Introduction

Do you know Jack Hyles? Do you know the man who is pastor of the First Baptist Church of Hammond, Indiana and president of Baptist Bible College of Denver, Colorado? I believe that you will know him after you read this vital and interesting book.

I have just gone through the manuscript of Dr. Hyles' book, Let's Build an Evangelistic Church. A score of adjectives kept hashing through my mind as I read the pages-- "practical," "sympathetic," "humorous," "convicting," "understandable," etc. Such words will come before you as you read. Here is a book that touches many vital subjects in a minister's life: personal soul winning, visitation, church invitations, time schedules for busy pastors, the pastor and his family.

This is the book for the busy pastor. Here are ways to increase efficiency in use of time. Here is a book for the man who has had mediocre success in the ministry, but has the desire to do more for the glory of God. This is a book for the pastor who has failed. Failure brings discouragement, fears, despondency.

Let me suggest something to all pastors and Christian workers -- READ THIS BOOK! It will revitalize your ministry. It will bless your home. It will stir your church.

LEE ROBERSON, Pastor
Highland Park Baptist Church
Chattanooga Tennessee
May 21, 1962    

Foreword

As a young preacher starting out many years ago, I read the Book of Acts over and over again. I went to my knees and asked God to let me have a ministry and build churches that would be akin to the Book of Acts. When this was settled before God, my little country church in East Texas became a hotbed of soul winning, even though we were ten miles out in the country. God gave us souls every week and a perennial revival spirit. The methods we used there were basically the methods presented in this book.

For seven years we labored in the Miller Road Baptist Church, Garland, Texas. Using these methods, the Lord led us and used our people to grow a church from 44 members to 4,128 members in six and a half years.

I am doing my best now as pastor of the First Baptist Church of Hammond, Indiana, to lead our people to this kind of a Book of Acts ministry. "They that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the Word."

While in West Palm Beach, Florida, in a Bible Conference with Dr. John R. Rice approximately five years ago, my attention was called to the parable of the Great Supper in Luke 14: 16-23. I resolved to go home to my church and plan my church program according to the commandments in this parable. You will notice in this parable we are commanded to go into the streets, and the lanes, to bring in the lame, the poor, the halt, and the blind, and to go into the highways and hedges. We have organized our church literally according to this parable. For two weeks our people did exactly what the parable says.

The word "streets" seems to mean city streets. Forty of our men spent every hour they had off from work on the main streets of Dallas, Texas, witnessing, passing out tracts, spreading the Gospel. This was done day and night.

The word "lanes" seems to mean small streets. Four hundred and thirty-eight people went from house to house in the city of Garland telling everybody how to be saved. When we left Garland, Texas, in 1959, we had the assurance that our church had knocked on every door in the city of Garland. Perhaps some were missed, but we do not know of them. Our people literally went from house to house in the lanes of our city for two weeks.

Notice it says, "Bring in hither the poor," in the parable of the Great Supper. This we also did. We organized teams to go into poor sections of our town and visit house to house every poor family we could find. Many of these poor people were reached with the Gospel of Christ.

Also the parable says, "Bring in the maimed, the halt, and the blind." Ten of our ladies spent two weeks every day going into the hospitals of our city visiting the maimed, the halt, and the blind. Every sick person in every hospital in our town was visited by our membership

Again, the Lord commands us to go into the highways. We organized a team of forty men to witness on every highway leading out of our city. They stopped at every house, every business place, every service station, every tavern, between our town and the next towns and witnessed on the highways.

The last commandment is that we go to the hedges. We took this to mean the country roads and rural areas. Ten of our ladies volunteered to spend two weeks going out the country roads and visiting every farm home and every rural house between our town and the next town on every country road. Our young people also went out in the rural areas and conducted street services with loudspeakers.

On the opening Sunday of this two-week period, our church authorized me to baptize anyone at any time. This I did. We filled the baptistry and kept it filled for two weeks. People would call me in the middle of the night and say, "Preacher, I just won a soul. He wants to get baptized." I would get out of bed, go to the church, and baptize the convert. We baptized every day for two weeks.

When the two weeks ended, over five hundred people were scattered all over the town and area witnessing for Christ. Thirty-eight of our young people had spent practically day and night on the public square of our city passing out tracts and witnessing. Over sixty were won to Christ by the young people alone. Three hundred thirty-three people were saved in this two-week period. Over one hundred and twenty-five people won someone to Christ. One lady won seventeen to Christ. One man won seventeen to Christ. We had baptized scores of people. Our attendance increased, and the spirit of our church must have been the spirit of those in the Book of Acts who were scattered abroad everywhere preaching the Word.

From that beginning comes this book. We have made no attempt to be scholarly, but a definite attempt to be practical. The first work done on the book was done on a train between Dallas, Texas, and Washington, D. C. One chapter was outlined in the wee hours of the morning waiting for a plane at Stapleton Airport in Denver, Colorado. One chapter was outlined on a jet plane between Chicago and New York City. Work has been done in depots, airports, on trains, planes, at home at night, and other places, to make this a manual for those who want to be soul winners. May God use it in the building of churches who will "live in the Book of Acts."

JACK HYLES, Hammond, Indiana    

1.. Let's Build a Visitation Program

In reading the Book of Acts, one of the most impressive things we find is that the New Testament Christians were scattered abroad everywhere preaching the Word. Nearly two thousand years since this atmosphere, we find the most pressing problem in the church --that of visitation. All across the country pastors ask me, "How can we get people to visit? How can we get folks on the field? How do you reach people?"

While not pretending to know all the answers or even most of the answers, we hope in this chapter to leave a few suggestions and ideas that will be helpful to pastors and churches across the country.

1. Become Known As An Evangelistic Center

This is of utmost importance in the growing of an evangelistic church. If a church could become the evangelistic church in a town, and a pastor could become the evangelistic pastor in a town, people would call on him and call on the church in an effort to get their loved ones saved. The world, whether we like it or not, looks at churches as specialists. The world looks upon one church as a certain type, another church as another type. I always want my church to be known as the evangelistic-type church.

For example, recently a lady called and asked me to visit her brother who was dying in the hospital. I asked her if she were a Christian. She answered yes, she was. I asked if she had a pastor. She answered yes. I asked her why she did not ask her pastor to go. "Oh," she replied, "my pastor doesn't specialize in those cases."

Needless to say, I try to specialize in those cases myself. So I went to the hospital and led her brother to the Lord. He passed away a few days later.

The church should make a big enough racket about soul winning and evangelism that people from far and wide will know it is an evangelistic church.

Sometimes people who have lost loved ones will bring the lost loved ones to such a church to be saved, then take them back to their own church to be baptized and to serve. This is because they know that a particular church is the best place for evangelism in an area. This is an important thing in building a visitation program.

2. The Pastor Should Visit Constantly Himself

A pastor who is not active in visitation will not lead his people to be active in visitation. The pastor who does not visit regularly will not train people to visit regularly. When the pastor is leading folks to Christ regularly and week after week new Christians are walking the aisles whom the pastor has won, then the people will get the idea and follow him.

Remember that a leader is one who does first that which he expects the followers to do. A good way in the beginning is to learn the streets in the town. Just as a policeman or a fireman would learn the streets, even so must the soul winner. When I accept a new pastorate I usually spend the first week driving around town learning the streets. The streets in a town may be learned easily, such as the numbered streets-- First, Second, Third, etc. Then Avenue A, Avenue B, Avenue C. In some towns the streets in a certain community are named after the states; in some towns they are named after presidents. Usually there is some pattern in the naming of streets. It is important that this pattern be learned.

When you visit, route yourself. Get your prospect cards, divide them according to sections of town, and make a regular route. Usually I take the same route every day, thereby enabling more visits to be made. Some people seem to think that they hire the preacher to do the visiting. Some preachers seem to think that it is their job to preach and the people are to do the visiting. Both are wrong. Both pastor and people together should be reaching people for Christ and should actively participate in the visitation program.

3. Every Service Should Be An Evangelistic Service

To be sure, every sermon cannot be a sermon just to win the lost. There must he sermons on consecration, dedication, stewardship, faithfulness, etc. But every service should have an evangelistic appeal, with an invitation for sinners to be saved. It is the pastor's job to be certain that each service is evangelistic, thereby not disappointing his people who bring their lost loved ones and friends. Many times church members will bring a lost loved one or friend to the services, and the pastor does not give a strong evangelistic appeal. This discourages the members from bringing lost loved ones and discourages visitation.

In our churches we have tried constantly to make every service a service where it is easy to he saved. If we preach on comfort, we close with the thought that the best comfort is to know that you are saved, that you know you would go to Heaven if you died. If we preach on stewardship, we close by reminding the people that the greatest gift we can give to the Lord is the gift of our lives, and the greatest gift that He has ever given is the gift of His Son and salvation through His Son. If we preach on consecration, we remind our audience in closing that there can be no consecration until there has been regeneration. Regardless of the sermon or the type of service, there can be an evangelistic emphasis, with a pungent invitation to sinners which will keep the people bringing lost ones to the services.

