Keeping the Church Alive:

Bringing them in God’s Way

Russ Earl

      When we talk about bringing others to the gospel Gods way, I am revering to the way the Bible says it must be done. We must have the Bible as our doctrine, with doctrine in our preaching, and with love in our speech.  If we are to win souls for Christ we cannot teach feelings or emotions. We must teach using book, chapter, and verse. “For I shrank not from declaring unto you the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27 ASV). 

      In order to reach the lost for our Lord our preaching needs to be balanced. This would include not spending too much time on any one subject. If others are to thoroughly know the gospel they need to know more than just grace. All need to know how to worship, how to pray, and how to give and other subjects all according to the word of God. We all need a balanced understanding of the Gospel.

      Lessons need to be balanced in method, not simply preaching one way. We need topical, textural and expository lessons. Not simply one and none of the others which is not uncommon. We need to preach about the Bible and preach the Bible at the same time.

      We need lessons that address many subjects not just one. We can’t spend all our time addressing false teachers and the wrong doings of others at the cost of not preaching the plan of salvation to the lost. While these subjects are important we should strive to teach a variety not only a few.

      Lessons should be balanced in delivery. Lessons can be firm and direct but not angry. We can be firm and kind at the same time without seeming over bearing and still getting the message to the hearers.

      When teaching a class we need to be balanced in the books we discuss. Not leaving any out so that others form there own opinions about them. Instead, we should strive to cover every book and every verse, even every phrase if possible. This way we have a clear and detailed understanding of the word.  Skipping a verse, chapter, or book would be a huge mistake.

      While doing these things we must be sure to make our new members and converts feel welcome. I know that where I attend if I am not feeling 100 percent, just being around brethren makes me feel better and I always leave feeling encouraged. We all need encouragement and the feeling of being apart of something. We must let the new converts know that they now belong to Christ and are safe with him so long as they remain faithful.

      We should always encourage others to read their bibles and new converts will learn in their studies how to “rightfully divide the word of truth” (2Timothy 2:15).  New converts often times need more encouragement than others for without it, they may feel as if they are being dunked and left. This is not a feeling we want our new brothers and sisters in Christ to have. They need love and attention as they grow in Christ and the knowledge of the word. They need instructions for worship, study habits, personal purity, faithfulness, dependability, how to beat temptations, and steadfastness in growth as a Christian. All of this needs to be according to the words of the Bible and not our own. If new converts feel as if these things are your opinions and not biblical they may be discouraged or worse.