The Art and Science of Soulwinning

David P. Smith 49 Apparently the disciples had gone out to get food from the local village. No one had eaten; they were concerned especially about the Lord Jesus since He had not eaten in quite a while. He often got so busy ministering that He would put it off. This time the disciples were taken by surprise at Jesus’ response to them when He said, “I have food to eat that you don’t know about.” Their immediate comment to each other was, “could someone have brought Him something to eat?” They didn’t get it. Jesus was talking about spiritual food for His soul. Helping someone to become a child of God is spiritually stimulating. It is food for the soul. Jesus commented on this for the benefit of the disciples. Most of them had not yet grown enough spiritually that they could relate to what Jesus had just said. Most church members today have not grown enough spiritually to understand how soulwinning feeds the spiritual man. Those who do understand are often considered fanatics and too spiritual for their own good. Some are perceived to be super-Christians while they are only following Jesus, who said, “Follow me and I will make you catchers of men.” They are being fed spiritually while others are hungering for something they have not yet grasped. It has been observed again and again that believers who are busy winning souls to Christ are seldom embroiled in gossip, criticism, complaining, or condemnation of others. Could it be possible that they are hungering and thirsting after righteousness? They have discovered the satisfaction of spiritual food. They have found what Jesus was talking about when He said, “I have food to eat that you don’t know about.” Have you eaten this food? Go soulwinning and your hunger will be satisfied. This however is very contradictory to what some are saying today, “I need to go to a church that will feed me”, or “That pastor at First Church doesn’t feed my soul when he preaches.” It is soulwinning that feeds the soul, like it fed Jesus! Many are looking for spiritual food and they are substituting it with emotionalism rather than the spiritual diet of winning souls to Christ and making disciples. 10. Jesus’ World Vision and Passion for Souls. Chapter 4:35b, “Behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.” It was not by coincidence that Jesus connected the dots from soulwinning to world evangelism. Jesus was actually chiding His disciples for not

50 The Art and Science of Soulwinning opening their eyes to what was right before them. The Samaritan woman was one of millions who were yet in darkness. The fields are ready for harvest. “Go into the world and make disciples”, He would later say in the Great Commission. Frequently we miss our opportunities because our spiritual eyes are not open. The Spirit is leading but we are blind and deaf to His calling. The disciples didn’t connect the dots until the resurrection of the Savior. We won’t connect the dots either until we are rejuvenated with a passion for souls—discovering the joy of leading others to Christ; then new energy will follow and others will have caught the passion for souls. These disciples caught Jesus’ passion for souls by observing His passion in action. What a difference it would make if pastors today were passionate about souls. World evangelism is a natural byproduct if you are a soulwinner. Soulwinners are the ones who frequently become missionaries and church planters. ZACCHAEUS, THE HATED TAX COLLECTOR Enter the chief tax collector and extortionist of Jericho—Zacchaeus. This guy was hated by everyone. He was placed in this position by the Romans who had overrun Israel and subjugated it. Zacchaeus was overly rich and with good reason. He had overcharged the citizenry with extremely high taxes. He lined his own pockets at the expense of his own countrymen—he was hated!22 He was a short man—small in stature. He heard the excitement that was taking place in the streets of his city and he wanted a better vantage point to view the commotion. He was coincidentally at the right place at the exact time which the Savior would pass by. It was not a coincidence! None of our divine appointments with those who are seeking come under the heading of happenstance. Jesus knew this. In fact, Jesus handled this meeting as it were a divine appointment— “I must stay at your house”, (italics by author). Luke 19:5, “Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.” Clearly there was passion in the voice of Jesus. Do we have passion in our voice when we speak with the unbeliever, or does our voice falter with weak expressions of non-concern? If the unbeliever cannot feel the genuine concern of the one witnessing to him, he will discount the effort as meaningless, cold religion. As stated

David P. Smith 51 earlier at the very beginning of this book, “the passion for souls is caught, not taught.” Jesus had the passion and we need to catch it. Jesus found the person of peace in Jericho. Notice in verse six the immediate response of this publican and tax collector who was hated by everyone: “So he quickly came down and welcomed Him joyfully.” When you find a person of peace he will be open, accepting, responsive, and joyful to receive the Savior. Jesus went looking for these people and He was criticized sharply for doing so. Have no fear soulwinner; you will be condemned when you associate with sinners. Verse seven describes the reaction to Jesus’ talking and eating with a man hated by the community. “All who saw it began to complain, “He’s gone to lodge with a sinful man!” And yet Jesus saw him as a person of peace, a man willing to receive Him with open arms. It is quite astounding to see how the rejects of society and the deplorable often respond to Jesus with such enthusiasm. Yet we find it very difficult to minister to these people more often than not. Our dispassionate hearts are in desperate need of becoming broken. Until this happens in the hearts of believers the persons of peace will not likely be discovered. Men and women hungering and thirsting for righteousness will not be found, unless we become impassioned for them. They are awaiting our walk into their neighborhoods, just like Jesus walked into Jericho. The fruits of repentance are quite obvious in Zacchaeus’ statements that followed Jesus’ invitation. Verse eight says, “But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Look, I’ll give half of my possessions to the poor, Lord! And if I have extorted anything from anyone, I’ll pay back four times as much!” Genuine repentance is always followed by quantitative evidence that reveals the beginnings of a changed heart and life. Although, nothing says that Zacchaeus repented, yet he overtly announces his willingness to recompense all that he had wronged. Pretty good evidence of a man’s heart change, that is for sure. What takes place in Zacchaeus heart is really only known by the Savior. Isn’t that true with all who come to Him with genuine repentance? Who are we to judge a man’s heart? Can we look into the depths of the spirit, separating the flesh from it as only the Living Word can do? Can we divide the marrow from the bone and see the innermost thoughts of a man? No, only the Christ can. And so Jesus says in verse nine, “Today salvation has come to this house,” Jesus told him, “because

52 The Art and Science of Soulwinning he too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost.” It is the mission of Jesus to “seek and to save the lost”. He literally came seeking the lost. He ventured into those places where sinners could be found. He sought them out purposefully, even relentlessly. Remember what He said about Samaria? “I must needs go through Samaria”! Where is our relentlessness to “must needs” go through our towns, our cities, our nation, the world? Where is our passion, have you caught it yet? There is an additional note that must be made regarding Jesus’ comment about Zacchaeus salvation. He said that “Today salvation has come to this house.” There are those who believe in household salvation. A pastor once said that our families are promised salvation, so if a family member dies we are to believe by faith that they are saved, even if there is no evidence of salvation in that family member’s life. That is a false assumption.23 Just because Zacchaeus became a believer did not guarantee that his household would automatically be saved without each family member personally receiving Christ. Jesus was, in fact saying, that Zacchaeus was the one who experienced salvation in his house, but not the salvation of his family. We can safely assume, however, that in all likelihood his family did come to know Jesus as their Savior as well. It is noteworthy that Jesus went out of His way to have personal soulwinning experiences. Those most notable were recorded for us in the Gospels. He built personal relationships with many people whom will never be named. But their testimony carried the gospel message far and wide. It was because of these personal relationships that Jesus established that the word went out everywhere through the land. Place the highest value on relationships.24 SOULWINNING IN THE BOOK OF ACTS (THE ACTION BOOK OF THE NEW TESTAMENT) Literally thousands came to know Jesus as their personal Savior according to the accounts of the Book of Acts. There were 3,000 on the day of Pentecost which were added to the already existing church of 120. Then there were 5,000 men added on another time (not counting the women and children; we are told that the numbers were continually

David P. Smith 53 multiplying in Jerusalem, Acts 6:1. These were exciting times to say the least. Obviously the disciples were doing an outstanding work of evangelism. The Word was spreading rapidly and no one even knew how many believers there were, or where they were. The rapid multiplication that occurred in the book of Acts is a reminder of the work that David Bennett, American Baptist Association missionary to Vanuatu (an island country made up of 83 different islands), did during the 80’s and 90’s and even into the turn of the century. David had been an ordinary dairy farmer in California. He went to Vanuatu, after seminary, believing God had called him there to reach out to the many islands of this country in the South Pacific. David spent a lot of time developing relationships with the villagers of Tanna and established a church. He taught them constantly and made disciples for Jesus. Years later, when this writer visited him, he mentioned that more than 84 churches now existed in different islands. He added that the disciples were planting churches regularly which he knew nothing about. David is with the Lord now, but the work of soulwinning continues to this day. The islanders caught the passion for souls. PETER We find Peter leading the first outdoor evangelistic outreach on the Day of Pentecost. Although we do not see an example of personal soulwinning on this day, yet we know 3,000 souls were saved. Someone, probably all of the early church (120 strong, Acts 1:15), was doing a lot of personal work. The only time we see Peter doing personal soulwinning that is recorded for us, is found in Acts 10 and the account of Cornelius, the Italian. This man was seeking for truth and was sent via a vision to Peter. Even today Muslims in the Middle East are having visions in which they are instructed to seek Jesus Christ and the way of salvation. After seeing the vision, he called for Peter to come: “Immediately therefore I sent to thee; and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God.” Acts 10:33 Peter began to give the message of the gospel to the entire group that had assembled in Cornelius home. Every detail is recorded for us to

54 The Art and Science of Soulwinning read. The most important aspect of this entire experience was that God wanted Peter to know that Gentiles could be saved also, not just Jews. Peter had received a vision earlier, which prepared him to receive God’s direction in going to Joppa where Cornelius lived. While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. (Acts 10:44-45) Obviously, Peter engaged in evangelism. More than likely, he spoke with each individual in the group explaining more clearly the message of the gospel. It might have been a ‘group salvation’; that is, everyone receiving the message into his/her heart at the same time. We are not given enough detail to know the exact circumstances. However, we can safely assume Peter won souls to Jesus that day. PHILLIP THE DEACON, SOULWINNER AND EVANGELIST One of the seven chosen deacons of the Jerusalem church was named Phillip. He was selected as a deacon because there were not enough volunteers to minister to the widows in the church. There was a lot of complaining going on among the widows and their families about being neglected. The Jerusalem church acted on the need and in the process discovered some men gifted by the Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit anointed these men and God used them mightily. Stephen, the first Christian martyr was one of these men as well. Phillip was heavily engaged in Samaria where he was evangelizing with great power: Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word. Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. Acts 8:4-6 It was during this Samarian campaign that an angel of the Lord spoke to Phillip: “Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.” (Acts 8:26). God had a soulwinning mission for Phillip. He was to speak to only one man. Why all this effort to speak to just one man? Soulwinning is most

