GOSPEL BASICS - 6

SOUL WINNING OR SHEEP STEALING?

The term “soul winning” is popularly used to describe the positive results one can get from an evangelism, seeing that the preaching of the gospel has just one aim, to bring people to Christ. That is, when the gospel is being preached and thereby received by the people, their soul is said to be won.

Jesus said “what shall it profit a man to gain this whole world and loose his own soul”

Again Jesus made mention that there is joy in heaven over a sinner that repents, therefore validating the soul winning theology as true. The word “winning” shows that the preaching of the gospel is an unseen battle between light and darkness. Although this word “soul winning” can be found nowhere in the bible, yet we can say that its meaning is acceptable.

Now, several churches have invested much on soul winning, that is a very good remark. By our preaching and testimony in every corners and spheres of life, we would be able to save those who are perishing. Jesus said “go ye into all the world”.

However, it is unfortunate that many denominations and group of believers who claim to embark on a soul winning mission are not being true to their course. Many claim to be outside there for soul winning, whereas what they are doing is sheep stealing.

If we follow the teachings on the audience of the gospel as discussed in the lesson two, we know that we are supposed to have an outstanding result all over the world. Although, on the other hand, I do not agree that we are to preach the gospel to people in other for them to join the Christianity religion, the reason why people should hear the gospel is never because we want to populate Christianity. That was not why Christ died!

Christ died that all those who believe on him can have eternal life. Simple!
So whenever we go out there to present the gospel to the people, we have just one thing to present – the good news about eternal life! And that this life is found only in the Son of God – Jesus Christ! And that it can be obtained in this Son by just believing in him. So Jesus said in John 3:16 “For God so love the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life”

If we know this, then why do we steal sheep instead of winning souls? If we know this, then why do we like to preach about our denominations instead of Christ? If we know this, then why have we decided to convert people into a religious system instead of a relationship with Christ?
Okay, ask typical evangelists – what do you go out there to preach? After your preaching, what do you ask the believers to do? You will likely get answers that are not in correlation with the word of God.

The gospel preaching mission is not a competition between Christianity and Islam. It is also not a competition between denominations. It is very disappointing that a typical evangelism team belonging to a particular denomination today, will always be out there to preach the doctrines of their denomination other than the “gospel”. Thereafter, they invite the new believer to join their denomination, and warn them not to join another, claiming that they are the only one that can give them doctrine to grow in the knowledge of God. Although some of them will pretentiously sound transparent and tell the new believer that they can attend any “bible believing church”
But to show you that they are not sincere, if peradventure the new believer did not appear in their services, they begin to trouble this new believer. To worsen it, they erroneously assume that he or she is not really saved.

No denomination is the best. As a matter of fact, God is not a God of any denomination, we have just one body, and that is the “body of Christ”
Dear evangelist, stop stealing sheep. There are many souls out there that you need to preach to. Preach only where Christ has not been named, not where you will get a good church member. Converting a former church member to your church is not equal to soul winning.

Let us understand the reason for preaching the gospel. Let us have a good motive.

Amen.

© Philip Oklu