Reaching the Lost: Satan Meant It for Evil, but God Meant It for Good

COVID cannot break the spirit of God’s people if we do not let it. The message is simple; if we want to grow, we must do Bible studies and evangelize. HTHSOE get reports each week from congregations who are engaged in the fight. During the first week in January 2021, we will provide our yearend report. I think it will be shocking to read—so standby! This week, I want to highlight a few recent reports from those who are using our HTHSOE training. Enjoy!

First, the good news from Timberville, Virginia, just keeps coming. Elliot Asbury and Mike Gant, along with several other families, are working hard to overcome COVID by doing Bible studies. Here is there most recent report: “We have a new sister in Christ, Sue Huffman. We studied with Sue using the three lessons of Back to the Bible. Sue was not convicted until we studied Does It Matter. I think she was convinced after the second Back to the Bible, almost just like Victor and Mary!”

Second, a congregation who used HTHSOE DVDs and remote training options immediately began seeing results. This report comes from the Bellevue church of Christ in Dublin, Georgia, where Johnnie Scaggs preaches. Our new sister is Norma Crawford, and she was taught by one of the local sisters. Brother Scaggs has been working hard to focus the congregation on soul winning. This reminds me of old saying, “You never hit a target you don’t aim for.”

Third, John McGiffin and his wife Laura continue to use Back to the Bible and are baptizing more and more people. Before COVID they had 18-22 in attendance. Last Sunday they had 54. Their latest conversion is Lisa Miller. Now they are studying with her husband Chris.

Fourth, we received a report from East Flushing, Queens. “As of June 28 through November we have ordered the Believe the Bible Set, the Back to the Bible Set, Personal Evangelism by Rob Whitacre (two DVD Set, updated for 2020),), the Personal Evangelism Workbook, Advanced Personal Evangelism DVD, and the Evangelism Simplified—The Personal Evangelism Workbook. By the grace of God, we signed up for the House to House/Heart to Heart mailing program in August and the New Movers Program in October. We are having a training workshop Friday night that we may grow in being equipped to teach the gospel of Christ to the lost. By having organized studies and prayer, to the glory of God, we baptized Christopher Henderson and Luis Gomez in August, Ryon Reid in September, and Armando Alexandre in November for a total of four baptisms in a three-month period. The word of God is still living and effective today. God has promised His word will not return unto Him void (Isaiah 55:10-11). It is that which converts the soul (Psalm 19:7). As we continue to pray for the churches of Christ, please pray that we may reach the lost by planting and watering the seed of the kingdom. God will add the increase to our efforts. In His service, East Flushing Church of Christ.”

Fifth, Jenny Choate shared a baptism report.  “We used the Personal Evangelism DVD to train ourselves on how to use the Back to the Bible study. We studied with a young lady this past week. She had an open and willing heart. We did the first study on Thursday, the second on Sunday, and the third on Tuesday. After the third, she was ready to be baptized. However, she wanted to be baptized in the river. We live in NE Arkansas. The local river is spring-fed and pretty chilly. Last night at the time of the baptism, the temperature was around 50°F and the water was about the same. This was our first time using this study method. Her name is Andrea Dorman.”

In short, if COVID becomes our focus, the church suffers. If saving souls, which is the mission of the church, becomes our focus, then the church grows.  We cannot allow Satan to distract us from our mission.  It is still possible to take what Satan is using to harm the church and turn it into good.  Reports like these prove it!