I a m c a l l in g t h is “A NEW TESTAMENT METHOD OF SOUL WINNING” and these and other Scriptures will support my claim. Acts 5:42 — “And daily in the temple and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.” II Tim. 2:2 — “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” Mark 3:14 — “And He ordained twelve that they should be with Him, and that He might send them forth to preach.” This method is different from regular visitation as most of us know it. First we find an opening for Bible Study. It could be a home of one of the parents of Sunday School children who do not regularly attend our services. It could be someone who has visited or is now attending church, or else someone who has been contacted through the calling program. When the opening has been secured, at your request, and the leading of the Holy Spirit •(this is most important as you are looking for someone vyith spiritual hunger), then you return to the same house every week. The same couple should return each week for the Bible Study. You have offered to help them to understand the Bible! Un derstanding the Bible may be likened unto learning to
Next time I will ask how many “ KNOWS” they have found in this book. Then I may ask them to read Psalm 119 and pointing out verses 9 and 11 as an example, I will ask them to go through the Psalm twice, once counting the number of verses where the WORD and the LAW are found. Then I ask them to read it again and tell me what the WORD (LAW ) is and what the WORD does for the Psalmist. “Thy Word have I hid in mine heart that I might not sin against Thee.” (Psalm 119:11). Here the Word keeps me from sin IF I memorize it. You see, this new Christian must just learn to love the Scripture or he will never grow up in the things of God! I must stick with him until he learns to feed on the Word by himself. If I don’t, he is going to fall by the way and he will not attend church or ever be more than an invalid in spiritual truth and life! In returning to a given home week after week, I am winning a friend and gaining confidence of that family. When the decision is made, it is based upon a solid foun dation of Scripture seed already sown. The habit of Bible study is already established. A spiritual parent has al ready been secured. This study approach may be used effectively with the unsaved but interested person. It may be used with the professing but unbaptized believer or with the weak and worldly Christian, or with a new
play tennis or golf, or doing mathematics. You need some one to guide you and help you who has himself already studied the Bible. It is important to know that you are following a plan and a plan that works. I may have a windfall which may not be repeated. But if I am following a plan, then I can expect it to continue to produce. THE MATERIALS: 1. “ Preparatory Bible Study.” This is a correspondence course in four lessons. All you need to use in these lessons is the Gospel of John. Order from Missionary Supply Lines, Kingsburg, California. 2. Les sons on Assurance. 3. “ Beginning with Christ—B-Rations.” Order these from Navigators, Colorado Springs, Colo. The questions may be answered briefly and to the point or you may go into detail. These materials provide tools and a working guide to less experienced workers. The purpose you have at all times is to make the Bible attractive and digestible to the converts. ASSIGNMENTS: My purpose in working with others in a Bible Study is to make the Bible interesting, to whet the appetite for the Bible. To accomplish this, I give out assignments. For example, I say, “ Please read the five brief chapters of the first Epistle of John and count the number of ‘KNOWS’ that you find. Underline in your Bible I John 5:13 and I John 3:14.
convert who needs to be trained and in turn win others. One of the men who consistently follows this method of personal soul-winning told me that he had to cancel his Bible study for the week because of being called out of town on business. “Why don’t you take someone with you, Bill, so that he can carry on in your absence? Train someone else.” It is important to get other Chris tians introduced to this type of ministry. Many of them are capable and perfectly able and willing to do tliis work if only they knew how. It is up to us to train and encourage others in the study of God’s Word! Let us stop inviting people to church and begin to offer to start a Bible study right in their home! “And daily in the temple and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ” (Acts 5:42). This will do more toward getting people to consistently attend church than anything else can do! Let me climax all that I have said by several facts regarding this New Testament Soul Winning Method. 1. It is a neglected work. It is harder to do than to preach a sermon in church. In church, I may preach without being interrupted by questions. People may dis agree, but they are polite enough to remain silent. How ever, in sitting down at the table with another person and attempting to teach and reach that one single person, I do run the risk of questions. Then, too, they may ask THE KING'S BUSINESS
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