A Question For Soul Winners

Rico · #1 07-14-2008, 05:19 PM

I've got a question I'd like to ask those of you who have had success with winning souls. Most of the time we take a tried and true path of leading someone to repentance, baptism, and infilling of the HG. Sometimes, however, I have had God take a different path.

Several years ago the Lord had me take the strangest path with some people who started visiting our church. These people were from Mexico, could not speak English, I speak Spanish, so they sort of fell into my lap once they started coming to our church. I don't remember the details of how they found our church, but I know they were part of a family of pentecostals in Mexico. The group's father was a pastor of a church there in Mexico and the children were in the States working the melon fields and whatever other migrant work they could find. The oldest brother was their leader and the others took their cues from him.

I've always been the type of person who believes very strongly in letting God lead me when it comes to winning people to truth. I believe it's Him who opens the door for us to speak with people and He gives us the words to say when speaking with people.

Anyway, they had been visiting the church for a few weeks, and I had developed a burden for them (not hard to do when you are the one translating everything for them). I had been praying that God would open a door for me to teach them about baptism in Jesus name. They were already believers who believed in speaking in tongues, and had a heart for the Lord and His ways, so it seemed obvious to me the only thing they lacked was Jesus name baptism.

Well, the day finally came when the Lord opened a door for me to speak with them, but it wasn't on baptism. It was on the topic of foot washing. I shared the scriptures on foot washing and communion with them and we discussed how they believed in communion, but didn't believe in foot washing. I can't remember everything I said to them about foot washing, but I can tell you I remember the Lord giving me the words to say to them as we were conversing. We reached a certain point in the conversation where it seemed like all the attention was focused on the brother (the one who was their leader). I don't know how to describe how I was feeling other than to say I felt like God was waiting for him to accept foot washing as valid. I was so close, gang, I could almost see his mind changing.

Unfortunately, he rejected foot washing as being a valid part of being a Christian. The very moment he decided he wasn't going to accept it, I felt the burden God had given me for him and his family leave me. I got home and literally wept and pleaded with God to not release me from the burden He had given me for them. The Lord spoke to my spirit that night and told me all He wanted from this man, at this point in his walk, was for him to accept foot washing. God wanted him to embrace this practice as being valid before He was willing to take him any further in his walk with Him.

I don't believe God turned His back on my Mexican friend that night, so I don't want any of you thinking that. I just think that God had orchestrated things in such a way in this man's life that He would bring this element of truth to him. It was God's purpose in bringing him and his family to our church.

Shortly after this, they left and went on to wherever they go when following the seasonal work (they were migrant workers). I've often wondered about what happened to them and where they are now.

At any rate, I brought all this up because I'd like to know if any of you have had similar situations come up in your efforts to disseminate truth. I don't really want to argue over whether foot washing is required for salvation or any of that mess. If you want to that's your choice. Suffice it to say I believe in foot washing, and I know some people see that topic differently than actually washing people's feet.

live4him · #2 07-14-2008, 05:35 PM

i beleive that footwashing and communion and speaking in tongues and baptism is all important to be saved, it all intertwines together, i beleive that your freind maybe thought that -that was not necessary to do and that it was not essential. i do beleive that he could not humble himself to do that,

i had a situation maybe nothing like yours, we went to this church and became members of it and the youth girls were mean and jealous of my daughter, and just dogged her all the time, would not get her involved in anything, well one night we had foot washing and i went up to this sister who her daughters were the one against my daughter, and i said to her i have had ought against you and your daughters because they have treated my daughter wrong, and i became bitter,and angry and i told her that i wanted to wash her and her daughters feet so i can be forgiven and i did that,

and people were really shocked, but i had to do what i had to do. if we cannot wash each others feet than we are not worthy for the kingdom of God, it is to humble ourselves and seek his face for forgiveness, because if you cannot forgive your sister or brother in the Lord than we will not make it to heaven. buy your friend sounded like a ring leader, like he was the leader, and they were following him, that really is wrong, but i dont know
i do beleive all this comes together to serve the Lord,

Rico · #3 07-14-2008, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by live4him

i beleive that footwashing and communion and speaking in tongues and baptism is all important to be saved, it all intertwines together, i beleive that your freind maybe thought that -that was not necessary to do and that it was not essential. i do beleive that he could not humble himself to do that,

i had a situation maybe nothing like yours, we went to this church and became members of it and the youth girls were mean and jealous of my daughter, and just dogged her all the time, would not get her involved in anything, well one night we had foot washing and i went up to this sister who her daughters were the one against my daughter, and i said to her i have had ought against you and your daughters because they have treated my daughter wrong, and i became bitter,and angry and i told her that i wanted to wash her and her daughters feet so i can be forgiven and i did that,

and people were really shocked, but i had to do what i had to do. if we cannot wash each others feet than we are not worthy for the kingdom of God, it is to humble ourselves and seek his face for forgiveness, because if you cannot forgive your sister or brother in the Lord than we will not make it to heaven. buy your friend sounded like a ring leader, like he was the leader, and they were following him, that really is wrong, but i dont know
i do beleive all this comes together to serve the Lord,

Preach it, Sister!