I like something that Evangelist John R. Rice (1895-1980) said: “The Great Commission is not to preach the Gospel to congregations, but to individuals.” That is so true! There are two basic types of churches: Evangelistic and Soulwinning. An evangelistic church teaches members to invite people to church, and then the pastor preaches the Gospel to the congregation; but in a soulwinning church, members are taught and organized to go out into the public to preach the Gospel. God's method is SOULWINNING!
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: 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.”
Luke 14:23, “And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.”Some soulwinning critic says: “God is not interested in numbers!” Well, my friend, God sure ain't interest in empty pews either! The Lord said he desired that “MY HOUSE MAY BE FULL”! This parable is symbolic of God the Father, who wants HIS HOUSE FULL. Numbers represent souls, and God wants souls saved. How do I KNOW this is true? Look at Acts 2:41, “Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.” If God is not interested in numbers, then why did the apostles count how many people were saved at Pentecost, and why does the Bible give us THE NUMBER OF SOULS SAVED? The Bible says 3,000 people were saved!!! Amen!
Throughout the Word of God saints are encouraged to GET BUSY SERVING GOD!!!
Psalms 90:12, “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.”
Daniel 12:3, “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.”
Ephesians 5:16, “Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”
Colossians 4:5, “Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.”
John 9:4, “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.”
1st Corinthians 9:16, “For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!”
Luke 10:2, “Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.”
Luke 8:15, “But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.”
John 15:5, “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”
Proverbs 11:30, “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.”Could be the Scripture be any plainer, that every Christian believer is supposed to be an active SOUL-WINNER? I think not. Why stand ye here all the day idle dear reader? What are you doing for the Lord Jesus Christ today? In what capacity are you involved with a local church ministry? What are you doing to help get souls saved? Every saint can and should do something!!!
Only you can evaluate what resources, talents, money, time or abilities God has entrusted to you, that can be volunteered for the Master's use. If you are not sure, ask your pastor what you can do to serve God in the local church. If you are not a member of a growing local church, you should be! The local New Testament, Bible-believing, church is our spiritual family in the Lord. One of my favorite sermons by Pastor Bob Gray Sr. is called: 'WHY YOU SHOULD BE A PART OF A GROWING CHURCH.'
Nobody wants to be a part of something that is dying, like the lifeless Harvest Baptist Church (HBC) on Guam. The church is deader than a doorknob! Even their sign “Ichabod” (i.e., The Glory Of The Lord Has Departed) is falling down over the entrance door, because it is so worn and old! Worst of all, they have become indifferent and couldn't care less about truth or people. Well I care about truth and people! Still, I love them and pray for them, hoping one day they will get right with God and make peace with me, as I have tried to do with them since 2017 (they forced me out in 2014). Woe unto the idle shepherds!
HBC has so much potential to become a great soulwinning church, but they merely want to keep it as a money-generating religious business. The power of the Holy Spirit is not present! The alters are empty during the invitation. The church uses dozens of corrupt Bible revisions, which confuses people. The false gospel of Lordship Salvation is taught and sanctioned, damning men's souls to Hell. The church members have an “Us Four And No More” cultist mindset. It truly saddens my heart! Lamentations 1:12a, “Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by?...”
The big problem all across America is that soulwinning is not important to churches anymore. Pastors are lazy! Many ecumenical pastors hate the very word, “SOULWINNING,” because Pastor Jack Hyles (1926-2001) made it a household word, and ecumenical pastors are envious of Dr. Hyles' massive ministry success from his 55 years of Spirit-filled ministry. Soulwinning is every believer's duty!!! Matthew 20:6b, “Why stand ye here all the day idle?”
“Human beings just want to be loved... just love the hell out of them!” —Pastor John K. Jenkins Sr.
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