David P. Smith 55 effective one-on-one. Mass evangelism is good, but dealing with one person at a time is the difference between quantitative ministry and qualitative ministry. This writer is not opposed to any kind of soulwinning methods as long as they honor our Lord. Qualitative ministry allows the evangelist to spend sufficient time with a new believer, discipling him/ her as thoroughly as possible. And many times there is not enough time to do the kind of effective discipleship one would desire even then. Phillip had a mission? One man—a very unusual man indeed. Acts 8:27 records “behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship.” This man needed special attention. A special envoy of the Lord, a soulwinner, was sent to this man. And so often this is true. This writer is reminded of the now President of the United States of America, Mr. Donald Trump and how men like Dr. Jerry Falwell, Jr., and the Rev. Franklin Graham have become close confidants of Mr. Trump, as well as Dr. Robert Jeffress of the First Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas. These men have specifically focused on Mr. Trump and his need to know Christ Jesus as his Savior. We don’t know if Mr. Trump is saved at this point in time, but we do know he has heard the blessed story of the salvation which comes by repentance and faith, largely because of these men of God. We pray for Mr. Trump that he will allow God to lead him into all truth. The Ethiopian eunuch was the treasurer to the queen of Ethiopia. Candace was not necessarily her name as much as it was the title of queens in Ethiopia. “Candace is said to have been the common name of the queens of Ethiopia, as “Pharaoh” was of the sovereigns of Egypt. This is expressly stated by Pliny (Nat. History, 7:29). His words are: “The edifices of the city were few; a woman reigned there of the name of Candace, which name had been transmitted to these queens for many years.”25 The term ‘eunuch’ is not necessarily referring to his being rendered incapable of producing children. It could also be a reference to his lack of political power, nonetheless, being in high authority under the Candace. He had great authority, yet lacked any significant power in the kingdom except what was granted to him by the queen.

56 The Art and Science of Soulwinning What is interesting about the eunuch is that he was an Ethiopian Jew, possibly a proselyte, who had just come back from worshiping in Jerusalem. This is where all the excitement of Pentecost had occurred. Many people were now believers and he was searching the scriptures while in his chariot. He was seeking for answers to what he had been hearing about the Christ. This is probably why he was reading in the prophets particularly Isaiah chapter 53:7-8. An African was about to hear the gospel—an African with great authority who could change the world in which he lived. One man made a huge difference. Phillip ran up to the chariot where he heard the Ethiopian reading out loud from the prophet but only after the Holy Spirit told him, “Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.” (8:29). The leadership of the Holy Spirit in soulwinning is most critical. It is important for that special sense of direction from the Spirit to be directed to the soulwinner. This is called the ‘prompting’ of the Spirit. Not every believer will experience the prompting of the Spirit to speak to someone. If one has quenched the Spirit in his life, he is likely not to hear the still small voice of the Lord encouraging him to approach a lost sinner. However, whether one hears the prompting or not he is still commanded to be a witness for the Lord. By obeying the gospel mandate one will be more prone to hear the prompting of the Spirit drawing nearer to Him. Philip ran when the Lord spoke to him. Will you run to that lost soul? Will you obey the prompting of the Spirit? The Spirit of the Lord gives us those special approaches; those special phrases that will help unlock a person’s heart. Philip was ready for the Spirit to show him. He noticed the Ethiopian was reading scripture out loud. How convenient? How absolutely obvious this was to Philip that the Spirit was moving in the man’s heart. Sometimes you know beyond the shadow of a doubt that your encounter with a sinner is divinely appointed. This special phrase was elementary: “Do you understand what you’re reading?” This was simple and to the point. Why not? Why should we worry about complex approaches and wording when what the person desires is an uncomplicated answer? Often soulwinning becomes a doctrinal discussion rather than a heart to heart conversation about the need of the soul. Debating can be a real deterrent to effective soulwinning. One can easily get sidetracked from the matter of the soul

David P. Smith 57 to the issues of pride. Philip aimed at the heart, “Do you understand what you’re reading?” The Ethiopian answered with childlike credulity, “How can I,” he said, “unless someone guides me.” This is a soulwinner’s dream. The man was willing to comprehend the scripture if only someone would be his guide. A guide is a teacher, one who will show the way of understanding. That is our work as soulwinners, forever showing and guiding and pointing to The Way. The moment the seeker opens the door the soulwinner must walk through it or lose his golden opportunity. Now was the time to act on the invitation. When someone invites you into his home, his life, his space, enter! Verse 31 of chapter 8 says, “he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.” This invitation is our heart’s desire. We want to hear this from the one we are reaching. We want to know that there is a person of peace before us hungering and thirsting for righteousness. When you hear the seeker calling out to you, surrender to the Spirit. Yield to his call! The striking thing about this meeting was that the Ethiopian was reading from a passage of scripture that was addressing the very need of his own heart. The Spirit of God had already been reaching out to him. First he heard the gospel in Jerusalem and, second, he was reading from the very place where the prophet Isaiah (53:7-8) was describing the Messiah and his crucifixion. How absolutely convenient! You will discover that the Spirit does very convenient things for us when we are soulwinning. He opens doors, He opens minds, He reveals hearts, and He stirs imaginations. It is the work of the Holy Spirit. We cannot grasp the magnitude of it, but we will be wise to grip the moment with all of our spiritual might. The Ethiopian asked a question that scholars of scripture could not answer. The Jews were struggling with Isaiah 53. They could not or would not concede that this passage was alluding to none other than Jesus Christ. He asked the obvious question, “. . .I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man? Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. Acts 8:34-35

58 The Art and Science of Soulwinning Only a person of peace would be hungry enough to ask that question. The Ethiopian was searching for answers. He was spiritually hungry and needed answers immediately. A Spirit filled soulwinner will have answers ready at the tip of his tongue. The Holy Spirit will give him those heart changing words. He will be in tune with the moment and race to the Word of God. And so it was, Philip shared the good news about Jesus. A soulwinner is passionate about bringing people to Christ. He is ever ready to proclaim the Way. Philip had caught the passion for souls from the Master Soulwinner. Philip demonstrated the art of disciple-making in short order. He had shared the good news sufficiently with the eunuch, including baptism, otherwise the man would never have asked, “See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” Acts 8:36-7 The soulwinner is always thinking ahead of the new convert. Salvation is only the beginning of a long relationship that he will have with the Savior. The new believer needs assurance of salvation, baptism, and a close daily walk that will stretch out over a lifetime. How is it possible to give so much information in a short period of time? It is not about how much time we have as it is how much passionate knowledge we have for Christ while counseling the newly born Christian. The believer will remember the soulwinner his entire life. There is a bonding that takes place between them that is akin to a gosling attaching itself to the first living thing it sees when it hatches out of its shell. I’m sure the Ethiopian remembered Philip the rest of his life. It was enough of a remembrance so that all of Ethiopia heard the gospel and maybe all North Africa. Church Father St. Irenaeus of Lyons in his book Adversus Haereses (Against the Heresies, an early anti-Gnostic theological work) 3:12:8 (180 AD), wrote regarding the Ethiopian eunuch, “This man (Simeon Bachos the Eunuch) was also sent into the regions of Ethiopia, to preach what he had himself believed, that there was one God preached by the prophets, but that the Son of this (God) had already made (His) appearance in human flesh, and had been led as a sheep to the slaughter; and all the other statements which the prophets made regarding Him.” In Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo tradition he was referred to as Bachos and in Eastern Orthodox tradition he is known as an

David P. Smith 59 Ethiopian Jew with the name Simeon also called the Black, the same name he is given in Acts 13:1.26 The discipling of the Ethiopian, as brief as it may have been, is evidenced by the fact that North Africa, including Ethiopia, heard the gospel resulting in tens of thousands becoming believers. Others were involved in this evangelism without a doubt. Praise God for the evangelistic zeal of Philip. He was available to God. The Holy Spirit did the rest. PAUL Paul (formerly Saul) and Barnabas were the first official missionaries of the Church at Antioch (Acts 13:1). They launched out from Antioch and began their first missionary journey. Their first stop was Cyprus. There they began to spread the Good News of the Way. Sergius Paulus was their first convert due mostly to the fact that Paul had caused a sorcerer, named Elymas, to go blind because he was trying to turn Sergius Paulus away from the faith, Acts 13:8. “Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.” Paul was one-on-one with Sergius Paulus. We don’t know the exact conversation they had. Yet Luke records the event with personal names who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, and Paul was there leading the man to Christ. Paul and Barnabas, and later Silas, were engaged in evangelism throughout Minor Asia, Greece, several islands, and also Rome. Their experiences are recorded mostly in terms like— “And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region. ” Acts 13:49. “And there (Lystra & Derbe) they preached the gospel.” 14:7. “And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many…” Acts 14:21. If you have ever done evangelism you know that you will have one-one-one personal conversations with people. They were soulwinning, no doubt. Paul and Silas, in a subsequent missionary journey into Europe, found themselves in prison because Paul had cast out a spirit of divination in a young slave girl which resulted in her owners losing their income through her. Paul and Silas were charged for exceedingly troubling the city and promoting customs that were not legal for Romans, (Acts 16:16-24). They encountered the Philippian jailor. They had been beaten