One of our ladies called recently to say, "Brother Hyles, I am bringing a lost loved one to church next Sunday morning, and I just wanted to tell you about it.... Oh, all of our services are evangelistic now, aren't they! Praise the Lord, I can bring my lost loved ones anytime and be sure that you will try to get them saved."

4. Make Soul Winning Dwarf Everything Else That Goes on in the Church

In other words, make soul winning the most important phase of the church program. Far too many people think that being a deacon or a Sunday School teacher is the biggest job in the church. Our people should constantly be reminded that the greatest job in the New Testament church is bringing people to Jesus Christ. If we as pastors will magnify the job of soul winning above any other job in the church, then the people will get the idea that being a soul winner is the greatest position that they can hold.

5. Do Not Train a Church of Specialists

As I see the condition of many of our churches, we have taught our people, perhaps subconsciously but at least we have left the impression, that each person has a job to do in the church. Some do soul winning; some have other tasks. This is certainly a detrimental thing. Every Christian is commanded to be a soul winner; soul winning is every Christian's job. For a person to think that operating the business of the church is his particular special field and that is all, is wrong. For a person to think that his job is teaching the Bible alone is also wrong. Every Christian's job is soul winning. Every phase of our church life must be permeated with this atmosphere, and every leader of our church should be reminded that the main job is bringing sinners to Christ.

Someone said to Mr. Moody one time when witnessed to by him, "Tend to your own business."

Mr. Moody said, "Soul winning is my business, sir."

6. Create An Evangelistic Atmosphere in the Church Services

To a great extent, evangelism is more an atmosphere than anything else. If we want a revival-type service every Sunday, then we must try to create a revival-type atmosphere every Sunday. This would include revival-type music, revival-type testimonies, revival-type preaching, revival-type invitations, etc. Perhaps the results on Sunday have more to do with the atmosphere of the service than any of us realize. If we have high church-type music, a ritualistic order of service, an ultra-formal message, and a high church atmosphere, how can we expect evangelistic results? It is so important that the atmosphere of our churches and of our services be conducive to a perennial harvest of souls.

7. Have Periodic Soul Winning Instruction Classes

At least once a year, and maybe more often, we have soulwinning courses in our church. This is a very simple course, much like the one found in this book on how to lead a soul to Christ.

Sometimes this course is taught for three consecutive nights: for example, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday; or Thursday, Friday, Saturday; or Wednesday, Thursday, Friday. Sometimes it is taught on Wednesday nights for a period of four to six weeks. Our most recent course was of this nature-five consecutive Wednesday nights given to the learning of how to win a soul to Christ.

8. There Should Be a Definite Time for Visitation

Most churches have a definite night for visitation. Some use Monday night, some Tuesday, some Thursday, some even Friday. It has long been our conviction that Monday and Thursday are the best nights for visitation since this makes it closer to the Sunday and Wednesday night services and makes it easier to promote attendance. You can get promises on Sunday night and Wednesday night from those who will come and pretty well determine your attendance by these pledges. We have found it very profitable to use Wednesday night even for visitation. After the service on Wednesday night, and after an emphasis on visitation, ask the people who will promise to make four or five visits that week to raise their hands. Have the visitation secretary or someone with the cards at the door in the back. They can get the cards before they leave and turn them back in before Sunday. This has been especially beneficial in our church in Hammond due to the fact that we are a downtown church and people travel so many miles to our services.

9. Stress Visitation Constantly and Get Visitation Testimonies and Reports

Each Wednesday evening we ask for a report from our people during the regular midweek service as to how many visits were made the preceding week. We also keep a record of the number of visits made and the number of folks who have witnessed to someone during the week. Also we ask for a report from the folks who have lead someone to Christ during the previous seven days. Then we have testimonies concerning these reports. We are always thrilled to hear the reports and find how many of our people are witnessing week after week.

10. Choose Your Church Leaders From Those Who Visit

No doubt one of the most tragic things in the modern church is that we have turned over the leadership of our church in many cases to unspiritual people who never make a visit. The false assumption that because a person is a successful businessman he can be a successful church leader is decaying the spiritual life of many churches. Because a man is bank president does not mean that he would make a good deacon chairman. Because a man is a civic leader does not mean he is a good church leader.

A man should not be chosen for an office or overlooked for an office because of his position in the neighborhood but because of his spiritual gifts and spiritual life and dedication to Christ. In our churches we have tried to choose Sunday School teachers who visit, deacons who visit, church leaders who visit, trustees who visit, and constantly stress that no person is qualified to be a leader of a church unless he is carrying out the Great Commission of our Saviour. The heart of the New Testament church was soul winning. If that be the case, the heart of the twentieth century church should be soul winning. Hence, the leadership should be composed of those who are visiting and reaching folks for Christ.

11. Give Due Recognition to Soul Winners and Folks Who Visit

Be sure that people who are successful in visitation receive due recognition in the services. This is not to magnify them, but to encourage others and let others know what is being done and what can be done when a person means business for God. When someone wins a soul to Christ and he walks the aisle on Sunday, have the soul winner stand beside the new convert and let them rejoice together. If you know of some soul winners in your church doing an exceptional job, include them in one of your sermons so as to encourage them and others because of the work that is being done in the church. Occasionally bring someone whom you have lead to Christ to the platform. Lead them to Christ and show the people exactly how you did it. Go through it step by step.

Better still, have one of the lay soul winners in the church bring one of their converts to the platform and show how he led him to Christ. This will give the people an eyewitness account and show them what to do rather than tell them.

12. Go With Different People Yourself

One of the best ways in the world to train soul winners is to go visiting with different people if you are an effective soul winner. Let them observe your methods and your tactics. Before long, they can solo themselves and no doubt will become effective soul winners.

This is the method Jesus used. He trained a few well, rather than trying to train a thousand. He trained twelve. They observed and learned by watching. The soul winner may take with him some prospective soul winners. They may observe him and his methods, thereby learning themselves how to win others.

One of the best soul winners I know is Bob Keyes, pastor of the Galilean Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas. Brother Keyes came to work as my assistant pastor many years ago in Garland, Texas. He had never won a soul. For three years he went with me. Week after week, day after day, house to house, he observed and learned. Now he is one of the finest soul winners in America. The same can be said about my assistant pastor at the First Baptist Church in Hammond, Rev. Jim Lyons. He first went with others, saw their methods, then went on his own.

A good idea for a pastor is to let his people know the days that he visits. If any man in the church wants to visit with him the day the pastor visits, let the men know they are welcome. No doubt, observing others doing it is one of the greatest ways to make soul winners.

13. In Each Group of Cards Passed Out on Visitation Night, Place One Good Prospect

If you can guarantee each group going out to visit at least one good visit, it will be a tremendous help. Visitation will become a delight to them rather than a drudgery. We have tried through the years to place at least one good prospect in every group, thereby insuring every one of at least one blessing. This will more than likely encourage them to come back again for the visitation program.

14. Do Not Wear the People Out Doing Other Things

Too much could not be said about this. People who are busy doing other things besides soul winning often will not have enough time to do soul winning. Many of our churches are so highly organized and people are so busy doing little things, they have absolutely no time left for the main thing. A church that is too highly organized will not usually train effective soul winners. A church that keeps the people working on smaller tasks and odds and ends too much will have a difficult time training good personal soul winners. A church that has too much going on and uses too many of the people's nights on other things besides soul winning will have a difficult time training good soul winners.

It is so important that the life in our church, the main job in our church, the heartbeat of our church, the hub of our church, and every activity of our church be built upon soul winning and reaching people for Jesus Christ. Too many of our people are on a spiritual merry-go-round. They spend all their time going around in circles, get off right when they got on, and get absolutely nowhere,

15. Some Suggestions Concerning the Visitation Service Itself

If the church has visitation on a week night (and most visiting churches do), it is important that the visitation services be conducted properly.

Prior to the service the visitation file should have been observed and cards drawn from the file for visitation. From four to six cards should be placed in a group usually by geographical location. Enough groups of cards to take care of the visitation crowd should be chosen and prepared and brought to the visitation assembly room. It would be good for the pastor and church leaders to get there a few minutes early before the visitation service starts for a time of fellowship, handshaking, chatting, etc. before the visitation actually starts. As the people come, the pastor may compliment the people with a "God bless you, Jim," or, "I'm glad to set you tonight, Joe," or, "Isn't this the first time you have been to visitation, James? What a blessing it is to have you with us." These greetings will mean something to the people.

