How to Teach Converts to Be Soulwinners

By David J. Stewart

Matthew 28:19-20, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you”

       One of the biggest mistakes soulwinning Christians make is not teaching their converts to win more souls to Jesus Christ. The Lord intended for our soulwinning laborers to perpetuate.

The Great Commission is more than just soulwinning, it is also discipling our converts by TEACHING THEM TO OBSERVE everything the Spirit of Christ has taught us through His Word, primarily to win more souls to Christ. Jesus plainly stated in John 15:5 . . . “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”

Here are a few helpful suggestions on HOW TO TEACH CONVERTS TO BE SOULWINNERS . . .

1. Take new converts with you while soulwinning. The best way to learn anything is by hands-on-experience. I am leery of religious classes, preacher's cemetery (seminary), and other methodological programs for evangelism. I think Billy Sunday said it best . . .
   
   "Let's quit fiddling with religion and do something to bring the world to Christ." —Billy Sunday
   
   Just “GO YE“ as Jesus commanded and win souls. Get into the habit of inviting newer converts to go with you soulwinning.
    

2. Don't pressure a new convert to witness. Tell them you'll do all the talking, and they can just watch until they feel comfortable enough to try it on their own. It may take several weeks before they feel ready. Let them decide when it's time. When they do feel they're ready to witness, let them know that you'll help them if they get stuck and don't know what to say. Tell them to look at you as a cue if they need your help at any time.
    

3. Always pray together before you go soulwinning. This is not the time to pray lengthy prayers, because you'll discourage a new convert from wanting to come back next week. If you can't say what needs to be said to God in one minute, then you're not spending enough time with God throughout the week. Keep it short and to the point. I always ask God to speak to people's heart as I speak to their mind. I acknowledge to the Lord in prayer that I understand John 15:5, that I cannot win anybody to the Lord without His Spirit at work. It's important to always rely upon the Holy Spirit and the power of the Gospel to get people saved, and never our own human efforts.
    

4. Don't go soulwinning for more than an hour or two with a new convert. The goal is to spark an interest in their heart to become a faithful soulwinner. If it becomes a burdensome chore to them, they won't come back. It would be better to go soulwinning only 30-minuites a week with a new convert regularly, than to go out for for 4-hours the first time and they quit. If you want to go out soulwinning for longer periods of time, then schedule different people to go with you at different times. Remember, an infant cannot run a marathon. It's hard enough to find a mature Christian believer that is willing to go soulwinning, let alone a new convert.
    

5. Show respect for their family, time and schedule. Always show concern for a person's other obligations. Never pressure anyone to set aside their family time, work or prior obligations to go soulwinning. We cannot expect others to live by our faith. The Apostle Paul was often frustrated, when his soulwinning partners up and quit . . . “For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed...” It is frustrating when a professed Christian would rather watch a football game than go soulwinning, but that's the way people are. I've oftentimes found myself standing alone in my Christian faith, and it was painful and lonely, but I remembered the Lord's Words from Matthew 28:20 . . . “and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”
    

6. Always bring Gospel tracts with you and pass them out as you go. I personally like Dr. Curtis Hutson's tract, HOW TO KNOW YOU ARE GOING TO HEAVEN and SALVATION PLAIN AND SIMPLE, both available from the Sword of the Lord. Beware of Chick Tracts and others which teach the heresy of Lordship Salvation. Eternal life is a free gift and we ought not be leading people to think they must give up anything to freely receive Christ.
    

7. I always end my journey with a stop at a restaurant. Amen! Give your soulwinning partner something to look forward to at the end of your time together. If you can afford to pay for your partner's meal, do so, at least for the first couple times. It gives you both time to discuss the events of the day, any problems that arose, ideas for next time, and most of all just a nice time to fellowship. Steer clear of gossip. The best way to do this is to control the discussion. If your partner brings up something it's best not to talk about, give a brief answer and then change the subject. If necessary, explain to your soulwinning partner that you don't judge anyone and would prefer not to discuss people. The best thing to do is talk about the Scriptures and continually revert back to the Bible on every topic discussed. This is how it ought to be anyway. Amen!

Hopefully, over time, your soulwinning partner will have a passion for lost souls that cannot be quenched. Here's a quote from Dr. Lee Roberson that I think is so important for us to understand concerning Eternal Punishment and having a passion for lost souls . . .

“Somebody says, 'The thought of Hell is so horrible.' Well, my friend, so is cancer, so is tuberculosis, so is the grave. Someone said, 'I believe sin ought to be punished, but not for eternity.' That's your view, not God's.

Again another says, 'I don't believe in the wrath of God.' Then you don't believe your Bible. The Bible says the wrath of God abideth on the one who doesn't believe in Jesus Christ. He is lost forever.

Now, these things come to us out of the Word of God. The teaching of eternal punishment should give us a hatred for sin. We ought to hate sin. The reason we have changed so much in this day in all of our churches is that we are not hearing much on this subject. Therefore, we endorse sin. We engage in sin. We camouflage the sin in our lives and allow things to go by, instead of hating sin as God wants us to hate sin . . .

The teaching of eternal punishment should give us a passion for the souls of men.”

SOURCE: Dr. Lee Roberson, from the book, Disturbing Questions... Solid Answers, chapter 16, pgs. 196-198; copyright, Sword of the Lord publishers, 1978.

With that in mind, spend some time teaching new converts about the reality of Eternal Punishment, so that the Word of God may work in their heart to give them a burden for the lost souls of billions of sinners without Jesus Christ.

The Great Commission is More Than Soulwinning