Based on Harold G. Taylor's Soul Winning

There is a crisis in the kingdom of God. Christians have lost their passion for the lost.

The task of Jesus is our task. His purpose is our purpose. Seeking the lost begins with the Christian.

A word of caution: churches must not confuse the task of the church with the mission of the church. The task of the church is to evangelize and equip. The mission is to glorify God by making men like God. Confusion will bog us down in methods, programs and the numbers game. Causing us to miss our real mission: The indwelling of God in men (Colossians 1:27).

First, give the church a clear reason for its existence. Churches often lose their reason for existence. Christians have substituted so many human purposes and trite traditions that their function has been blurred.

Second, convince the church that men are lost. The first century church believed that the world was lying in the power of the evil one.

Third, be a role model for outreach. Live a life of imitation. Paul was supremely aware of his example.

Fourth, the church should be on a wartime basis. The early church understood the race with catastrophe. They were no peacetime army. They were out to win the ultimate battle for the undying souls of men.

Fifth, the church must understand outreach is not optional. Soul winning must be its passion.

Sixth, encourage evangelism as a lifestyle. The early church lived as "exiles and strangers" in a hostile environment. The church is under fire. There is a war going on. Believers are not paranoid --- there really are people out to destroy the church.

Seventh, empower others to win. God gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry… Training soul winners is a priority matter.

Eighth, recruit every Christian to be involved in evangelism at some level. To capture the spirit and the work of the first century church, Christians must be soul winners.

Ninth, focus on the harvest. Prospects are all around us: mates of members; visitors at services; children on the Bible school roll; Vacation Bible school Contacts; senior citizens in the community, newcomers to town, benevolence contacts; radio and television contacts; prospects from a religious census of the community; those at the local jail; the youth taught at summer camp; those contacted through hospitals and nursing homes; and those who attend our gospel meetings.

What you hear is a potential spiritual explosion. The need has never been greater and the multitudes have never been more accessible. It is a poor time for God's evangelists to develop evangelistic laryngitis.
It is time we get on with the Great Commission. We must view the whole world as needing Christ. We must start at home and reach out to all the nations of men. God's people must not fail the Lord who sends them, nor the world who needs them