I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 1 Cor. 3:6

My friend there is a hidden truth in that scripture that is key to successful soul winning.  The first part of soul winning is found in your personal example to the unsaved!  Treat them like unplowed soil, or soil that has received the seed and just needs a little work, and when you witness to someone, be honest with yourself in answering the following questions:

1. Are you planting a seed, or driving your position into the soil?
2. Are you watering a harvest, or raining on a parade with your aggressive defense of your faith? 
3. Are you setting the pace or running someone down?
4. Are you killing someone's future harvest with your words and deeds, or letting God bring the increase to their hearts?

So many times we deliver our message through a spirit of argument and with a lack of vision on the "big picture".  We think that if we don't get our word across right now, if we don't make our point and get the recipient to acknowledge our position, we have failed.  Here's a secret revealed friend:  JESUS KEPT WALKING.  He didn't stop to argue his position.  He knew what he knew.  He knew, too, that if they were going to follow him, they were going to follow.  To stand there and argue with someone who doesn't see it your way is to perhaps destroy someone else's future harvest!  It needs to occur to us that we may not be the ones to see salvation come into a life.  We might just be pieces in the puzzle that ends up being a man's salvation picture.  Don't drown a seed, water it.  Your job is very simple!  WALK THE WALK, SOW THE SEED, WATER THE SOWN SEED, HARVEST THE GOD-GIVEN INCREASE.  But you don't have to do all of that yourself!  Learn you place in someone's salvation season, and you will not only be more effective as a soulwinner, you will be more able to demonstrate the love, patience, and perseverence that Jesus demonstrated every day of his life. 

In Love,

Elder Mark Neddeau