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For Soulwinners Only


Moved_On

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If you’re a soulwinner, I’d like to give you an honest thank you.

 

When you knock on someone’s door or strike up a conversation with the intent to witness them, you never know what circumstances have been taking place in that person’s life leading up to that moment.

 

In the early 90s, a soulwinner knocked on my door. He witnessed to a visiting friend for 20 minutes before I came out to see what was going on (since I was cooking a meal). When I was done eating I went out to speak with him and he started on the “Romans Road” with me. I was a religious lost guy and was difficult for him in some ways. I couldn’t relate to this 19 year old “geeky Bible guy” in any way. But he was an obedient witness and stayed with me. At that time in his life, he was specifically praying for “fruit that remains.”

 

After 40 minutes or so, I bowed my head and asked the Lord Jesus Christ to save my soul.

 

I’ve been a Christian for 20 years now and I have a family that I’m raising for Christ. That soulwinner is far from a geek and is among the best friends I’ve ever had and he’s always a phone call away. The town I grew up in was a stronghold of Catholicism and I never had a real friend up to that point in my life. I look back now and can see how God was preparing me months and years ahead of that meeting with a soulwinner. I left out a lot of detail; I could go on and on.

 

I just wanted to let the soulwinners here know that I’m grateful for your labor in Christ. I’m grateful for all the doors you’ve had slammed in your face, grateful for your perseverance while facing opposition of all kinds, grateful that you’re doing something that takes character, grateful that you’re not on your boat fishing when it’s time to “go ye therefore.” I’m grateful more than you can really understand.

 

So thanks again.

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If you’re a soulwinner, I’d like to give you an honest thank you.

 

When you knock on someone’s door or strike up a conversation with the intent to witness them, you never know what circumstances have been taking place in that person’s life leading up to that moment.

 

In the early 90s, a soulwinner knocked on my door. He witnessed to a visiting friend for 20 minutes before I came out to see what was going on (since I was cooking a meal). When I was done eating I went out to speak with him and he started on the “Romans Road” with me. I was a religious lost guy and was difficult for him in some ways. I couldn’t relate to this 19 year old “geeky Bible guy” in any way. But he was an obedient witness and stayed with me. At that time in his life, he was specifically praying for “fruit that remains.”

 

After 40 minutes or so, I bowed my head and asked the Lord Jesus Christ to save my soul.

 

I’ve been a Christian for 20 years now and I have a family that I’m raising for Christ. That soulwinner is far from a geek and is among the best friends I’ve ever had and he’s always a phone call away. The town I grew up in was a stronghold of Catholicism and I never had a real friend up to that point in my life. I look back now and can see how God was preparing me months and years ahead of that meeting with a soulwinner. I left out a lot of detail; I could go on and on.

 

I just wanted to let the soulwinners here know that I’m grateful for your labor in Christ. I’m grateful for all the doors you’ve had slammed in your face, grateful for your perseverance while facing opposition of all kinds, grateful that you’re doing something that takes character, grateful that you’re not on your boat fishing when it’s time to “go ye therefore.” I’m grateful more than you can really understand.

 

So thanks again.

 

Thanks. That's very kind of you to say.

 

I've been sick the last couple of days, but I'm hoping to join my church's evangelism team tonight in Newark for "Newark Night".We give out tracts, do one on one witnessing, hand out bottles on hot days.

 

Most of our team is in Dover at the NASCAR race doing that today.

 

That's kind of an all day thing, though, and I didn't feel up to that.

 

We don't do much door to door because we're so far out in the sticks, it isn't really practical. But we do try to hit any event that has people and we try to go to the "party districts" and witness.

 

It's funny that you say you got saved in a town that was a stronghold of Catholicism.

 

When I was a kid, I was hyperactive (back then, it wasn't "hyperactive". It was just being a brat.). My mom, who was not Catholic, heard about the uber-discipline in Catholic schools and decided to send me to a Catholic elementary school.

 

My new step-father was Catholic (although denied communion because he married my mother, "the shikse") and, out of a strong desire to please him, I studied all I could about Catholicism and listened intently as the nuns and priests catechised us.

 

Every day, when school let out, we would hop on our bikes and ride over to my friend, Tommy Engle's house.

 

Tommy's house was right down the street from a small Bible church and, every day, we would see the "big kids" playing football on the lawn. We asked if we could play and they were happy to accept us.

 

Turns out, two of the "kids" were adult youth leaders. After we played, we would sit down with them and talk about whatever we wanted to. It was the 70s. "Hey, man, let's rap." That sort of thing.

