He Who Wins Souls Is Wise

EVANGELISM ARTICLE | Ken Weliever | Beverly Hills, Florida

In the comic strip “Peanuts,” Lucy tells her brother, Linus, that she has “converted” a school classmate to her way of thinking religiously. Linus is surprised, especially knowing how Lucy operates.

“How did you do it?” Linus asked.

“I told him everything I believe and asked him if he believed it , too.” Lucy explained. “Then when we came to something he didn’t see my way, I just hit him over the head with my lunch box until he believed it!”

I suppose we’ve all witnessed that kind of evangelism. Oh, not literally hitting someone over the head with a lunch box, or anything else. But evangelism that is aggressive. Belligerent. And even insulting.

In Proverbs 11:30 the wise man reminds us that “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who wins souls is wise.”

This verse speaks to the influence of a godly man. His character, charity, ministry, piety, and heavenly focus are like the good fruit of a tree. He supplies and contributes to the spiritual growth and development of those around him. He touches the lives of others both in word and in deed.

There is a phrase used today called “Lifestyle Evangelism,” which was popularized by author Joseph Aldrich in a book with the same title. Lifestyle evangelism is being the salt of the earth and the light of the world. When we bear the fruit of righteousness, we are showing the world who Jesus is and what it means to be his disciple.

Aldrich asks, “What kind of person do we want to deploy into the world?” He answers with, “A learning, fellowshipping, worshiping, serving person.” Furthermore, Aldrich adds that for this person “Evangelism…is not a Tuesday night event; he is on duty twenty-four hours a day. His whole life is a living and willing sacrifice, a sweet-smelling savor to God and men.”

In a world that says we ought to keep our faith private, God wants us to take the saving Gospel of Christ into all the world (Mk. 16:15-16). We should not be ashamed of the gospel, or Jesus Christ. When first century Christians were persecuted they did not recoil or recant, but went everywhere preaching the Word (Acts 8:4).

However, there is a right way to seek converts. And a wrong way. The apostle Paul gives this inspired advice that would improve our evangelistic efforts and help us win souls.

“Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.” (Col. 4:5-6, NASU)

In these two verses there are four things we can do to be more effective in winning souls

(1) Exercise wisdom.

The wise Christian seeks to win souls, but he realizes wisdom must be employed in order to be successful. Knowledge is obviously important in teaching others about Christ, but effective outreach also requires wisdom. Sound judgment. Prudence. Understanding.

Wisdom is an application of our knowledge. But not just a knowledge of the Word itself, but insight into human nature, people needs, and the techniques and approaches best suited to reach each individual. Wisdom seeks to understand others. Their point of view. Background. Religious experiences. Spiritual problems. And biblical understanding.

(2) Be Aware of Opportunities.

There are many seekers in this world today. Hurting souls. Depressed souls. Lost souls. They are searching for something, but not sure what it is. Many are trying to find fulfillment and purpose through material means. Possessions, popularity, pleasure, and power offer the promise of a successful life. Yet, many who have achieve these goals still feel empty on
the inside.

Christians have the opportunity to share the Good News of Jesus. And to lead people into a spiritual relationship that will change their lives and bless them eternally.

We need to seek opportunities to share our faith. See the opportunities when they present themselves. And then seize the opportunities that we see. Look around. There may be opportunities in your neighborhood, at work, in your social circle, in your family, with those whom you do business, or even a casual, random encounter with a stranger. Jesus told the apostles to open their eyes because the field were white unto harvest (John 4:34-45). That’s good advice today.

(3) Employ gracious speech.

Hypercritical, unkind language does not win people to Christ. While we are commanded to “speak the truth” to those who need to hear it, the Bible says to do it in the spirit of love. (Eph. 4:16).

I can contend for the faith without being contentious. I can disagree without displaying a disagreeable spirit. I can affirm the truth without being obnoxious. I can differ without being difficult. And I can persuade without being pushy.

Jeff Strite tells a true story tjat actually happened in a church years ago. The local preacher had been preaching on the importance of evangelism. In the congregation was a young man who was mentally challenged who took these lessons to heart. Consequently, he began telling everyone who would listen about Jesus and asking if they wanted to become a Christian.

One Sunday a man visited who really didn’t want to be there. He was invited by a family who were members. He was a skeptic. But attended just to be polite.

At one point, the young man approached the visitor and asked, “Do you want to be a Christian?”

“NO!” the man exclaimed.

The boy looked at the skeptic for a moment and then responded:

“Well, then you can go to hell.”

And then he turned and walked away.

While that story sounds extreme, it does illustrate the wrong way to evangelize. Rude, crude, judgmental, and condensing language is not a wise way to win souls.

(4) Respond instead of reacting to others.

When I react to what someone with whom I disagree, it is almost always negative. Without forethought, it is too easy to spout off and hurt another’s feelings. Antagonize them. Or erect a barrier that can never be eradicated.

Responding wisely takes work, forethought, and really listening to others. A Barna survey posted on their website revealed there is “a stark gap between who non-Christians want to talk to about faith and the Christians they actually know.”

As you wade through the statistics and data the research basically says that Christians are not good listeners. Too often we are so focused on sharing “our story” that we don’t listen to “their story.”

Since “our story” is the Good News of the Gospel about God’s saving Grace, it is easy to excitedly short cut the process. To talk before we listen. To quote Bible verses prior to really developing a relationship. To try to bring the prospect to Christ before we learn where he or she is in life.

Several years ago in an Outreach Magazine article, a non-Christian made this observation about those who tried to convert her. “I’d say 75% of these people don’t really care who I am. They just want to build up their church or something. They don’t even ask me what my name is.”

In the Barna survey, 50 percent of non-Christians and unfaithful Christian respondents said they wanted to dialogue with someone who “does not force a conclusion.” However, only 26 percent said that applied to practicing Christians they knew.

When you study the one on one methods of Jesus, he asked questions. He listened. He helped the prospect see where they were, and then gently led them to see where they needed to be. A wonderful example in found in Jesus’ conversation with the Samaritan woman in John 4.

A wise soul winner really cares about the lost, listens to them, seeks to understand, and patiently guides them to a knowledge of the saving Truth about Jesus. People need to see an authenticity in your life. To quote Aldrich again, “you must be the Good News before to share the Good News.

“He who wins souls is wise.” Are you wise?

BIO
Ken Weliever has been preaching for over 50 years. He, and his wife Norma Jean of 56 years have lived in 6 different states, doing local work with 9 different congregations. Although Ken resigned from fulltime local work in June 2018, he has not retired from preaching, teaching, and writing. He and Norma continue to travel, hold meetings, work with churches in Ontario, Canada, in the summer, and be used to minister as opportunities are offered . When at home, he preaches most Sundays for the West Citrus church in Crystal River, Florida.

The Welievers’ have two grown children–Kenny Jr. And Rachél Thompson. They are the proud grandparents of two grandsons, Roy and Miles, and two granddaughters, Katherine and Fern. Ken publishes a daily devotional blog. You can read his daily posts and contact him at www.ThePreachersWord.com Email him at preacherman@weliever.net

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January 2025 | GROW Magazine