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THE KEY IS LEADERSHIP

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(Be sure and listen to the great gospel songs)



HAS IT COME TO THIS?


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SOUL WINNING IN THE CONTEMPORARY CHURCH


soul winning


By Ken Blue


I never thought I would see the day when churches that emphasize soul winning would be castigated as the downfall of America. Yep, you heard me right. There are those who say the reason for the corruption in America is that pastors and evangelist have focused on soul winning instead of politics.


Someone has a screw loose in their head if they think there is anything more important than getting people saved and keeping them out of hell. Those who teach this are only excusing their own lack of soul winning and their unconcern for the lost. Jesus said He came to seek and save the lost. Also, as My Father hath sent me, even so send I you. In the parables of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son, we are told three times that there is more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who gets saved than 99 people who are already saved.


These deceived souls don’t believe a pastor can do more than one thing at a time. The pastor is to do the work of an evangelist/missionary by getting people saved and starting new churches. The pastor is also to feed the flock the Word of God so they can grow thereby. Any pastor who lays down the ministry of soul winning is disobedient to God and will watch his self-righteous church die.


It is strange we don’t hear any criticism of Dr. Jack Hyles or Dr. Rice who put soul winning at the top of the list. Pastors are commanded to preach the Word, not the ideology of other evangelist or pastors. Don’t go to seed on any subject, but if you must, make it soul winning. God will be pleased with you, and a sinner will thank you. Your soul winning church is not the cause of the downfall of America or anyone else.


 


 


“ROUND UP DAY” AT BIBLE BAPTIST CHURCH


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By Pastor Al Hughes


Sunday, October 3, we held a “Round-Up Day” at our church. On this special day we all dress “western” style. The church facility is decorated in a cowboy theme. Our guest preacher was Dr. Gene Howard, nationally know “John Wayne” impersonator (www.GeneHoward.org).


We put a lot of effort into promoting this day. First, we send out several mailings alerting people of the Round-Up. Our G.R.O.W. ministry makes many contacts inviting people to come. Ads are placed in the local newspapers two weeks before the special day.


The day before Round-Up Day, we sent teams to one of the busiest intersections in our city to wave professionally made signs promoting our church and the special day. We have a team of “sign-wavers” on each corner of the intersection so no one can miss us. Dr. Gene Howard, all dressed up in his “John Wayne” attire, joined us as we waved signs to passerby’s. His presence really attracted people to notice our signs (see attached picture and www.GeneHoward.blogspot.com).


Another thing we did to encourage people to invite visitors was award free gift cards to Famous Dave’s Bar-B-Q to the ones who brought in the most “strays” (visitors). A couple of people brought in five “strays” each!


God saw fit to bless our efforts with a full auditorium of people, over 20 visitors, and five people coming to trust Christ as Savior. Four of these visitors came as a result of seeing us sign waving the day before, and one of them also got saved! (Sign waving really works if it is done right.)


I want to highly recommend Dr. Gene Howard to any church or pastor who would like to have a special patriotic or “Round-Up Day.” His visual message on “Freedom and Sacrifice” is an excellent sermon that ties the sacrifice of our forefathers to secure our freedom in America to the sacrifice of Christ to provide freedom from sin. I’ve never heard a better Gospel presentation (preached with a “John Wayne” flare, of course). His sermons on “The Alamo” and the “The Big Ring Rifle” are also great sermons with Biblical applications.


DOES GOD CARE ABOUT NUMBERS


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By Ken Blue


Often we hear preachers, in their pious zeal, state that God does not care about numbers; He only cares about our spiritual condition. That is, God is more concerned about quality than He is quantity. Now, I agree that the last part of that statement is correct. God is more concerned about the spiritual condition of a church than He is about its attendance. However, I have observed that many pastors justify their lack of numerical growth by assuming their little group is ultra-spiritual.


If conditions are conducive in your location for growth, I doubt the health or spirituality of your church if you are not reaching the lost. A church is not spiritual because it is large or small. However, a small church that has no goals, plans, or desire to reach the lost is not spiritual. It is lazy. The way pastors justify their stagnation is by finding fault with those churches that are reaching the numbers. They suggest that these churches are not doing things God’s way; that is the reasons for the growth. The reasons given for their own lack of growth is; “we are doing things God’s way.”


God does care about numbers. John 3:16 says He loved the world enough to die for people. There is a book in the Bible called Numbers! God had the people numbered. The commission is to go to all the world and to every creature. In the parable of the great supper, God was upset that his house was not full. He re-commissioned His servant to get anyone who would come that His house might be filled. Also, He counted the sheep and noticed that one was missing. So, those pastors who are excusing their lack of outreach by pretending they would rather have a spiritual church, while criticizing growing churches, are hiding behind a spider web of hypocrisy.   


A wise pastor realizes that you don’t have to sacrifice spiritual maturity for outreach, nor do you sacrifice outreach for spiritual maturity. A healthy church will work to balance all that is required of the church. The church is commanded to reach the lost and get them into the church. It is commanded to mature the believers through sound doctrine and unity. Then, each believer is to be trained how to serve the Lord. This involves more than soul winning and tithing. Finally, the church should producing pastors and missionaries. You don’t drop or ignore any of these. Like the juggler, all four of these ministries must be in the air at all times.


A danger for all churches is that they turn inward and focus only on their little family. This may look good and feel good, but it is not good, nor a sign that your church is healthy or godly. God does care about numbers; numbers are people, and God wants your church to reach them and bring them into your church.


OPEN DOOR BAPTIST, PASTOR MURPHY, AND THE GRACE OF GOD DID IT AGAIN!


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By Ken Blue


Hey Pastor! Sunday, August 29th, Open Door Baptist had 2 professions of faith, 21 people joined the church, 14 baptisms, 27 visitors, 540 in attendance and 51 people to take the 101-401 disciple class! God continues to bless in an unusual way under the leadership of Pastor Murphy. This growth continued right through the summer months.


If you are tired of the same old negative hash, the axe grinding, the hobbyhorses, and the hairsplitting, you need to contact Pastor Murphy for some practical help on what they are doing to reach people and get them enrolled in their discipleship ministry.


Your church can grow if you have a vision, desire, and proper information on how to reach people. Someone has said, “Where there is no vision, the people perish, and where there are no people, the vision perishes.”


Pastor Murphy can be reached at: http://www.opendoorbaptist.com/index.asp.