 

They would ask me about my Catholic school and what I was learning there, not in an intimidating or antagonizing way, but sincerely and out of concern for me.

 

I would tell them what we learned about the Eucharist or about Veronica stooping to wipe Jesus' brow, or justification and they would say, "Wow. That's really interesting. Let's see what the Bible says about that."

 

And verse, by verse, they would go through the Bible with me until I understood the Gospel and understood the errors of Catholicism. They never preached against Catholicism or told me it was wrong. They just let me see the truth of scripture and let the light of scripture expose the darkness of Catholicism.

 

LIttle by little, I understood the Gospel and, while I was sympathetic to the Gospel, I didn't receive Christ until about twelve years later. Even though I didn't receive Christ then, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt how their telling me about the Gospel stuck with me and was the seed that led to me receiving Christ and getting saved in my early twenties.

 

I don't remember their names and have tried in vain to find them a couple of times over the years, but that's OK. I'm convinced that they have a soul winning crown waiting in Heaven and I can't wait to thank them when I finally see them again.

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We don't do much door to door because we're so far out in the sticks, it isn't really practical. But we do try to hit any event that has people and we try to go to the "party districts" and witness.

 

Of course being a soulwinner doesn't mean only going door to door. You just have to go where there are people. Just be mindful that the person you hand a tract to just may be "fruit that remains."

 

Matthew 9:37 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;
 

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Of course being a soulwinner doesn't mean only going door to door. You just have to go where there are people. Just be mindful that the person you hand a tract to just may be "fruit that remains.

 

I collect records. I won't get into that because I don't think my choice in musical genres would win me many friends here, but Greenwich Village in New York is famous among record collectors for it's hundreds of used record stores.

 

When I lived in New Jersey, I would go up to New York about once a month to cruise the record stores.

 

One autumn Saturday, I drove to the train station, took the Jersey Transit into the city Once there, I jumped on the subway and headed to the Village. Dummy that I am, I got on the wrong train and ended up in an underground shopping mall underneath a huge office building.

 

I poked my head into one of the stores to get directions and see where I went wrong. I struck up a conversation with the cashier, a young girl of maybe 19 or 20.

 

"Ask her if she knows where she would go if she died", my conscience told me. "No, that's not why I'm here. It's my day off. That can wait. Besides, it's New York and you know how New Yorkers are", I reasoned. On the way out of the mall, I realized that I really should have taken the time to talk to her, but I kept walking.

 

Long story short, I got to the Village, picked up some sweet vinyl, and went home.

 

Just three days later, Tuesday, I turned on my TV to see that "large office building", which by now, you've probably figured out was the South Tower of the World Trade Center, turned to dust and ash, three thousand people ushered into eternity, some welcomed home as children of God, some apprehended as criminals, waiting to stand before the Judge.

 

To this day, the face of that little girl haunts me. I have no idea whether she lived or died, but I will always remember the opportunity I was given to witness to her and share the Gospel with her, that I turned down because I had better things to do.   

 

And that is why I feel as passionately about evangelism as I do.

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Wow, what a couple of posts! And contrary to the thread title, and as Auburn has affirmed, I think those stories are essential reading for those of us who aren't soul winners, and we who don't even bother to speak up for Christ when given the opportunity. I heard a pastor once compare Peter's denial of Christ in the high priest's house with his own. He said something like: "I've been where Peter was. Although I've never vocally denied Christ, I've many times denied him by silence when I should have spoken up. How ashamed am I to be ashamed of Christ." That goes for me too.

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Wow, what a couple of posts! And contrary to the thread title, and as Auburn has affirmed, I think those stories are essential reading for those of us who aren't soul winners, and we who don't even bother to speak up for Christ when given the opportunity. I heard a pastor once compare Peter's denial of Christ in the high priest's house with his own. He said something like: "I've been where Peter was. Although I've never vocally denied Christ, I've many times denied him by silence when I should have spoken up. How ashamed am I to be ashamed of Christ." That goes for me too.

 

Thanks for the kind words.

 

There are a number of ways that we can deny Christ every day. But isn't it good to know that God is faithful, even when we are faithless?

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I collect records. I won't get into that because I don't think my choice in musical genres would win me many friends here...

 

I’ll address the issue of music in another post. It’s complicated. I'm adamantly against the world's music from a spiritual perspective but carnally speaking, I still appreciate brilliant musicians and can relate to your hobby. I did throw secular music out of my life permanently more than 20 years ago and I know it was the right choice.

 

 

To this day, the face of that little girl haunts me.

 

I'm sure we all have a similar story to tell. Thanks for sharing.