Then at visitation time a song or two could be sung. A good song to sing is to the tune of "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms":

     Oh, how sweet to walk, round and round the block,           Ringing doorbells for my Lord.      Wearing out my shoes, telling God's Good News,           Ringing doorbells for my Lord.      Ringing, ringing, ringing doorbells for my Lord,      Wearing out my shoes, telling God's Good News,           Ringing doorbells for my Lord.

Or a good one to sing is "Bringing in the Sheaves." Still other good songs to sing would be such songs as "Send the Light," "I Love to Tell the Story," etc.

Then have a few testimonies before going. Have some testify as to what visitation has meant to them. Perhaps they were saved on visitation. Perhaps they have won someone recently. These testimonies would put the people in a spiritual attitude before going.

After this, perhaps the pastor or visitation leader could give a few pointers on visitation, showing how the church could be more effective in its visitation program and perhaps correcting any errors that have been made in past visitation.

Then the people should be divided to go out two by two. Some people already will have partners chosen before the visitation service. Still others must be paired off at the church. People of mutual interest and social standing usually visit better together. The pastor or visitation chairman should be very careful in pairing the people off. It is always good for an inexperienced and an experienced visitor to go together. The pastor should encourage more experienced soul winners to take inexperienced partners so as to train them in the art of visitation and soul winning.

After the people have been paired off in twos, then the cards may be passed out. It is a good idea to have a brief prayer before going. Ask each person to pray for the people they will visit by name. They may go through the cards. After this prayer, leave in an orderly manner and make the visits.

16. Visitation Programs Must Vary and Change

We have found that a certain type visitation program will work effectively for a certain amount of time. Then another should be inaugurated with a big push. This eliminates overstressing every week the visitation program. It should not be stressed to the same extent each week, else the people become so accustomed to hearing it that they scarcely hear what is said.

For example, we have found it wise to change the night periodically. Visit for a year on Monday night, then try Thursday, then maybe Tuesday. New thoughts and ideas should constantly be presented with a big push and a church wide emphasis.

Bear in mind, it is the same old thing of going after sinners, but with a new thought, a new stress, a new idea, a new way of promoting.

17. Use Busses, Bus Drivers, and Bus Captains

One of the most effective ways in reaching people with the Gospel of Christ is by using properly the bus ministry. Presently, in the First Baptist Church in Hammond, we are operating ten bus routes. Just this morning before dictating this chapter my assistant pastor and I decided to add a new bus route within a matter of days, making a total of eleven Let us notice a few thoughts about the busses.

A few busses could be owned by the church. Our church presently owns six busses. Bear in mind, we have eleven bus routes, which means we have to secure five busses elsewhere The reason we own any busses at all is not only for Sunday School and church routes, but also for youth program, rescue mission activities, etc. Our young people go to camp each year on the busses, and they are certainly a valuable asset. Even the smallest church could own one bus and find it a real help.

Busses may be rented or leased. In many cities, the City Transit Company would rent busses at a fair price. In some cities, a bus can be rented from a school or another agency. At the present time we are renting five buses very inexpensively to supplement the six that we own.

Find consecrated bus captains. After preaching some sermons about the bus ministry, and bringing constant challenges before the people about the bus ministry, God has laid it upon the heart of twenty to twenty-five of our people to dedicate their lives to the ministry of bringing people on the busses.

For example, we usually choose two captains for each bus. We simply give them a bus and let them fill it up. Two of our ladies got burdened about the bus ministry. They asked for a bus, and we provided one for them. They went to a government housing project and within six weeks they had filled the bus with over forty people. They came to us and asked for another bus. Now they are filling two busses every week with over sixty people who were not being reached a few months ago.

Two of our ladies were burdened about a neighboring city. We told them that they could have a bus if they would fill it up. They went to the neighboring city, started going from house to house, and in a matter of ten weeks have filled the bus. Just this morning they asked for another bus for their city.

Two of our choir members got burdened about a certain area in our city. They asked for a bus. The first week they made over two hundred visits and have averaged over one hundred and fifty visits per week for the last five weeks. Needless to say, they are rapidly filling their bus.

Two of our deacons asked for a bus. Within ten weeks they filled two busses and now are bringing in nearly one hundred every Sunday. These are people who were not being reached before these deacons got burdened.

Route the busses by areas of town. When we start a bus route, we first get two captains and make several suggestions as to an area. We feel that an area of two to four square miles, or less if possible, is sufficient area for a good bus route. We ask the captains to pray about three or four different areas, choosing the one they feel impressed to work. Once they choose the area, it is their job to visit the absentees just like a Sunday School class and to go house to house trying to find people to ride the busses.

Have a weekly meeting with the bus pastors. This meeting is simply to stimulate interest, get reports and plans, inspire, work, etc.

Give special recognition to successful bus pastors in the public services. Let the people know what is going on and constantly keep the bus ministry before the people.

If possible, secure drivers for the busses apart from the bus captains. This will put more people to work. For example, we will be operating eleven busses soon. If there are eleven bus drivers, twenty-two bus captains, then there are thirty-three people working on the busses. This puts more people to work and is a pretty good crew in itself.

Contests between busses. One of the finest ways to increase attendance is to have a contest between busses and bus routes. A simple award may he given at the end of the contest to the team members of the winning bus. Over three hundred people per Sunday are now riding busses to the First Baptist Church of Hammond. People are saved every Sunday who ride the busses. A well-organized, spiritually-planned bus ministry could put new life into many churches.

18. Teach the Young Christians to Bring Their Lost Friends

A young Christian perhaps could not win a soul adeptly. However, he does know perhaps more lost people than the pastor knows. Even as the woman in John 4 went back to the city and told those with whom she had sinned about Jesus and brought them to hear Him, so we encourage our converts to bring people to hear the preacher and the Gospel.

19. Start Folks Visiting Absentees

You may get the folks in the habit of visiting by getting the people to start visiting absentees. Give them some easy ones at first. They could be people who have been out sick a week or two. Give them some folks to visit in the hospital. Get them in the habit of visiting. After a while they will be able to take a little harder case and still harder, until finally they can be sent out to win souls themselves.

It was many years after I began visiting before I became a proficient soul winner. A person must get the feel of visitation. This can be done by encouraging people to visit hospitals, absentees, etc.

20. Occasionally Have Skits

Perhaps someone whom you have won to Christ recently could be brought to the platform and that experience could be relived to the advantage of the people. They could actually sec you win the person. Use the same conversation that you used in the home, the same Scriptures, etc. Just win the person again, so to speak, so the people can see how it is done. This is tremendously important.

21. Through It All, Build An Old-Fashioned, Sin-Hating, Christ-Honoring, Soul-Winning, Bible-Preaching Church

Let the people know every Sunday that you are for old-fashioned soul winning. Encourage the people to say "Amen" to the preacher. It is important that the atmosphere of the service be akin to the New Testament atmosphere. We encourage our people to say "Amen." We encourage them to participate in the services. We sing Gospel music at every service. The people know that we are preaching to get results and have people saved.

Every preacher should have to watch a jewelry auctioneer in action at least once in his life. Several years ago Mrs. Hyles and I were in Hot Springs, Arkansas, for a vacation. We were captivated by the jewelry auctions in the jewelry stores across from Bathhouse Row in Hot Springs. One night I suggested to the wife that we go sit in the back at one of the auctions and watch the "suckers" buy the merchandise. We had an agreement before going that we would say nothing. We planned to sit on the back row, not participate in the auction at all, say nothing, smile at nothing, and just watch the people bite.

The auctioneer stood and sold a travel iron for two or three dollars. Mrs. Hyles said, "We should have bought that. That was a steal."

I said, "Hush. We came to watch, not to buy."

Then he sold a beautiful waffle iron for about five dollars. Mrs. Hyles looked at me and said, "Honey, I could have used that."

I said, "Be quiet. We did not come to buy, we came to watch."

Several other things were auctioned. We did not make a single bid or a single move to show our interest.

Suddenly the auctioneer cried with a loud voice, "How many folks are here from Texas?" Before we realized it, our hands were up, and we were happily admitting we were Texans. He asked what town we were from. We told him. He said, "Why don't you Texans move down to the front." We had no choice. We moved to the front.

Several hours later we left the auction. Mrs. Hyles had a diamond ring on her finger. I had a travel iron and two or three other objects. We had spent $52 of the $58 we had left of our vacation money and had to go home two days early!

The moral is this: Everything in that meeting was geared to results. The opening, the friendliness, the stories, the handshaking, the asking of "Where are you from?" the intense interest, the salesmanship of the auctioneer -- everything was geared for one thing, to sell the merchandise.

The church of the Lord Jesus Christ should be geared for one thing, and that is to bring people to Jesus. Every song we sing should point toward that. All of our church life should be built around the reaching of people for Jesus Christ.