60 The Art and Science of Soulwinning severely by the jailor earlier and were now in stocks, in the jail, singing and praising God in spite of everything. Then the earthquake hit and everyone’s stocks fell off, and the jail doors flew open. But everyone stayed put. No one tried to escape; maybe it was because Paul and Silas had been witnessing and sharing the gospel in the jail prior to the quake. Nevertheless, the jailor saw the problem. He immediately prepared to commit suicide because he knew that he would be executed anyways. But Paul called out in a loud voice, “Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.” The jailor cried out, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 16:29. This was an awesome moment to share the way of Salvation to this pagan man. He must have had some sense that these men had a divine message. The jailor then brought them out. “Brought them out” (progagōn autous exō). Second aorist active participle of proagō, to lead forward. He left the other prisoners inside, feeling that he had to deal with these men whom he had evidently heard preach or had heard of their message as servants of the Most High God as the slave girl called them. There may have been superstition behind his fear, but there was evident sincerity.27 Paul, without hesitation, began to explain: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house,” 16:31. The jailor believed and his family did as well. Then Paul baptized them that same evening. This is an interesting account because we see no example of any pre- baptism classes, discourse, or discussion about spiritual things. It is truly evidence of a true conversion followed by an immediate baptism of everyone in the household. Nonetheless, knowing the apostle Paul, there had to have been a lot of teaching. A church developed out of this soulwinning encounter which further evidences that the work of a soulwinner is also to get the new convert connected to an ekklessia (assembly). In this case they became a foundational part of the church at Philippi. Let the soulwinner take heed. Every new convert has a different story to tell. Every situation requires the leading of the Holy Spirit for wisdom and guidance as to how one handles the uniqueness of that new soul who was just saved. Never assume that every soul is the same as to his/her understanding or readiness to move forward in baptism. Some

David P. Smith 61 are ready at the moment they are saved, others take months, or even years before they recognize the need to follow Christ in Baptism, even after much teaching. Paul’s defense before Felix the Governor of Caesarea, although not a personal soulwinning encounter, was one of two recorded times wherein Paul gave a clear presentation of the Gospel for someone of important position. It was said by Luke the disciple and writer of the book of Acts that Felix was accurately informed about the Way in Acts 24:22. Then Paul stood before King Agrippa nearly two years later. Festus, who succeeded Felix, introduced Agrippa to the case of Paul versus the Jewish Sanhedrin. It was then that Agrippa said to Paul, “Thou art permitted to speak for thyself.” (Acts 26:1) Paul gave his defense during which he gave his personal testimony of his Damascus Road salvation experience. His testimony clearly contained the gospel. (Acts 26:15-19) Festus interrupted Paul’s defense by exclaiming in a loud voice “Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.” Paul turned his attention from Festus and directed his comments to King Agrippa and said, “I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him (referring to Agrippa), for this thing was not done in a corner.” Paul’s redirection of conversation was to appeal to Agrippa’s sense of belief in the prophets of the Old Testament, since he was familiar with those teachings of the resurrection. The son of Agrippa I was King Herod Agrippa II also known as Julius Marcus Agrippa; he was the brother of Bernice and Drusilla and heard Paul’s defense of the gospel in Acts 26. Agrippa II had quite a lot of power in Jewish religious affairs, for he had been given custodianship of the temple and the authority to appoint the high priest.28 The Holy Spirit was obviously convicting both Festus and Agrippa. Festus became very outspoken and told Paul he was out of his mind! However, Paul focused in on Agrippa because he knew the man had some background in the Scriptures. “King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest. Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. Acts 26:27-28.

62 The Art and Science of Soulwinning Agrippa was saying “do you really think you can persuade me with such a small effort?” Agrippa needed much more time to sort out the powerful words of Paul’s message. Although, Paul gave an excellent presentation, yet Agrippa was not ready to receive the message. Besides, He had some serious sin issues in his life that he wasn’t ready to resolve. According to history, he was having an incestuous relationship with his sister Berenice. At least Agrippa was not rejecting the message, but was shrugging it off for the time being. In our soulwinning efforts we must realize there will be many like Agrippa. They will hear the message, even know the message, but are so filled with the world and its philosophies that they will simply shrug it off because it is somewhat uncomfortable. Unfortunately, Paul was not in a personal conversation with Agrippa or else he might have had more success in reaching his heart.

CHAPTER 4 A SHORT HISTORY OF SOULWINNING IN AMERICA SOULWINNING IN EARLY AMERICA The ensuing history of soulwinning follows not only through North Africa, but into Europe and Britain. Soulwinning, one-on-one, was the fastest and most effective means used to evangelize for centuries. As the nations heard the gospel they also began seeking religious asylum and freedom from persecution in Europe. They migrated to the new continent, North America. To rehearse all of these stories would take another book. As the centuries passed, America became the home of religious freedom, where believers could worship God and evangelize their neighbors. This freedom had to be fought for again and again until this new land freed itself from the restraints of state religion and separated the government from the church. In the 1600’s Puritan pastors in the state of Massachusetts addressed the lack of evangelism by establishing conferences with the theme of “deep declension in the life and power of the churches”.30 This was a revival movement which called for more “evangelistic preaching and direct

64 The Art and Science of Soulwinning efforts to convert sinners”; in other words, one-on-one soulwinning. This kind of specific effort at renewing soul winning among dying churches is probably one of the most needed elements among Baptist churches today. What about you, reader? Would you be willing to be the person to make the difference where you are? SOLOMON STODDARD OF NORTHAMPTON, MASSACHUSETTS Solomon Stoddard was the pastor in Northampton, Massachusetts, when the movement began. After Stoddard died in 1729, his assistant pastor, Jonathan Edwards, took over the pastorate. The rest of the story leads to the Great Awakening in the Northeastern part of the United States. Edward’s series of sermons on “Justification by Faith” in 1734 was the beginning of something really wonderful.31 Edwards reported that more than half of all the people above sixteen years of age in his town had been saved. Soul winning was on the move. When God’s people get busy about the Master’s work exciting things will happen. THE SECOND GREAT AWAKENING After the War of Independence came ‘The Second Great Awakening’ which can be traced to two Baptist preachers; Stephen Gano and Isaac Backus. They sent out a “circular letter” to many churches asking God’s people to begin praying for revival. This Awakening was led by a large number of soul-winning Baptist pastors, Methodist circuit riders, Presbyterian evangelists and Congregationalists. Soul-winning was on the rise in this colonial country. CHARLES G. FINNEY Probably one of the most outstanding soul winners of the 1820’s was Charles G. Finney. His critics estimated that a hundred thousand souls were brought to Christ as a result of the revival at Rochester. Finney saw things happen in his evangelistic campaigns that were quite extraordinary. People would fall to the ground, in absolute conviction almost uncontrollably, as he walked by. Souls would cry out for forgiveness to God giving the appearance of mass hysteria taking place. However, the fruit of these campaigns proved to have

David P. Smith 65 changed the spiritual dynamics of the entire country. Souls were genuinely being saved. The Second Great Awakening had major impact on our American Society. Author Richard Flanders notes that missionary crusades began to grow nationally. Missionary Societies and Ministries began to spring up everywhere. Midweek services, Prayer meetings, began to be a part of church life. Even the “altar call” and “inquiry room” were being instituted as legitimate means to help gather in the harvest of souls. The Temperance movement, the anti-slavery movement and a host of other great nationwide efforts sprung out of this Great Awakening.32 Secular historians seldom if ever refer to the large numbers of people who were converted to Christ in American history. During the Civil War we are told that over 200,000 soldiers came to Christ, primarily because of the efforts of military chaplains. John Vassar of Poughkeepsie, New York, worked tirelessly with the American Tract Society among the Union soldiers. It was reported that 75-100 men were being saved every day as a direct result of his ministry. D.L. MOODY D.L. Moody, working with the YMCA and the Christian Commission, during the war saw thousands come to Christ. He became one of the most prolific soulwinners during this time. Moody made the unforgettable statement that has affected this writer since his youth, “The world has yet to see what God can do with a man fully consecrated to him. By God’s help, I aim to be that man.” The soulwinning methodology of all these men seems to reflect a “direct approach”. Although men like Moody were known as great evangelists, nonetheless, he preferred the ‘direct approach’ above all. His Sunday school work on the streets of Chicago revealed his passion for souls as he reached out to the youth of his city. Moody shook two continents, America and Great Britain, for Christ. It must be noted that whenever soulwinning declines it is because the focus has shifted to community services, benevolence ministries, helping the poor, random acts of kindness, to name just a few. Do not misunderstand; the above should always be practiced in Christian love. However, if these and many more like them are practiced without

66 The Art and Science of Soulwinning the presentation of the gospel as the primary purpose for personal engagement then the decline will certainly come. The Salvation Army, founded by William Booth as a soulwinning ministry in the later 1800’s (established in England), is an example of how turning to a social gospel brings about a decline in soulwinning. WILLIAM BOOTH Nonetheless, the Salvation Army started out on a good foot. William Booth participated in “a remarkable religious awakening” at Nottingham’s Wesleyan Chapel. The rush of souls to hear the gospel led Booth to see that “soul-saving results may be calculated upon when proper means are used for their accomplishment.” Booth went on to make a lifelong commitment to the scientific revivalism methods of Charles G. Finney.33 The Salvation Army is best known in America for its social work in the community. Very little evangelism takes place anymore. His ministry lives on and is known internationally for its desire to help the deprived and the depraved. The annual Christmas Santa ringing his bell at Walmart is a constant reminder of the shift that has taken place in this once aggressive soulwinning ministry. The decline in personal soulwinning has been self-evident among the evangelical churches of America, Canada and the United Kingdom. First, in the United Kingdom it began to become obvious as churches began shutting their doors because believers were preoccupied with making a living and enjoying the good life after WWII. Church buildings were converted into museums or sold, being replaced with parking garages or corner stores. The UK today has a dearth of churches. Rekindling the fires of evangelism has been extremely difficult in that very secular society which once sent the gospel out around the world. Hopefully America will not go this unspiritual route, although the signs are present. This writer noticed the sad state of church planting in the U.K. personally in 1990 during a year-long effort to plant a church in Uxbridge, Northwest London. Canada, once a gospel rich country, where school children heard Bible stories in the public schools every day, is now one of the most secular nations in the world. There are still many believers in Canada, yet the gospel has declined considerably due to believers restraining their evangelism for fear of offending those who are more

