The Gospel Soul Winning Script

During my early days with evangelism, I developed an approach called the Survey Technique. By asking short direct questions, you can maintain control of the conversation and find out quickly what a person’s spiritual beliefs are. Although the Survey Technique has helped me lead thousands to the Lord, I’m still open to utilizing new methods in reaching people with the gospel.

Rodney Howard-Browne's ministry uses a tool called the Gospel Soul-Winning Script, which originated during their Good News New York campaign in 1999. I became familiar with it a few years later during evangelism outreaches with Rodney’s church in Tampa, Florida. At first, I resisted using the script. I found it restrictive and thought sinners wouldn’t be receptive to me reading the whole thing to them.

Then while taking part in a 2009 outreach with Rodney’s ministry in Washington, D.C., my team leader asked me to “stick with the script.” Wanting to maintain unity, I complied with his request. Initially it felt awkward, but soon I realized the Soul-Winning Script is particularly helpful for those new to evangelism. It minimizes distractions by helping soul winners stay focused on leading people to Jesus. The first time I used the Script, I prayed with 17 people that included an entire Hispanic soccer team. Another time in a different part of Washington, DC, I led another 21 people to the Lord.

Since then, I’ve incorporated parts of the Soul Winning Script when approaching people with the gospel. Regardless of the tools you use for witnessing, the important thing is to go out and make yourself available. More of God's people need to open their mouths so sinners can hear and receive the Good News.

“How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?” - Romans 10:14

How Do You Read the Bible?

Some people have a problem with Christians reading the Bible electronically. One time while doing street ministry, I witnessed to a man who wanted to see for himself a Scripture quoted to him. I had a Gideon’s New Testament on me but opted to take out my smartphone to find the verse he wanted to see. This man immediately dismissed me as a “false evangelist” for not showing him God’s word on paper. 

I’ve seen preachers claim “real Christians use real Bibles.” While I do have a Spirit-Filled Life Bible plus numerous New Testaments and Gospels of John (to give to those who don’t have a copy of God’s Word), I mostly read Scripture on my smartphone, iPad, or laptop. That allows me to quickly locate verses in different translations with larger fonts that are easier to see. The small printing in some Bibles almost requires a magnifying glass. At night, I often fall asleep to an audio Bible. Romans 10:17 says, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

During Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness, there’s no record of Him reading from a document while He quoted Scripture to the devil. God’s word was originally written on stone, scrolls, and then paper put into books. Now we have electronic devices available. No matter how you spend time in the Bible, it must get in your heart and come out of your mouth to produce results. 

“But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it.” 

- Deuteronomy 30:14 

A Matter of the Heart

The Internet has been flooded lately with articles and posts regarding the conversion of Kanye West. Last week the rapper’s new album “Jesus Is King” debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart. Two days ago, Kanye performed at men's and women's jails in Houston. He stated, “This is a mission, not a show.”

Still, many believers are questioning the legitimacy of Kanye’s faith. One Facebook friend commented that if Kanye becomes part of a particular megachurch, he’ll dismiss him as a false Christian. Who is he to judge where God wants His people to plug into the body of Christ? (1 Corinthians 12:18) We are to work out our own salvation (Philippians 2:12).

A question I’m occasionally asked is if someone who prays with me to get saved means it. That issue was brought up one time by my former pastor after we attended a prayer meeting at the YMCA. There I saw a woman smoking outside and felt led to witness to her. Chelonda wasn’t sure of her eternal destiny but believed the gospel. I invited her to pray with me and she received salvation.

Minutes later as I got a ride home, the pastor commented that sinners must feel convicted of their need for salvation. He had seen me lead other people to the Lord and questioned if there was genuine repentance. I replied by pointing out that when people don’t want to get born again, they will let me know (some get defensive even if they claim to believe the gospel). It’s also worth mentioning my salvation prayer begins with, “God in heaven, I know I’m a sinner and I need your help.” Doesn’t that sound that repentance?

