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.
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A religious spirit allows people to tolerate hatred and anger under the guise of passion and holiness. Bill Johnson
Legalism has no pity on people. Legalism makes my opinion your burden, makes opinion your boundary, makes my opinion your obligation-Lucado
Some get spiritual because they see the light. Others because they feel the heat.Ray Wylie Hubbard
Definition of legalism- Damned if you do. Damned if you don't. TV
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.
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
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Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath [James 1:19]
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
2.
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Hebrews 13:23 Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty
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.
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.
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"The choices we make reveal the true nature of our character."
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.
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.
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"God, send me anywhere, only go with me. Lay any burden on me, only sustain me. And sever any tie in my heart except the tie that binds my heart to Yours."
--David Livingstone
"To see no being, not God’s or any, but you also go thither,
To see no possession but you may possess it—enjoying all without labor or purchase—
abstracting the feast, yet not abstracting one particle of it;…."
--Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass, Song of the Open Road
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.
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