Importance of
SOUL WINNING
by Pastor Max Solbrekken, D.D.

I believe in mass evangelism because I have witnessed God's power to save, heal and deliver in this manner around the world.  I am also a strong believer in personal evangelism, reaching one person or one family at a time!

I was led into the evangelistic worldwide ministry - by the Holy Spirit - to win more souls for Christ, because I already was a seasoned soul-winner!  It was the thrilling experience of winning souls to the Master that set my soul on fire and was the stepping stone for this great ministry in which God has placed me.

I believe it was because I was faithful to Him as a traveling (commercial) businessman among the ungodly and sinful, that He saw fit to use me on a greater scale.  I am a preacher today because I was a soul winner then!  I am not a preacher because I received religious education, but because I heard the Voice of God and won precious souls to Christ, and eventually God placed me where I could reach more souls for His glory.

I am not a preacher because I attended Bible College of Seminary, but because I am a soul winner and have a burden on my heart for the lost.  Ever since my conversion, however, my hunger for God's Word has increased and I have studied theology and related subjects for more than 50 years!

D.L. Moody was one of America's greatest Evangelists.  As a young man he was converted to Christ and began winning souls for Jesus.  He left his job as a shoe salesman in a department store in Chicago and worked among the poor in that city.  His first church was comprised of 200 street urchins!

D.L. Moody made this strong statement: "Shame on the Christianity of the 19th century.  It is a weak and sickly thing.  Would to God we had a few men like Daniel living here today."

His philosophy of Ministry could be summed up by this brief statement: 'Ruined by Sin; Redeemed by the Blood; Regenerated by the Holy Spirit'.  Let us examine and expand on his sermon outline, defining the plight of man because of rebellion and sin, as well his redemption through the Blood of Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit.

RUINED BY SIN

"All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the Lord hath laid upon Him the iniquity of us all." (Isaiah 53:6);  "Wherefore as by one man, sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." (Romans 5:12);

"For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23); "For the wages of SIN is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:23)

REDEEMED  BY THE BLOOD

"For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.  But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  Much more than being now justified by His blood, we are saved from wrath through Him."

"For if, when we were reconciled to God by the DEATH of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life." (Romans 5:8, 10)  "If we walk in the Light as He is in the Light, we have fellowship one with another, and the Blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin." (1 John 1:7)

REGENERATED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT

"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of Regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.  Which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour." (Titus 3:5, 6)

Jesus answered, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." (John 3:5,6)

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17)

JOHN WESLEY in the Twelve Rules, writes: "Soul saving was their supreme task - You have nothing to do but save souls.  Therefore, spend your time and be spent in this work.  It is not your business to preach so many times; but to save as many souls as you can; to bring as many sinners as you possibly can to repentance, and with all your power to build them up in that holiness, without which they cannot see the Lord."

WILLIAM BRAMWELL was a powerful Methodist preacher who excelled in winning souls for the Master.  From Memoir of William Bramwell:  "He was not, as the words are commonly understood, 'a great preacher'.  But if that man, is the best physician who performs the most cures, that is the best preacher who is the instrument of bringing the greatest number of souls to God, and in this view Mr. Bramwell will be entitled to rank among the greatest and best Christian Ministers."

JOHN OXTOBY testified: "I am witnessing daily the conversion of sinners.  I seldom go out but God give me some fruit."

JOHN SMITH - From the Life of John Smith: "I have often seen him come downstairs in the morning after several hours in prayer, with his eyes swollen from weeping.  He would soon introduce the subject of his anxiety by saying, I am a broken-hearted man; yes, indeed, I am an unhappy man; not for myself; but on account of others.  God has given me such a sight of the value of precious souls that I cannot live if souls are not saved.  Oh, give me souls, or else I die."

FREDRIK FRANSEN:  FIRE PROPHET

Fredrik Fransen was called 'The Fire Prophet'.  He was the leader of the Mission Covenant Church in Norway.  He made this statement: "If a person has a guitar and has won a soul to Christ, he is qualified to be an evangelist."

