What Does It Mean To Be A Soul Winner?
Michael Noel

We have all heard preaching about being a Soul Winner. Some have preached people to the point of guilt and condemnation for not winning a Soul. Some have even preached that you can’t go to heaven unless you are a Soul Winner. And I’m sure many have preached that we all need to win a soul in 2012. But, do we really know what it means to win a soul? We designate certain people as Soul Winners, but what does that mean? Before I go too far I should mention that winning souls is referred to in scripture. “… he that winneth souls is wise.” Proverbs 11: 30. There are many other scriptures that tell us that souls need to be won and the lost need to be reached.

So, what does it mean to be a soul winner and who really is a soul winner? Well the short answer is that we all are. All Christians, Apostolics, Christ Followers or whatever it is you call yourself – we are all soul winners. That’s right we are all soul winners. You may have never taught “Search for Truth”, “Light for Living” or “Exploring God’s Word” in someone’s home. You may have never laid hands on someone and they received the Holy Ghost. You may have never knocked on a stranger’s door and invited them to church. But you are a soul winner.
The truth is that it takes a multitude of people to win a soul. Someone may pray that hearts would be softened and doors would be opened. Someone had to be kind, considerate, polite, hospitable and friendly at some point. Someone may have talked to them about God. Someone would have invited them to a church service, fellowship or event. Someone would have helped to build that church building. Someone would have given the money to help build that building. Ok, so maybe you think I’m going too far with this? Actually I’m not. As a matter of fact I have not even scratched the surface. Let me give you a little illustration of something I witnessed lately.

The Church service had already begun as some new people walked into the church. The church was pretty well packed except for some seats in the every front and a few scattered seats here and there. The pastor is thinking “Oh Man, Now What?” Almost immediately someone moves the jackets that were on some seats. The long time, tithe paying members of the church that usually sits in the very back move to the very front row. That is what I would call Soul winning. So we can add to the list jacket movers and seat changers are soul winners.

Here is something we all have to understand. Everything we do inside the church building and outside the church building has an effect on souls. Praying, being kind, door knocking, cleaning the church, shoveling someone’s driveway; taking someone for coffee, inviting someone to church and so much more. All of these things are involved in soul winning.
From being a Godly neighbor to a Christ like young person in school. From the preacher to the Sunday school teacher. From the bus driver to the janitor. We are all soul winners. So there is no confusion let me be clear – if you are a Christian, Apostolic, Christ Follower etc., you are a soul winner. Why? Because you will pray for the lost. You will be kind. You will be friendly. You will invite people to church. You will talk about God to others. You will teach Sunday school. You will clean the church. You will give. You will drive people. You will do whatever you can. Because you are a Soul Winner.

Oh and by the way in the end it’s God that saves them not us. He gives the increase. He adds to the church daily. So after all of us have done all we could its still God that gets the credit and should get the Glory.

This article What Does It Mean To Be A Soul Winner? by Michael Noel was excerpted from: The Atlantic District Messenger, April 2012. It may be used for study & research purposes only.