A SOUL-WINNING STATION

 

“So those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about 3,000 people were added to them.  And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to the prayers.

Then fear came over everyone, and many wonders and signs were being performed through the apostles.  Now all the believers were together and held all things in common.  They sold their possessions and property and distributed the proceeds to all, as anyone had a need.  Every day they devoted themselves [to meeting] together in the temple complex, and broke bread from house to house.  They ate their food with a joyful and humble attitude, praising God and having favor with all the people.  And every day the Lord added to them those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:41-47 HCSB)

I am a “Trekkie.” I’m not ashamed to admit that since childhood, I have been captivated with Star Trek. I still get chills when I hear the theme music begin to play and the Captain says, “Space: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the Starship Enterprise.  Its continuing mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no one has gone before.” 

But we know that’s fantasy, so let me tell you an even more exciting reality. The church has a continuing mission…to boldly go where we’ve never been before. There is a world waiting to hear about Jesus. That mission began in the first century with the bold witness of believers and is still our call today.

It is not likely we will ever enter a space station, but we can become a soul-winning station! How can we do this?  We turn to our launching pad called the Word of God, and listen to the Voice from Mission Control, while the Holy Spirit’s fire ignites our engines.  Ready for take-off?

The church that is a soul-winning station features A WORSHIP THAT EXALTS THE LORD.

“Every day they devoted themselves [to meeting] together in the temple complex, and broke bread from house to house.  They ate their food with a joyful and humble attitude, praising God and having favor with all the people.  And every day the Lord added to them those who were being saved.” (v.46-47) 

Christ was the focus of all they did.  Salvation is only found in His name.  His followers came to be known as “Christians” because their lives were all about Him.  It was the Lord who was adding to the church—only He can.

The worship of these early Christians was an exuberant celebration of eternal life. It was an encounter with the Risen Lord. Notice that there was a direct link between their worship of the Lord and the winning of the lost.

Some might argue that worship is for the saints and not for sinners.  It is true that only those who know Christ can properly be said to worship Him, so what is the value of inviting lost people to come to a worship service?   

Well, if it’s just to see some ho-hum religious ritual and listen to some boring jargon they don’t understand—not much. But that’s not the way God means for it to be.

Jesus is alive!   He is encountered in an environment where He is exalted!  Our worship is not a funeral, but a festival!   

Two outstanding things happen when we worship in spirit and truth which lead to soul-winning:

1)     Saints are motivated in their commission.  We are empowered to go and share Jesus with the lost outside our church building.

2)     Sinners are moved toward their conversion.  They see something they don’t have and sense something they need.

This leads us to our next point: the church that is a soul-winning station also has A WITNESS THAT EVANGELIZES THE LOST.

“So those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about 3,000 people were added to them.” (v.41) 

That was a pretty good response to the Gospel invitation!  As important as inviting people to church is—not everyone will come. The vast majority will never attend, so we must go to them. These Christians took it to the streets.

Some will argue that such a confrontational method will not work.  My answer to that is, “I like that way of sharing the Gospel better than the way most don’t share it!” 

Doubtless, there are doors that will be closed—gated communities that you cannot enter and those who refuse to come to the door.  But, what if only one soul is saved?  Isn’t that worth the effort?

There is power in the Gospel. Paul said, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes…” (Rom. 1:16a).  The question is, “Do we believe that?”  We practice daily what we truly believe—all the rest is just religious talk.  There are people who will enter Heaven’s door someday because a soul-winner knocked on their door one day.

Coupled with this go and tell strategy, there can be a come and hear invitation.  The soul-winning church has A WELCOME THAT EMBRACES WITH LOVE.

“So those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about 3,000 people were added to them.  And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to the prayers.