To be sure, we must occasionally have stewardship emphasis. But the reason we have stewardship emphasis is that people give to spread the Gospel. To be sure, we sing praises to God. But we sing praises to God out of appreciation for salvation and for the fact that we are able to win others to His Son. To be sure, we must teach consecration and faithfulness. And yet all of it must have a major underlying emphasis, and that is that people are dying without Christ and are going to Hell forever.

May we diligently give ourselves to this, the greatest task in all the world.    

2. Let's Find the Prospects

One of the biggest problems that all soul-winning churches face is that of finding sufficient prospects to visit. This is especially true in a small town or rural area, but this problem can be alleviated.

The pastor should constantly be after his people to turn in prospects. Unsaved people are like fish. They run in schools. When you get a man converted he knows many, many others who could be reached with the Gospel. Perhaps our best method of obtaining prospects has been to constantly keep before our people the importance of turning names in to us that they feel could be reached for Jesus. These are never what we call "Cold trails." These are people who are being prayed for and will have been bathed in prayer before our visit. Again and again it should be emphasized to the people to turn in prospects to the pastor or the church office.

Those who visit the services. The week after a visitor attends a service he should be called upon by a member of the church staff, preferably by the pastor. This is urgent and should not be overlooked. These are people who know your church and will be your best prospects. They are people who have been in the service, they have felt the breath of Heaven and the presence of the Holy Spirit. They know about the church service and have been blessed by it. These by all means should be visited immediately after their visit.

New-Move List. A new-move list may be obtained in most towns from the Chamber of Commerce, the Retail Merchants Association or utility companies. Very definitely these people should be visited. We have made it a practice through the years to get this list, to send a letter to all the new people in town, inviting them to the church and sending a brochure concerning the advantages the church offers. This should be followed up very shortly by a visit from the church.

Employ a church visitor. This could be a volunteer worker but, if possible, it should be a full-time job. Why not employ a poised, likeable person to be constantly taking a census in the neighborhood; constantly visiting the new people who move to town; getting information concerning their status spiritually, their church preference, etc. From this visit prospect cards can be made and given to the teachers for a visit later. Smaller churches could employ a combination secretary-visitor. Perhaps a lady would work in the church office in the mornings and visit in the afternoons.

Census. Of course, the census is the most used and best way to obtain prospects. This method is simply getting the members together and going from house-to-house canvassing a certain neighborhood for prospects, making prospect cards of each person who is unchurched and giving it to the teacher to visit.

An inside census. We have found this very profitable in rural areas and areas where prospects are limited. An inside church census is simply taking a census of every house where the church members live. Many of the people who attend our churches have unsaved loved ones, unsaved tenants, unsaved landlords, etc. The inside church census is simply a census of all the families in the church and everyone who lives under their roof. You would be surprised how many prospects can be found in this type of census.

Years ago when I was pastor in the country we took a census and found only seven prospects. Then we took an inside church census and found over a hundred. From these hundred prospects, over forty were saved in a ten-day revival campaign.    

3. Let's Go Soul Winning

"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations [Mark's version says, "...preach the gospel to every creature"], baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." -- Matt. 28:19, 20.

Notice the simplicity of the Great Commission. I'm satisfied that this is not all it teaches, but this is the basic teaching, as I see it, of the Great Commission. There are several verbs in this verse. The first one is, "Go." We are to go. That means to go where they are. It doesn't mean to put up a shingle in your office and say, "If anybody wants to get saved, inquire within." It means you are to look them up, track them down. You are to go where they are.

The second verb is, "Teach" (Mark says, "Preach"). Actually it means to win them. Go out and tell them how to be saved. The first thing you do is to go; then get them saved.

The next verb is, "Baptize."

And then, "...Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you."

Notice there are four basic verbs: (1) Go. (2) Preach (or teach, get them saved). (3) Baptize. (4) Teach them again. You teach them something after you get them saved and baptized. What do you teach them? To "... observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you." It did not say to teach "whatsoever I have written you." But teach them "whatsoever I have commanded you."

Now what did He command us to do? Go, preach, baptize, then teach them what He commanded us to do. So, we teach them to go and preach and baptize, that they may teach their converts to go, preach and baptize, that they may teach their converts to go and preach and baptize. If I understand the Great Commission properly, the first thing to teach somebody you win to Christ is how to win somebody else to Christ. Don't you think so? It says "to teach them to do what I have told you to do, what I have commanded you to do."

Here is what I think the Great Commission basically teaches. I come to this brother here on the front. First, I go. I go to your house: I go to your store, then I tell you how to get converted. I get you baptized. Then I must teach you how to go and get the next man converted and get him baptized, that he may teach another how to go and get still another converted and baptized, that he may go, etc.

Dr. Rice, you don't quit there. You teach him how to get this man converted and baptize him. It is a long circle when you get somebody converted. We have the idea that the Great Commission is wrapped up in going, preaching, and baptizing, and that that is all it says. No, it says you teach them how to go. You teach them how to get folks saved. You teach them how to get folks baptized. That is also a part of the Great Commission and the first command to us after we win a soul to Jesus Christ.

So, this is the Great Commission, this matter of what I'm doing today. I'm teaching you how to have pretty feet. The Bible says, "How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!" So, I'm a chiropodist, a foot specialist. I'm going to make you have pretty feet. A secret of success is good feet. An athlete will tell you the first things that will go bad are legs and feet. No matter how hard you can bat, how good you can catch and pitch, when your legs are gone, the athlete is gone.

The most important thing about an army is its feet. When I was in the service they had foot inspection at midnight. We would be sound asleep and then... "Attention!!!" Here comes the Captain. We would stand up and look, and here was that big old boy coming down the hall. They would say, "Get on your foot lockers." We got on our foot lockers. Great big old feet sticking out, and they say, "O.K. Hold up your trousers." We held up our trousers while they examined our feet. Why? Because the most important things about the army was the feet.

Now the first thing to get cold about you is your feet--physically or spiritually. I was in Phoenix in a conference. I got cold at night and I didn't know I was cold. I wasn't awake enough to know where I was cold, but I was awake enough to know I was cold somewhere. Invariably it is your feet that get cold, but you don't realize it. You start pulling the cover up around your shoulders while your feet are sticking out completely. Your feet get colder and you feel colder, but you don't know where you are cold. You pull the covers a little further. Finally, you are freezing to death. It is your feet that are cold but you don't know it.

And that is the first thing that will get cold spiritually. You start tithing and giving more money. But it is not your pocketbook that is cold; it is your feet. You promise God you will start coming to prayer meeting, but your feet get cold first. And a lot of Christians are as cold as a wedge and don't know where it started. It started with their feet.

The same is true about being dirty. How many of you men (now you ladies wouldn't dare do this, but we men do it quite a bit), you don't want to take a bath. You are not quite dirty enough to take a bath, but your feet are dirty, so you take your shoes off, put your big feet up in the lavatory and wash them. Why? Because the feet get dirty first.

The same is true with a Christian. When the feet get dirty--they are the first things that lead you toward backsliding The first thing you leave off when you get away from God is not the Sunday School on Sunday morning; it is not the Sunday evening service. The first thing is visitation, calling, witnessing. If you can keep your feet warm, you will he warm all over. If you can keep your feet clean, you will be clean all over. If you can keep your feet right, you will be right all over. So, today we will discuss how to keep your feet pretty

Soul winning is the basic secret of every other problem in the church. For example, here a church is having cold services. There is no warmth there. The Lord does not meet with them. Now how do you overcome it? Get to winning souls. If somebody walks down the aisle every Sunday and professes their faith in Christ, that will warm the service up a great deal.

Here is a church having trouble with its business. It doesn't have enough folks who know business. It is having trouble handling its legal affairs. It doesn't have enough wisdom. The Bible says, "He that winneth souls is wise." So God gives extra wisdom to those who win souls. I would rather have a soul-winning ignoramus run the business of my church than a group of big shots who won't come to prayer meeting on Wednesday night. In the First Baptist Church in Hammond our deacons and leaders are men not necessarily who are business wise, but men who are spiritual and soul winners because God gives them wisdom that no one else has.

The same is true about your finances. If you have trouble raising your money, just get some sinners converted. When Jesus wanted some money, what did He do? He caught a fish with money in its mouth. The same is true if you will get busy about soul winning. Now if you have a little trouble in the church, go soul winning.

Suppose Dr. Rice and I have a fuss. The best thing for us to do is to go soul winning together. If we can win somebody to Jesus together, we will make it all right. We will love each other again.

When I was in Texas a deacon there had a fuss with me. Of course I thought it was his fault. So, one night he came to visitation. We went visiting together. He said, "Preacher, that Bible study you brought last night was the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard."

I said, "J. B., if you had an ounce of sense, if God gave you a brain the size of a flea's brain, you would know I taught the truth last night."