Fredrik Fransen was an itinerant Gospel preacher in Norway around the turn of the 19th century.  At that time it was almost impossible for the Minister to conduct Gospel meetings outside the Lutheran State Church.

Fredrik Fransen had been invited to stay at the home of Anders Nor an elderly man while evangelizing the city of Alesund, which lies near the ocean.  His work came to an abrupt halt when an agitated crowd turned ugly and threatening.

The preacher was told in no uncertain terms that he was not wanted there, and a very large gathering of town's people literally chased him out of Alesund.  He stopped on the edge of town and faced the mob with these words, "As you have driven me out of your city, one day all of you will flee from this city on this very road."

About a year later, a fire started when a cow kicked a torch in the Alesund Preserving Company's factory at 2:00 am on January 23, 1904.  A gale from the sea propelled the fire forward and almost the entire City burned to the ground.

The fire leaped over the house belonging to Anders Nor, the man who had given the preacher lodging.  It is still preserved as a 'heritage site' until today.  As the fire swept across the city devouring almost everything in its path, the owner of the house fell to his knees and prayed.  His relatives said: "Hurry, you, old religious nut.  Get out and run for your life."

He answered: "I didn't start the fire and I'm not leaving."  They said: "We are all carrying what we can to the top of the mountain.  We will take your furniture, you old fool.  You will die."  He answered: "You are free to take what you want.  I didn't start the fire and I'm staying."

An angel of God had spoken to ANDERS NOR that evening before the fire began informing him that there would be a fire, but he must not leave his home because he would be safe and his house would be spared!

The fire  jumped over his house.  It raced up the mountainside to the lookout (a restaurant is presently there) and burned everyone's furniture.  True to the Preacher's words, thousands of people 'literally ran for their lives' away from the fire in Alesund, down the very road they had chased Fredrik Fransen.

At the 100th anniversary of the fire on January 23, 2004, I was preaching in that city and was invited to the Museum at midnight to hear the history and enjoy some musical renditions performed by a famous orchestra.

WHAT DOES ALL THIS MEAN?

Pastor Haaken Nilsen introduced me to the Curator informing him that I could speak Norwegian and that I knew the history of Fredrik Fransen.  The Museum's Curator said that the house had recently been struck from the tour, and he would be pleased if I would relate to the crowd the story of Fredrick Fransen and the reason the fire did not engulf that house.

I stood on a chair at about 2:00 am and shared with several hundred diehard history buffs the events leading up the Alesund fire and that God not only loves us but also judges mankind because of our sins.  Everyone there was very attentive, and I prayed for their city and all their loved ones!

God has not changed His Word or methodology to please some arrogant, proud, so-called intellectual academics who parade themselves as knowing more than the Holy Spirit and our Lord Jesus Christ!

Yet, the Church of Jesus Christ has pulled back from the front lines of battle against the Devil.  Fear has overcome faith and secular humanism has trumped genuine spirituality.  Some of God's servants are intimidated by the pervading philosophy of political correctness, evolutionary theory, and new age teaching.

They have traded the Truth for a Lie and bought into the philosophy that God no longer works miracles and that we must discount the Bible and put our trust in the arm of the flesh!

Many preachers have inadvertently been deceived by the phraseology of the Higher Critics who have cleverly implanted doubts by parsing certain words in the Bible.  They have insidiously driven a wedge between Almighty God and His Own Word!

HOW CAN YOU TRUST GOD IF YOU CANNOT TRUST HIS WORD?

Those men in the interest of their profession as theologians trained in linguistics - singularly or in concert with colleagues - often make pronouncements, depending on their own preconceived ideas which often leads to doubts about the mean of certain texts.

In his book GOD HAS SPOKEN, J. I. Packer writes: "Mesmerized by the problems of rationalistic criticism, we can no longer hear the Bible as the Word of God.

"Liberal Theology, in its pride, has long insisted that we are wiser than our fathers about the Bible and must not read it as they did, but must base our approach to it on the 'assured results' of criticism, making due allowance for human imperfections and errors of its authors.

"This insistence has a threefold effect.  It produces a new papalism - the infallibility of the scholars, from whom we learn what the 'assured results' are.  It raises a doubt about every single passage, as to whether it truly embodies revelation or not.

