How to be a Soul Winner for Christ

Hey everyone!  I know it has been forever and a day since I last posted something but since I'm once again an intern, it seemed fitting to resume sharing some of the things that I am studying!  Hopefully you all will find them both encouraging and useful (with some humor sprinkled in every now and then :)

One of the first books I'm studying as a pastoral intern here in Missouri is a little work by Charles Spurgeon.

  It is a compilation of sermons he gave on evangelism, lectures to his pastoral students, and other writings.  Currently, I am on Chapter 2 which is entitled, "Qualifications for Winning Souls Godward"  I found it to be fantastic with many nuggets directed at future ministers in the church of Jesus Christ.


Here are some of the highlights from the chapter:






In order to be at tool in God’s hands for winning souls, you must possess certain qualities.  This is not to say that only perfect men can win souls but there must be some evidence of these qualities in your life.  Why?  "Because God will not go to work with instruments which would compromise His own character." (The Soul Winner, Chapter 2, page 30)

                              7 Characteristics of a Soul Winner

1)      A man who has holiness of character
2)      A man who has spiritual life to a high degree
3)      A man who possesses a humble spirit
4)      A man who has a living faith
5)      A man who is characterized by thorough earnestness
6)      A man who has a great simplicity of heart
7)      A man who completely surrenders himself to God

"[This] is the essential point: you must believe in God and in His Gospel if you are to be a winner of souls; some other things may be omitted, but this matter of faith must never be." (The Soul Winner, Chapter 2, page 41)

May God help each and every one of us to pursue holiness, humility, simple child-like faith, thorough earnestness, and spiritual life and vigor so that we too can be "fishers of men"!

First Impressions

We have now been in Colorado for a little over a month. It has been a very interesting month of adjustment. Everyone in the family has had a different impression of Co. so we decided to tell you all in a nut shell what we like best about our new home, in each persons own words.


"The houses are large and cheap."
-Danielle

"I like the snow!"
- David (he is apparently anticipating the first snow fall :) )

"Dry, little air, nice people, pretty landscape, fickle weather, wonderful church."
- Benjamin

"I never realized how many stairs there are in Co. There are just stairs, stairs, and more STAIRS."
- Sarah

" Colorado is gorgeous. I love the trees and undulating terrain."
- Samuel

"I love all the kids in the neighborhood."
- Anna-Kate

"Moving to Colorado has been a wonderful yet challenging experience.  We love having a bigger house but still don't have a place for all our things!  We have way too much stuff.  We love our neighborhood, which is friendly and helpful but we miss our friends back in California.  Having air-conditioning is truly a blessing but boy; it really is hotter here than in the Bay Area.  Castle Rock is a much smaller community than Sunnyvale and the Silicon Valley were.  We have been to a parade, the local library and the local DMV which have all been friendly, easy places where we learned a lot about Castle Rock and met new people.  The pace here is different and we adjust more and more everyday to our new home."
- Heather


"The weather is much milder than what I experienced in Texas over the summer. The cloud patterns are also very breath-taking."
- Joel

"I like the beautiful sunsets, and the open spaces, there is room to breathe and enjoy peace and quiet.  Everyone is so friendly, and open, I really enjoy meeting new people at church. I truly think that God has blessed our move."
- Gabrielle