Four Tips on Soul-Winning From Paul

I do not know about you, but I want to be a soul-winner. The question arises, how do I become a soul winner? A lot of individuals have the idea that soul-winning is just about bringing others into the church building doors. Although this is a good tactic to use in order to find prospects for Bible study, I believe Paul shows a four step process in how we can be effective soul winners. 

First, when Paul was searching for souls, “…he went to them…” (Acts 17:2 NASB).  Paul sought out these prospective souls. If you are like me, unfortunately, you want the souls to come to you. Although it is great to include in our prayers, “send me some soul today,” we cannot think that God will do all the work for us. He wants us to seek out the lost. 

Second, when Paul was searching for souls, he, “…reasoned with them from the Scriptures…” (Acts 17:2). We need to remember that the power is in the Word, not in anything we say or do. When we are reasoning with others from the scriptures, we are in actuality, “drawing arguments from the scriptures” (Thayer, 139). It is not our ideas, or plan that saves the soul, it is the “arguments” of the scriptures that leads the soul to Christ. 

Third, when Paul was searching for souls, he was, “…explaining…” to them about Jesus Christ (Acts 17:3). We need to remember that many of us have been in the church for a long time. Some of us have grown up within the church, and we cannot expect others to immediately realize and understand everything we have come to know. We need to take time and patience to explain away pre-conceived ideas, and answer questions individuals have about the Scriptures.

Fourth, when Paul was searching for souls, he was, “…giving evidence…” to them about Jesus Christ (Acts 17:3).  It is interesting that Christian evidences were even needed back then. People have always questioned the gospel of Christ. That’s why we need to always be prepared to defend it (e.g. 1 Peter 3:15). Whether they are people who are confused about scriptures, or are atheists- not having even a fraction of belief in the scriptures, we must be ready to give evidence to them.

Paul is a great example to us in so many ways. We learn through him that if we want to be soul-winners, it depends on our attitude. Do we really want to save souls? If so, we will get out of our comfort zone and find them. If so, we will rely upon the scriptures for our arguments to convert them. If so, we will be patient and explain away confusion they might have. If so, we will defend Jesus Christ and His gospel with sound and true Christian evidences. Souls cannot be won if we do not depend on God’s word, and souls will never be won by us, unless we get out of our comfort zone.

Go be a soul winner! 

Sources:

Thayer, Joseph H. 1997. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers.

Singing With Your Heart

It is Sunday morning, the sun is shining, and everything feels right. You get ready for worship, you put on your tie, and head off in your car. Getting to the building is nice because it feels refreshing. You get to say good morning to all your loved ones, and then it’s off to worship. You open the song book to the page the song leader announces, but then terrible frightening thoughts come into your mind.   You think, “What will people think of me?”, “How will I sound?”, “I cannot sing to save my life!” So, you have a brilliant plan, “I’ll just move my mouth to the words, so that way people can’t hear my atrocious singing!” 

Have you ever done this? Probably all of us have done something like this during our lifetime.  We get so frightened about what others might be thinking of us that we forget what singing is all about.  Notice what the apostle Paul tells us about singing. 

Number one: singing is, “speaking to one another…” (Ephesians 5:19, NASB). So when we sing, we are not singing to ourselves, we are singing to one another for edification and encouragement. We are, in essence, singing to lift each other up with God’s words. 

Number two:  singing is, “…making melody with your heart to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:19).  Singing is not about being the best sounding voice in the crowd, but it is about the heart. God wants our hearts when singing. Not only are we singing for one another’s edification, but we are singing to the Lord as well, with praise and thanksgiving.  

So, next time you go to worship, belt out that voice that God gave you. Whether you have an amazing voice or not the very best (in the world’s terms), God wants your all. We must remember that it is not about whether we sound good or not, God wants our hearts. So sing out loud to encourage your brothers and sisters. Praise God from your heart, by singing to Him with your voice!  

Bold as a Lion

Lions have always been my favorite creatures. It started back when I was a little boy and I wanted to be, no, I thought I was a lion after watching Disney’s movie, The Lion King. Even now I am impressed by their great strength, their thick, muscular body, their deep, fearsome roar and confident appearance.

We read in the Bible that “the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8, NASB).  This is a scary thought. This means two things. The devil is like a lion. Therefore he is powerful, cunning, and dangerous. Not only that, but he is “seeking someone to devour”. He is seeking to devour you and me! That means we are this lion’s pray. 

What a scary thought, but the Bible says that someone else is like a lion. In Proverbs it says that, “the righteous are as bold as a lion” (28:1). What an interesting concept. Unlike the wicked, who “flee when no one is pursuing”, the righteous are bold, or confident in this life. This boldness and confidence is likened to that of a powerful and dominant lion. 

So do we have to be afraid of this lion the devil? No, because if we are depending on God and His word, living for Him, and doing what He commands, we too, are like a lion. All you have to do to counter the devil is to be a lion yourself and “resist him, firm in your faith” (1 Peter 5:9).

What a great idea. If my little-boy self would have known this, he would have been overjoyed. The adult that I am now is still thrilled by the thought, because there is a lot to be afraid of in this life. The devil is a confident and fierce lion, but we can resist him. If we lean upon God and His word, and live a righteous life for Him, then we can and will be an even more confident and fierce lion!