There have been rare incidents when I led people in the “sinner’s prayer” and then discovered they didn’t mean it. That prompted me to start using a tactic learned from my friend Clint. Whenever suspecting someone might be praying half-heartedly, I close the prayer by having that person confess, “I pray this prayer with all sincerity in the name of Jesus.” My mentor Nick Kinn offers this response to Christians critical of him leading others to the Lord, “Didn’t you mean the prayer when you said it?”

While God certainly wants to see all newborn believers go on to fulfill His plan for their lives, the fact is some will drift away. Jesus talked about this in the Parable of the Sower (Mark 4:14-20). On the other hand, some babes in Christ won’t bear much fruit until years later. Once while visiting Canada, I led a friend’s mother to the Lord. Because her mother continued living with her boyfriend and wasn’t attending a church, my friend questioned the legitimacy of her mother’s salvation. Eventually, her mother got married and became part of a fellowship.  

I believe the majority of people who are willing to pray with me publicly and confess Jesus openly are sincere. Whether their prayers are genuine or not, that’s not for me to judge. Only God knows the status of a man’s heart.

“For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” - 1 Samuel 16:7

Rewards for Winning Souls

If you’re a parent and your children do something worthwhile, wouldn’t you want to reward them? Our heavenly Father is the same way. While doing the work of an evangelist, I’ve seen unexpected blessings manifest.

Back in 1994 when I first committed to being part of my church’s evangelism ministry, the pastor gave me clothes he no longer needed. A woman who was a leader in that ministry often offered to buy me dinner. The day after Christmas, one of the other evangelism leaders offered to give me his Chrysler Laser. This was the exact type of car I had been praying for!

Years later, I was at a library in Tampa, Florida and perceived it was time for me to leave. I started walking home but suddenly felt led to stop and turn around. Eventually, I ministered salvation to a young woman at a bus stop. Then I approached a man standing at the bus stop directly across the street. Aaron was already saved and wanted to give me an offering. He then  handed me a $20 bill. At the time I was almost out of money.

Another time back in Minnesota, I stopped at McDonald's to use the bathroom. Afterward, I started witnessing to two skateboarders sitting in a booth. They immediately invited me to sit down and talk with them. After the two prayed to receive salvation, the McDonald's manager handed me a $50 gift card someone bought for me anonymously.

Then one Sunday, my roommate and I went to U.S. Bank Stadium to pass out gospel tracts prior to a Minnesota Vikings game. One man I approached was a homeless man holding a sign asking for help. After offering him a bag of chips, this man (who was already saved) offered me a ticket someone had given him. I hadn’t planned on going to the game but got to see the Vikings win that day.

Of course, the greatest reward of being a soul winner is seeing people receive eternal life and avoid spending eternity in hell. A crown of rejoicing awaits those obedient to the Great Commission. Will you have one?

“For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?” - 1 Thessalonians 2:19

Defenders of the Faith

Today is Veteran’s Day in America (known in other countries as Armistice Day or Remembrance Day). It was exactly 100 years ago when World War I ended. Since then on November 11th, military men and women have been honored for defending freedoms we often take for granted. Having spent time in the Army National Guard myself, I get to enjoy perks some businesses offer.

Many of you may have never served in your country’s armed forces. But if you’re a Christian, then you’re a soldier in the army of the Lord and called to defend the faith. 1 Peter 3:15 tells us to “always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.” The New Living Translation of this verse reads, “if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it.” 

The apostle Paul faced many situations where he found himself “…in the defense and confirmation of the gospel.” (Philippians 1:7) While evangelizing, I regularly run into folks who oppose Christianity because they follow an alternative belief system. A good technique I learned from Frank Turek to avoid wasting time is asking non-believers, “If Christianity were true, would you become a Christian?” If the non-believer replies, “No”, then they are not sincerely seeking the truth.

Whenever possible, I give those opposing the gospel at least two Scriptures to counter what they believe. If that person is still resistant, I usually back off. Titus 3:10-11 commands, “Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition, knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned.” Nevertheless, I end such a conversation by saying, “Jesus Loves You.”

