District Cancels Soulwinng Seminar
 

Dateline: 03.24.09

If soul winning was my passion, I would not have cancelled the seminar. Even if the speaker cancelled, the least one could do is hold a prayer session and pray for souls. It made me sick that a decision was made to cancel a soulwinning seminar because the headline act wasn't able to attend.

This decision to cancel the soulwinning seminar shows the lack of vision in the Home Missions department. Truth be known, they have no idea how to produce exponential results without smoke and mirrors and bait and switch.

My sister attends the same church as the scheduled speaker. We talked about his sucess. She says his passion is soulwinning. He burns with a fire so hot it attracts people to him like a moth is drawn to a flame. You can't teach that type of passion in a 2 hour seminar. You have to do it.

What is lacking is passion for souls. Some people are too busy being fake to have a passion for winning the lost. People see that and are turned off by the phoniness.

The by product of passion is what happened to our church. Staff meeting went a little long Sunday morning because God begin to move in a mighty way. We were late starting church. When we opened the doors, people were lined up almost a block to get in. Rough estimation, 70% are brand new people. They feel the fire. They sense the passion. They want what we have.

I would like to think whoever was responsible for cancelling the soulwinning seminar would be man enough to step down. One needs to walk away if all they can do is run a dog and pony show. It may look good for a while, but eventually the mess the dog and pony show leaves has to be disposed of.

Re: District Cancels Soulwinng Seminar
 

That's a little harsh don't you think?

Generally events like this are the work OF the main speaker. It is his seminar.

If he is injured then they will have to reschedule.

Either way... your post seems like a huge over reaction.

To me at least.

Re: District Cancels Soulwinng Seminar
 

I agree with this post.

Re: District Cancels Soulwinng Seminar
 

I agree with you,it looks like somebody has some issues.:foottap

Re: District Cancels Soulwinng Seminar
 

I work at times giving different seminars I would just on the spur of the moment try to give someone else´s seminar... it takes time and effort to prepare....

Re: District Cancels Soulwinng Seminar
 

dunno you, dunno what on fire mega church thay you are winning scores of souls at, but I do know a hard self rightoues attitude when I see it.

Maybe you didn't mean to come across so mean, for the sake of those people lined up for a block, I sure hope the attitude and spirit of your church is not reflected in your post.

Re: District Cancels Soulwinng Seminar
 

Reminds me of the time a fairly famous evangelist (many here might know the name, I suppose) that was planning a major outreach at UT Austin. Even after lots of "it's not about me" type comments, he canceled it after coming down with the flu. It was never rescheduled. How many UT students will end up in hell because of that virus? :hmmm

Re: District Cancels Soulwinng Seminar
 

yo tim,
how about taking your best guess on that number.

Re: District Cancels Soulwinng Seminar
 

There are two points of view from which to answer this. 1) The point of view that says that people must hear the Gospel (that famous evangelist's version of it, at least) and respond to it to avoid an eternity of torment, and 2) the point of view that says it's all nonsense anyway. POV 1: lots. POV 2: zero. :thumbsup

Re: District Cancels Soulwinng Seminar
 

I agree; that's harsh. I don't think it shows a lack of love for souls. Is it stopping anyone from being a soul winner to cancel or reschedule a training session?????

Re: District Cancels Soulwinng Seminar
 

This was a district sponsored event. The speaker doesn't actively solicit speaking engagements.

A soul winning seminar could have turned into a soul winning prayer meeting. No one suggests a person replicate the featured speaker. However there should have been someone who could have stood up and shared their burden for the lost.

I've been to a few Sunday School seminars where Vicky Oliver was the featured speaker. I didn't learn a single technique. I didn't discover a new trick. But she was one of the best speakers i ever heard. The reason is her heart is full of passion. If anyone walks out her seminars with a dry eye, they are beyond help.

I'm suggesting someone at the leadership level communicate the passion and burden for winning the lost.

There is no vandetta. I waited six week before posting. No over reaction on my part. I feel it is ineptness that someone couldn't stand in the gap and share their heart.

