For What it’s Worth…

There are some books that just keep popping up around the place.  Soul-Winning Made Easy by C S Lovett, published in 1959, is one of them.  Every few months I see another reference to it, someone selling it (eBay has multiple copies currently listed), or someone describing it in words like these “This book represents everything that  was wrong with much of the evangelism training of years gone by”!

Tim Challies, over at Challies Dot Com, has posted some amusing illustrations, two of which are linked at right.

Here’s a section from page 78.

You have just said to your prospect . . . “Jesus is waiting to come into your heart. Will you open the door? Will you let Him come in?” He makes no reply. Great forces are at work inside him. His soul is a battlefield. The Holy Spirit and Satan want his decision. You wish you could jump into his heart and help him, but you can’t. So you do the one thing you can do . . . press him to make a decision . . . one way or the other.

CAUTION: You can’t leave him in “no-man’s land.” The Longer you wait, Satan’s advantage increases. So silently start your countdown . . . 5-4-3-2-1. That’s it. You wait no longer. Lay your hand on his shoulder (or arm if a man is dealing with a woman) . . . and with a semi-commanding voice say . . . “Bow your head with me.”

OK, so some of is just that the language is now 60 years old.  We tend not to talk about the “concealment” of our Bibles any more … at least not in a good way!
… And the use of Revelation 3:20 is a little wonky.
… And the idea of employing “intense psychological pressure” is probably not good …

But he calls for a response, which sadly, much of what passes for modern evangelism doesn’t.

So friends, when you’re speaking to people about the wonderful news of Jesus, remember to ask them if they want to respond to what they’re hearing … and then file this book in the “what not to do” pile.

See more pics at Callies Dot Com :: Soul-Winning Made Easy