We should look for opportunities to initiate discussions about the gospel in the marketplace. One time in Hannover, Germany I encountered three women who set up a table promoting the Green Party. One of them displayed a hamburger and a veggie burger in an effort to discourage people from eating meat. After I ate one of each, this woman commented how we need to be careful of what we eat. I replied, “That’s why we should pray over our meals first.” That sparked a lively conversation where I was able to plant a lot of spiritual seeds.

Another time in Virginia, I was with a friend at a coffee shop where we overheard another customer say, “I’m not good at guessing things” (referring to a taste test that was being done). Immediately I asked this man, “Can you guess where you will spend eternity when your life ends?” This man didn’t think anyone could know his or her eternal destiny. I referred to 1 John 5:12-13 but this man wasn’t too open to discussing spiritual things. He still took a gospel tract from me.

We are commanded to “put on the whole armor of God” (Ephesians 6:11) and “be ready in season and out of season.” (2 Timothy 4:2) God wants His people prepared for evangelism opportunities that suddenly come up without warning. Will you be ready?

“I will speak of Your testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed.” - Psalm 119:46

Called to Preach?

Every believer should be involved in fulfilling the Great Commission. However, only a small percentage of Christians are called to an office of the fivefold ministry (one pastor I know believes it’s about 3%). God also needs people in the marketplace to be a witness and help fund the end-time harvest.

Evangelist Stephen Hill often said, “You know you are called to full-time ministry when secular employment is undesirable.” If you perceive God is calling you, then there will likely come a time when He instructs you to step out in faith and leave your job or business. That thought may sound a little scary at first. But if it’s God’s timing, He will make sure your needs are met as long as you follow His instructions. Isaiah 1:19 says, “If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land.” 

The transition into ministry and the preparation time involved varies with each individual. Sometimes God calls His people to step out quickly and completely. In Matthew 4:19, Jesus told four fishermen, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men."  They immediately left their nets and followed Him. Peter didn’t say, “Lord, let me build up a savings account first.” He totally trusted Jesus as his Source. 

Then there are ministers who remain in a particular trade on a part-time or temporary basis. The Apostle Paul would fit this category since he supplemented his income by making tents (Acts 18:3). However, he also wrote in 1 Corinthians 9:14 (NIV), “...the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.” People called to the fivefold ministry need to spend extra time in prayer and Bible study (Acts 6:1-4). Still, Paul opted to be an occasional tentmaker because he didn’t want to be a financial burden to the churches that supported him. More contemporary ministers such as Carlos Annacondia and the recently-deceased Norvel Hayes continued operating successful businesses while on the road preaching. 

As for myself, God called me to be a missionary/evangelist after being a Christian for almost five years. It wasn’t something I sought for but a revelation received. After choosing to answer the call, the Lord led me to work at the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. Although I made a good income there, God didn’t allow me to stay comfortable too long. A few months after starting at BGEA, I resigned because the Lord wanted me to attend revival meetings in Toronto and my supervisor wouldn’t give me the time off. Coworkers plus elders from my church questioned my decision to leave a “stable job.” Instead of following their opinions, I obeyed the Lord. As a result, my faith was stretched by living in Toronto for a season where I learned to rely on Him to meet my needs.

One of my biggest challenges on the mission field was experiencing persecution from other Christians. Some of them pestered me to “get a real job” even though God was taking care of me. Ironically, many of those Christians who told me “you don’t work, you don’t eat” didn’t have jobs themselves! They were either retired, widowed, collected disability, or in another kind of situation that didn’t require them to find employment. Occasionally, God has brought work to me through Christians wanting websites, videos and other media projects created for them. Whenever I tried initiating work in this area, my efforts weren’t fruitful. Full-time ministers need to look to God as their Provider and not make things happen by the arm of the flesh. 

So again if you’re perceiving a call to preach, I encourage you to seek Him for direction and step out when He tells you to. True fulfillment comes from following His plan for our lives.