"And it destroys the reverent, receptive, self-distrusting attitude of approach to the Bible, without which it cannot be known to be God's Word written. (Article XX)

MARTIN LUTHER stated: "By God's grace I know Satan very well.  If Satan can turn God's Word upside down and PERVERT the scriptures, what will he do with my words or words of others?"

The Devil (gr. liar) is an accomplished LIAR!  Jesus called him by three names: Satan which mean adversary, the Devil which means liar, and Beelzebub meaning 'the god of flies'.

The sorry commentary of Christendom today, is not that we have too few preachers but that we have too many of the wrong kind!  Too many over educated, professional, seminary-made preachers and too few of the Christ-like, earnest, sincere, God-made preachers!

Too many of those who are man appointed and too few of those who are God anointed!  Christendom today, is plagued with professional men who have the knowledge in their heads but no conviction, burden, or compassion in their hearts.  Preachers with degrees behind their names but no temperature in their hearts!

A RETURN TO CHRIST'S GOSPEL

O’ Lord, we must have a return to the hard-hitting, soul-searching preaching of John the Baptist, who called black - black, and white - white!  We need to again hear the Word of God as presented by Jesus and His disciples, accompanied by the "signs following" that He promised in Mark 16:15-20.

We must hunger for the anointed words presented by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ as He walked on earth - the love and compassion that filled His heart and showed in His life by the good deeds, miracles, healing and manifold blessings which He showered on those who were in need!

May we take a clear cut stand against sin and iniquity as He did - not only a tender pleading for the wayward to come back to the Father (Luke 15), but a rebuking and exposing of the religious, self righteous pharisaical hypocrite. (Matthew 23)

Jesus let people know where He stood in regards to right and wrong.  Let us follow His footsteps today.  May we return to the not too polished but easy to understand, forceful, anointed preaching of John Wesley, Charles Finney and D.L. Moody, calling sin what it is and warning men and women of God's judgment upon sinners, so they might flee from the wrath to come!

Let us return to the pure unadulterated Word of God as preached by Billy Sunday - that great champion of the faith - as he campaigned against wickedness and unrighteousness on every level; not afraid to openly name and condemn the sins of the people.

Oh, how offended God must be of the weak-kneed, afraid to offend, social soft-sell preachers, who are so educated and polished that God can't use them.  Sadly, their flowery message skirts the subject, floating somewhere in beautiful oratory above most people's heads.

DON'T HUMANIZE THE GOSPEL

We must not glamorize, allegorize, rationalize, or humanize the Gospel.  Let it be as it is!  Tell it the way Jesus told it and the way Peter, Paul and Philip told it.  Tell it and let God do the rest.  He is capable.  Hallelujah!

Something has gone drastically wrong, not only in the Ministry but also among the average church attending individual.  What has happened in the pulpit has had its death-dealing effect upon the pew and those who sit in it.

I could compare it with the chilling blasts of the north wind that tightens its grip around those who are held in its spell too long.  With devastating results, it brings a deep freeze that robs the sense of awareness, causing the victim to lose consciousness!

In the same manner the lifeless monotone sermons, without conviction and spiritual fervor of many preachers, has brought a cold, death like atmosphere into many churches!  This milieu causes members to be slowly lulled to sleep, in its spiritual deep freeze, to eventually wake up in a lost eternity!

What we need today is the FIRE of the HOLY GHOST to thaw out the frozen condition of Church members and start a revival for the Glory of God.  Yes, the Church needs to be REVIVED and set on fire to do the work that Christ has called us to do!

The Church needs a Divine stirring and shaking to awaken us all to the task which lies before us.  The Scripture says, "Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light." (Ephesians 5:14)

The duty of every Christian is to be a soul winner for Christ.  We must be about our Father's business.  Time is running out and tragically, we are losing in our battle against evil and unrighteousness!

The Bible says, Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh above, seeking whom he may devour." (1 Peter 5:8)  He knows his time is short, and therefore, he is doing all he can to thwart our efforts, nullify our work and bring confusion to reign, even among the saints.