Now, he said, "Preacher, if I didn't love you, I would quit coming to this church."

I said, "J. B., the truth is, I ought not to even go with you." Boy, we really had it.

About that time we came to the first house. A fellow came to the door in his bathrobe and house slippers. He had gone to bed. We got him converted, and J. B. got happy and we started rejoicing. The fellow woke his wife and she came and got converted. We walked out the door on the way home and J. B. looked at me and said, "Preacher, I've been thinking about that sermon at prayer meeting and that was one of the best sermons I have ever heard."

I said, "J. B., no, you're wrong. I was wrong last night and you were right." So we got in a fuss over who was right last night! I'm just saying, we got back together. Why? Because we were winning souls together.

Jesus said in John 15, "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you." Sometimes folks ask me about predestination. Yes, I believe I was chosen before the foundation of the world -- to get somebody saved. That is what it says. It says, "I have chosen you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: and that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you." Then it says, "These things I command you, that ye love one another." What? Going and bringing forth fruit. Why? That will make you love one another. So soul winning is the crux of it all.

I tell my preacher boys in my church, "If you go to a church where they are about to vote you out, kick you out, go out and win enough folks to carry the vote right quick." I was called to a church one time -- in fact, the first full-time church I ever had. I carried the vote about 25 to 17. When I got there the first Sunday, a lot of my folks were gone. Usually the first Sunday at the church you present yourself for membership, but I didn't have enough folks there to vote me in and I was already pastor. So I didn't join. I went out winning souls and won eighteen or twenty the first few weeks, then I joined the church. I had enough then to vote me in. So it will take care of your problems.

This matter of soul winning is consuming to me. To me it is just the biggest thing. It consumes me with the bigness, and that anybody can do it. I wish I could tell you about some experiences of folks who do it.

I know a fellow in Texas who, when he got converted, couldn't even spell Jesus. The first year he won 169 to Jesus. He picked up a hitchhiker and tried to witness to him. The hitchhiker shook his head. He then talked real loud, but the hitchhiker pointed to his ears and shook his head. So this new convert started writing the Gospel out and the hitchhiker pointed down and shook his head. He couldn't read, he couldn't hear, he couldn't talk. So this soul winner, who went to the third grade and couldn't even spell Jesus, stopped the car and got out, took his Bible, pointed to the Bible, pointed to his heart, pointed to Heaven, made a motion to open your heart and let Him come in, got on his knees and began to pray. The deaf and dumb fellow got on his knees and mumbled a bit, got up with a smile of Heaven on his face, pointed to the Bible, pointed to Heaven and pointed to his heart.

I'm just saying, anybody can do it. This is a chance for you. As Dr. Bob Jones, Sr., says, God doesn't have many today. This is a chance for you. God is hard up and He will even use you.

1. Have a Definite Time to Go

This is one of the most important things in soul winning. If you are to be a soul winner, you have to do it on purpose. You must plan to do it. You must try to do it.

Let me encourage you a bit. I'm sure I speak for others: I know I speak for myself. There never is a day when I want to go soul winning. We're all made of the same clay and have the same weaknesses. Soul winning is a spiritual matter and the flesh will fight against it. In the summer it is too hot to go. Besides, folks are taking naps and it will make them mad if we wake them up. In a few months it is going to start snowing and we don't want to go out in the snow because we will catch cold talking through the door, and they would catch cold, too. There is never a good time to go.

Let me say this, though. I never want to quit once I start. In soul winning you have to have a self-starter. You have to start against the grain. You must start because you are supposed to start. I get tired of folks saying, "Dear Lord, give me a burden to win souls." While you wait on the burden, go out and win a few. The Lord didn't tell you to win souls if you have a burden; He said to win them anyway. If you don't want to, win them; if you feel like it, win them. If we went soul winning every time we felt like it, not a one of us would ever go, because Satan will try to keep us from it. He will keep you at your desk. You may become a great theologian studying things that are good to know, but the Devil will use them to substitute for soul winning.

So have a schedule. The trouble with most preachers -- and I'm guilty of it myself -- is that we don't live a disciplined life. Every preacher should have a schedule and try to live by it. Every preacher, every Christian should have a set time in the week or several times in the week when he does soul winning.

Personally, I try to go every Thursday afternoon, every Friday afternoon, and sometimes on Saturday. If I cannot go or do not go one of those times, I substitute another time. I suggest the layman should go when the church has visitation, if possible, and maybe one other time in the week. If you cannot go on visitation night, go another time, but set aside a time and say, "This is my time to win souls." If you do not, you will probably be a failure.

2. Be Soul-Conscious

What does it mean to be soul-conscious? Talk to anyone any time or, better still, talk to everyone every time. Realize that everybody has a soul. The drugstore clerk, the bather, the shoeshine boy, the beautician, the grocery clerk, the milkman, bread man, service station attendant needs the Lord and we should witness to them.

Nobody is going to do it every time. It never gets easy to ask, "Are you a Christian?" I practice it. In front of the mirror I say, "Are you a Christian? Are y-o-u a Christian? Have you been converted? Are you saved?" I get in the habit of it. I don't care who you are; I don't care where you are, it is never easy.

For example, you go to buy medicine from the druggist. Well, you preachers are pretty nice-looking fellows--you could be mistaken for lawyers. You say, "Hello. How are you today?" The druggist thinks, "Isn't that a fine fellow." You know that if you ask, "Are you a Christian?" his opinion of you will change and he will think you are a nut, and nobody wants to be a nut. So you just don't say anything.

Now you had better get in the habit of asking, "Are you a Christian?" You will win more if you just start witnessing everywhere you go. You will win as many on the side as you do on purpose, and you will have the most wonderful experiences. If you preachers would start winning souls everywhere you go, you wouldn't have to get a book of illustrations to preach from next Sunday. Instead of saying, "In a distant city many years ago a certain man down a certain street..." you could say, "Last Friday morning out on the field I won somebody to Jesus. Let me tell you about it." It will liven up your sermons. That way you won't repeat anybody's illustrations. They will all be yours.

So, be soul-conscious. I mean by being soul-conscious, make it a habit of asking people everywhere you go, "Are you a Christian?" Ask the bread man, the school teacher, the milkman, the fellow who works in the yard, the telephone man, the fellow who reads the meter for the gas and electricity. Just ask everyone you see, "Are you a Christian? Have you been saved?" Be soul-conscious.

Let me give you this illustration. I was out mowing the yard one day while pastoring in Texas. Our church was the largest church in our city. One out of seven people in town belonged to our church. I saw my members quite often. Now, when I mow the yard, I'm not quite a beauty queen! That day I had on a tee shirt with a hole in the shoulder, and one right under the arm; I had on a pair of old tennis shoes with holes in them, and a pair of trousers with patches in the knee, and I think I had on either a golf cap or a fishing hat. I was a tragic-looking thing, a sight to behold!

My wife came out in the yard and said, "Honey, would you go get some sugar from the neighbor down the street?" I said, "All right, I'I1 do it." So I got the cup and marched down there with my tennis shoes on, and a hole in my breeches and tee shirt, and a fishing cap on. We were very close friends to the folks, so we never knocked. They would come in our house and we would go in theirs -- just real close neighbors.

So I walked in and said, "Hey! Anybody home?" And there was -- thirteen people at home -- company all dressed up in suits and fine clothes. There I was. Imagine, Rev. Hyles, a cup in his hand, fishing hat on, split tee shirt, patch in his breeches, and a pair of tennis shoes on his feet! And I said, "Hello." The lady looked at me, she looked at her company, then announced, "This is my pastor." I was horrified! I was humiliated! I wanted to evaporate but couldn't.

Finally I said, "Excuse me; I'm sorry." Then I got to thinking. Shoot! Just take over the conversation. Just act like you have good sense. So in I walked. "How do you do! How are you? Are you a Christian?" I went around the entire room asking the same question. Then they got embarrassed.

(I found out long ago that when a preacher goes to a hospital or gets some place where he feels like a fifth wheel, he should just bluff them and take over the conversation. That will help you, too. It really will. You go to the hospital. Here is the doctor, the nurse, the family. And everybody says, "That's the preacher." You know how you feel, pastors. It's a terrible feeling. So I walk in, "Hello, Doc. How are you?" Make him feel bad. Make him feel like he's a fifth wheel.)

So I walked in and asked each person if he or she were a Christian. The last man, a young man, said, "No, I'm not, but I've been thinking about it." Well, I said, "I can help you think about it right here." We knelt there in that home and opened the Bible. He got converted. He lived in Irving, Texas, forty miles from Garland. I said, "Now, J. D., you need to walk the aisle in the church in Irving tomorrow." He said, "If you don't mind, Preacher, I'll just stay over tonight and come to your church and walk the aisle." He did, and that night he got baptized in my church. Later he joined the First Baptist Church of Irving, Texas.

