Love is the centrality of Christianity and of Christian service. A soul winner is a “WITNESS” who is saddled with the responsibility of giving “witness” or evidence to the truth about God’s salvation in Christ. In such an instance, the person’s new life in Christ becomes the primary “witness” to his/her message to others.
Our effectiveness in soul-winning is largely dependent on how we are able to practically demonstrate and bear witness to the love of Christ. This love is such an overwhelming, never-ending and reckless love that made God to send His only begotten son as a ransom for our sins “…in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
Looking into the Manual for Christian living, we find this: “If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them, depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? (James 2:15,16). We can boldly infer that any form of ministration that is not backed up by practical and pure love, is unprofitable. In fact, at some point in the days of Jesus Christ, He said to His Disciples, “I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way.” (Matthew 15:32).
The Gospel is Love
The Gospel in itself is a demonstration of practical love from God to mankind. In John 6:26 Jesus rightly noted that people sought Him not because of the miracles He did, but because of His practical demonstration of love towards them. Their seeking was obviously with a wrong motive, however, Christ leveraged on that to preach the gospel to them (vs 27-29).
Our demonstration of practical love for others will determine if they would want to have a second encounter with us or not. It would also largely determine if they would willingly receive Christ as their own Lord and Saviour.