Then fear came over everyone, and many wonders and signs were being performed through the apostles.  Now all the believers were together and held all things in common.” (v.41-44) 

The world looked at those early Christians and marveled how they loved each other. Too often today the church is known for its conflict more than its compassion.  We preach about love but practice little.  People look at our strife and brand us as hypocrites.  The wait staff at the café often dread the rude way they are treated when the saints come marching in after service.  When they overhear a Sunday lunch conversation, do they hear members of the church having roast preacher or searing some fellow Christian with scorching criticism?  If so, the church’s goose is cooked!

The church today may be known more for what we are against than what we are for!  Some are born-again, and some are born against!  That’s not very winsome.  We need to confront sin, and warn of judgment, but never in such a way that it sounds like we are glad that sinners are going to hell or convey a self-righteous attitude as though our own goodness is commending us to God. 

How much love do people see exhibited by us? Sitting in the local church we attend, would a stranger among us hear complaints like, “I don’t like that song” or “I was in the hospital and the pastor didn’t visit me” or “it’s always too cold in here.”  That makes people want to join!

Our church needs to be a welcoming place. We must offer a handshake and a smile. Reach out to new people and make friends for Jesus.  Jesus was a friend of sinners—and we should be!  I had lunch with a lost young man this week who didn’t look like your typical churchgoer, and he commented how a few folks stared at him when he came into our service.  Such attitudes are indefensible.

The soul-winning church has A WORD THAT EDUCATES THE LISTENER.

“So those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about 3,000 people were added to them.  And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to the prayers.” (v.41-42)

The preaching and teaching of the Scripture had evangelistic power.   A Sunday School class that meets on campus or a small group that meets off campus—either one can be a platform for sharing the Gospel.  These can provide a non-threatening environment where people can ask questions, express doubts, discuss issues, experience ministry—hopefully an up-close encounter with authentic Christianity.

We don’t have a new message and don’t have to always be looking for a novel method.  The Word of God is the seed of eternal life.  No one is saved apart from it.  If we get a lost person attending Bible study, invariably they’ll be converted.

The Gospel needs to be shared in songs and sermons.  Those who are saved need to be reminded of where they were and where they might be headed had not someone told them about Jesus.  Then, there will be those who may be members of the local church that have never had a saving encounter with Christ.  I have seen those who have had their name on a church roll for a long time understand the Gospel for the first time and trust in Christ.  Some lost people who know they are will come if invited—more than we might imagine.  On any given Sunday, where the Word of God is proclaimed in faithfulness, a sinner can be saved.  It should happen all the time.

The church that is a soul-winning station further features A WORK THAT EXHIBITS TRUE LIFE.

“Now all the believers were together and held all things in common.  They sold their possessions and property and distributed the proceeds to all, as anyone had a need.” (v.44-45) 

If people are going to see Jesus, they are going to have to see Him in us.  That was certainly the case in the early church.  People will not listen to our speech about God’s love, if we don’t show it.  Often we have to earn the right to be heard.  Ministry in the physical dimension can open doors of receptivity in the spiritual dimension.  Someone who has an empty stomach may have no interest in the Bread of Heaven until we give them some bread from the oven.  Exhibiting compassion to a needy soul can pave the way to their experiencing conversion.

Do people see what real life is all about?  Do they see Jesus in us?  Our hands are His hands extended to a lost world.  Our voice is His to speak His message of hope.  Our feet are His to go into every corner of the world with the Gospel.  The church is His Body.

The church is also His Bride.  Our love for the Lord should be evident.  Our faithfulness to Him should be unwavering.

Several years ago, there was a dramatic news story featuring the “Runaway Bride.” Jennifer Wilbanks drew national attention when she disappeared just before her wedding.  Many were fearful she was the victim of foul play—but it was cold feet. Jennifer was afraid to say, “I do.”

Before we heap too much scorn on her, maybe we need to face the fact that we’ve often done the same thing.  We’re afraid of commitment to Christ, afraid when called upon to publicly stand for Him, reluctant, when asked if we follow Christ, to say, “I do.”  It is time to publicly express our love for Christ in a compelling manner.  It is time to stand up and speak up.

God grant that our churches become soul-winning stations!  May we boldly go where no one has gone before!