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.” - Jeremiah 1:5

All By Myself

Over the years I‘ve had a few individuals tell me I shouldn’t be doing street evangelism alone. They think it’s unscriptural because Jesus sent his disciples out two by two. Certainly, there are advantages to going out in pairs or groups. Deuteronomy 32:30 says that if one can chase a thousand, two can “put ten thousand to flight.” There is power in agreement.

However, that doesn’t mean Christians are useless by themselves. There are examples in the Bible where individuals ministered to others without having fellow believers with them such as Philip leading the Ethiopian eunuch to salvation (Acts 8:26-40). While I prefer having a partner with me on the streets, many times no one else has been available or willing to join me.

One day while staying at a church in Hanover, Germany, the Lord told me to go out and evangelize that afternoon. But except for handing out a couple of tracts, I resisted doing so because I wanted someone else ministering with me. While venting before the Lord in the church sanctuary, I received a revelation as to why He often has me witnessing solo. It is to overcome the fear of man. As the old saying goes, “You and God are a majority.”

Because of my disobedience, the Lord kept me in Hanover an extra day and told me to aim for ten salvations. I had to do a lot of “fishing” to find those ten souls. During this, I was also able to share many Scriptures with an atheist, a lesbian, and a young woman promoting the Green Party. After praying with my tenth person that day (a Muslim originally from Lebanon), I was walking back to the church when I felt led to approach a couple talking in front of a tattoo parlor. The woman spoke English and prayed with me to get born again. Praise God for 11 salvations that day!  

If Jesus Christ continues to tarry His Second Coming and more laws are passed restricting the preaching of the gospel, we may find ourselves in challenging situations where the Lord will expect us to testify of Him even if other believers aren’t present. Jesus said in Matthew 10:18-20 (KJV), “And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.”  

If you were waiting at a bus stop and the Lord put in on your heart to witness to an elderly person standing next to you, would you refuse to do so just because nobody else was with you? I hope not. You could be that person’s final opportunity to receive salvation.

Speaking of the elderly, I once saw a news report about an 84-year-old New Yorker named Irma Moraes. For over 40 years, Irma passed out gospel tracts alone in the Times Square area almost every day. If an 84-year-old woman can do that all by herself, then how can other Christians have an excuse for not obeying the Great Commission?

 “For many are called, but few are chosen.” - Matthew 22:14

Minutemen Ministers

In the period preceding and during the American Revolution, there were colonials who volunteered to fight the British at a minute’s notice. That’s why they were called Minutemen. During a State of the Union message nine days after the 9/11 terrorist attacks of 2001, President George W. Bush told the U. S. military “Be ready.” As soldiers in the army of the Lord, we should always be prepared for sudden opportunities to fulfill the Great Commission.

A large percentage of the people I’ve led to Christ occurred in the marketplace as opposed to planned outreaches. For example, I was walking home one night and saw five boys playing touch football in a church parking lot. A thought crossed my mind that when their football landed by me, that would be a signal for me to witness to them. Seconds later, the football bounced my way when one of the boys made a bad punt. However, I continued walking wanting time to myself. When I got home, God kept telling me to “go back.” So I put my shoes on and hurried to the parking lot where the boys were still playing. When I arrived there, one of the boys scored a touchdown. That was the right time for me to have them take a timeout. All five boys got born again.

Christians should also be prepared to minister in the house of the Lord whether it’s giving a prophetic word or a prepared sermon. This past Monday, I got to do both those things. That afternoon I arrived at Living Word Christian Center for a prayer meeting. Pastor Folu Gisanri exhorted us to pray in the Spirit and then come forward if we had something to share. The Lord led me to walk up to the front of the chapel and read a particular Scripture.

Later that night, I took part in Living Word’s regular Monday night evangelism outreach. Pastor Nick Kinn normally does a teaching before we hit the streets but decided to take the night off after leading a weekend outing in Kansas City. I was asked to take Pastor Nick’s place and felt led to share an abbreviated version of “Why You Should Be a Soul Winner”, a message I taught at another church two weeks before. My fellow soul winners were blessed and encouraged. As usual, we saw many people come into the kingdom of God that night.

