Kigoye Eriya

Matthew 9:36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. At times I listen to some who call themselves believers and you really wonder whether they are truly believers. The things that bother them, concern them or what they value is sometimes miles apart from what the Bible says or from the heart of Christ. To make it worse, some shepherds or leaders too are taken up by the same kind of attitude.  A true Christian should really care about the lost and dying world. Like Jesus was compassionate, they too should have a similar kind of heart else they are not truly saved. A true Christian is not one in name only or born to Christian parents or attends church regularly but one who has received the gift of salvation and is born again.  From then one God gives them a heart like His. David had a heart after God's, Christians have more than what David had, His indwelling Spirit. Sup...

Matthew 25:28-29 Take therefore the talent from him, and give [it] unto him which hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. One of the most important statement that I have ever heard is that the anointing grows by reason of use. The anointing is the Holy Spirit.  God has given Him to us as a gift but it's our responsibility to grow the gift upon our life. No use, no growth.  One of the statements Bishop Gerald Mwebe always tells us not to do is to ever criticize anyone who is trying to do something for the Lord. Those very ones criticizing would immediately stop doing so if they venture out in soul winning. It's like any sport. The fans or the football analysts may know the theory of the game but the mere fact that they aren't the ones on the field playing, they can never win any award. The one who is working and labouring is the one rewarded with more p...

1 Thessalonians 4:11 And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; The Bible talks about minding our business. What's the business of the believer? Soul winning. The opposite is true, if we don't mind our chief business for our existence, we are going to get distracted by petty quarrels, arguments, interchurch politics and other things which are not what we are primarily called to do.  We bless God for the schools, orphanages, hospitals, which churches set up. They are, however, not what we have been called to do primarily. Our business is soul winning. When a child is sent to school, although there are many cocurricular activities like sports and games, they are not the main reason they are in there. At the end of the day, if they don't perform well in school or acquire the certificate they went to school for, it befits the purpose.   A continued pursuit for souls proves that we are not being distracte...

1 Corinthians 13:11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. When you are a child, there are childish things which you do that befits that age. When you grow, mature, and become of age,  there are things you outgrow and start doing things only mature ones do.  One mark of maturity is to take on more and more responsibility.  Mature people want to do things that matter. They want to make a difference.  They rally behind a cause so passionately and mobilise others with their resources or other people's resources to join them. Many men that God has used mightily have that point when the childishness is done, and all they want to do is to pull the thumb out of their mouths and act right. Mature people sense maturity in others and desire to flow with them. If there are people desirous of soul winning in the church, those are the ones they want to flow with. They avoid those ...

 Hebrews 12:14 Follow peace with all [men], and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Can a man carry fire in his bosom and his clothes don't get burnt? Not at all. Many Christians play around with what shouldn't be played with. Their behaviours make them do things they ought not to do, and that affects their Christian witness. One day, I was in a Bible study, and the topic of lifestyle came up. The way believers want their pastors to live very straight lives is alarming. One reached the extent of saying, "I understand when a Christian sins, but I cannot when it is my pastor." Such a statement means leaders should live morally sound lives because they are leading God's flock. But Christians are leaders too in the communities they live in. They are the souls winners wherever their pastors don't reach. They are the light and the salt wherever they are. If they don't shine, darkness will prevail, and if they lose their saltiness, how will the wo...

John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Are you born again? Why ask you that question? It's because if you're answer is yes, we need to ask another accompanying question. What are you doing in the kingdom and for the kingdom?  You see nonbornagains as well as bornagains attend church. But the difference comes with the fruit born. There should be fruit of yours being bornagain.  The fruit of souls won and the disciples you are making. That's a high challenge you and I have to embrace and walk towards otherwise we shall live ordinary lives just like everyone else.  We tend to forget why we are still alive and try our best to live like the rest yet we should be different.  We should think, see, do and behave differently otherwise we will never do what we are meant to do. There are two important day's in a man's life, the day they are born and the day they discover why. To ...

John 9:4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. There's a time and season for everything under the sun. There's a time when you are a youth, energetic and strong and you are able to do several things in a day and not get so tired. Night time is coming when old age will catch up with you and you will do a few things in a day and you feel worn out. Better make use of such times when you can use your strength to evangelise as much as you can. If one cultivates the habit now, you will do it even in old age.  There are so many cares and concerns that come with new experiences whereby you need to adjust to them. Newly wedded, having a baby, new job. For a time being you may want to strike the balance between what you have been doing and the new experience that you are encountering. Those new experiences will either draw you closer to your God or push you further apart. They will either hinder your soul winning or enhance it...

