How to Win a Soul to Christ

How to Win a Soul to Christ by Ed Nelson, Published by the Gospel Fellowship Association

Plan Your Soul winning
1. Approach the individual.
2. Deal with the individual, using outline you have developed.
3. Offer the person the opportunity to accept Christ.
4. Pray with the person.
5 Help the person with verses of assurance.

I. The Approach
This is a very important part of soul winning. You will develop the proper approach as you have experience in dealing with souls. Most Christians are so concerned about the approach that they fail to really deal with the person. Remember, the approach is simply to open the way so you can begin to talk with the person about his soul. The approach varies with the situation. Always plan to use your approach to bring the person to begin talking about spiritual things. Generally a good approach is to ask the person, "If you were to die, where would you go?"

II. Dealing With the Individual
A. Develop an Outline
Every successful soul winner has developed an outline and a plan in leading a soul to Christ. He follows that outline again and again, seldom deviating from it. Good soul winners use thousands of time the outline they have developed.
B. Rules for the Outline
1. Make it your outline.
2. Keep it simple and easy to understand.
3. Have a verse for each point in the outline.
4. Memorize the outline so that you will always have it ready to use.
Some people write the outline in the flyleaf of their Bibles and refer to it. It is much better to have it memorized and to be able to use it without referring to written notes. In other words, do not simply take an outline. Be sure the one you use is one that fits you and you find easy to use.
C. Suggested Outlines
The four-point outline is the one used in many of our Gospel tracts such as "This Is Important" or "Four Things God Wants You To Know."

A Four-Point Outline
................................................................Romans Road.....N.T. Road
1. The Fact of Sin.................................Rom. 3:23............Rom. 3:23
2. The Penalty for Sin..........................Rom. 6:23..........Rom. 6:23
3. Christ Paid the Penalty...................Rom. 5:8.............I Peter 3:18
4 You Must Accept...............................Rom. 10:13.........John 1:12

A Six-Point Outline
1. The Fact of Sin, Romans 3:23
2. The Penalty for Sin, Romans 6:23
3. The Penalty Must Be Paid, Heb. 9:27
4. Christ Paid the Penalty, Romans 5:8
5. Works Will Not Save, Eph. 2:8-9
6. You Must Accept, John 1:12
Remember, it is best to use only one verse for each point in the outline. Here are additional verses for your use if they are necessary. You should memorize these verses and have them ready for use if you need them.

Additional Verses
1. The Fact of Sin
Rom. 3:10; Rom. 5:12; Isa. 53:6; Eccl. 7:20
2. The Penalty for Sin
Rom. 5:12; Heb. 9:27; Gal. 3:10
3. Christ Paid the Penalty
I Peter 2:24; Isa. 53:5; II Cor. 5:21; Gal. 3:13
4. You Must Accept
John 3:13, 36; Acts 16:30-31

D. Method to Use in Presenting the Outline
1. Use the Bible. Do not just quote the verses to the person.
2. Have the person read the Bible verse aloud. In this way, he sees the verse, he hears the verse, and he speaks the verse.
3. Be sure he understands the verse he has just read,
-by emphasizing the truth of the verse.
-by questioning him concerning the verse.
4. Endeavor to make the verse personal to him.

III. Bringing the Person to a Decision
Right at this point is where many soul winners fail. After having dealt with the soul, be sure to give this person the opportunity to accept Christ. The conversation can go like this:
-"Do you want to know that you are saved and that you are going to Heave?"
-"Yes."
-"You can be saved right now. All you need to do is receive Christ. Let's kneel right now and I will pray for you."
If the person objects and says he would rather wait awhile, the soul winner needs to show the importance of accepting Christ now. Verses you can use to show the need to accept Christ NOW are:
-II Cor. 6:2
-Heb. 2:3
It is important to press for a decision. It is not wise to so push for a decision that you force a decision rather than permit the Holy Spirit to do the work.

IV. Praying With the Person
A. It is best to kneel. God can hear prayer whether you are kneeling or not, but kneeling brings the person to an attitude of humility.
B. First, the soul winner should pray a brief prayer for the person he is leading to Christ. Second, ask the individual to pray aloud.
C. Outline a prayer for him.
1. Tel God you are a sinner.
2. Ask Him to forgive your sins.
3. Thank Him that Jesus Christ died for you sins.
4. Tell Him that right now you receive Christ as your own personal Savior.
D. Some soul winners simply ask the individual to pray what is known as the sinner's prayer according to Luke 18:13, as follows: "God be merciful to me a sinner and save me for Jesus' sake. Amen." Either of the above ways is good, but it is important that you use that which fits you best.
E. Ask the individual to pray aloud and to pray in his own words, as you suggest in the outline. (You do all this while you are kneeling together in a prayerful attitude.)
1. If he prays aloud his own prayer, listen to his prayer carefully to be sure he really is admitting he is a sinner and is accepting Christ as his Savior. If his prayer does not include this, let him pray until he has finished; and then say, "Now let's add this to your prayer. Just ask God to forgive your sins and tell Him that right now you accept Christ as your Savior."
2. If he does not being praying aloud in his own words, frame a prayer for him and ask him to pray aloud after you. Oftentimes, all you need to suggest for his prayer is that he pray, "Dear Lord, I know I am a sinner." Usually when he prays this much aloud, he will begin praying the rest of the prayer in his own words.
3. Remember, the individual should pray aloud if at all possible.
F. After the person has received Christ as his Savior, while you are still on your knees,
1. Show him a couple verses such as John 3:16 and John 5:24. Help him see those verses teach that when a person believes on the Lord Jesus Christ, he has everlasting life.
2. Have him thank the Lord for his salvation.
3. Have him tell the Lord that he will live for Christ, that he will forward the next Sunday in a good fundamental church, and that he will join and become active in a good, fundamental church.
G. When you stand after kneeling in prayer, take the person's hand and greet him, letting him know he has found real friends in you and in other Christians.

V. Helping the Person With Verses of Assurance
A List of Verses to Use:
John 1:12; John 5:24; Romans 10:13; John 3:16; John 6:47; I John 5:11-13; John 3: 36; Acts 16:30-31
You need not use all of these verses. It is important that the person knows he is saved according to the Word of God.