David P. Smith 67 ‘tolerant.’ Pentecostals and some Baptists are among those who attempt evangelism. Personal soulwinning is swiftly becoming a lost art, a waning passion. The United States of America is still one of the most open places in the world for personal evangelism. Yet churches are struggling and closing their doors by the thousands every year. Pastor James McDonald from Walking in the Word Ministries revealed these shocking numbers about Christianity in America:34 Of the 250,000 Protestant churches in America, 200,000 are either stagnant (with no growth) or declining. That is 80% of the churches in America and maybe the one you attend, if you attend at all. 4,000 churches close their doors every single year. There is less than half of the number of churches today than there were only 100 years ago. 3,500 people leave the church every single day. Since 1950, there are 1/3rd fewer churches in the U.S. The decline in soulwinning is a primary result of the preoccupation of believers. It appears that evangelism is quick to subside when other things occupy the minds of the followers of Christ. So often the cares of this world, the pursuit of material things, and false doctrine, work relentlessly to undermine the church of the living God. Because America is so rich in comparison to other places in the world, the believer often succumbs to the pursuit of material wealth. This creates priorities that are very different than what Christ taught his followers. “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6:33 Believers in these prosperous countries such as America and Canada are often rendered spiritually useless in the church and community because they pursue their selfish interests rather than the interests of Christ. Soulwinning is the first to suffer because it requires a higher priority to spiritual motivations than pursuing wealth. To add insult to injury many churches have adopted the “feel good, health and prosperity theology”. More churches are inclined to focus on being “seeker sensitive” and

68 The Art and Science of Soulwinning avoid the weightier matters of preaching the gospel truth. Many of these “feel good” preachers have invaded our television sets promising wealth and prosperity to all who will follow them. As a result, the focus is personal prosperity instead of personal soulwinning. The teaching of works for salvation additionally delivers a crushing blow to evangelism by creating an environment necessary to become better before you can repent. Repentance is useless to these churches since they require the continual flow of personal goodness which can never satisfy the soul. The soul can never find forgiveness because it is continually expected to do good works which are done to satisfy God. Yet, God is not satisfied with good works, no man can achieve sufficient works so as to gain entry into heaven. He is doomed because he is not righteous and has no righteousness of his own. The allurement of working good deeds to achieve salvation soon becomes a delusion to the individual that is seeking peace with God, and he gives up, throwing his hands up in despair. How can anyone live good enough to ever be able to be accepted by God? Therefore, why should he be interested in winning souls to Christ when his own soul is still lost in trespasses and sins? Why would a sinner seek to save a sinner? The blind therefore lead the blind and both fall into the ditch. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Titus 3:4-7 For 2000 years’ believers have been winning souls to Christ. The majority of those who have been born-again during the last two millennia have been led to Christ by people who were never named. Ordinary people, living extraordinary lives of faith, from the farms to the castles, from the coal mines to the high rise jungles of the metropolis, from the battlefields to the universities, and from the mountains to the valleys; these are the ones whom we will never know. But they were there, they shared the gospel with their children, with their friends, with their neighbors—and the gospel went viral.

David P. Smith 69 THE SOULWINNING/EVANGELISTIC MOVEMENT OF THE LAST 100 YEARS Leighton Ford tells this story: “I was speaking at an open-air crusade in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Billy Graham was to speak the next night and had arrived a day early. He came incognito and sat on the grass at the rear of the crowd. Because he was wearing a hat and dark glasses, no one recognized him. Directly in front of him sat an elderly gentleman who seemed to be listening intently to my presentation. When I invited people to come forward as an open sign of commitment, Billy decided to do a little personal evangelism. He tapped the man on the shoulder and asked, “Would you like to accept Christ? I’ll be glad to walk down with you if you want to.” The old man looked him up and down, thought it over for a moment, and then said, “Naw, I think I’ll just wait till the big gun comes tomorrow night.” Billy and I have had several good chuckles over that incident. Unfortunately, it underlines how, in the minds of many people, evangelism is the task of the “Big Guns,” not the “little shots.”’35 So often we forget that the unknown, unsung heroes of our faith, are the common man, woman and child who love Jesus and share their faith. These are the ones who, collectively, lead more people to Christ than all of the famous evangelists. We do have the histories of well-known evangelists and soulwinners of the last 100 years or so. There is not enough space to give all the attention that each of those well deserve. We will select a few who have made a significant impact on America and soulwinning: R. A. TORREY (28 JANUARY 1856 – 26 OCTOBER 1928) Rueben Archer Torrey was born in Hoboken, New Jersey, on 28 January 1856. He graduated from Yale University in 1875 and Yale Divinity School in 1878. Following graduation, Torrey became a Congregational minister in Garrettsville, Ohio, in 1878. The following year, he married Clara Smith, and the Torreys had five children.36 Torrey joined with D.L. Moody’s evangelistic work in Chicago in 1889 and eventually became the pastor of the Chicago Avenue Church, now known as the Moody Memorial Church, in 1894. He also served as chaplain with the YMCA during the

70 The Art and Science of Soulwinning Spanish-American War. Later, during World War 1, he also served at Camp Bowie, a POW camp in Texas. Torrey was an avid soulwinner. In the early 1900’s he preached across the English-speaking world conducting revival services in Great Britain from 1903 to 1905. He also preached in China, Japan, Australia, and India. Torrey had been greatly influenced to catch the passion for soulwinning from D.L. Moody. A passion for souls is critical for success in evangelism. Torrey said this about soulwinning: “In our study of the various forms of Christian activity, we begin with “Personal Work,” that hand-to-hand dealing with men, women and children. We begin with it because it is the simplest form of Christian work, the kind that every person can do.”37 Every person can do personal soulwinning. Torrey also said, “It is also the most effective method of winning lost souls.” He was the first to admit that as much as he loved preaching, he knew that the world could be reached and evangelized far more quickly by personal work and not just preaching. The critical nature of every person being a soulwinner cannot be overstated, and yet it is the failing of many Christians today. Torrey called it “Personal Work”. Soulwinning is conducted personally, one-on-one. GEORGE W. TRUETT, (MAY 6, 1867 – JULY 7, 1944) Truett accepted the position of pastor of the First Baptist Church in Dallas in September 1897, a position he would hold until his death. During his 47-year pastorate, membership increased from 715 to 7,804; a total of 19,531 new members were received, and total contributions were $6,027,741.52. The church was rebuilt three times during his tenure there due to the expanding congregation.38 Dr. George Truett served as president of the Southern Baptist Convention from 1927 to 1929. President Woodrow Wilson appointed Truett as one of 20 preachers who would go preach to the Allied forces on six month tours. Truett was an evangelist and soulwinner. Because of his passion for souls he made annual trips through the Davis Mountains of West Texas for thirty-seven years, preaching to the cowboys who worked the cattle

David P. Smith 71 drives. He believed they were too isolated from family, church and society. He traveled with them sharing the gospel with them. In his book, A Quest for Souls, Truett states emphatically, “The supreme ambition for every church and for every individual Christian should be to bring somebody to Christ.”39 Truett had a true passion for souls everywhere he went. L.R. SCARBOROUGH (1870–1945) Lee Rutland Scarborough was a Southern Baptist pastor, evangelist, denominational leader, and professor at the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He was invited to occupy the world’s first academic chair of evangelism by B.H. Carroll in 1908. It was known as “The Chair of Fire,” and as the L.R. Scarborough Chair of Evangelism. In February 1915, following the death of B. H. Carroll, he became president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He remained in both positions until 1942, during which time he also served a term as president of the Baptist General Convention of Texas (1929–32) and a term as president of the Southern Baptist Convention (1938–40).40 Scarborough’s book, With Christ After the Lost, has been a favorite of many soulwinners. It was said that he truly believed that every preacher, missionary, and Christian should seek to win souls to Christ. He had taught from R.A. Torrey’s book, How to Work for Christ, and had also been influenced greatly by B.H. Carroll. Interestingly enough, Dr. George W. Truett is additionally accredited by Scarborough for inspiring him to devote his life to soulwinning.41 There was a lot of influence being dispersed by these great men of the faith. It supports the idea that the passion for souls is caught and not just taught. Although, there was teaching about soulwinning, yet the modeling of it was most critical for it to be caught. It takes passion that is seen in action. “Regeneration demands reproduction in kind”, says Scarborough.42 The repeated comments on the importance of soulwinning by these great pastors and evangelists reveals that something is missing among many pastors and church leaders today. Soulwinning messages are very seldom heard in the pulpits of churches. Many sermons are geared to self-help, building up self-esteem, and pulpit counselling a dysfunctional flock. A hundred years ago, these men were focused

72 The Art and Science of Soulwinning on soulwinning. Their churches were becoming renowned in America. They were the mega church pastors of their day showing the way to Christ. The churches they pastored are still mostly in existence today and in many cases with larger ministries than ever before. Soulwinning was the term they used to describe their personal evangelism. It is a strikingly passionate word that demands action. Soulwinning was often considered the spiritual medicine that a believer needed in order to function in his spiritual life. JACK FRASURE HYLES (SEPTEMBER 25, 1926 – FEBRUARY 6, 2001) Hyles “was a leading figure in the Independent Baptist movement, having pastored the First Baptist Church of Hammond in Hammond, Indiana, from 1959 until his death. He was well known for being an innovator of the church bus ministry that brought thousands of people each week from surrounding towns to Hammond for services. Jack Hyles built First Baptist up from fewer than a thousand members to a membership of 100,000. In 1993 and again in 1994, it was reported that 20,000 people attended First Baptist every Sunday, making it the most attended Baptist church in the United States. In 2001, at the time of Hyles’s death, 20,000 people were attending church services and Sunday school each week. He was accused of several scandals while pastoring the church, and his doctrinal positions often put him at odds with other Christians — even with other fundamentalist Baptists.”43 Jack Hyles was a controversial figure, to say the least. However, he was a soulwinner and led his church, First Baptist, to become one of the largest soulwinning churches in America. There is no doubt that his emphasis on soulwinning stirred the passion for lost souls more than any other pastor in America at that time. His Pastor conferences and Soulwinning conferences were packed out in attendance by the thousands every year. Hyles was a personal soulwinner setting the example for his church and every other pastor in America. From his sermon, “Four Calls to Soulwinning” Hyles says, In the first place, there’s a call from within. There is something inside of me that says I have to go soulwinning. “I cannot but speak the things I have seen and heard.” I have no choice. It’s