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Wow, what a couple of posts! And contrary to the thread title, and as Auburn has affirmed, I think those stories are essential reading for those of us who aren't soul winners, and we who don't even bother to speak up for Christ when given the opportunity. I heard a pastor once compare Peter's denial of Christ in the high priest's house with his own. He said something like: "I've been where Peter was. Although I've never vocally denied Christ, I've many times denied him by silence when I should have spoken up. How ashamed am I to be ashamed of Christ." That goes for me too.

 

This post is for everyone however, the "Thank You" is for the soulwinners. I guess I could have chosen different words (but it caught your interest :-)

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I just wanted to let the soulwinners here know that I’m grateful for your labor in Christ. I’m grateful for all the doors you’ve had slammed in your face, grateful for your perseverance while facing opposition of all kinds, grateful that you’re doing something that takes character, grateful that you’re not on your boat fishing when it’s time to “go ye therefore.” I’m grateful more than you can really understand.

 

Ya know, I have to say that 100 doors slammed in my face, rude remarks, or even being chased away/threatened with a gun would never enough to overshadow the joy and fulfilment of leading just one person to Christ.  I used to be scared about going out soulwinning and knocking on doors...afraid of what I would say or that I would mess up the message.  I've come understand, though, that real Soulwinner is the Holy Spirit and not really the person He's speaking through.  Every person that I've led to Christ or gotten to join us on Sundays were already being worked on before I knocked on their door and it didn't matter that I botched the message.  The power of the Gospel is what brings people to Christ and not the person.  All we have to do is be obedient to deliver it.  For those who read this thread that don't go out soulwinning in some fashion, please let this be an encouragement for you to get out there and share Jesus with someone.

 

Thanks for your testimony, Tom.  It's always so encouraging to see fruits of such labor.

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Ya know, I have to say that 100 doors slammed in my face, rude remarks, or even being chased away/threatened with a gun would never enough to overshadow the joy and fulfilment of leading just one person to Christ.  I used to be scared about going out soulwinning and knocking on doors...afraid of what I would say or that I would mess up the message.  I've come understand, though, that real Soulwinner is the Holy Spirit and not really the person He's speaking through.  Every person that I've led to Christ or gotten to join us on Sundays were already being worked on before I knocked on their door and it didn't matter that I botched the message.  The power of the Gospel is what brings people to Christ and not the person.  All we have to do is be obedient to deliver it.  For those who read this thread that don't go out soulwinning in some fashion, please let this be an encouragement for you to get out there and share Jesus with someone.

 

Thanks for your testimony, Tom.  It's always so encouraging to see fruits of such labor.

 

You've got a big part of being a witness for the Lord Jesus Christ figured out. I realized long ago that no matter how “skillful” I was as a soulwinner, I’m just there to plant or water. If I happen to be the person God uses to pray with someone that wants repents of their unbelief, then I rejoice in that he’s allowed me to be a partaker of His work and of the other laborers that have come before me.

 

Consider this famously oft quoted passage: 1 Corinthians 3:5-8

 

5  Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?

6  I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.

7  So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.

8  Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.

 

I don't want to look back on my life one day and say, "I wish I would have witnessed more for Christ."

 

"Work for the night is coming..."

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We put out some tracts in letterboxes a couple of weeks ago.
Later that day got a phone call from a lady threatening to call the police on us for putting stuff in her letterbox.

Keep on with it regardless.

Most of the time we get no response, so it is good to know some read it. ;)

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We put out some tracts in letterboxes a couple of weeks ago.
Later that day got a phone call from a lady threatening to call the police on us for putting stuff in her letterbox.

Keep on with it regardless.

Most of the time we get no response, so it is good to know some read it. ;)

Be careful.

18 U.S.C. 1725 states: 
    Whoever knowingly and willfully deposits any mailable matter such
    as statements of accounts, circulars, sale bills, or other like
    matter, on which no postage has been paid, in any letter box
    established, approved, or accepted by the Postal Service for the
    receipt or delivery of mail matter on any mail route with intent to
    avoid payment of lawful postage thereon, shall for each such
    offense be fined under this title.

God bless,

Larry

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Be careful.

18 U.S.C. 1725 states: 
    Whoever knowingly and willfully deposits any mailable matter such
    as statements of accounts, circulars, sale bills, or other like
    matter, on which no postage has been paid, in any letter box
    established, approved, or accepted by the Postal Service for the
    receipt or delivery of mail matter on any mail route with intent to
    avoid payment of lawful postage thereon, shall for each such
    offense be fined under this title.

God bless,
Larry
I'm not in the US - it is absolutely 100% legal here.
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