In Proverbs 11:30 it is written: “He that winneth souls is Wise.” With that knowledge, it’s another gathering of the wise.
The International Cell Leaders’ Conference (ICLC) with Pastor Chris Oyakhilome is here again. It is starting this week from Thursday 8th to Sunday 11th of June 2023. This ICLC, “A New Chapter of Our Lives”.
Last year at the ICLC 2022, Pastor Chris launched ‘Code Rabah’, by saying: “It’s time to multiply, enlarge and excel. The Man of God has an insatiable passion to reach as many souls with as possible with God’s manifested presence.
Last year in God’s passionate pursuit of souls, He has taken away every limit, mandating us to reach and disciple 7 billion people with His divine message. This year the mandate is raised to 8 million.
Pastor Chris reminds us that soul winners are precious and influential people in the sight of God. He has said in the past: “As a child of God nothing should mean more to you than leading those in your world who have not yet known the Lord into salvation.”
He continued to say: “As a child of God, you must be passionate about soul-winning; it must burn in your heart to take the Gospel to the lost. You’re the custodian of the Gospel. It’s therefore your divine responsibility to publish it around the world. When you understand that Jesus is the only way, you’ll stand up for the Gospel.”
If you walk with soul winners, you will become a soul winner
Soul winners are always inspiring. They are always enthusiastic. They are the firebrand of the church. Every church should be filled with soul winners.
The continual desire to preach the Gospel according to the message of the Man of God is imprinted on our souls the more we hear his word. We are constantly encouraged by Pastor Chris to be effective soul winners.
In his sermons, Pastor Chris said, “There’re no options to the Gospel. There’s no other way to the Father, except Jesus Christ. He said, “…I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). This is absolute reality, and it must form the basis of your convictions: your speech, your thinking. Your outlook on life must be from this understanding and persuasion about Christ and His Gospel.”
In Psalms 67:2, David said, “Send us around the world with the news of your saving power…”.
Pastor Chris explains that “In David’s day, the Gospel hadn’t been fully made manifest, but he had insight into the revelation of Christ the Messiah. The time hadn’t come and the redemptive work of Christ hadn’t been consummated, but Christ now has come. He has died and has risen, and now lives in our hearts. Halleluiah! No Christian is left out of the instruction to preach the Gospel. It should be your passion!”
He continues to say: “Fuel your passion for the Gospel. Keep preaching and talking to others about Jesus. Discuss the Gospel continually with those who are also fired up in their spirits for the Gospel and intercede in prayer for the lost who are yet to hear the Word of salvation.”
The annual ICLC celebrates soul-winning
The Man of God reminds us that we will experience even more success and progress as we engage in soul-winning and soul-winning activities. “People are God’s greatest assets on earth. Until you start winning people for Jesus, you’re not involved in God’s asset-building. The Lord is always reaching out to the unsaved, to touch their lives with His power and glory; but He can only do so through you.”
To be effective as a soul winner, you must see beyond every limitation and refuse to be sidetracked from this great responsibility. Get rid of all distracting influences and fervently serve the Lord as a soul winner this year. It’s your purpose for being.
Step-by-step tools from Pastor Chris for soul winning
At the online Soul Winners Conference a few years ago, Pastor Chris outlined the 7 main steps to perfecting soul winning.
The first thing to do is to “be ever filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:16-18). Leading from this instruction is the second step, to have a clear understanding of the Gospel. This requires an investment in learning and gaining knowledge of the Word and Scriptures.
The third step is to explain the Gospel (Matthew 28:19-20). God says to teach all nations, but you cannot teach the Gospel if you don’t have an understanding of it.
Once you learn to understand the Gospel, you can lead others into salvation, which is the fourth step.
Pastor Chris explains it like this:
“You may preach and explain the gospel and not lead them to Christ.
How do you lead them?
Help them in the confession of the Lordship of Jesus. Help them act on Romans 10:9-10.
When they believe you, ensure they make the confession of the Lordship of Jesus.”
The fifth step is then awareness, to receive them into God’s family. Sometimes, we may preach to people and lead them into salvation but we do not receive them into God’s family.
Again Pastor Chris expands on this step by saying: “They need to know where they are now. They need to know that they are born into the House of God now. They are in the presence of God now. They must be brought into the awareness of their new place, new family.”
The sixth step is to explain that Christianity is a way of life and introduce the Church’s mentorship program to secure these souls into this new way of life.
Once more Pastor Chris explains this step by adding: “In Matthew 28:18-20, “teaching them to observe what I have commanded you…” Church mentorship programs are meant to build the individual Christian to be a dependable leader.
The seventh and last step in this stage is to release them into leadership. Pastor Chris explains that they must now begin to do what we are doing and reach the 8 million mandate.
The final night of the ICLC will culminate in the 15th Praise Night with Pastor Chris.