David P. Smith 73 burning inside of me - a call from within that compels me to stress soulwinning in everything that we do.44 Jack Hyles wrote a weekly article in the Sword of the Lord, called “Let’s Go Soulwinning”. It was a reminder that there were souls out there every day who needed Christ. The article described simple methods that were used to share the gospel to ordinary people in everyday life. However, Hyles followers carried soulwinning to a whole different level. Perhaps, in their attempt to mimic their leader they became overzealous in their efforts at soulwinning. Many false professions of faith in Christ have been attributed to Hyles’ style of soulwinning. His followers, and others that followed him, became so passionate for souls that they would just ask a person to pray the “sinner’s prayer” in order to add another notch to their spiritual gun. This practice of soulwinning became known as “easy believism” among many who objected to Hyles’ zeal. Nevertheless, Hyles had a very keen sense of the dire need for soulwinning to be practiced by local churches, pastors and laymen. In his written message “The Enemies of Soulwinning” he aptly outlined the practices and doctrines that would kill soulwinning. Here is what he listed as the enemies of soulwinning:45 Lordship Salvation - An Enemy of Soul Winning Ultra-Dispensationalism - An Enemy of Soul Winning Formal Worship - An Enemy of Soul Winning Misunderstood Repentance - An Enemy of Soul Winning False Bibles - An Enemy of Soul Winning Church Leaders (Nobles) Not Soul Winners - An Enemy of Soul Winning Opposition to Pastoral Leadership - An Enemy of Soul Winning The Universal Church - An Enemy of Soul Winning The Modern Tongues Movement - An Enemy of Soul Winning Where Are the Nine? Let’s Be Baptists’

74 The Art and Science of Soulwinning Lifestyle Evangelism - An Enemy of Soul Winning In the minds of some, Hyles may even have given soulwinning a bad name, but those who believe so would probably be named among the enemies of soulwinning. The fact remains, he practiced what he preached about soulwinning, and thousands of souls were won to Christ throughout his ministry. WILLIAM FRANKLIN “BILLY” GRAHAM JR. (BORN NOVEMBER 7, 1918; DECEASED FEB 21, 2018) William Franklin “Billy” Graham Jr. was ordained as a Southern Baptist minister, who rose to celebrity status in 1949 reaching a core constituency of middle-class, moderately conservative Protestants. In his six decades of television, Graham is principally known for hosting the annual Billy Graham Crusades, which he began in 1947, until he concluded in 2005, at the time of his retirement. He also hosted the popular radio show Hour of Decision from 1950 to 1954. He repudiated segregation and, in addition to his religious aims, helped shape the worldview of fundamentalists and evangelicals, leading them to appreciate the relationship between the Bible and contemporary secular viewpoints. Graham has preached to live audiences of nearly 215 million people in more than 185 countries and territories through various meetings, including BMS World Mission and Global Mission. He has also reached hundreds of millions more through television, video, film, and webcasts.46 Mr. Graham was used of God to be able to minister to the presidents of the United States. He had a unique gift from God to communicate with these men and have their trust. Only once did he embarrass himself with Harry Truman. “After meeting with Truman in 1950, Graham told the press he had urged the president to counter communism in North Korea. Truman disliked him and did not speak with him for years after that meeting. Later he always treated his conversations with presidents as confidential.”47 Billy Graham from then on resolved to prioritize the gospel as his focus and keep politics out of it as much as possible. We have heard much about Billy Graham the Evangelist and the tens of thousands that were turned to Christ in his worldwide campaigns, but have we heard of Billy the personal soulwinner? Remember Graham was a spiritual adviser to 12 of our American Presidents. He was particularly

David P. Smith 75 close to Dwight D. Eisenhower, Lyndon B. Johnson (one of Graham’s closest friends) and Richard Nixon. There are several stories about his personal soulwinning. Billy Graham built a relationship with Eisenhower that lasted many years. “Ike” as he preferred to be called by his friends, invited Billy to meet him in Denver and asked Billy to contribute a ‘religious note’ to his campaign speeches. Billy gladly responded, “Of course I want to do anything I can for you, but as I told you last spring, I have to be careful not to publicly disclose my preferences or become embroiled in partisan politics.” Eisenhower understood. It was at this moment that Mr. Graham felt free to talk to the General (at that time he was not president) about his own faith.48 “General, do you still respect the religious teaching of your father and mother?” he asked. “Yes” he said, “but I’ve gotten a long way from it.” Billy at this time felt free to present the Gospel to him and to clarify the message. Eisenhower said he had become disillusioned with church as young person when he saw preachers deviate from the spiritual essentials and capitulate to social and secular matter.49 Sometime later in their relationship, Eisenhower had become president already, he was summoned to the President’s farm in Gettysburg. When Billy arrived, none other than the President opened the car door for him. He asked Billy to pray for Maime, who was sick in bed. It wasn’t until later that evening after a golf game that President Eisenhower asked him a question: “Billy, do you believe in Heaven?” he asked. “Yes, sir, I do.” “Give me your reasons.” Billy opened his New Testament and showed him several verses regarding heaven. “How can a person know he’s going to Heaven?” he asked. It was then that Billy explained the Gospel to him all over again, as he had before on different occasions. It was shortly after this conversation that the President suffered a heart attack from which he slowly recovered. Then in December of 1968, when the President was in Walter Reed Army

76 The Art and Science of Soulwinning Hospital, that Billy had a private meeting with Mr. Eisenhower. He was scheduled for 20 minutes which extended to 30. The President asked, “Billy, you’ve told me how to be sure my sins are forgiven and that I’m going to Heaven. Would you tell me again?” Billy took out his New Testament once again and shared the familiar Gospel verses about eternal life. The president was seeking assurance of his salvation. They prayed briefly, and President Eisenhower said, “Thank you, I’m ready.”50 Billy Graham was a personal soulwinner. He not only preached it but lived it. He had a passion for souls. On every occasion possible, and even impossible, Billy managed to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Whether it was during an interview for Television or a sit-down talk with a president, he always shared the message of salvation. This writer caught the passion for souls from this great man of God. JERRY LAMON FALWELL SR. (AUGUST 11, 1933 – MAY 15, 2007) Falwell was the founding pastor of Thomas Road Baptist Church in Lynchburg, Virginia. He started the church with 35 members who had left another Baptist Church in town. Pastor Falwell stated that on their first Sunday many rows of those chairs had remained empty. He was determined that in the next few weeks those same chairs would be filled to capacity. “Lord” he prayed, “there are hundreds of people near this little building who do not know You. Help me find them. Help me reach them. Help me get them inside this place!”51 Jerry led his new church of 35 to thousands in attendance over the years. Soulwinning was a constant part of his life and ministry. He personally walked the streets of Lynchburg sharing the gospel door-to-door. Falwell made it his personal goal to knock on 100 doors every morning, six days a week. He had caught a passion for souls.52 In just 12 months the church grew from 35 adults and their families to 864! It was a phenomenal record. Very few churches anywhere have achieved such remarkable growth. Not only had Falwell caught the passion for souls, but his people had also caught it by his example. Not only did God bless him with a great church ministry, but a gospel radio program called “Old-Time Gospel Hour”. He discovered the power of radio and television and quickly utilized it for spreading the Gospel.

David P. Smith 77 He founded a Christian University called Liberty Baptist University in 1971 which later became known as “Liberty University”, now the largest Christian University in the world. He also founded the Moral Majority, a great movement to restore Biblical morals in our country’s political life. This movement shaped America from the 1980s to this present day, even though the organization itself is no longer in place, there is a strong presence of the religious right in the U.S.A. The legacy of Jerry Falwell is quite obvious. His sons are carrying the baton that their father left behind. Jerry Jr, is the Chancellor of the University and Jonathan is the pastor of the Thomas Road Baptist Church. When a man’s children follow their father’s example in ministry it confirms that there is a God given passion for souls that is caught. Brother Falwell stated with passionate conviction: “Those who quit talking about sharing their faith and who actually do it soon discover that God will accomplish far more than they ask or dream in the process. Try it yourself. Tell somebody today about Jesus and what He is doing in your life. Knock on your neighbor’s door… Don’t be afraid to witness in your own words and in your own way. And when you try, God will take your witness and multiply it.”53 It is interesting to note that some of the greatest soul-winners of the last 100 years have been either Baptist or Baptistic. There are probably others in different denominational groups but not nearly as well known for their soul-winning passion. These great men of God would be greatly distressed at the lack of soulwinning today. Even now there are men of God who are crying out, where are the soul-winners? Doctor James Merritt, former president of the Southern Baptist Convention wrote, “Take the term ‘soul-winning,’ for instance. It’s got so much dust on it that I need to take a leaf blower and dust it off before my congregation even knows what I mean! For most Millennials and Gen-Xers, “soul-winning” belongs in the linguistic dinosaur category. But the disappearance of “soul-winning” simply reflects deeper trends. When it comes to our present situation in the SBC, I am not concerned as much with terminology as I am with problems of methodology and theology.

78 The Art and Science of Soulwinning Southern Baptists, young and old, share a strong belief that the Bible is God’s Word. Yet when we read in Acts that Jesus said to disciples “You shall be my witnesses…” we have to ask, “Where are they? Where are the witnesses in Southern Baptist life?” Call me a dinosaur, but I want to know, “Where are the soul-winners?” And before you criticize my use of the word, give me a better one I can use in its place. Isn’t that the core of gospel ministry—winning souls back from death in the power of the Spirit for our King Jesus?54 (By James Merritt, pastor of Cross Pointe Church in Duluth, GA. Former President of the Southern Baptist Convention, 2000-2002.) Independent Baptists, once had the greatest soul-winning churches in America. Today they are a far cry from their former glory of the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s. There were soul-winning conferences, bus conferences, pastor’s conferences, even competition between churches for the purpose of reaching people for Christ. But today, there are more leadership conferences, marriage seminars, youth concerts and ‘feel good’ preaching done than evangelism. Please don’t misunderstand, there is a need for the above, but there is a much greater need for the salvation of lost souls who are lingering on the precipice of Hell. This author would like to discuss one more great soul-winner: ARTHUR OWEN BLESSITT, (OCTOBER 27, 1940 TO PRESENT) Blessitt was born in Greenville, Mississippi, and is a traveling Christian preacher, most known for carrying a cross through every nation of the world. “He completed every nation and major island group on June 7, 2008 but is still walking on. As of 2017 he is still carrying the cross in the U.S. and other nations. April 14, 2017 Arthur crossed 42,000 miles walking with the cross through 324 countries (including Island Groups and Territories), of which 54 were in open war. He has crossed every ocean and walked on all seven continents (including Antarctica). He is known internationally as the “Pilgrim with the Cross.” He is in the Guinness World Records Book 2015 on page 155 with a photo and story for Longest Around the World Ongoing Pilgrimage/Walk. His latest film documentary in 2014 is “The Cross Museum of Arthur and Denise Blessitt” “Arthur a Pilgrim” 1988 was his first documentary feature. Blessitt is the subject of a 2009 documentary feature, The Cross: The Arthur Blessitt Story, directed by Matthew Crouch”.55

