Sharing the plan of salvation?

Too pushy or just bold? I have a soulwinning friend who I conservatively estimate has led over 5000 people to the Lord. And I must say he is a bit pushy. But on the other hand I do not believe that by being pushy you can push People farther away. Another words I'm certain that you cannot be more lost than lost. So I think the pushy person is on safe ground.
While witnessing I've had many people tell me I do not think you should be doing this. Okay I say, tell me what you are doing, at this stage in the conversation I have taken some cussings. But I have yet to receive anything near a satisfactory defining answer.

 

Sample, you cannot be more concerned about those people than the Lord is. Pray before you talk. Sometimes pushy is just that...pushy. And you can cause resentment more than response.

In the Bible we are told to be ready to give an answer for the hope we have. That means we must live in such a way that people ask questions. And then it means that we must know the Bible well enough and be close enough to our Lord in our daily lives that we can answer those questions.

When this happens, there is no pushiness involved and the person is always wanting to hear the answer.

 

QUOTE "I have a soulwinning friend who I conservatively estimate has led over 5000 people to the Lord"

I went to a church that "claimed" to be "winning" sould every week, yet ever week none of these souls came to church or were followed up with. I do not believe in counting or relying on numbers. simply for the fact that too many people are being pushed into or emotionally are praying a prayer with no real heart change or true conversions in their lives. for what ever reason that may be. If sin isn't preached and confronted when witnessing to people their conversion can be fasle because they are wanting God for the wrong reasons. He is Lord first before he can be ones saviour!

Just know that God has chosen who will be saved and no amount of "pushing" and no amount of convincing or doctrine will get that person saved, unless God in his mercy has chosen him to be. Present the gospel in a way that shows them they need a saviour for their sins and that they need to make Jesus Lord of their life.

it's all about mans SIN and seperation from a Holy God, and God making a way for mans SINS to be forgiven. Worry and pressure happen when we are trusting our flesh and not Gods power and his will.

 

Sample,

what do you mean by pushy? There's a trend these days to not ask for a response for fear of being pushy, and I think thats going too far the other direction. We need to ask if the person would like to trust Christ, but then if there is no conviction from the Holy Spirit you will see it at that point (if not sooner) and it is usually best to let it go.

Jesus asked for a response. I think of the one man who He told to give away all he had and come follow Jesus. When that man turned away Jesus did not then chase him down and try to pull him back. But He had told the young man to give a certain response.

Philip and the ethiopian eunuch, Philip said you must believe on Christ, adn then you can be baptized....he waited for an affirmative response from the man before he would go any further. That one turned out well, of course.

Most certainly don't harangue a person who has rejected, nor go after someone who truly has asked you to leave them alone. Perhaps GOd has someone else in that person's life who can witness more effectively. Perhaps the time is just not right.

Just be sensitive to the Holy Spirit's leading.

 

Sorry guys but this is why most Christians reject Calvinism:

It's called apathy

And, as far as counting numbers of souls saved at a church or by a group of Christians, ah, read the book of Acts - I think it would have been called "Numbers" if that name hadn't been taken already.

 

Also,

Um, He's everyone's Lord, period - whether you ever get saved or not. He does not "become" your Lord then your Savior. That smacks of Lordship salvation. Read John 3:16 or John 3:36 or John 16 or any number of other verses - it's not about lordship it's about knowing you are a sinner, knowing that there is a punishment for those sins, knowing that Christ payed that punishment and accepting that free gift, trusting in Jesus alone to get you to heaven. Then you can work on recognizing His Lordship over your life - after the Holy Spirit is in you.

You're worrying me, Frenchy.

 

When one witnesses to another they must use tact and not shove something down someone's throat. Remember Jesus? He used tact when dealing with people. Especially the woman at the well. We are to SHARE the gospel to receptive people and not force it on them. Always ask if I could share something with you. And then go on from there with a BRIEF message. You can always come back later to continue, if the person really shows a spiritual intrest. Try that.

 

maybe you misunderstood what i said. there is a great release that comes from knowing God is in total control of everything even when it comes to our loved ones and those we care about. When i first got saved i thought if I didn't explain it just right or enough (and i was pushy) and they didn't get saved I FAILED !
now I am much more relaxed when it comes to sharing my faith, because the outcome is all in Gods hands good or bad. I probably witness more than most, i just am more relaxed and don't take things so personal anymore, I know i am faithful and he knows which ones are his and when he wants them saved, and they will be. I am happy to be the tool that plants the seeds, waters or reaps the harvest. i am not to worry if people don't respond right or the way I want them to. My job is to be faithful, nothing more nothing less.

 

No he isn't everyones Lord by their choice. He is LORD over all, but not all have honored his position. the president is president over all in America, but not all have honored his position as such. see the difference?

the bible says at judgement day those who are not saved will fall at his feet and call him LORD, every knee shall bow and call him Lord. they were not doing that before they died,were they? people today sad to say even Christians do not make Jesus Lord of their lives. their TV's, hobbies, families etc yes but not always God.Not to say they didn't when they received him, but the bible is clear we don't always honor his position as it should be. Not sure where that verse is Romans i think?

Jesus said Matt. 7:21 "not every one who calls me Lord Lord will enter into heaven, he says depart from me I NEVER KNEW you" he also says Luke 6:46 "Why do you call me Lord. Lord and do not what I say?

Check in your bible it always say LORD and SAVIOR he cannot be your savior till you acknowledge him as your Lord, you don't make him Lord you acknowledge him for who he already IS.

 

I've often been self-conscious of my "pushiness" in soul-winning but I know it is the Devil just causing doubt. I think the car salesman that we all sterotype as pushy is like that for a reason because most times it works. So something that we accept at Circuit City or the Automotive Lot is unacceptable in our personal soul-winning? I think not! Christ wants us to be bold...Christ wants us to not see them as a sensitive human that we may offend or who may get angry at us...Christ wants us to see them as souls being judged and cast in eternal damnation. I have wasted many years in my rebelious attitude and running away from God...I have friends who I have served with that in a false sense of loyalty and usually drunkness I pledge my life for them...yet I never had the courage to witness to them and to my shame some of them are in damnation now because I was not "pushy" enough. I try to see each person as if they are traveling done a road that has had a bridge washed out and they don't know they are travelling towards certain death. though I fail sometimes to see everyone this way because sometimes I see them as just a "waitress" or a "gas attendant" but I know when I'm not so caught up in the things of my life; that God has done some wonderful things and while I'll be saddened at the friends I've let down I'll also be rejoicing with new friends that have been rescued from the pit of hell...so continue with your pushiness because you may have the oppurtunity to witness to one of my family members or friends that I have failed and Christ may bless it and we'll be able to see them in Heaven and rejoice together!!

 

MRCoon I was deeply moved by your post. It was if though you were inside my head because what you said applies to me.

 

Perhaps we can take this opportunity to define what we mean by a plan of salvation. I believe the plan of salvation consists of------
1 An arresting question-----Are you absolutely, positively, certain sure, no doubt in your mind, that you'll go to heaven when you die?
2 A straightforward witness of what the Lord Jesus Christ has done for mankind and how to place oneself under the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved.
3 A clear easy understandable statement about their desires concerning this. Another words do they want to accept the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved or not. A yes or no answer should be called for
4 A clear offered to help them pray for their salvation.
5 Offering to lead them in that prayer and doing so at their request.