Zeal By The Numbers

“And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ.” (Ac 18:5 AV)

 

It is amazing how a preacher can be emboldened by nothing more than the presence of the saints.  Paul was alone in Corinth, starting a new church with people who shared the same craft as he.  They were tentmakers.  Aquila and Priscilla were husband and wife who had moved back to Corinth from Rome because Claudius Caesar chased them out.  Paul happened to arrive in Corinth and needed a place, so Aquila and Priscilla offered him shelter.  In return, he assisted them in their business.  While there, he shared with them the gospel and they accepted Christ.  It was the start of the church in Corinth.  Paul had sent for Silas and Timotheus while they were at Thessalonica.  In the meantime, Paul was in the synagogue on every Sabbath disputing with the Jews.  Yet, we see when these two disciples came to the company of Paul, his zeal for the gospel increased.  Nowhere does the Bible imply a lack of zeal on Paul’s part.  He was faithful.  He was performing ministry in the most difficult of places.  Paul started a church and was discipling two new saints.  When Silas and Timotheus arrived, the faithfulness of the Apostle was turned into greater zeal.

I have been so very blessed that in whatever work the LORD has entrusted me with, He has also provided faithful soul-winners to work alongside me.  From my first ministry I worked to my present one, there have been a select few who have the flame of the gospel burning in their heart.  That flame has often been a source of zeal for a weary preacher.  There was David in my early years.  He and I were soul-winning partners.  Then I moved on to a new church and my father-in-law was along my side.  In the next church, I had the pleasure of working with Karl.  Then the LORD really blessed.  At the next church, I had Chris, Steve, Jim, and Doc.  To name a few.  Onward, the LORD blessed again.  There were Matt and his family, Nate, Karl, and my bestest hunting buddy, Bunk.  Now, the LORD has given me Chris, Mike, George, and occasionally, others.  Each of these men has encouraged me as I have encouraged them.  We have had interesting times.  There was the time my son Zack went with me and a guy had a gun behind his back.  There was the time the door was opened to reveal a cloud of marijuana wafting out the door.  There were times we had to outrun a dog.  Or times when the door was slammed in our face accompanied by a few choice words.  Then there were the times the Spirit gave us liberty to explain the gospel.  The thing is, ministry is far easier when there is someone who will serve with you.

In every church I have ever served, soul-winning was the first ministry we established.  If a church is not out there knocking on doors, it is not fulfilling its purpose.  There were times when my wife and I were the only ones who showed up.  Those times were extremely disappointing.  Especially when a church had a number of leaders who wanted to be in decisions making positions, but they seldom, if ever, were involved in soul-winning.  What encourages the preacher, even more, is when he goes cold-calling and the fellow-laborer is just as forthright with the gospel as he is.  The preacher feels he does not have to carry the load all himself.  He learns from the attempts of others.  He sees what may or may not work.  He is overjoyed others have as much, if not more, zeal to reach others and he does.  When I step back and defer to the efforts of my partner, I become the student.  Even more than that.  I become an observer of another man’s love for Christ.  This love of Christ then compounds in my own heart.  So, if you want to light a brighter fire under your preacher, go soul-winning with him.  You may not have to carry the load of conversation.  Just being with him and sharing the same passion will press him in the spirit to preach the gospel of Christ.