David P. Smith 79 There is a lot that has been said about Arthur Blessitt, both good and bad. He was an independent, ecumenical, evangelical evangelist. There is little information to be found on his theological thinking (apparently he came out of the Jesus movement in California) but there is a lot of evidence that he truly evangelized, and did it without fear. By carrying the cross on his shoulders throughout the world he gained an audience, both favorable and unfavorable to his message. Many listened to the gospel message and were born-again. Many hated his message and even tried to kill him. He had been put before a firing squad at least once, and put in prison numerous times for preaching the gospel. But mostly for carrying the cross, a symbol of what Christ did in dying for our sins. Blessitt talks about his many soul- winning exploits in one of his books. Countless stories are shared by Arthur revealing his passion for souls. We will conclude this section with this quote from his book, The Cross:56 Today I prayed with the Egyptian commander of the Sinai to receive Jesus. I pray for peace between Israel and Egypt. No more war between these two countries in Jesus’ name. Jesus you crossed this desert as a child and it is incredibly harsh, even today. I can hardly see as the blowing sand gets in my contact lenses and scratches my eyes. It truly is a walk of faith. Oh, Lord, how my back aches from the cross loaded and heavy with my backpack tied on it. But, God, you know this Sinai well, and I know you will lead me through it. I wonder what the next twenty-four hours will hold and where I’ll be sleeping tomorrow night. I’m glad you don’t have to sleep, Lord. Good night, anyway. So often we find ourselves at conferences and seminars where we like to hear the reports from the mission field. The lost are often all around us, and we don’t even notice them. Our churches are located in some of the neediest areas of our great American cities and yet the lost are dying all around. Why are we not soulwinning? This story from an Ohio newspaper tells it all: “The Times-Reporter of New Philadelphia, Ohio, reported in September, 1985 a celebration of a New Orleans municipal pool. The party around the pool was held to celebrate the first summer in memory without a drowning at the New Orleans city pool. In honor of the occasion, 200 people gathered, including 100 certified lifeguards. As the party was breaking up and the four lifeguards on duty began to clear the pool, they found a fully dressed body in the deep end. They tried to revive Jerome Moody, 31, but it was too late. He had drowned surrounded by lifeguards celebrating their successful season.”57



CHAPTER 5 THE ART OF PERSONAL SOULWINNING There is a key to learning the art of soulwinning. It is the ‘art’ component in evangelism that is critical to its experience. Evangelism is often relegated to the seminary classroom or a soulwinning seminar. And then it is only given a cursory overlook. There is mention of prayer and the power of the Holy Spirit in soulwinning but it is much like being told how to do something as opposed to being shown how to do the same thing. However, the art of soulwinning includes so much more than just being shown how; it is absolutely necessary to catch the passion of soulwinning. An artist may have all of the tools and knowledge of how to paint a portrait, but not until he is inspired to paint a masterpiece will he have the emotional capacity to create it. And so with the soulwinner, until he is emotionally and spiritually inspired (passionate) to win souls he will be powerless, mostly ineffective. The key to learning the art of soulwinning is to have a passion for souls that overwhelms every other human passion. In other words, it is something burning within you that cannot compare to any other desire in your life. The prophet once said “… But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.” (Jeremiah 20:9b)

82 The Art and Science of Soulwinning PERSONAL WORK R.A. Torrey called it “personal work”: “I believe in preaching. It is a great privilege to preach the Gospel, but this world can be reached and evangelized far more quickly and thoroughly by personal work than by public preaching. Indeed, it can be reached and evangelized only by personal work.”58 Personal work is the art of one-on-one relationship building for the express purpose of introducing someone to Christ. It is not personal in the way some believe; some feel that the condition of their soul is a private matter and not to be discussed with others. It is personal in that it is one person sharing his faith with another person—personal work. Soulwinning, or personal work, is an art form which everyone is able to acquire if he/she will only seek for the opportunity. Jesus said (Matthew 7:7); “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:” Ask the Lord for opportunities to win the lost, to have those appointments that are divinely arranged. Ask Him for the passion to win the lost and it will be given unto you. Personal work is not limited to pastors, ministers, or teachers. Jesus said, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” It’s about following Him! RELATIONAL INTERACTION The art of personal soulwinning is directly connected to relational interaction. This is a skill-set necessary for the soulwinner to practice and develop as an art. How one builds relationships with those he is trying to win to Christ will determine whether or not he will succeed in his effort. Of course, we recognize that the working of the Holy Spirit is critical to this success; however, without good people skills it will be difficult to achieve good relationships. It will be important for us to look at how Jesus built relationships with the lost. Following His lead will teach us the art of soulwinning while building relationships. How did Jesus build relationships? He set out principles for us to follow which He practiced. Here are some of the principles that He has taught us in the Word:

David P. Smith 83 1. Place the highest values on relationships. Mark 12:31 “And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.” 2. Love as Jesus loves you. John 13:34 “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. “ 3. Communicate from the heart. Matthew 12:34 “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” 4. As you judge, you will be judged. Matthew 7:1-2, “Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.” 5. The greatest are the servants. Mat 23:11-12, “But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted. 6. Treat others as you want them to treat you. Luke 6:31, “And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.”59  In his book, The Relationship Principles of Jesus, Tom Holladay outlines biblical principles revealing the essence of personal work. These principles will hone the spiritual skills necessary to build relationships for the benefit of reaching the lost. Jesus designed these principles to be our lifestyle. However, this is not Lifestyle Evangelism. But by practicing these teachings of the Lord Jesus we will be developing the art of soulwinning by way of mimicking our Savior as much as possible; like a good apprentice following the instructions of the master craftsman. Jesus carefully practiced what He preached. Do we practice what we preach? Winning souls to Christ is dependent on following His example. Because Jesus lived what He believed, people followed Him and believed in Him as Savior. Do you live what you believe? Is it about Jesus or about you? Jesus’ examples of practicing relational interaction are interesting to follow. The first interaction he had with the lost was with the Samaritan woman at the well. He was in Samaria. Samaritans were not loved by the Jews. Jesus practiced ‘loving your neighbor as yourself’ by talking with someone whom others would have ignored. He loved her as a human

84 The Art and Science of Soulwinning being. He loved her soul. Then Jesus communicated with her about Living Water and how she would be able to have it. He communicated from the heart. He didn’t judge her, although He pointed out that she had had five husbands and the one she was with was not her husband. Zacchaeus was another example of relational interaction. Jesus was simply walking into Jericho, the crowds were large, but there was one unique individual that just happened to climb up a tree because he couldn’t see who was coming. With love for his soul, and overlooking the fact that he was a tax collector, Jesus called him to come down out of that tree! The effort was fully intended to establish a time of interaction. So, Jesus invited himself to Zacchaeus house for tea! This was unorthodox, yet Jesus purposefully focused in on this lost man and his need for restoration in the community. This man was a tax collector and hated by everyone. He was an outcast, lonely, and yet very delighted that Jesus wanted to come to his house. In fact, he was so moved by Jesus actions towards him that he immediately expressed his willingness to believe in Jesus and as a result it completely changed his life from that day forward. We would be shocked at how many people are out there in the same condition, just waiting for someone to notice them—communicate with them—for the sake of the gospel. Build those relationships. Learn the art of soulwinning. There was another man whom Jesus met, this one came to Him in the dark of the night. He was a mysterious guest that approached Jesus privately, without anyone noticing. There are those who don’t want to be noticed. Jesus recognized the man’s need instantly. Nicodemus was a Pharisee—really religious. Jesus didn’t judge him, although he was probably a hypocrite like so many others in his religious group. Jesus treated him with respect and conversed with him (communicating from his heart) regarding the need to be ‘born-again.’ This man probably became a secret believer for fear of the Jews, although we are not certain. Joseph of Arimathaea was also a secret believer (John 19:38), “…being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus:” Obviously, Jesus had shown love, respect, and was non-judgmental towards these men. Practicing the principles of Jesus would do us well in soulwinning. Jesus communicated from the heart. He was simultaneously real, authentic, and compassionate. O to be more like Jesus!

David P. Smith 85 SKILLFUL COMMUNICATIONS Skillful communications are an asset in building relationships. Learning how to listen and then communicate wise responses are key to effectively conveying one’s message. We want our hearers to consider our message and not offend them needlessly before we have an opportunity to reach them. How often do we really listen? It seems many of us prefer to do all the talking in a relationship, but this will not build relationships. It is very poor communication on our part to dominate the conversation without the other party having opportunity to really express his thoughts and feelings. The Evangelistic type is often a very dominant, pushy, type A personality. So how do we reverse this tendency of behavior on the part of some? Learn to ask Questions, then listen. Restrain oneself from aggressive doctrinal argumentation and ask personal relevant questions about his life, then listen: 1. A simple “Do you have a family? What are their names? How old are the children?” will allow the person to talk about things that interest him. It may not interest you, nevertheless, you might do well to remember some of what he/she is saying because you may meet again. You are gathering helpful information for your soulwinning conversation that will gradually unfold. 2.Where do you work? Where do you go to school? Where do you come from? Where were you born? You would be surprised how many times you will find things in common with each other. You will discover things that will open doors for your soulwinning conversation. 3.Don’t be anxious to change the subject if the person is enjoying his conversation with you. Encourage him to talk more. He will become more comfortable with you. a. The amount of time you spend with the person is very beneficial to his/her eventual salvation. b. You may interject comments relevant to the conversation, but only briefly. It’s not about you, it’s about them.