You don't realize how many places you will bump into people. I saw a lady while on vacation just recently. She said, "Hello, Brother Jack. Remember when you won me to the Lord?" I said, "I certainly do." It happened while I was looking for a Mrs. Marsh. I knocked on Mrs. Marsh's door-I thought. She came to the door. I said, "Mrs. Marsh?" 20

"No, I'm Mrs. Tillet."

I said, "Mrs. Tillet, I thought Mrs. Marsh lived here." "No, she lives five houses down the street."

"Thank you, Mrs. Tillet." I walked off. Then I said, "Wait a minute, Mrs. Tillet. Are you a Christian?" She began to cry. I led her to Christ right there.

I have won shoeshine boys and fellows on airplanes. I was going to Phoenix to a conference last year. I sat down beside a man seventy-two years old, a wealthy rancher. "Where do you live?" I asked.

He said, "On a ranch between Phoenix and Tucson."

I said, "Do you and your wife live alone?"

"My wife died a few months ago."

I asked, "Do you ever think about having anybody else come and live with you?"

"Oh," he said, "If I could find somebody who would come and live with me, a friend to keep me company, I'd give anything in the world." He had chauffeurs, servants. He owned a big ranch with hundreds of acres, but was as lonely as he could be.

I said, "I know Somebody who would come and live with you."

"You do! Does He live in Phoenix?"

I said, "He sure does. He lives everywhere."

He said, "Who is it?"

"Jesus will come." In fifteen minutes that man had Somebody to go home with him to live.

Oh, if we will just take time to witness. The trouble is, we are ashamed of Jesus. We don't mind saying, "Isn't it hot today?" or, "I wonder how the Berlin situation is." We don't mind talking about Khrushchev. We're more eager to talk about him than about Jesus. Isn't that a shame! Here we are redeemed. He died for us on the cross. We have been made heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. He is building a home in Heaven for us. We're God's children and we won't even tell a stranger that we belong to the Lord Jesus. Be soul-conscious.

3. Be Clean and Neat

There are two or three things a soul winner ought to watch. A soul winner ought to always watch his odor. That is tremendously important. Not only watch about your body odor, but you ought to be careful about your breath. One thing that will hurt more than most anything else in soul winning is bad breath. I would suggest that you carry mints with you. We men have a little pocket on the inside of our pocket. Put some mints in there. I always put one in my mouth before I conduct the invitation on Sunday and meet folks at the altar. So keep some mints handy.

There are other ways you can help your breath. Gum is good if you chew it when no one sees you. Someone said the only difference between a gum-chewing flapper and a cud-chewing cow is the intelligent look on the face of the cow! You can also use Sen-Sen. I used to get a bottle of Listerine to keep in my car and between each visit I gargled.

A soul winner should also be neat. Too often the world's conception of a soul winner is some fellow on a street corner, in a suit that doesn't fit; his tie is turned around; he has a funny look in his eye; his collar is turned up; and he is looking at you saying, "You'd better get borned agin or you're going to Hell." Don't you think God could use some folks who know how to dress neatly? Don't you think God could use somebody with a clean white shirt as well as a dirty shirt? Don't you think God could use somebody who knows how to comb his hair as well as somebody with messed up hair! Don't you think God could use somebody who knows how to brush his teeth as well as somebody who doesn't?

Now I thank God for everybody who witnesses. I appreciate the sign on the back of a car. I admire every fellow who stands up and says, "You'd better get borned agin or you're going to Hell." I am grateful for every sign on a rock that says, "Jesus Saves." But I will say this: We need more people with some intelligence and a nice appearance, a nice personality, a good approach, to go into homes and tell people about Jesus Christ.

One should dress just as nice to go soul winning as he would to go to church. Men should at least wear a white shirt and a tie. I suggest you ladies wear high heels and hose. Dress as nicely as possible when you represent Jesus. When you go soul winning, you should give the best appearance. Someone has said, "I want to look so no one will ever accuse me of being a preacher, but they won't be surprised if they find out I am." So dress the part. Be clean and neat.

4. Carry a Testament With You

Personally I think it much better to carry a Testament than a Bible. Now do not be ashamed of the Bible, but if you plan to shoot a fellow, don't carry your gun out in the open up to his house. The best thing to do is to conceal your weapon. If I were going to shoot you, Dr. Rice, I wouldn't say, "Dr. Rice, here I come. Here's my gun. Here you are. Bang! Bang!" Dr. Rice would be out of the way by the time I got there. Now when some folks see you walking up the sidewalk with a big Bible, they will be hiding in the closet by the time you get there. If you have done much soul winning, you know what I'm talking about. Simply get out of the car and walk up to the door with a concealed Bible or Testament. Walk up the sidewalk with a big Bible and people will say, "Here comes the preacher." Mama says, "Tell him I'm not home." So the little fellow comes to the door and says, "Mama told me to tell you she wasn't home!" Now the reason is, they have you spotted.

But I get out of the car with a little Testament tucked away in my pocket, walk up to the door and since they don't know who it is, I have an inroad. When you go to win souls, the best thing is to keep your weapon concealed until you get into the house.

Carrying two Testaments is good also. I don't do this as religiously as I used to, but I did for years. You can buy inexpensive ones for about 25 cents. Let the lost person read from one and you read one. After you win him to Christ, give it to him as a souvenir. You can write on the inside that it was given to So and So on such and such a date (the date of the conversion), with a "God bless you" and a Scripture verse. Give him a Testament and keep one yourself. On occasion you might use his Bible if you see it around.

I don't sit beside the person when I win him. I used to. Now I sit across the room. Two or three reasons why. One, it is always best to sit across the room if you are dealing with the opposite sex. Then it is best to look in the person's eyes when taking to him.

5. Go Two by Two

There are many reasons why we go two by two. It is scriptural. Jesus sent the apostles out two by two. One can encourage the other. There is something about strength in unity. If you don't believe it, eat at a restaurant by yourself tonight and try to witness to the waitress. Then tomorrow night go with Dr. Rice and me and see how much easier it is.

Another reason of primary importance. Jim Lyons and I were visiting in a home the other day (I'm the pastor and he is my assistant). The fellow took a liking to Jim. I don't know why but he wouldn't talk to me. He looked at Jim all the time. I moved around a little closer but still he looked at Jim. I said, "Yes, that's right"; still he wouldn't look at me. I wanted to say, "Hey, I'm the pastor; he's second in command." He still looked at Jim. That fellow wouldn't know me if he saw me on the street.

Now, Jim had to talk to him. What am I supposed to do?

The one who seemingly has the best inroad should carry the conversation and the partner should keep the road clear for the conversation. That is basically why two ought to go together.

I believe in being spiritual. It is wonderful to praise God, but you have to start where they are instead of where you are. I was out visiting one day with a wonderful Christian fellow. We knocked on the door. He said, "How do you do. My name is Jones (I'll call him that). Praise the Lord! This is Brother Hyles. Bless His holy name! We are here to tell you about Jesus. Glory to God! Are you saved? Hallelujah!" The man we went to see slammed the door in our faces. You must make them realize if they get what you have, it won't be so bad. So one makes the inroad while the other keeps the road clear.

What do we mean by keeping the road clear? We mean when the baby starts crying, you should change his diaper: when the beans start boiling, you put some water in them or turn the fire off; when the doorbell rings, you answer it; when the children start screaming for water, you get them a drink.

If you are not doing the talking, you be quiet until your partner is finished. The one doing the talking should do all the talking. Every now and then somebody says, "Well, that means when one runs out of something to say, the other can say something." Don't you go if you are going to run out of something to say. If you can't present the entire Gospel to a lost soul, you are not ready to go yet.

The fellow not doing the talking should keep the way clear. I have played every kind of game there is to play. I have done everything. I have changed many a diaper while out visiting. I have looked in every drawer in the bedroom hunting diapers so I could change a baby. That's right. I go to a house where there is a baby; the baby starts to cry while my partner is talking to the lost one. "Now, Mrs. Jones, never mind; I have four little children at my house. I have had babies at my house for ten years and I've changed hundreds of diapers. Let me take care of that." She says, "Oh! Brother Hyles...." "Now, Mrs. Jones, you sit right there and I'll take care of it." And I do. I have played soccer. I have played dolls. So many kids have been on my back at one time playing "piggy back" and "ride the horsy" that if my partner hadn't gotten the soul saved soon, I would have dropped over!

