And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Matthew 28: 18-20, King James Version
A soul-winning church will prioritize three distinct objectives over others. These three objectives of a soul-winning church stand apart from the objectives of other churches. Jesus established His church with a mandate, “Go”.
Known as The Great Commission, this was the marching order Jesus gave His disciples. A soul-winning church is committed to the commission with three objectives: teach others about Jesus, baptize believers into the family, live holy lives.
The Gospel of Repentance
Jesus followed the ministry of his cousin John, who insisted his disciples repent of their sin. We rarely use this word except in religious speech, but we understand the idea.
Consider two men convicted of stealing. Together the men — armed and violent — entered a business, threatened the cashier, and took money and merchandise. A jury found the men guilty of the crime. They were both sentenced to prison. One man realizes the damage he has done, confesses of the crime, expresses remorse, and demonstrates a changed heart as he serves his prison sentence. The other denies his guilt, blames the system for imprisoning him, and behaves violently throughout his sentence.
Repentance is the turning from one path to another. It is when a person realizes she is walking the wrong direction, reorients herself, and gets back on the right route.
The Family of Believers
Baptism is an ancient ritual common to different cultures. For each, the ritual holds its own significance. Different Christian churches describe the role of baptism differently too. A soul-winning church practices believer’s baptism. Once a repentant person shares his affirmation of the gospel message, he is recognized as a believer and baptized into the local church.
Many churches describe baptism as an outward demonstration of the internal change. They recognize the symbolism of a sinner dying to herself and rising like Jesus from the tomb to live for Him. They understand the importance of baptism is the willingness to identify with Jesus and His church and leave behind the world. For many churches, baptism is a requirement to be considered a member of the church.
Throughout the world, soul-winning churches recognize believers who have been baptized as brothers and sisters in Christ.
The Holy Life
A soul-winning church teaches people how to live a holy life. It is a place for people to come together with, listen to, share with, and encourage each other. Baptized believers are members of a local congregation that learns from and puts into practice advice and admonition in scripture.
The holy life is a moment-by-moment practice of walking humbly before God and man always recognizing all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Brothers and sisters in Christ are ready with consolation for the broken-hearted as well as rebuke for the backslider. As members of a family we are accountable to each other.
We live a holy life because anything short dishonors the sacrifice Jesus made for our sin. A holy life does not look to earn God’s grace or impress others. It can be challenging, unpopular, and unfair. A holy life is our “reasonable sacrifice (Romans 12:1).”
Fulfilling the Great Commission
When a congregation of believers is committed to living lives set apart to honor God they become soul winners. This is not some program or ministry they implement. They are compelled to share the gospel and recognize the local church is where lost souls come to be changed.
A soul-winning church is a place to worship, a family to join, and a community to serve. They are committed to the ultimate mission in their neighborhood and around the world. Treasure Path Ministries is committed to serving local churches in fulfilling The Great Commission with resources for evangelism, discipleship, and scripture memory.