The facts are stacking up against us, but we do not walk by sight, but by faith.  However, we must accept the facts, evaluate our situation, find a workable plan, and then put it into force for the glory of God.

The facts are that one out of every five persons in the world is a Muslim and the religion of Islam is spreading with a tremendous speed.  Murderous followers of Islam are decimating the Church in Muslim nations, raping, kidnapping and beheading followers of the Crucified and Risen Jesus of Nazareth.

And many Christians in the west are mostly silent and prayer-less, lulled to sleep and taken up with the prosperity doctrine while forgetting the primary message of Christ's gospel.

The Hindu population of India accounts for over one billion people.  Buddhism, Confucianism and Shintoism cover most of Japan and other Asian nations, while the New Age Movement is deceiving millions through this occult teachings!

According to experts who study these demographics - because of the population explosion in the world today, there are more people alive now than have lived on the earth during all the preceding generations collectively.

Also, unless there is an outstanding supernatural revival of Christianity across the globe, the world will eventually become completely heathen having been swallowed up by pagan forces.

Oh, what a responsibility we have to propagate the Gospel, to be fervent in prayer, diligent in witnessing about Christ, grounded in the concrete teachings of God's Word and constantly filled with the Holy Spirit, so that we will shine as bright lights in this world, dispelling the darkness of evil and sins of every nature and kind.

What a privilege is ours in this needy generation to do something about the situation that exists, to put our shoulder to the wheel and by God's grace, help shape the destiny of our homes, our communities, our nation and the world!

Say not, that it cannot be done!  Say not, it is too late and the world is too wicked.  Only believe, have faith in God and then put your faith to work for Christ.  As long as this old world stands and the Holy Spirit is still here and we are still living in the day of grace, it is not too late and something can be done to correct the condition that now exists.

Just look at the conditions that existed 2000 years ago when Jesus Christ came to earth with the message of God's love.  The Jewish people rejected their long-awaited Messiah. (John 1:12)

His own nation, out of envy and fear of losing privilege, conspired against their own Messiah.  He was tried by a Judaic kangaroo Court, turned over to the Roman Empire, scourged and crucified, while the angry mob jeered Him.   And three days later, God raised Him from the dead!

After GOD had poured out the gift of the Holy Spirit upon 120 dedicated, spiritually hungry men and women in the upper room, they went everywhere dispensing the Good News!  As they carried Christ's message to the world, the Holy Spirit confirmed the Word that they preached, with signs following. (Mark 16:20)

They turned the world upside down (Acts 17:6) and filled Jerusalem with the doctrine of Jesus Christ. (Acts 5:28)  One hundred and twenty men and women, filled with the Holy Spirit, made such an impact upon the world that everyone knew Jesus Christ was risen from the dead!

In the Dark Ages that followed, the Church became corrupt and perverted.  A mix of Paganism and Christianity produced Roman Catholicism, which became the authority in the greater part of the earth.

The "smoke of Satan had entered the Sanctuary".  The Papacy became so corrupt and blood thirsty that it would do anything to keep complete control.

Yet, in this situation, one man stood up to Rome's murderous system, calling the Pope the anti-Christ and a liar.  He burned 'The Papal Bull' and spearheaded a revival under God which split Germany down the middle and brought revival to the world!

That man, MARTIN LUTHER, was consumed with the Gospel of Christ.  He refused to be "buffaloed and intimidated" by the powerful "enemies of the cross" and took a stand for the truth!  Martin Luther's philosophy of ministry is evident in this powerful statement: "I live as though Jesus Christ died yesterday, arose today and is coming again tomorrow."

My friend do not say it is impossible.  All things are possible to them that believe! (Mark 9:23)  Martin Luther and many others have proved that to be so!

The purpose of this book is to stir up the Christian Church to realize the lateness of the hour, the urgency of our work as Ambassadors for the Kingdom of God, the sad condition of the backsliding churches and the possibility of reviving them!

We have the opportunity, privilege, and duty to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ in this midnight hour to the lost of our generation, praying and believing that they will be saved.