One day I went soul winning with Bob Keyes, who was then my assistant pastor, but who is now pastor of the church Dr. Rice founded in Dallas. Bob was an excellent soul winner and still is. We were out soul winning. I was doing the talking and the lady had a little baby who was acting ugly. About the time the lady was ready to get down to pray, the little boy said, "I want my bottle." Mama stuck the bottle in his mouth; "I don't want my bottle." She took it out. "I wanna bottle." She stuck it in. "I don't want my bottle." Then I prayed, "Lord, do something about this little rascal or he is going to mess up the whole thing." Do you know, he stopped and looked spellbound, as if he were in a trance. I said to myself, "Well, glory to God!" For about fifteen minutes that little baby didn't move. He didn't move his eyes; he just looked. The lady got converted and became one of the greatest Christians in our church.

When we left I said to Bob Keyes, "Bob, praise the Lord!" He said, "Amen! Why?"

"Did you see what God did to that baby?"

He said, "What?"

I said, "All of a sudden, at the crucial time, that baby froze."

Bob said, "Well, I'm sure the Lord had something to do with it, but I may have helped a little because I had a ball-point pen behind the coffee table going up and down, up and down, up and down. Preacher, I did that fifteen minutes and I'm worn out!"

Now, don't you think Bob had a part in that soul? Sure he did. Some of you spiritual giants need to know how to change diapers and handle ball-point pens! You would get more people converted.

One time I was out with a fellow who got to praying for this lady, "Lord, save her! Lord, save her!" while I was trying to witness to her. He was talking louder than I was. Pretty soon he got on his knees and prayed, "Lord, save her!" Then he got on the floor and started beating the floor and saying, "Lord, save her!" I. had to say, "Now, friend, I'm sorry but she can't hear what I'm trying to say. Would you mind going in the other room?" He did and we got her converted. If we are going to beat on the floor, let's do it at midnight, alone. If we are going to agonize, let's cry all night alone but not make a public demonstration or show. Do things that are necessary to do.

One night Bob Keyes was witnessing to a fellow and the doorbell rang. I said, "Dear friend, you stay right here. I'll answer the door." I went to the door. The fellow at the door said, "How do you do. Are you the man of the house?"

I said, "I'm a man of the house." (I was a man and I was of the house!)

He said, "I have an appointment with you to show you a vacuum cleaner." Obviously he had called and had an appointment.

I said, "I will be delighted to look at it. Come and we'll look at it on the front porch."

I didn't want the fellow to leave and I didn't want him to stay, so I saw all of the vacuum cleaner and its parts. We tested the thing out. Finally Bob Keyes said, "Hey, Jack! Come on. I've got him saved now."

I said, "Mr. vacuum cleaner man, my name is Hyles. I'm pastor of Miller Road Baptist Church and we just got this man converted. By the way, have you ever become a Christian?" We turned on him and tried to get him converted.

Now, if I hadn't kept that vacuum cleaner salesman occupied, this fellow would never have gotten converted. Keep your eyes open if you are the second party. Keep the way clear. Pave the roads in order for the person doing the witnessing to do the job. That's the reason basically for going two by two.

By the way, Dr. Rice told this morning how you can pray without ceasing. I imagine a fellow can pray and change the baby at the same time, don't you7 We can pray and water the beans or play ball with the kids at the same time.

6. Go With Different People

Occasionally somebody will ask me, "Brother Hyles, if you started a new church or if you went to a new church, what is the first thing you would do in training the people to win souls?" The first thing would be to have different folks go with me to win a soul. The best way to train a soul winner is for him to watch someone else win a soul. The wonderful thing about soul winning is when you win a soul to Christ in the home, you are training a soul winner at the same time.

For example, let us suppose one brother gets converted in a church during preaching. That is wonderful. He is saved, but he has never seen a soul won in the home. Let's suppose another brother is won in his home. He has already seen me win him, so he knows exactly how to win someone else.

So, soul winning in the home reproduces itself. You train them and teach them how to become soul winners before they ever get converted. Now they can witness, and they can say, "At least I can do what Brother Hyles did to me." They already know basically what to do. So, go with different people so that others may watch you and learn.

7. Claim the Spirit's Fullness Before Going

Now I think basically that when a person goes to win souls, he should spend his time winning souls. I had a secretary once who came to work about nine o'clock every morning, then she wanted to spend the first two hours praying. I think prayer is wonderful, but from nine to eleven in the morning is not the time for a secretary with a job to pray. From six to eight might be all right, or from 1 a.m. to 2 a.m.; or from seven to nine at night. But she wanted to pray from nine to eleven in the morning. She thought I was unspiritual because I wanted her to type letters and get the work done. I said, "I don't mind you praying, but I'm not going to pay you for praying. Don't you pray on company time; you pray on your own time."

Now, soul-winning time should be time set aside for soul winning. We ought to set aside times for seasons of prayer, but not to borrow it from scheduled soul-winning time. When you go, say a simple prayer. I always pray basically this prayer, "Dear Lord, I claim in faith the fullness of the Holy Spirit before I go. I pray that You will help me to be a blessing to somebody and help me to win somebody today." Claim the Spirit's fullness -- a simple prayer of faith asking God to help and give power. I make it brief.

Suppose you are going soul wining at one o'clock on Friday afternoon and you are going to pray for thirty minutes; pray from 12:30 to 1:00, not from 1:00 to 1:30. Do not steal soulwinning time. If you plan to go soul winning at one o'clock and you want to pray for four hours, start praying at nine o'clock in the morning and go soul winning at one. Stay on schedule about your soul winning and claim the Spirit's fullness before you go.

8. Go Believing

This one thing changed my soul winning ministry. For example, people often take this little course, then call me on the phone to say, "Brother Hyles, it worked! It worked!" Sure it worked. Expect it to work. Isn't that what faith is?

Believe that God is going to save somebody. Expect to win them. Go believing. God said He would save sinners if you would go. That is His promise. "He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him." Don't be surprised when God keeps His promise. Go believing.

9. Be Nice

Be nice, courteous, kind and gentle. One thing so difficult for preachers is to change our behavior from the pulpit to the living room. You can't act the same in the living room as you act in the pulpit. It is quite different, because you were not invited. You are infringing upon their privacy. When in the home be courteous and kind.

Many seem to think that the Lord said, "Go into all the world and teach all ladies to quit smoking cigarettes." Now I don't believe in smoking. We don't allow any deacons to smoke in our church. I don't believe in smoking, and especially in ladies smoking. However, God didn't send us out house to house to talk ladies into quitting smoking. God sent us out to get people converted. I've heard of preachers walking up to a door and addressing the lady thusly: "If you will throw that wicked weed away, I'll talk to you." This certainly is the wrong approach. Get her converted first; then perhaps she will throw her cigarettes away. In other words, don't get off the subject.

One day I was talking to a lady who said, "Brother Hyles, I can't be saved because I smoke. Do you think a person can be saved who smokes?"

I said, "That's a good question. Let's wait awhile and I'II discuss that with you." I said, "Do you realize that you are a sinner?"

"Oh, yes," she said, "but I'm not going to get saved because I'm not going to quit smoking."

I said, "All right, that's a fine question. We will wait awhile and I'll discuss that with you." So I told her how to be saved. I prayed and eventually she prayed and gave her heart to Jesus and was converted.

After she got converted I said, "By the way, you asked something awhile ago about smoking."

She said, "We took care of that when we prayed."

You will do a whole lot more good if you will keep on salvation, stay right on the line, and be nice and kind.

When you go to a home, be as courteous as a vacuum cleaner salesman or an insurance man. Be personable. I always say this: The first thing you have to do is win them to yourself. I don't mean you ought to selfishly try to make friends, then get them converted as a by-product. You have to first make them think you are all right. For example, you have to have a Christianity that they feel will fit them if they put it on. If you walk up saying, "Hello. Glory to God! How are you, Praise the Lord! Glad to see you. Hallelujah!" They say, "Oh, no! If I get what he's got, I'll probably be like he is; no thank you, I don't want it." A pleasant "How do you do. How are you?" is always in order. The first thought they should have is, "He is a nice fellow," or "She is a pleasant lady."

10. Be Complimentary

Every time you go to a home, brag on something. We live in a selfish world. It is good to say, "You sure have a nice suit," or "Isn't that a precious child?" Make it a habit. Develop it inwardly. It should be part of your nature. One of the sins of the ministry is professional gratitude. Did you ever hear it? We often say, "Mrs. Jones, that was a good meal," but we don't mean a word of it. Stop and think. Mrs. Jones started cooking two days ago. She made her husband put his shoes outside the door when he came in and walk in barefoot to keep the floor nice. Those poor little ones couldn't even come in the house. They couldn't even use a towel. They had to use paper towels for two days to keep the towels clean for the preacher. The poor little things ate baloney for three days before you came to save so the lady could buy the nicest center-cut roast. She got the finest of everything, put out her best china, her best silver, her best crystal. She is as nervous as a cat. The preacher is coming! Now listen, stop and think about that; then look at her when you finish the meal and with a heart full of appreciation, say, "Mrs. Jones, I know what you've done for this meal, and I appreciate, personally, the work you've done to make this possible." Take the professionalism out of it and make it a part of yourself to want to be grateful and expressive of gratitude to people in the home.

