some believers do not fully understand what Jesus Christ did for us. He saved us from the power of Satan and his agents.
Beloved, It is for this reason that I have listed just a few of the things Christ did for us all, so we can appreciate God's love and mercy and be motivated to speak boldly to people about the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The best thing that happened to me is knowing Jesus and it is because of Him that I am still alive today. On the contrary, many souls have died because they did not know Him and so, could not withstand the darts of the enemy.
When you count your own blessings and number them, you will see the reason why you should help friends, relatives, colleagues to see the light of Jesus and be saved from the wrath of the enemy on earth and hellfire to come.
New Trends
There are new ways of reaching out to people, using Service Invitation Flyer (SIF) specially printed for that purpose. The target is to go out there and invite people to church on Sunday. Give them a flyer that will provide information about the Sunday service and the theme. This kind of evangelism can be done in a group or individually. It counters the obstacle that evangelism should be done in a group, and therefore, if anyone wants to evangelize, it should be when a group is going on outreach. With the service Flyer, you may not share the gospel with someone, because you are alone, but nothing stops you from inviting to a church service with the Flyer in your hand.
For churches that have adopted this method, there are days, when the church groups go out to the street, just to invite people to church on Sunday. They target people they meet on the street and give them the flyers in the hope that they will meet with the Lord when they come to Church. Whenever a church adopts that method as part of their evangelism Strategy, it usually produces a huge harvest, because the church prayer groups, Evangelists and the Pastor commits the service to the hand of God, asking the Lord to meet the New Comers at their points of need.
What did the Bible say about Soul-winning?
1. Mark
16:15 - And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the
gospel to the whole creation.
2.
Matthew 28:19-20 - Go therefore and make disciples of all
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the
Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And
behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
3. Romans
10:10-17 - For with the heart one believes and is justified,
and with the mouth, one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says,
“Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no
distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing
his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the
Lord will be saved.” How then will they call on him in whom they have not
believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And
how are they to hear without someone preaching? ...
4,
Matthew 9:37-38 - Then he said to his disciples,
“The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly
to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
5. 1
Peter 3:15 - But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy,
always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for
the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,
Conclusion
Finally, do not be afraid. Fear will only hinder you from connecting or sharing with people. God has not given us the spirit of fear, but that of a sound mind.
Ask the holy spirit to help you and the holy spirit will. You have been given this great task and you have what it takes to deliver. Start today by saying ‘hello’ to your neighbor or inviting your colleague at work to church.
Whenever you speak to someone who is willing and ready to give their hearts to Jesus Christ or rededicate their life to Him, let the brothers and sisters say the following prayer as you lead them to Christ: Prayer:
Heavenly Father, I come to you as I am, a sinner.
Have mercy on me and forgive my sins, cleanse me with the precious blood of Jesus and make me your son/daughter.
I ask Jesus Christ to come into my heart and be my Lord and Saviour.
Lord Jesus, give me the grace to serve you in righteousness and holiness all the days of my life, Amen. Thank you, Jesus.
FIRE...
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