I prayerfully dedicate this book to the many who will, after reading it, become inspired of God to become genuine soul winners for the Lord Jesus Christ.  One of the wonderful things about the Christ, is His wide appeal to all mankind.

His invitation is to all, any and everyone regardless of colour, race, culture, sex, age, or educational, social, and religious background!  Jesus said, "I have come to seek and to save the LOST."  (Luke 19:10)  Again He stated, "For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to SAVE them." (Luke 9:56); "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw ALL MEN unto Me." (John 12:32)  What an amazing promise, as touching His mandate!

The Bible says, "For God so loved the WORLD that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the World through Him might be SAVED." (John 3:16-17)

St. Luke stated, "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and power, who went about doing good and Healing all who were oppressed of the devil, for God was with Him." (Acts 10:38)  St. John declared, "For this purpose, the Son of God was manifested that He might destroy the works of the devil." (1 John 3:8)

The PROPHET cried, "Ho, everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye buy and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.”

“Seek ye the Lord while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near: Let the WICKED forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon." (Isaiah 55:1,6,7)

God's Word of RECONCILIATION reaches out repeatedly to the sinful nation of Israel and a pagan world: "Come now, let us reason together saith the Lord.  Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; Though they be red as crimson, they shall be as white as wool." (Isaiah 1:18)

Jesus said, "If you have seen Me you have seen the Father.  If ye had known Me, ye should have known My Father also: and from henceforth ye know Him and have seen Him...he that hath seen Me hath seen the Father." (John 7:9)

Jesus said, "I am My Father are one." (John 10:30)  Then Jesus sent out His disciples to preach the glorious Word: "Come unto Me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28); "Him that cometh unto Me, I will in no wise cast out." (John 6:37)

Although God chose Israel as His own special nation, through which He would save the world and to be His special vehicle to bless mankind, they rejected Him when He did come.

The Bible states: "He came unto His own and His own received Him not, but to as many as received, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His Name." (John 1:11,12)

ONWARD CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS

WILLIAM BOOTH, founder of the Salvation Army stated: "The thing that I fear for the next century is that there will be: Religion without the Holy Ghost, Christianity without Christ, Salvation without Regeneration, Forgiveness without Repentance, Politics without God, Heaven without Hell!"

RICHARD BAXTER, the power Puritan preacher stated: "I preach like a dying man to dying men.  Every time I preach as if it were the last time I would preach."

JOHN WESLEY prayed, "O' God, give me 100 men, and I care not a straw whether they be clergyman or plowmen, who love nothing but GOD and fear nothing but SIN.   And by these alone, I will close the gates of Hell and build the Kingdom of God."

C.T. STUDD, reporting on the Belgian Congo Revival of 1914, wrote: "The whole place was charged as if with an electric current.  Men were falling, jumping. laughing, crying, singing, confessing and some shaking terribly.... This particular one can be described as a spiritual tornado.  People were literally flung to the floor or over the forms, yet no one was hurt.  As I led in prayer the Spirit came down in mighty power sweeping the congregation.  My whole body trembled with power.  We saw a marvelous sight, people literally filled and drunk with the Spirit." (W.E.C. 1954:1215 Pratney 1984:267)

ARTHUR PITTPITTS, Anglican Archdeacon wrote in Sept 1936, regarding the famous East African Revival which began in Rwanda in June 1936 and spread rapidly to Burundi, Uganda, and Congo:

“I have been to all the stations where this REVIVAL is going on, and they all have the same story to tell.  The fire was alight in all of them before the middle of June, but during the last week in June it burst into a wild flame which, like the African grass fire before the wind, cannot be put out." (Osborn 1991:21)

Our SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST stated: "Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh Harvest?  Behold I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest." (John 4:35); "I must work the works of Him that sent Me, while it is day: the night cometh when no man can work." (John 9:4)  Amen.

Max Solbrekken World Mission Box 44220 RPO Garside, Edmonton AB T5V 1N6; Email: [email protected]; comehometojesus.ca; Blog: MSWM;  YouTube; Facebook; Donations can be sent by e-Transfer. Send your donation to [email protected]. Thank you very much and may God richly  bless you. Amen.