The best thing to brag on is children. Be able to compliment little children. Man, listen, I can come in your home and say a few things about your young'uns and I'm a great fellow, regardless of what I've done wrong.

We had an insurance man in Texas who used to bother me to no end. He would say, "If you loved your family, you'd have more insurance." I would answer, "If I loved my family, I would sell what I've got now and spend the money to buy food for them." I hated to see him coming.

One day I was out in the yard and I saw him coming. I walked out to the curb and waited for him. When he stopped, I leaned against the door on his side, grinned at him and said, "Hello." He didn't even look at me. He looked at my little five-year-old girl and said, "Hello, sweetheart. You're the prettiest little girl I ever saw."

I said, "Isn't she though."

My little boy came toddling out (he was three at the time) and the salesman said, "Hello there, son. You're a fine looking fellow. Have some chewing gum."

I said, "Won't you get out and come in!"

Sure, he knew how to get in. He bragged on the children. I think a man who has that good judgment about children deserves to come in! So he came in.

You do the same thing. Brag on the children. Compliment the home. If there is a new piece of furniture in the house, a beautiful carpet, a nice sofa or a dresser, brag on it. Be on the lookout for things to compliment.

11. Be Careful About Going in

Now this I think is important. I do not try usually to go into the home unless the people are unsaved. If the people are saved, normally I do not go in. I don't chit-chat much with the saints. When I go out to visit I usually make twenty visits in one afternoon. That is four hours' work. The way I do that is to find out quickly if they are saved, pass the time of day very briefly, invite them to church and say goodbye. Too many of us go out to visit and when we find a good Baptist fellow who tithes, makes a big salary, and one whom we want in our church, we go in and spend the afternoon, drink coffee, eat cake and let the world go to Hell. I do not personally spend a great deal of time visiting with saints. I just keep going and keep going until I find the lost ones and spend my time with them.

Also, if it isn't the opportune time, don't go in. I would especially be careful about going in if the opposite sex is alone. Now a word to you men who find a lady alone. Be very careful about going in. Sometimes if the person is busy, it is good to ask her if you could make an appointment to come back later at her convenience. But be careful about going in.

12. Be a Good Listener

Talk about jobs wanted and positions open. There is lots of room in the world for some good listeners; there are many available positions open for good listeners. Did you ever hear a person say, "He sure is a fine fellow. Just a quiet, fine fellow. He is such a good listener"?

So often this happens - you preachers know this is true. A lady comes into my office. "Brother Hyles, I need some advice. I just don't know what to do. I felt like you could tell me what to do."

"All right; present your problem."

She talks and talks for an hour or so. I say nothing but, "God bless you, Uh-huh. Well, yes."

That is all I say for an hour. She gets up and says after an hour, "Brother Hyles, you always have the best advice. You always know just what to do."

Well, I didn't advise anybody about anything. She just wanted somebody to unload on. That is one of the basic jobs of the pastor. Day after day they come through my office, as they do yours, wanting somebody to hear about their problems and burdens.

Go to a home and say, "Where do you work, Mr. Jones?" "Down there at the steel company."

"What do you do down there?"

"Well, I make steel."

"How long have you been down there!"

"I've been there six months," Mr. Jones says.

"Where are you from?" I ask.

"I'm from Tennessee."

"Tennessee! That's a beautiful state. I've been down in the Cumberland Mountains in Tennessee."

Talk to him about his interests, and let him talk to you. Ask him about his family, where he is from. Ask him where he works. Let him talk to you for a while. Personally, I'm not an advocate of quick witnessing. Some of the best soul winners I know are, but I differ with them here. I think it best to chit-chat for awhile and be folksy. Listen to them. Let them present their problems, then after awhile talk to them.

Not long ago my wife and I were going to Colorado where I was preaching in a conference near Pueblo. We were on a jet going to Denver. The wife was sitting next to the window, I was sitting in the middle, and a businessman was sitting by me. I started a conversation with him. "What kind of business are you in?" He talked to me for thirty minutes. I have never heard so much talking in my life. I didn't have any idea what he was talking about. I just tried to act intelligent. There are a lot of basic answers, you know. He would say, "What do you think about the geophysical problem in the United States?"

I would answer, "It's really a problem, isn't it?"

He would say, "How do you feel we are economically?"

"Oh, I feel like we've seen better days, but we've seen worse days too, you know." Just a few basic questions and answers!

Finally after he unloaded for about thirty minutes, I got to talk to him. My wife punched me and grinned. She knew what I was doing. After we got off the plane she said, "You rascal! I knew the whole time you didn't understand a thing he was saying but you were waiting for the time when he would do the listening for awhile." If he talked to me for thirty minutes, then wouldn't let me talk to him for five minutes, he wouldn't have been very kind, would he? You listen to them for awhile and you will get them to listen to you easier. Be a good listener.

13. Only One Do the Talking

I wish I could stress this more. When two go together and both want to talk, it is often because of trying to argue people into becoming Christians. You can't do that. The best thing to do is to ask the dear Lord to help and lead and open doors, then with a kindly, gracious, Christian spirit, go into the homes and present the plan of God to the people, giving them a chance to accept or reject.

Only one do the talking. The one who has the inroad should do the talking. Suppose, Dr. Rice, that you and I are going soul winning and we meet a fellow who is mowing his yard. I walk up and start talking to him. "Hey, neighbor! You've got your yard looking mighty nice."

He says, "Well, thank you."

I say, "What kind of mower is that?"

"Oh, it's a Jacobson," he replies.

"This is a good lawn mower," I say.

He says to himself, "This is a nice fellow."

Suppose we meet a man who is working on his car. "Hello, how are you?" I ask, putting forth my hand.

"Oh, my hand is greasy," he says.

"I don't care. I have shaken greasy hands before."

He thinks, "That sure is a nice fellow."

Be folksy and get his attention. Then the person who has the inroad can do the talking.

For example, Dr. Rice has written some books. If the fellow says he is an author, then I say, "Dr. Rice here has written scores of books." Immediately he becomes interested in Dr. Rice. Then I had better go water the beans; Dr. Rice is going to talk to him. So, I'm going to keep my mouth shut. The best thing for me to do is to be quiet, prayerful and helpful, then if he fails, I may try. Again I say, only one do the talking.

I went soul winning with a man one time, a wonderful Christian and a great fellow, but he didn't know a thing about soul winning. We went to a lady's house. She came to the door. I said, "How do you do. How are you today? Nice baby. Beautiful day. You have a nice home," etc. We talked awhile, then I asked, "Lady, have you ever become a Christian?"

"Well, I was baptized down in Henderson, Texas."

"Oh," he interrupted, "Henderson, Texas? I had a meeting down there. Do you know Zeb Peabody who runs the feed store there?"

I said, "Now lady, have you ever received the Lord and been converted?"

She said, "Well, one time I thought I did down in Jacksonville."

"Jacksonville?" he interrupted, "I had four meetings in Jacksonville. Well, I'll declare! Jacksonville!"

Well, I had to send him home. He just couldn't be quiet. You just let one person do the talking. The one who gets the inroad should follow right on through and present the plan while the other one keeps the way clear.

14. Stay on the Subject

Now, the place the Devil will ruin more soul winners than most any other place is here. I sometimes think that knowing too much hurts soul winners. If we could just keep it simple and stay on the simple plan of salvation, we would do a lot better. I spent many days in school learning to handle a Mormon; I haven't seen but two since I got out of college. I memorized Scripture after Scripture on how to handle special cases. A Mormon will often handle just like a Jehovah's Witness. A Catholic will often handle just like a Seventh-Day Adventist. To learn how to win an unbeliever is the big thing. And the simple plan of salvation is the answer. Just stay on the subject.

Suppose the old question is asked -- "Where did Cain get his wife?" What should I do? I would say, "That's a good question, and I will tell you what we will do. I'll make a note of it and we will discuss it when we get through. Now, down here in Romans 5:10...."

Just stay right on the subject. You say, "Brother Hyles, what if he asks you a question about Heaven or Hell?" You are going to tell them about Heaven and Hell in a minute anyway. Tell them the same thing: "That's a good question." You plan the speech, and don't let anything he says get you off the main line. Don't spend your time answering his questions or he will be governing the conversation. You govern the conversation. You carry the ball. Stay on the subject.

15. Find Some way to Get Them Lost

Let me explain. Often I've gone out to win souls and asked, "Are you a Christian?" If he said, "Yes, I am," I would let it go at that. But some people will answer yes to "Are you a Christian?" who are not really Christians and you need to get the Gospel to them. To do this, we must get to a verse like Romans 3:10. I've got to