Go Ye! Missionaries All

 

1 Corinthians 14; 13 “Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel.”

 

All churches fall into one of three different categories.

1.     They are now a spiritual and soul winning church.

a.     A strong witnessing, bible studying and spiritual program.

b.     They are active in their church field with an ongoing census program.

c.      The church is mentoring each of its members to be what Christ would have them to be.

d.     The baptistery is often used.

e.      The revivals are successful because of the membership advance work and witnessing.

f.       Christ spirit is omnipresent.

g.     Happiness and grace prevails.

h.     Church growth is continual.

2.     The half hearted church.

Like the Ephesus church they are backsliding

Like the Smyrna church they have no spiritual courage.

Like the pergamos church they are compromising.

Like the Thyatira church they are a erring woman’s church.

Like the Sardis church they are a nominal church.

Like the Philadelphia church they have only a little strength

Like the Laodicea church they are half hearted, lukewarm-neither cold nor hot.

3.     The comfortable church.  (most popular category)

a.     They want to conform Christ to their church rather than conform their church to Christ.

b.     No spirit, and no witnessing.

c.      The church is plateaued or shrinking.

d.     Never a lost person in the church.

e.      They are all doing as much as each other which doesn’t make much difference.

f.       The Holy Spirit will by itself lead a few to the Lord in their community and as they then join this church they also are plateaued.

g.     The church is dying.  All denominations are dying except the Southern Baptist and our growth is slight.

 

(Leave the next paragraph out.  It is only for Jerry if he is preaching.)

Insofar as I know what my wife and I are starting is unique in all Christendom.  I have not in my 58 years of Christian experience ever heard of a soul winning seminar.  I did not hear of one while I was in college, seminary nor anywhere else.  If there was or is such a seminar I have not heard of it.  I’m sure there have been many classes or lesson is Sunday school or sermons on the subject.  But I have not heard of a thorough seminar to actually teach and train Christians to be soul winners.

   Using Jesus as our example, we know that he spent most of His ministry teaching large groups but primarily his apostles (messengers) about the kingdom of God and how to live for God.  The apostles were to go and teach and witness about what they were taught and witnessed themselves which was to turn others to Christ.

 

From the words of R.G. LEE., “An immortal soul is beyond all price.” There is no trouble too great, no humiliation too deep, no suffering to severe, no love too strong, no labor to hard, no expense to large; it is worth it if it is all spent in the effort to win one soul.

 

God loves the soul more than all creation.  He fashioned it after His own image.  Every soul has departed from God and gone astray, and God has bought every born again soul back again with a price.

 

That price was in, and through, and by Jesus Christ.  God loves every soul with an everlasting love.

 

Shouldn’t we all be trained to become apostles (messengers).  Isn’t that what Christ wants most for you and me?

Seeking to save is not optional.  Seeking to save is mandatory! 

In the civil war you could pay someone to take your place when called into service.  This is not an option for us in Christian service.  It is laudatory and proper for us to give money to home and foreign missions but that investment does not relieve our own obligation to be a missionary in our own mission field.

 

 

 

 

Scriptures                     

Matthew 4: 19 Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men!

 

Ezekiel 33: 8,9  When I say to the wicked, “O wicked man, you shall surely die,” and you do not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require from your hand.  But if you on your part warn a wicked man to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, he will die from his iniquity; but you have delivered your life.”

 

James 1: 22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hears only, deceiving your own selves.

 

James 2:17 Faith that doesn’t show itself by good work is no faith at all, it is dead and useless.

 

1 John 2:3 And how can we be sure that we belong to Him?  By looking within ourselves, are we really trying to do what He wants us to do?

 

Philippians 3: 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

 

Luke 19: 10 For the Son of Man has come to seek and save that which was lost.   

 

Proverbs 11:30 “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who is wise wins souls.”

 

Luke 16: 28 No man whoever had a glimpse of hell would ever want a fellow human being to go there.

 

Luke 10:2 These were His instructions to them: “Plead with the Lord of the harvest to send out more laborers to help you, for the harvest is so plentiful and the workers so few.”

 

Philippians 1: 21 For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

 

Galatians 2: 20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life that I now live in the flesh I live by faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

 

Acts 20: 24 But life is worth nothing unless I use it for doing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus the work of telling others of the Good News about God’s mighty kindness and love.

 

 

 

Church Soul Winning Organization 

 

Pastor: 

a. Oversees and clears all work of the Evangelism Director.

 

Evangelism Director:  Only functions is this one responsibility

a. Chairman of Evangelism Committee.

b. Reports to pastor necessary ongoing information concerning the evangelism program and work.

 

Evangelism Committee Membership:

          Sunday School Director.

          Training Union Director:

          Choir Director:

          Census Director;

          Revival Director;

          Prayer Meeting Director;

          V. B. S. Director;

          Fellowship Director;

 

Recommended Starting Plan.

a.     Soulwinning Seminar is planed to cover all opportunities for soul winning using successful literature and techniques. 

b.     Each director makes an outline for evangelism improvement in their own area of responsibility.  This outline is discussed with the committee for suggestions, participation and ideas.

c.      Plans made for the church field census.  Use census to enlarge membership in all functions of the church and promote upcoming revival.  Use talents of those who will help in church outreaches.

d.     Plan for revival three or four months hence.  All departments will

participate in promoting the revival.

          e.  All outreaches will begin operating.