The whole world could be evangelized quickly if all Christians had the dedication like that of Ray Comfort. The New Zealand-born evangelist has offered to pay $1,000 to anyone who ever catches him without a gospel tract, even if he’s by a swimming pool! I always make sure there are plenty of tracts and gospels of John on me before leaving the house. So again, I exhort you to be minutemen (or women) ministers and be ready to share the gospel at a moment’s notice.

“Be ready in season and out of season.” - 2 Timothy 4:2

The Sinner’s Prayer

I’ve been faithfully doing evangelism now for twenty-three years. During that time I’ve used a variety of gospel tracts but prefer ones that include a salvation prayer at the end. Sometimes the Lord will lead you to approach people who don’t have time to talk but are willing to read something later. One day I stopped at a convenience store in Virginia and gave a tract to a young Russian woman working behind the counter. When I happened to stop by there again the next day, this woman thanked me for the tract. I found out she prayed a prayer like the one pictured here and gotten saved!

Nevertheless, there are Christians opposed to leading people in a “sinner’s prayer.” One reason often cited is “it’s not in the Bible.” Yet we have other generally accepted traditions not specifically mentioned in Scripture. Sunday schools cannot be found in the Bible yet many churches have them. The same thing could be said about altar calls for salvation. 

“Sinner’s prayer” critics seem to think when someone is ready to get saved, he or she will initiate their own salvation. One time I went street witnessing with a minister who tried to get potential converts to cry out to be saved. I didn’t see any of them give their lives to the Lord.

Not all sinners who are convicted of their need to get right with God will immediately know what to do or say. One example in Scripture is the Philippian jailer who asked Paul and Silas, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (Acts 16:30) On the night of my conversion, I didn’t become born again until responding to my brother-in-law’s offer to pray with him. The power of God flowed through me and my life hasn’t been the same since.

The “sinner’s prayer” is simply a tool to guide people into making a decision for Christ. So the next time you witness to someone who recognizes their need for salvation, don’t be afraid to ask to pray with them. But instead of calling it the “sinner’s prayer”, I prefer the term “prayer of salvation.” Once a sinner accepts Jesus, he is no longer a sinner but a saint.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” - 2 Corinthians 5:17

“Hey, Man! You Straight?”

When the Lord allows me to, I head down to Tampa, Florida for the winter to avoid the colder weather up north. Usually, I stay at a missionary house in a low-income neighborhood referred to by locals as “Suitcase City” because of numerous transients that live there (someone once left a suitcase pictured here by the fence surrounding the property). The area has become a mission field for me. 

The first time I resided in this neighborhood of mostly Hispanics and African-Americans, quite a few of the latter approached me asking, “Hey, man! You straight?” Suspecting they were drug dealers, I always replied, “Yeah, I’m going straight to heaven. How about you? If you died right now, where would you go…heaven or hell?” Usually, they walked (or in some cases ran) away from me. 

Two days ago I was asked again by a stranger, “You straight?” After I turned the conversation into a witnessing opportunity, this man swore and walked toward a bar. Minutes later when arriving at Burger King to go online with my laptop, I decided to verify what that man wanted. Sure enough, the website urbandictionary.com states “you straight?” is “…used to find out if someone has illegal drugs…used mostly for marijuana.”

Before becoming a Christian, I regularly drank alcohol but never got into drugs. Nowadays, I encourage dealers and users to get high on the Most High God. That helps keep one on the straight and narrow.

“Enter through the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and spacious and broad is the way that leads away to destruction, and many are those who are entering through it. But the gate is narrow (contracted by pressure) and the way is straitened and compressed that leads away to life, and few are those who find it.” - Matthew 7:13-14 (AMPC)

Productive Public Preaching

When people hear the term street evangelist, some think of men and women standing in public places shouting out Bible verses. That’s one way of reaching multitudes who might not hear the gospel otherwise. Romans 10:14 says, “And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?” All the prophets of old as well as Jesus and the Apostle Paul preached in the marketplace. 