86 The Art and Science of Soulwinning c. Don’t be thinking of what you can say, just go with the flow of the conversation and mentally prepare yourself for the Holy Spirit to take control at the right time. Frequently people will respond to you by saying things like: “I really loved our conversation, we are going to have to do this again sometime.” Yet you hardly got a sentence or two in between all of their ‘talking’! This is precisely what you want to achieve. You want your friend to feel that he has benefited from the conversation. Keep on asking questions. 4. What made you decide to become a teacher? A doctor? A mechanic? A stay-at-home mom? a. This will open up conversation about life choices. b. You might have opportunity to interject thoughts on how valuable making the right choice can be. Interjections ought to be one sentence statements. Not a sermon. c. Remember, you are building up a storehouse of information about this person. He could easily tell you his life story and not even realize he is doing it. He is comfortable with you. 5. How did you become the person you are today? a. People often attribute their success to their upbringing, their parents, a remarkable teacher. b. You will discover they were taught values, or no values. You can interject comments about how wonderful it is to have godly parents or a teacher that cared for her students. Observe how they react to words like, ‘God,’ ‘Thanks to God,’ or anything that alludes to spiritual things. If they respond in kind, you may have someone who has a faith in God. If they avoid responding in kind, you may have someone averse to spiritual things. c. Interjecting comments that allude to God, truth, morals, etc. can often stir the interest of that person to a spiritual thought. Do it gently. Don’t be in a hurry. Take your time. 6. Do you have any goals for your life? Where do you want to be in five years, ten, twenty?

David P. Smith 87 a. Listening to a person share these goals with you will often reveal his true interest in life; spiritual or material. b. Once you have found an open door for spiritual conversation you will discover the ease of sharing your faith by explaining what your goals are. Besides, you have been doing a lot of listening, right? Now might be the time to gently enter in with words of true spiritual value that could turn their lives to Christ. Making skillful communication with a person who is an unbeliever comes through much experience. Have as many natural conversations as possible with as many persons as you can naturally meet in your average day. Upon reflection you will be astounded by the sheer volume of meaningful interactions that God has given you in one 12-hour period. Learning how to make skillful transitions in conversation will often give you surprising soulwinning results: 1. Transitioning from one secular thought to a similar spiritual thought can be exciting. You just asked someone where she came from, or where she was born? Her answer about some place far away, or close to home. You can respond by saying, “Oh, I was born in such and such a place, but have you ever been born-again?” which is another question requiring listening skills. Whether the answer is yes or no, you still answer the question for her sake. Or “did you know I was born twice?” 2. Transitioning from a work related question such as, “Where do you work?” brings a simple answer of the name of a company, or a place. “How long have you worked there?” brings another simple answer of employment duration. “Do you plan to retire from there or move on when the right opportunity comes?” Retirement, promotions, all come up. Then you can smoothly transition to “What if you died before all your plans came to pass? What would happen then?” It doesn’t take long to move into a spiritual conversation that takes only a few minutes. 3. Learning how to bring the gospel into a conversation with smooth precision and transition will take time to learn. But you learn by practicing. By the time you have invested 10,000 hours into your life of soulwinning, you will be a master soulwinner. “Based on studies in elite

88 The Art and Science of Soulwinning performance, [Malcolm] Gladwell contended that it’s “an extraordinarily consistent answer in an incredible number of fields ... you need to have practiced, to have apprenticed, for 10,000 hours before you get good.”60 4. Skillful communications will allow you to find out very easily in one conversation whether or not a person is in need of salvation. Using simple questions such as, “If you died tonight where would your soul go?” will reveal simple answers, which often expose a person’s spiritual condition. Most people will answer, ‘heaven’! Of course, why not? However, to follow-up with another question such as, ‘if you did die and find yourself in front of God, and He asked you why should I let you in”, will quickly paint a clear picture of what the lost person believes about how to go to heaven. Thanks to “Evangelism Explosion” and Dr. D. James Kennedy, for giving us some of the simplest approaches to finding out the condition of someone’s soul and then leading him to Christ. Kennedy comments in his own words, “But when all is said and done and my life is finished I believe that the most significant thing God will have done through me will be Evangelism Explosion!”61 This writer has used these ‘diagnostic questions’ frequently in soulwinning conversations over the years and has found them to be the quickest way to discover a person’s spiritual condition. DEALING WITH THE FEAR OF SOULWINNING The Fear of Soulwinning is mostly self-imposed. The only real fear we are dealing with in soulwinning is the fear of being rejected. Rejection is feared by most everyone. There is a solution to this by calmly claiming the scripture, 2 Timothy 1:7, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” Get over the fear of rejection by practicing soulwinning and prayer. If you do anything long enough, you will acquire the victory over this fear. However, some people confuse the fear of rejection with simple nervousness in meeting strangers. Meet enough strangers, pray believing that God’s will is for you to be a witness, and you will be able to manage this nervous condition. Some people are naturally out-going (extrovert) in their personality and it appears easy for them to engage with total strangers. In all actuality they have been practicing for a long time (which they didn’t

David P. Smith 89 know) and discover that being nervous doesn’t help them successfully communicate, therefore by overcoming their nervousness earlier in life they begin to shine in their communication ability as they grow older. Believers that are extroverts tend to bring people to Christ. Although, being an extrovert does not qualify you to be a soulwinner nor does it guarantee you will win souls. Some people appear to be naturally introverted, they struggle with meeting total strangers. They like to be by themselves or wait for others to approach them. After a while they will begin to communicate but usually on levels they feel comfortable. This type of person, like the extrovert, has been practicing for a long time. Unfortunately, he has been practicing withdrawal techniques instead of advancement techniques. He modeled what he saw in either his parents or his friends. Or he simply chose to be shy because there was too much at risk for self- exposure by being an extrovert. In spite of this the shy person often has the gentleness necessary to speak to a person who is rough around the edges, or struggling with hurtful issues. He will often display mercy, a spiritual gift given to us by the Spirit, which softens the heart of the one listening to the gospel presentation. Being introverted is not a negative in soulwinning, as long as the Spirit of the Lord is allowed to lead and prepare the individual to share his faith without hesitation when given the opportunity to do so. William Fay, author of How to Share Jesus Without Fear has done an exceptional work in guiding prospective soul winners through the fear barrier. Fay lists four areas of fear that he discusses in his book:62 1.Fear of being rejected 2.Fear of not knowing enough 3.Fear of offending a friend or relative 4.Fear of being ridiculed or persecuted. Overcoming our fear in soulwinning is a spiritual battle. Satan obviously does not approve of any effort to bring your friends and family to Christ. He will fight you every moment you have an opportunity to either go out in community outreach efforts, or share with a friend or family member.

90 The Art and Science of Soulwinning The most effective way to overcome the fear of soulwinning is to visualize that special someone in your life, who has not yet become a believer, burning in the fiery flames of the eternal inferno. At this point you really don’t care whether you have the skills of communication. Neither will you have any fear, for it will pass away like vapor under the hot noonday sun, because your desire to rescue the perishing will far outweigh any fear that you may have had. When a loved one is burning to death in a house fire, you really don’t need skill to rescue her, you need courage and determination. You just do it! Fear is a detriment to any skill one would like to acquire. Fear must be continually defeated. It is often so rooted in our psyche that it could follow us to the grave. Please be assured that you can have the victory over this fear by trusting God and obeying our Master Teacher by simply being witnesses unto Him. It is not unusual for this fear to pass once you begin to take steps of obedience. While church planting in Ontario, Canada, this writer would often have to take steps of great courage to get out into the ice, snow, and frigid temperatures, in order to begin knocking on doors. Once he knocked on the first door of the first house on the street, new courage would flow through his heart. It was obedience that kick-started the action of being a witness. OBEDIENCE PRODUCES SUCCESS The art of soulwinning produces great success if one employs obedience to the commands of our Lord Jesus Christ. You may possess the science of soulwinning, yet if you are not obedient to the Lord Jesus regarding soulwinning then there is no success. If you don’t go, you won’t really know. Until one actually attempts to obey the gospel mandate He will be useless and powerless to win lost persons to Christ. If the fruit is hanging ripe on the tree and you don’t go into the orchard and pick it, you will have no fruit. Jesus clearly pronounced, (John 20:21), “… Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.” (John 15:16), Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.” (bold lettering by author)

David P. Smith 91 Obedience precedes fruit. No obedience, no fruit. It’s that simple. Forget about the science of soulwinning if you are negligent to obey. Forget about the art of winning people to Christ if you refuse to go. Obedience always precedes fruit. It wasn’t until the disciples were forced by persecution to leave Jerusalem that they began making disciples. It wasn’t until the martyrdom of the believers that they took seriously the matter of being faithful witnesses of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Then there was fruit. When we intentionally determine to share the gospel then we will see the fruit for which we long to see. The disciples were given alternatives by the Sadducees and Pharisees, either you stop preaching this message or you go to jail. The disciples responded, “For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4:20). “Should we obey men or God”, they asked? They were unable to stop sharing the Good News because they had seen and heard what Jesus said to them as He ascended into heaven. They were compelled to obey because of their love for Christ. They were successful in bringing in much fruit. So we will be able to bring in much fruit even as Jesus commanded us, if we obey. THE PASSION FOR SOULS It was stated earlier in the beginning of this book: the passion for souls is not taught, it is caught. William Fay describes the passion for souls: The word compulsion may best describe the passion that drives a person to witness. For some Christians, knowing that people are lost presents a decision as to whether they will attempt to witness. Christians with a passion for sharing Jesus, however, don’t decide each time they have an opportunity. The decision has already been made conclusively. The decision is not “Should I attempt to approach or respond to this lost person?” but, “How am I going to approach or respond to this lost person?”63 The art of soulwinning is filled with passion. Unless an artist is passionate about his work, he will fail miserably. Passion stirs the soul unlike anything else. If you meet someone who is a passionate musician, you will discover that he practices relentlessly. He will probably not be able to talk about much of anything else, mostly music. If he converses about anything other than music there will be a certain lack-luster to his interest. But the moment you speak of music, melody, arrangements, composers, instruments, he will come alive and you won’t be able to

92 The Art and Science of Soulwinning suppress him easily. So it is with a believer who has discovered the art of soulwinning. He will want to talk about Jesus and the Bible. He will become very passionate about presenting God’s free gift of salvation to anyone whom he believes might be lost. In fact, he will always assume that the other person is lost, until proven to be born-again. Even as the art of soulwinning bubbles with passion, the science of soulwinning babbles with much talk about soulwinning, but very little action. The science of soulwinning delights itself in soulwinning conferences, classes on soulwinning, role playing between a pretend lost person and a believer. Unfortunately, the science of soulwinning provides some knowledge but very little substance. This is precisely the reason that balance is critical. If this writer were to choose between the two, he would choose the passion for soulwinning over the science. Having the science does not necessarily lead to soulwinning but having the art almost guarantees it. If you have the heart for souls, you will be more likely to develop the art of soulwinning. How desperately do you want the passion for souls? Will you pray for it? Will you beg God for it? Oswald J. Smith in his book, The Passion for Souls said, “I want Thy plan, O God, for my life. May I be happy and contented whether in the homeland or on the foreign field; whether married or alone, in happiness or sorrow, health or sickness, prosperity or adversity -- I want Thy plan, O God, for my life. I want it; oh, I want it.”64 Smith was a great missionary statesman who pastored one of the finest missionary minded churches of North America, the People’s Church of Toronto. His quotes are found at most mission’s conferences and strongly urge the believer and churches to get engaged in global missions. His concern for the churches getting the passion for souls was a reflection of his own passion. Again, from his book, we find, “The supreme task of the Church is the evangelization of the world.” If ever there was a passionate soulwinner, Smith was one. Many have caught the passion for souls from his books, his quotes, his missionary zeal, his hymns. His challenging quotes dig deep into the soul of the local church. So many churches have lost their way. So many have opted to have the science—the letter of the law—instead of the Spirit.

