Soulsmanship: A Skilled Process of Sharing Christ with Others while Being Guided by the Power of the Holy Spirit. Featuring A Road Map to Heaven and Spiritual Maturity

Copyright © 2024 Joseph E. Compton, Jr..

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Scriptures marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

Scriptures marked KJV are taken from the King James Version of the Bible. Public domain.

ISBN: 979-8-3850-2178-9 (sc)

ISBN: 979-8-3850-2179-6 (hc)

ISBN: 979-8-3850-2180-2 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2024905420

WestBow Press rev. date: 6/7/2024

CONTENTS

Foreword

Introduction

CHAPTER 1. What Is Evangelism, Why Evangelize, What Is Sin, and Why Go Souling?

CHAPTER 2. What Is Sharing or Souling, and Is Training Needed?

CHAPTER 3. Why Do We Not Evangelize or Make Disciples and Followers of Christ, and Why Aren’t We Soulsmen?

CHAPTER 4. What Do We Mean by Missions and Evangelism, Where Does It Start, and What Is the Gospel?

CHAPTER 5. What Is Sharing or Souling; What Is a Soul; and If Skilled Salesmen Need Sales Training, Do Soulsmen Need Soul Training?

CHAPTER 6. What Are the Basics of a Soulsman? Salesmanship versus Soulsmanship: How Are They Similar, and Is Sales Training Necessary?

CHAPTER 7. Soulsmanship Defined

CHAPTER 8. Soulsmanship Targets

CHAPTER 9. Soulsmanship: Sharing the Gospel. Different Approaches—You Decide!

CHAPTER 10. Road Map to Heaven

CHAPTER 11. Road Map to Maturity

CHAPTER 12. Your Souls Plan

CHAPTER 13. Why Be a Soulsman?

Bibliography

Related Words

About the Author

DEDICATION

I would like to dedicate this book to my parents, Joe and Alice Compton, who taught me right from wrong using God’s Word and who did their best to be Christian examples in my life.

My mother was critical in being a witness to my dad, and he gave his life to the Lord one hot August night at an old-fashioned tent revival in 1967 that she made him attend. I walked down the aisle to the altar call with him and knelt with him as he prayed to the Lord for forgiveness. Afterward, his first words to me were, Son, are you saved? I was only twelve and really didn’t understand what he had just experienced, but I witnessed an instant change in his life for the rest of his life. His first response to being saved was to be a witness. Hmm, shouldn’t we also?

True soulsmanship, or being a soul winner, can be as simple as that. It’s as simple as asking someone you love, Are you saved?

I hope this book helps you find what works best for you to be a soulsman on a mission with God.

HE THAT WINNETH SOULS IS WISE

— Proverbs 11:30 (KJV)

FOREWORD

What an honor and a joy it is to read Joe Compton’s book! He has captured the basics of what each of us as Christ followers are to be doing: sharing the gospel and making disciples!

Using his amazing background in business and sales intertwined with his incredible gospel-sharing heart, he has combined his experience and knowledge into everyday tools that anyone can use. I challenge you to study this book and go make disciples!

— Anne Lucas, e3 Partners, Director of Medical and Short-Term Missions. Lucas has worked and served in sixty-five countries as well as across the United States.

INTRODUCTION

WHAT ARE SOULING, SOULSMANSHIP, AND A SOULSMAN?

All Christians are commanded to go make disciples, but are we taught what to say, how to say it, and when to say it? Not usually. If we are not taught, given some guidance and mentoring, and held accountable to follow through, we usually just don’t do it.

I have attended church, Sunday school, and small Bible groups most of my life, and I have found that we often don’t hold one another accountable for evangelizing. We spend our time discussing and teaching the same Bible stories, lessons, and principles for living, but we don’t address specific methods, plans, and accountability practices to help bring in the harvest as the scriptures teach us.

Most churches can look at their church rolls and see that they are not growing. In fact, many churches across the country are experiencing a decline in attendance. I have seen some former church buildings that are now homes, nightclubs, or retail stores. However, this could be remedied. If each member brought one new believer into the local church per year, the church would double in size in one year. Yes, it’s simple math, but this simple addition is not practiced, so the problem is never solved.

In this book, my goal is to discuss evangelism and how it is like selling something, which requires training and skills to get results. It is our responsibility to plant the seed, hoe the garden, and water the seeds, and then we let God produce the harvest.

My hope is not to make you salesmen of the gospel but rather soulsmen. My hope is not to get you selling but rather souling. My desire is to help provide you with training to become better soulsmen and more productive in your souling efforts. Soulsmanship is all about that!

I would like to define soulsmanship as the indwelling Holy Spirit working through you to lead others to Jesus the Christ while you apply skills