Re: District Cancels Soulwinng Seminar
 

My post was an attempt at making an inquiry concerning Timmy's POV since you shared your recollection, followed by your thoughtful question.

"Reminds me of the time a fairly famous evangelist (many here might know the name, I suppose) that was planning a major outreach at UT Austin. Even after lots of "it's not about me" type comments, he canceled it after coming down with the flu. It was never rescheduled. How many UT students will end up in hell because of that virus?"

Do you think
1. lots
or
2. zero

Re: District Cancels Soulwinng Seminar
 

tough call to get someone on the spur of the moment, little tude check is in order, dt

Re: District Cancels Soulwinng Seminar
 

2. ;)

Re: District Cancels Soulwinng Seminar
 

:thumbsup

Re: District Cancels Soulwinng Seminar
 

I don't think you're being self righteous.

Far too often people see soul-winning as something that you have to be gifted at to do.

People see soul winners as someone somehow "other" from themselves-- so much so that folks assign the title "soul winner" to others when we are all supposed to be soul winners.


The cancelling of the training event displays the thought process I am decrying.


"Soul winning" is not a formula or a skill to master.

"Soul winning" is love and passion in action. I am not so sure that a seminar would have lasting results anyway.

God puts the Holy Ghost Fire in the souls of men that makes them witnesses of Him in Jerusalem, Judaea and the uttermost parts of the earth. He does this through His Spirit, not through a seminar.


I need more of God's Holy Ghost Fire burning in my life.

Re: District Cancels Soulwinng Seminar
 

I think the first post highlights the concern that church "teaching" is becoming more like a performance. What would Paul have done??? Canceled? No, I think he would have sent Timothy or someone. Does it take preparation? If one is putting on a "show" perhaps. You could call me to a soul winning seminar NOW, and I'd show up with a Bible and I'd be willing to read and expound upon at least three passages (almost an entire chapter each). I might simply ask for a half hour for prayer, and maybe time to shave and put on a tie. I'd pray while driving to the seminar if necessary.

Folks... just break the word and call people to prayer filled action. You don't need "four points" and three illustrations, props, and all the hype with a "special" solo.

Just break the word with a sincere heart.

Let's face it... in a lot of ways the Western church has become too much of a big show.

Re: District Cancels Soulwinng Seminar
 

I would be interested in knowing the name of the "soul winning" speaker.

Re: District Cancels Soulwinng Seminar
 

I don't know about soul winning coming naturally--at least not in today's church culture. The church has been so accustomed to programmed evangelism and is often so out of touch with the common man that I can see the need for some training and teaching. Maybe to undo some of the mindsets and get a few people out of their religious boxes?

Some Pentecostal people cloister themselves away from the community and even friends or family, and then once a week they want to go out and make a great impression for God? No, I think training and seminars are a good thing. Many people have forgotten how to win souls, IMO.

Re: District Cancels Soulwinng Seminar
 

i believe part of the problem is the term "soul winning"....like its a contest, game, or something we win or lose. we don't win or lose any souls other than our own.

according to Jesus and St.Paul...if we allow the Spirit to live in us...we will bear the fruit of the Spirit...the fruit of the Spirit naturally attracts people because these things are missing from our world...giving us the opportunity to share the fruit of the Spirit with them and its source.

you do not train a fruit tree to bear fruit...it is a natural result of correct growth. i believe the reason many believers feel the need to attend "soul winners camps"...is because its easier to get hyped-up and repeat actions...then grow. growth is not easy, fast, or instantly noticed...and that is exactly what many believers/pastors are looking for.

Re: District Cancels Soulwinng Seminar
 

I'm not sure I follow everything you're saying, but I do agree that bearing fruit is the natural result of correct growth. Isn't "fruit" the fruit of the spirit, though? Not people converted through evangelism?

I think the church is often stuck in a box, and so I empathize with the efforts of some to break that open. Even if its sometimes overzealous.

Also, one evangelist places an emphasis on community service as an "outreach" program, which is really brilliant, considering that's really what the church should be doing anyway. (Serving the community.) If we would serve people as we were meant to do, it would create natural opportunities to share the Gospel.