David P. Smith 93 The decline of soulwinning has invaded the local church. The passion for souls is at an all-time low. Will McRaney, Jr. author of The Art of Personal Evangelism, has written: The church in America is failing to impact the pool of people who do not claim to possess a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Indeed, for several successive generations we have experienced great difficulty in retaining our own youth upon graduation from high school, and if the truth were known, we are having difficulty retaining adults who are on our church membership rolls.65 We must renew the passion we once had for souls or we will lose generations to come. Some need to find the passion for the first time! The apostle Paul expressed his passion for souls in the following manner: I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witnessintheHolyGhost,ThatIhavegreatheavinessandcontinual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: Romans 9:1-3 Which of us would actually consider giving up the most precious gift of all, eternal life, for someone that he might be saved? This is really beyond any one of us to do, since our salvation cannot be given up or lost. Paul was so intense in his passion for souls that this was the only way he could communicate how he felt about the lostness of mankind. He further comments in Romans 10:1, “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. ” Oh, for the passion of souls! How seldom we hear of it in the pulpits of this great land. Oh for a stirring passion for souls! PRAYER AND SOULWINNING Soulwinning without prayer is like an F-38 Fighter Jet that has no fuel to take off! Without effectual prayer there is little fuel for effective soulwinning. “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” James 5:16b TRY TEARS In order to catch the passion for souls, it is essential to have an incessant prayer life. To “pray without ceasing” (I Thess. 5:17) means to have a heart bent on praying steadily, “always praying”. To pray like this is not to

94 The Art and Science of Soulwinning say that we must be in the form of prayer, knees bent, head bowed. But instead, the spirit of the mind is to have a sense of praying most of the time, while still conducting the regular routines of daily life. A passion for souls comes from the Lord. He exhibited this passion on numerous occasions. He prayed over the city of Jerusalem and wept; He prayed at Lazarus’ tomb, and wept. He wept over souls. Have we prayed till we wept over the salvation of a loved one, or a friend? “On one occasion some Salvation Army workers wrote to General Booth decrying their ineffectiveness in winning souls and asking what they should do. He sent back a two-word message, “Try tears.”66 Psalms 126:5-6, “Those who sow in tears will reap with shouts of joy. Though one goes along weeping, carrying the bag of seed, he will surely come back with shouts of joy, carrying his sheaves.” SPIRITUALLY BLINDED Have you prayed for the lost recently? Do they really need our prayers? Can’t people become saved, forgiven, born-again without our prayers? The Bible teaches us. . . “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Rom. 10:17). All the lost needs is a Bible, right? Actually, he needs his eyes opened to see because the Word of God is spiritually discerned. Lewis Sperry Chafer says, “The blinding of the mind, mentioned in 2Co 4:3 ‘But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost.’ In their case, the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.67 Satan has blinded the minds of unbelievers so they cannot see the glorious light of the gospel. Intercessory prayer is critical for the lost person to see spiritual truths and undo Satan’s work. “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” I Cor.2:14 Hearing the Word of God or reading it serves as the means by which the light of the gospel begins to shine in the darkened heart of the unregenerate. The Seed of the Word is planted. But there is no regeneration until the Spirit of God convicts the sinner of his sin and

David P. Smith 95 draws the unbeliever to the light. Our prayers for God to convict the sinner and remove the barriers to his salvation are essential in the battle for the soul. INTERCESSORY PRAYER The battle is a spiritual battle. The Lord Jesus exemplified this by His own prayers of intercession as recorded in Hebrews 7:25, “He ever liveth to make intercession”. Intercessory prayer is what the rich man in hell prayed when he lifted up his eyes in hell and pleaded with Abraham, please send someone to my brothers and tell them not to come here. Can one pray in hell? Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Luke 16:27-28 The Apostle Paul said, (Rom 10:1) “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.” Paul was interceding for the Jewish people. He was praying for their salvation. So, if these all prayed for others to be saved, then we ought to be praying for the saving of souls on a regular basis. Our prayers are for God to work by the Holy Spirit in removing the darkness that blinds the lost around us. Intercessory prayer is seldom being lifted up for the lost. Let us begin to pray for those lost souls like never before. Their salvation depends upon our prayers for them both locally and globally. Right now take your pen in hand and write down the names of those souls you know are lost, your relatives, loved ones, workmates, neighbors. Then kneel down beside your bed, your desk, your couch, and begin to intercede for them, praying that God remove the darkness from their eyes, so that they may have eyes to see and ears to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul instructed us to intercede in prayer for those who were in high positions of authority and leadership around the world. “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” 1 Timothy 2:1-4 (bold lettering by author)

96 The Art and Science of Soulwinning Yes, our Lord wants presidents, dictators, kings, terrorists, congressmen, sheriffs, mayors, governors, etc. to be saved. Have we named them in our prayers for God to first save them? God wants “. . .all men to be saved…”, that’s what He said! We certainly agree that not everyone will be saved. However, His desire for everyone to be saved was uniquely linked to the need for intercessory praying. Therefore, praying for specific souls to be saved is a crucial part of our soulwinning. It pleases our Lord and Master. Intercessory prayer must be significant for the saving of souls or the Holy Spirit would not have breathed these words into the Apostle. Yet, we often fail to invoke the power of the Holy Spirit in our soulwinning efforts. Could this be the reason so few are being led to Christ by pastors and Christian workers all over the world? Not to mention the very terminology of ‘soulwinning’ being avoided by a whole generation of believers, and being replaced with ineffective terms that skirt the crying need for winning souls to Jesus Christ. Intercessory prayer draws attention to the specific one who is lost and without Christ as Savior. Intercessor praying then engages all of our emotional, spiritual and physical being, in one direction—the salvation of one soul in particular. PREVAILING PRAYER The concept of continuous, effectual, intercessory, praying for souls becomes something much more. It is called prevailing prayer. Webster’s dictionary says ‘prevail’ means “to defeat an opponent especially in a long or difficult contest.” In the intransitive verb form it means “to be or become effective or effectual.”68 We are immediately reminded of the persistent widow and the unjust judge in one of Jesus’ parables recorded in Luke 18: “And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with

David P. Smith 97 them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” Luke 18:1-8 Persistence in prayer was the lesson Jesus was teaching. Prevailing prayer is only accomplished by persistent prayer. Jesus gave this parable so that we would learn to pray without ceasing and not give up praying, or ‘faint not.’ It’s a rather interesting parable because Jesus treats the unjust judge as an opponent that was overcome by a widow woman’s persistent pleading. He is by no means comparing the unjust judge to the Judge of heaven and earth, but instead describing how we ought to be praying to the Heavenly Father. How persistent will we be in praying for lost souls? Will we prevail? Another story is told by the Savior to describe what we call prevailing prayer. The story speaks of a man who had surprise guests to arrive at his home. It was culturally important to show hospitality to his guest and be the proper host. Yet he had no food to give him. So, he went to his neighbor who was already in bed and asleep with his family, and knocked on his door and pleaded for neighborly help. “I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth. 9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” Luke 11:8-10, (bold letters by author). Importunity is a word we don’t use very often in our English language, but it is significant to the understanding of prevailing prayer. The definition from Merriam-Webster dictionary is “making repeated or annoying requests or demands; causing annoyance or trouble.”69 We are to pray so persistently that it would appear annoying or even demanding. This kind of praying is certainly unorthodox. Some might even find it uncomfortable to pray in this manner. By Jesus using these two stories it becomes apparent that there is something to prevailing prayer. Why would He tell these stories if, in fact, this is one way He wants us to pray? We should mean business with God. If our hearts are not in it, why should we pray? What greater business do we have with God than to appeal persistently,

98 The Art and Science of Soulwinning relentlessly, even annoyingly for precious souls that are in serious threat of hell’s damnation. THE SPIRITUAL WARFARE IN PRAYING FOR SOULS TO BE SAVED Lee Thomas observes that spiritual warfare is actively engaged in the battle for the soul. The primary purpose in praying for the lost is NOT to convince God to save them for He is “not willing that any should perish” (II Peter 3:9), having sent Christ to die for the sins of the whole world (I John 2:2). But rather, it has to do with spiritual warfare— freeing them of demonic influence so they can be saved.”70 Thomas is not speaking of the casting out of demons, but rather the influence they have over persons. This demonic influence creates strongholds in people’s lives and sets up barriers that obstruct the gospel so that it cannot penetrate the soul. Biblically we can equate these barriers to the hardened soil of Jesus’ parable. The gospel seed falls onto the hard ground and the birds snatch them up before they even have an opportunity to germinate in the earth. Barnes comments concerning Luke 8:12: …the fowls that came and picked up the seed by the way-side. The gospel is preached to people hardened in sin. It makes no impression. It lies like seed on the “hard path;” it is easily taken away, and never suffered to take root.71 The lost person is a virtual prisoner of Satan, which he refuses to release without a fight. His prisoners are under his authority, they are called children of the devil, and blinded to the gospel. These souls, who could be our family members, our friends, and acquaintances, are held captive in a strong man’s house. The strong man is Satan. Jesus described this strong man and his house when speaking to the Pharisees: And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand. And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end. No man can enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house. Mark 3:25-27