The repent-of-your-sins to be saved crowd will often lump the rest of us in together and say we do a "1-2-3 repeat-after-me" style of soul winning. They’ll accuse of us of just asking people to repeat a prayer, but that’s a straw man argument because we are doing a lot more than having them pray. Naysayers who teach a thinly-veiled works salvation just want to emphasize the prayer to make it seem like the people we win to the Lord "aren’t really getting saved"
Yes, there are independent Baptists out there who are too quick to lead someone in a prayer, but the soul winning done in our movement involves having a two sided conversation where the person is given a chance to either agree or disagree with each point. The emphasis is on believing, and there are summary questions that we ask at the end to make sure we are on the same page. Some of us have even posted soul winning demonstrations on YouTube, proving that all of the key points are covered in our presentations.
Like most Baptists, I use the "Romans Road" along with several other additional verses, but one of the ways that my presentation differs from the way a lot of IFBs do it, is that I explain eternal security BEFORE the prayer. I realize that some people do get saved after hearing a very bare-bones Gospel presentation that doesn’t specifically address eternal security. Sometimes when people hear the Gospel, they fully grasp the fact that salvation is a free gift, so they don’t assume they can lose it. There are definitely people who get saved that way, but probably many more who do not. Most adults do not automatically believe in eternal security because they already have a preconceived idea that salvation is by works and that they can lose it. Most IFBs do talk about eternal security, but it is often treated as an addendum to be explained after the fact.
Explaining eternal security after the prayer is better than nothing, and hopefully many of the people who hear it that way are still getting saved. That said, logic dictates that they should understand that it is “eternal life” at the time when they are calling upon the Lord. There is also a difference between just telling someone something and actually confirming that they believe it.
Once you realize the fact that people who do not believe in eternal security are not saved, you will see the importance of expounding the doctrine of OSAS (once saved always saved) before the prayer. Not everyone will show up for church and get that doctrine nailed down at a later time, so we need to make sure people know enough to get saved at the door. There are a few key points to cover when presenting the plan of salvation, and the eternal security of the believer is definitely one of them.
Unfortunately, many churches are weak in this area, but you can make a difference in the effectiveness of your church’s soul winning program. When it is your turn to talk, be thorough. Make sure the person understands that you can’t lose your salvation. Then, when you chat with your soul-winning partner between doors, you can tactfully explain why you included certain things in your Gospel presentation. That’s how I learned to be a more effective soul winner, and you too can pass along this important information to others.
Here is a recent sermon on improving your soul-winning
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