Unfortunately, many open-air preachers I’ve seen lack compassion and do not speak the truth in love. They preach more about God’s judgment than His mercy. Some call women “whores” because (in their opinion) they don’t wear enough clothing. Jesus didn’t talk like that to the woman caught in adultery. Rude preaching repels sinners instead of drawing them closer to God. 2 Timothy 2:24-25 says, “And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth”

My mentor Nick Kinn talked about a time he approached one Bible-thumping preacher who had been doing that on the streets of Minneapolis for 27 years. Pastor Nick asked this man how many people he led to Christ with his method of ministry. He answered, “None.” James 1:20 says, “for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” It’s often been said the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

Normally when evangelizing I approach people one-on-one with gospel tracts. However, I’ve preached in the open square a few times…usually on the spur of the moment. One time in Washington, DC, I encountered a man sitting on a park bench blurting Scripture with a condemning tone in his voice. I also noticed some young people a few feet away listening to this man. At that moment, I felt a stirring in my spirit and hollered out loud: “Yes, God is a god of judgment but he is also a god of love...He has made a way for your sins to be forgiven so you can know for sure you will be in heaven!” After I quoted Romans 10:9, this “preacher” yelled wicked insults at me. Since I couldn’t reason with him, I walked away and resumed one-on-one evangelizing.

Another time in Charleston, South Carolina, I went to a fishing pier with three other men. There we met a Christian couple that ended up joining us in “fishing for men.” First, we sang praise songs while passing out tracts. Then I was inspired to stand on a bench and do some open-air preaching. As people walked by, I delivered a short message emphasizing the love of God and explained why none of us are good enough to go to heaven. Later that year in New York City, I was walking through the Times Square area and ran into a group of Christians open-air preaching. They let me have the microphone for a few minutes.

Recently I've studied YouTube videos of various open-air preachers especially those who engage people in conversations instead of just preaching at them. Ray Comfort (pictured above) uses clever tactics such as asking trivia questions and giving away stuff to attract a crowd. Then he focuses on ministering to one person at a time standing on a box. Although I don’t agree with some of his teachings, I like how Ray handles hecklers without demeaning them and avoids being distracted from the main mission: showing sinners why they need a savior.

If you’re willing to go outside your comfort zone and do some open-air preaching, find someone to partner with so you can take turns ministering and keep each other covered in prayer. But always remember…it’s Christ’s love (and not finger-pointing with a faultfinding attitude) that draw sinners to Him.

“For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” - John 3:17

When the Towers Fell

Today on the fifteenth anniversary of 9/11, many people can still recall where they were and what they were doing during that tragic day. On that Tuesday morning, the Lord led me to do street ministry in Springfield, Virginia (at the time I was living in the nearby city of Manassas). The first two people I prayed with were teenaged boys on their way to school. Later while browsing around a Barnes & Noble bookstore, I overheard someone talk about a plane crash. I figured if it was something serious, I would later hear about it on the news.

Not long afterward, I walked into an electronics store and noticed people crowded around a big-screen TV. It was then I heard about the planes crashing into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon (which is only ten miles from Springfield)! Increased boldness came upon me and I altered my evangelism approach for the rest of the day. First I asked people if they heard what just happened in New York City and Washington, DC. Then I asked if they would be in heaven had they perished in one of those attacks. Sadly, many of them were still oblivious to their need for salvation. One man in a military uniform walked away from me without saying a word. Fortunately, five more people prayed to get born again including folks originally from France, India, and Romania.

The next morning, the Lord woke me up at 4:00 a.m. and told me to go back to Springfield to do more evangelism. That day I prayed with eleven people to receive salvation. One in particular was by far the most memorable. When I returned to Barnes & Noble, the instrumental music playing in the background caught my attention. I asked an employee about it and we got into a lengthy conversation. Jaime was a Spanish immigrant who was very friendly and we eventually talked about the terrorist attacks. I found out Jaime literally saw the plane crash into the Pentagon on his way to work! He then asked why God would allow things like that happen to good people. I explained to Jaime that it’s the devil that influences people to kill, steal, and destroy (John 10:10). Jaime later prayed to get born again. It was definitely a divine appointment.