As I mentioned previously, many people cloister themselves away from the community, and then expect 1 hour a week on Saturday morning to do the trick. No, what is needed is regular interaction with potential new converts, and no-strings-attached service to those who are in need.

I once mentioned in an outreach meeting that we should try volunteering at the homeless shelter or nursing home, and one woman spoke up and blandly asked, "Well, what would be the point?"

Too much emphasis is placed on numbers, and some often feel that if a conversion isn't imminent, then that person (or those people) are a waste of time.

Currently, our church is involved in ministry with the local jail. Most of the program is focused on offering freedom from addiction classes and anger management classes. However, it DOES create opportunities for witnessing, that we would otherwise lack. The important thing, though, is that you must have the best interest of the inmates at heart--if you only care about adding a number to your church roster, the effort will fail.

People need to feel that the church ACTUALLY cares about them, whether or not they convert. No-strings-attached. Those are the kinds of soul-winning "programs" that I'm interested in (which really should be a lifestyle anyway), and IMO are the only ones that will be effective. People have had quite enough of self-centered religion.

Soul-winning will never be successful if you don't have regular positive interaction with sinners. So...I said all that to say...I think some of the "popular" soul winning evangelists are simply trying to break people out of their little shells and get them into contact with sinners. It seems novel to some, which is why they need training or a "seminar." But it seems like the first church did just that--they were out in public, on the streets, etc.

Re: District Cancels Soulwinng Seminar
 

I believe that if we focus on correct growth...and produce fruit...personal evangelism will be a by-product.

Yes...the fruit...is the fruit of the Spirit...which is what all those who are born of the Spirit are to be producing. We are not told to produce "souls"....but fruit. Jesus cursed the fig tree because it did not bear fruit...He said that people know we are His followers because our love(a fruit)...not because we have baptized thousands or performed great miracles.

grow the fruit...give it away...and when people partake they will want to have it in thier life...and then we can introduce them to the source. no pressure. no hype.

Re: District Cancels Soulwinng Seminar
 

deleted because it just aint worth it.

Re: District Cancels Soulwinng Seminar
 

Right. And if the church is hiding their fruit under the bushel basket, so to speak, they have no one to give the fruit to.

My point is simply that some of these training seminars are teaching just that--get outside your doors, go give the "fruit" away, and souls will be added as a natural result. LOL!!!!

In that regard, many people DO need teaching on how to win souls, because it seems the church has forgotten how to be in the world but not of the world. :coffee2

Re: District Cancels Soulwinng Seminar
 

And this was worth keeping?

Re: District Cancels Soulwinng Seminar
 

You don't have to push passionate people out the door. A person who wholeheartedly believes in something will be bold in communicating their beliefs.

It's difficult to win people in our circles because we try to turn fruit into nuts. Many of our churches do the bait and switch. They place more emphasis on non biblical opinion than they do the actual Word of God.

Many people need to be taught good people skills instead of the latest "soul winning" technique. You win a person to you, you are more likely to win them to Christ.

I don't buy we need to teach people to win souls. The Bible says after we receive the Holy Ghost, we get the power to become witnesses. The Bible says the Spirit will give us the right words to say at the right time.

A person full of passion will not have a problem letting their light shine. I hate to go back to Vicky Oliver, but that lady doesn't have any new soul winning tricks to pass along. She is successful because she is passionate about soul winning.

No one can teach passion. Passion is caught not taught.

Re: District Cancels Soulwinng Seminar
 

It is difficult to relate to people when isolation has been imbedded in our minds for so many years. We are taught from the cradle we are better than everyone else because we have "truth" and they don't. It may not have been explicit in many cases, but a lot of times it has been inferred. That mindset is still dominant in many areas. You know and I know many in our religious circles are not ready to leave their religious boxes.

You look at the soulwinners in any church. They are passionate people. They are fired up and ready to storm the gates of Hell.

A question that comes to my mind is whose fault is it that the common man cannot win souls? L-E-A-D-E-R-S-H-I-P.

If the leadership cannot win souls, or "teach" soul winning, there isn't much chance for the common person on his/her own to be able to produce results.