Two Examples About Evangelism

(by Bill Stevenson)

I do not like the phrase "soul winner" which is taken from the implication of such in a Old
Testament Proverb before the Gospel. I think it is used for pride and arrogance feelings. The
first church I was in Lewisville, Texas, bragged about rewarding individuals with fish hook pins
for each time they led someone to Christ. I like what the Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians,
some till the ground, some plant seed, some water, and some harvest. So true Christians should
be just sensitive to the Holy Spirit and heed to the urgings to do any of those 4 things for
evangelism. He has used me more for the first three, probably more for the first two. But with
any successes in any of the four areas and teaching more Bible to Christians, I give God the full
glory because it is only because of the Holy Spirit that I have done such. I do not like being
complimented. I don't want fish hook pins or to be declared a "soul winner". What does
"winner" indicate? Then are there "soul loosers"? The Holy Spirit is the expert and knows the
needs of the individuals we meet.

Back in the Fall of 1968, two "Jesus freaks" wanted to talk to me when I was going to the New
College experiment in San Jose, California. I normally don't begin spiritual conversations. I
wait for the opportunity to turn the conversation to spiritual. I think that just because I was
clean-cut and polite, they thought I must be wise spiritually. They told me that things go fine
when they are sharing their testimonies about getting converted from drugs etc. to Christianity,
but once they start quoting Scripture, others don't want to hear anymore. At that time, I had only
been exposed to the First Congregational Church and the First Presbyterian Church so I didn't
know anything about the Baptist doctrines or witnessing or even the Holy Spirit. I knew
Proverbs 3:5-6 though. The Holy Spirit gave me a wonderful response!! I told them to not get
frustrated, that they had done their part in the process of witnessing. I told them that those
individuals would remember that they (the 2 "Jesus freaks") did not turn off to them and were
sincerely friendly, since most of the time it probably was the other way around. I told them that
they just needed to pray for the next Christians in those individuals lives would be able to get
further because of the just mentioned fact. I think later those two men found what the Apostle
Paul said that I indicated above. They thanked me for my advice and divine peace and joy was
in their faces, and probably in mine too (because I had never been questioned like that and had
no direct answer). “To God be the glory!”