Something is dreadfully wrong

I have written a book “Shipwreck Soulwinning” because I believe that our soulwinning is shipwrecked. Our efforts do not bring the same results we see in Scripture. I don’t think many would argue that everything is well in modern evangelism. The first problem is fewer and fewer are even pretending to get saved. The second is, most of those who make a profession of faith, show no real evidence of becoming a new creature in Christ.

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

There is no shortage of evangelistic activity, it is the results that don’t measure up to the biblical standard. The product of our efforts gives little evidence of being truly changed by their “salvation experience.”

It is interesting that we talk about decisions for Christ, while the Bible never does. It talks about believing on the Lord Jesus Christ.

We recently had a big evangelistic event in Charlotte, NC. It was limited to independent Fundamental Baptists, and there was a lot of noise about the results. Although there were professions of faith, there was little effect seen in the area.

I will get in trouble for saying this, but the money would have been better spent in local church evangelism. When someone is reached for Christ through a local church, there is a connection between the convert and the church. This connection allows the church to follow up in a way that is natural. The kind of evangelistic campaign we saw in Charlotte does send the names of the people who “get saved” to a local church in the area where the person lives, but it is not the same as the church reaching them in the first place. I have been on the receiving end of this kind of names, and most of the time the “converts” had no idea what I was talking about when I visited them.

The zeal of those who are behind this kind of campaign is well intended, but it would be better to see this zeal in local churches reaching the communities where they are located. I believe this is the biblical way.

I fear that many of those “saved” with our modern evangelistic methods will hear the same thing Jesus said to those who professed to be His disciples in Matthew Chapter 7.

And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. (Matthew 7:23)

Most of the churches in the area where I live have one or two revivals a year. Their goal is to see people reached for Christ. This a praiseworthy goal, but the result is that nothing changes. The churches don’t grow, and the people are not revived. They now wait for the next “revival” with great enthusiasm, but the results will be the same as the last one.

How did I come to this study

More than 35 years ago my wife and I were discussing the effects of modern soul-winning. We saw a problem that concerned us greatly. There were things that didn’t fit with what the Scriptures said about those who were won to Christ. When people got saved in the New Testament, there was a major change in their lives. They were not perfect, but their lives were different from what they were before their salvation.

It was some years before I had the time to really look into the issue, but when I did, I learned some very important principles. When I applied these principles, it changed the results of the evangelism in our church.

If you are only looking to see more professions of faith, you need read no farther, you won’t find that here. If you are interested in seeing salvation experiences that truly change the lives of people, I believe you will find this book very helpful.

When you read of the revivals in the past, you will see people with true conviction of sin crying out to a holy God, begging for His forgiveness. You will see broken and contrite hearts and real tears of godly sorrow. Isn’t this what we should be looking for?

To be continued…