Follow-up
Soul-Winning Lesson 8
Luke 17:17-18: And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.
Principles on Following-up
- Care deeply about those you win to Christ. The people you preach to are those for whom Christ died (Romans 5:8)––those who get saved among them are especially precious in God’s sight (Psalm 116:15), the “apple of the eye” (Psalm 17:7-8). You ought to be willing to endure all things for their sake (II Timothy 2:10), to “spend and be spent” for them, and to love them despite their faults (II Corinthians 12:15).
John 13:1: Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.
II Corinthians 6:11-12: O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged.12 Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels.
Philippians 2:20-21: For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state.21 For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s.
- Recognize that those you win to Christ are your spiritual children. When someone trusts in Christ, they are born into the family of God (John 1:12; I John 5:1). Because you, the soul-winner, are the minister by whom they believed (I Corinthians 3:5), they are your spiritual children. Paul referred to those he saved/discipled as his children (I Corinthians 4:14-15, 17; Philippians 2:22; I Timothy 1:2, 18; II Timothy 1:2; 2:1; Titus 1:4; Philemon 10), as did Peter (I Peter 5:13) and John (I John 2:1, 18, 28; 3:7, 18; 4:4; 5:21; III John 1:1-4).
- Desire your converts to succeed spiritually. Just as parents want the best for their children, you should desire everyone you win to Christ to continue to grow (Colossians 1:9), to serve, and to fellowship with the brethren (Philippians 1:3-5). Indeed, these three are the activities which will integrate and attach new believers, first to the Lord, and then “unto us [the ministers of the word of God] by the will of God” (II Corinthians 8:5):
- Learning: the believer is being regularly edified and instructed in doctrinal and dynamic preaching, as well as personally edifies themselves with such things as Bible reading and Bible memorization.
- Fellowshipping: the believer is making godly and zealous friends at church, and regularly spends time with some of them outside of church services.
- Serving: the believer is engaging in the work of the ministry on a regular basis by doing such things as going out soul-winning and/or helping in church functions.
Your success as a soul-winner, in-part, depends on their success as a disciple (Philippians 2:16-17; II John 8).
III John 3-4: For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth.4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.
I Thessalonians 2:7-8, 11-12: But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children:8 So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us… 11 As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children,12 That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.
Follow-up in Scripture
The only way to fulfill the entirety of the Great Commission, to evangelize the entire world, and for a church to grow, is through follow-up. Even the unsaved in false religions understand the importance of follow-up (see Matthew 23:15). It is a good work––and one which will be greatly rewarded in heaven––to not only get people saved, but also to get them baptized, faithfully attending church, and continually serving God (see Daniel 12:3; James 5:19-20; Galatians 6:1). Many people are imbalanced in the work of God like the Medo-Persian bear of Daniel’s vision, who “raised up itself on one side” (Daniel 7:5). They emphasize one aspect of the ministry over another. But the Bible teaches us to be balanced and temperate (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8; 7:16-17; I Corinthians 9:25; Philippians 4:5)––there is a time to win souls, and a time to follow up on souls; a time to gather disciples together (Luke 6:13), and a time to cast away disciples (John 6:60-66).
Paul the apostle, the archetype of a successful soul-winner, employed follow-up on people he led to Christ. He often wrote letters to individuals and groups of people he saved and/or discipled, and also returned to visit them on various occasions (e.g., II Corinthians 13:1).
Acts 14:21-22: And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch,22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.
Acts 15:36: And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do.
How to Follow-up: The Telecommunication Method
Step 1: Gather their information and provide an expectation
After you get someone saved, always take the time to collect the following information from them: their name (first and last), their age, their phone number(s), and their location. Invite them to the next available discipleship lesson of a qualified teacher (a “discipler”). It is best to first schedule new converts for the next available discipleship lesson, rather than a church service, so that there will be a definite record they came, and so that, when they come, someone will be immediately entrusted with faithfully rescheduling and reminding them to be at church. Be persuasive about getting them to come, just as you persuaded them to get saved. Write your name and number on the gospel tract, and tell them to save your number.
Step 2: Rejoice with them and remind them
In order to establish, in their mind, the event of their profession of faith, and to cause them to be able to more easily recognize you/your number when you communicate with them later, it is a good idea to send a text message to the person who preached to the evening of the day that you win them to Christ (see example to the right). If possible, you should also call them right there (and tell them to save your number as a contact with your name) if the phone is with them.
Step 3: Pray for them
Pray that those you led to Christ will come to church, being sure to be effectual and fervent in your prayers for them (James 5:16b). Every great man of God often prayed for the souls they were entrusted with (e.g., Epaphras: Colossians 4:12-13; Jesus: John 17:9; Paul: Ephesians 1:15-16; Philippians 1:3-6; Colossians 1:3-6; I Thessalonians 1:2-5).
Step 4: Call them and text them
Construct an organized list with all of the information of the people you get saved, and make a plan to call them as a reminder and confirmation about attending a lesson. This information is best for cold-call follow-up.
| Name, age | Date of salvation | Location | Phone number(s) | Notes |
It is important that you make notes on what occurs as you call them, and that such notes be brief yet descriptive. Here are some examples of possible notes you might make when you give a call to someone, based upon the Ugandan telecommunication system (MTN and Airtel):
- –– the person answered the phone, and confirmed a specific lesson time to come to.
- NA –– the phone rang until the recorded operator’s voice, but the person did not answer.
- NW –– the phone didn’t ring, the call didn’t go through, or the recorded operator informs you that the phone is “not available.”
- OFF –– the recorded operator informs you that the phone is switched off.
- BUSY –– you receive a “busy” notification immediately as you place the call. If you make 2-3 calls to a person at different times and experience the same, it is because the person blocked your number.
- DENY –– the phone rings 1+ times, but then you receive a “busy” notification (the person denied your call).
- NT –– someone answered, but it wasn’t the right person, and they informed you the person is not there at the moment.
- ? –– someone answered, but they were speaking in a foreign language, or they were unclear about who they are and hung up the phone, or it was just static/bad network.
When someone confirms they will come for a specific lesson, it is essential that you remind them. A good practice is to call them the day before the lesson and text them the day of the lesson. If they don’t answer when you call, send a text in place of the call, and give another call the day of the lesson (with another text if they also don’t answer that call). Your texts should be “high pressure” goads (see Ecclesiastes 12:11), messages which provide a high-expectation of their attendance.
You can and should also put a Bible verse/phrase in the text (e.g., Hebrews 10:25), which will exhort them to come. Realize that most people will not come the first time they schedule, even if they confirmed by phone they would come. Be persistent (see Luke 11:5-8; 18:1-8; Galatians 6:9; Proverbs 24:16). Most people will actually never come, and you may be harshly rejected by people. When they clearly will never come, don’t waste further time with them––just cut them off from the list (see Acts 18:6).
Step 5: Disciple them
Realize the importance and responsibility of continued Bible teaching for those you get saved, that it is essential if you want them to continue (John 8:31), faithful unto death. However, if done right, the work of teaching a Bible lesson (even if one already has the pre-made lesson) is very advanced. It is only to some in the church that God gives the office of “teacher” (Ephesians 4:11; I Corinthians 12:29), not to all. The onus of formally discipling new converts, therefore, usually falls on the leadership of the local church that the soul-winner is serving in. The only exceptions would be if the soul-winner is themselves an elder/evangelist, or is effectively trained for spiritually teaching others as, say, a “discipler.”
Psalm 126:5-6: They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.6 He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.