There were people I knew who had close calls related to the events of 9/11…

* The wife of my then-pastor worked at the Pentagon. Her office was in the very same section that was hit by the plane, which stopped one wall short of where she was sitting! Fortunately she didn't experience serious injuries.

* The father of a friend of mine in Virginia also worked at the Pentagon. He planned on getting cash at an ATM machine where the plane later hit. This man changed his mind at the last minute. That decision saved his life.

* Two ladies I know who lived and worked at Calvary Campground in Ashland, Virginia took a trip to New York and made plans to tour the World Trade Center on the evening of September 11. It was a good thing they didn't go there earlier that day before the planes hit.

* On the National Day of Prayer and Remembrance (September 14, 2001) declared by President George W. Bush, I felt led to call a friend of mine who lived in the Philadelphia area. Ellen told me a couple we both knew was visiting her and had ministered at a New York church the Sunday before. This couple originally planned on staying in New York two more days to do some sightseeing. But the wife felt a strong prompting to get out of New York sooner.

The next time a horrific event like 9/11 happens, use that as an opportunity to share the gospel with people. Some individuals need a serious wake-up call to realize their lives can suddenly end without warning. One minister I know in New York often says, “Meet your Maker before you meet your undertaker!”

“There will be on every high mountain and on every high hill rivers and streams of waters, in the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall” - Isaiah 30:25

Our Responsibility to the Gospel

While not every Christian is called to full-time ministry, we are all called to witness to others. Jesus told His disciples “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15) One friend recently asked me if we have an individual responsibility of witnessing to certain people. There are commandments about warning people who are in sin...

“You shall surely rebuke your neighbor, and not bear sin because of him.” - Leviticus 19:17b

“When I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand.” - Ezekiel 3:18

"Let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins." - James 5:20

Mike Murdock says, “You are not called to everybody but to somebody.” God will lead us to witness to selected people. There are individuals you can reach that I can’t and vice versa. Of course, whether or not a person receives the gospel is their decision.

As we grow in our relationship with the Lord, He gives us greater responsibilities and expects us to produce more fruit for the kingdom. Jesus said in Luke 12:48, “For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.”

Who is the Lord leading you to minister to today?

“For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!” - 1 Corinthians 9:16

Too Much Information

It’s often been said the gospel is so simple it takes man to complicate it. While evangelizing with other Christians, I’ve seen some try to give out too much information. One night I hit the streets with a woman who literally preached a sermon with everyone she approached. This wasn't necessary considering some of these people were already saved.

Another time prior to an outreach I was asked to lead, the pastor suddenly handed us large flyers promoting the church plus devotionals to give away. Although two people still got saved during this outreach, we could have seen more if our focus hadn’t been diverted by the pastor’s instruction to hand out all the extra literature. We already had gospel tracts, Bibles, and business cards from the church.

Then just recently, a man showed me booklets he hands out when witnessing. In response, I showed him the “Good News” tracts I've been carrying with me. I was politely pointing out my tracts are much simpler. In our fast-paced society, many people are in a hurry and won’t take time to absorb lengthy theological explanations. Gospel tracts should take no more than a couple minutes to read.

One exception would be the cartoon tracts put out by Chick Publications. While I don’t agree with some of Jack Chick’s doctrine (especially his “King James Only” stance), I do agree with his website’s assertion that “Chick tracts get read.” One time I went evangelizing at a college fair with a friend who brought a huge variety of Chick tracts. Some of the students came back to us asking for more tracts. They were collecting them like baseball cards.

Nevertheless, a fisherman wouldn’t put a bunch of lures on a hook just to catch one fish. Likewise “fishing for men” doesn’t require overloading people with information. Unless the Lord leads otherwise, it’s best to find out quickly what their spiritual beliefs are, review the gospel if they aren’t born again, and then lead them to salvation if they are ready. 

Evangelism should be kept as simple as possible.

“For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” - 1 Corinthians 2:2

Keep Planting...and Watering

A Canadian pastor named Oswald Smith was famous for saying, “No one has the right to hear the gospel twice, while there remains someone who has not heard it once.” Certainly, I agree everyone should have the opportunity to get saved. God is “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)

Still, there are multitudes that need to hear the Good News numerous times before they will respond favorably to the call for salvation. Four years ago while ministering at a church in Illinois, I took a survey during the morning and evening services. I asked the congregation how many times they heard the gospel before they got born again. Most people didn’t raise their hands until I counted up to five or six times.

I’m also a living testimony of this truth. While attending Sunday school and going through confirmation at a Lutheran church, I was never taught I must be born again. It wasn’t until I was sixteen when I first truly heard the gospel. In the winter of 1980, my best friend David invited me to a Bible camp. There a group of Christian musicians told a story illustrating how God sacrificed His Son to bridge the gap between us and eternal life. The story planted a seed in my heart that bore fruit years later.

In June 1981 while attending a Young Life meeting another friend invited me to, a drama sketch was performed showing various individuals trying to talk to God but He wasn’t responding to their prayers. A minister then explained man became separated from God because of sin. Our prayers cannot be heard unless we make Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. I thought to myself, certainly I want God to hear my prayers. So I stood up along with a few other teenagers and publicly announced I asked Jesus to come into my heart. Back then I didn’t fully recognize the importance of what I had just done. 

Various factors influenced me to drift away from Christianity. One of them was a strong love for secular music. Twice I attended seminars put on two preachers crusading against the evils associated with rock music. Dan and Steve Peters recommended listening to “Christian rock” and gospel music only. The Contemporary Christian Music I heard back then sounded lame and outdated compared to the secular stuff I enjoyed. I thought to myself; if I have to be a good little Christian by listening to this wimpy stuff all day long, then forget it!

In 1985 I enlisted in the Army National Guard. During my active duty time, my grandparents sent letters encouraging me to go to church but I resisted attending services at the army base. I also had a fellow platoon member named Cleveland who kept urging me to get God into my life. One night while our platoon camped out in the field, some of the men talked about spiritual things. I heard one of them claim the devil is real and initially comes across as a beautiful person. At the time I didn’t believe there was such a person as the devil.

In early 1989 while I worked at a music store, a pastor and his wife stopped in to buy a synthesizer. They informed me Prince’s former bodyguard “Big Chick” Huntsberry attended their church and offered to introduce me to him. Eventually, I heard Big Chick speak at a different church. After ex-Prince guitarist Dez Dickerson sang a couple Christian songs, Chick gave his testimony. I was pleased to hear he got delivered from drug addiction but couldn’t relate to his declaration of loving Jesus Christ. I thought, how could you love somebody you can’t even see? I still had a hard time believing in the supernatural.

A year later while attending Hennepin Technical College in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, I had a classmate who told me I needed God in my life. One morning while giving Robin a ride to school, she shared testimonies of how God provided for her. Robin also invited me to a Friday night gathering that I later realized was Christian-oriented. I was still resistant to the things of God but again more seeds were planted and watered.

Finally on March 19, 1991, I prayed with my sister and her husband to receive salvation. Suddenly I recalled all the people God previously used to minister to me. Romans 10:17 says, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” The Bible also says that God confirms His word by the mouth of two or three witnesses.

We all can play a part in the harvest of souls regardless if we pray with a particular person. When I’m out evangelizing, God often leads me to people who already believe the gospel but haven’t been confronted with the need to make a decision for Christ. So whenever the Lord prompts you to witness to someone you know has repeatedly heard the Good News, don’t be disobedient. You might be the one to lead that person to eternal life.

“So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.” - 1 Corinthians 3:7-8