Luke 14:21-23 So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel [them] to come in, that my house may be filled. There's something to learn from the rich man in our theme scripture.  It's not the friends of his who came to the party or his relatives but the unusual.  It was the people on the streets,  lame, the non cultured kind. It is not God who doesn't want to have the dignified in the church, it is the dignified who don't want Him! So shall the mission of God's salvation be hindered because they do not come, no way! We rather have the outcasts of society, impoverished and the down and outs fill the chu...

Luke 14:16-21 Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. And they all with one [consent] began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. Soul winning is closely related to church growth and church planting. The souls we win must be followed up and planted in a Spirit filled and Bible believing church otherwise our labours will be in vain. Since the...

Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek   A coin has two sides that make it valid. The same is true about the cross of Jesus. The cross always has two sides to it, shame and glory. When one carries his cross, there's some amount of shame when one identifies as a Christian. Many want the glory but don't want the shame of the cross. They forget that on the cross,  Jesus was crucified naked, yet at the same time, He conquered sin and death on it, hallelujah.  But why should we be ashamed when we have a message that turns souls around for good? You yourself are a testimony of God's saving power through the cross. That enough should make you bold and shameless.  If we are not shameless,  our churches cannot have more branches or even cannot grow. The devil has made it appear shameful to ask people to give, preach the gospel, start churches,...

Luke 14:23 And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel [them] to come in, that my house may be filled. The Lord instructed us to use force at times in winning people to him. The greek word is called agnakazo.Some souls will never be won unless we use such means.  Christians need to understand that we experience resistance from all sides and we ought to rise up against it. It's okay to be gentle while witnessing but it cannot work all the time.  Nonbelievers have forced some things into our ears and eyes through social media. Immorality is at its peak because what used to be shameful in the past is considered politically ok today! But it took force by the proponents to do so. I have heard people come out to profess themselves as unashamed homosexuals, lesbians, prostitutes! Some are unashamed drug addicts! And a Christian feels ashamed to express his views or preach yet others are unashamed to walk in short dresses and speak their vulgar ...

1 Corinthians 14:40 Let all things be done decently and in order. I have come to realize that the gift of the evangelist and evangelism is one of the most unwelcomed gifts or less attended programs in the body of Christ. How many on average sit down to watch a previous crusade or attend one for that matter? But everyone is quick to attend Sunday service to hear from a pastor with a teaching gift or even receive ministration from worshippers. That should not be so. God has placed things in order in this world. He expects us to be orderly too. If that is so, then whenever a program of soul winning is put up, other things should be put on hold and let the program happen and not the other way round. Postponing it with the thinking that it will be done tomorrow and when tomorrow comes it's rescheduled again means that it will never be done and the devil runs haywire.  What amuses is that some programs are set by people who know very well that they won't make it and yet have not empo...

1 Corinthians 2:4 And my speech and my preaching [was] not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:  Soul winning goes a long way in helping church members in exercising their giftings and also prove their ministry.   There's quite a lot of potential in young ministers  God is raising nowadays. Speak of demonstration of the power of God and many will do that. Ask some to preach the word and they will do it. Shall all of them be given opportunity to preach on Sunday? Shall all of them hold the microphone to lead worship? Not at all. Rather they can express the anointing on their lives on the streets, door to door evangelism and through busing people to church. This not only keeps them busy but it helps ministries to grow and everyone gets to know their place. Some other way to release tension in the church is to send those highly proven ministers to go and plant churches or branches. Church planting will not only humble a m...

2 Timothy 4:5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. There's a tendency for ministers and generally Christians to neglect the work of ministry because of the cares of this life. Whenever they are under pressure from all sides, they drop everything they are doing for the Lord to sort the crises of life. They get lost literally, shut off from the church family until they resolve the issue and then come back to do what they used to do. That shouldn't be so for a soul winner. Learn to do ministry regardless of the battles of life you are facing. Its surprising that a normal church member doesn't even expect their pastor to miss any preaching engagement yet for them they allow themselves to abandon their duty for any small issue which may arise. The pastor may have bigger problems they are battling but they have learnt to rest in God and minimise the afflictions. Paul called them light afflictions. Jesus...

Ezekiel 3:18 When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked [man] shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Most believers have a funny mentality towards soul winning. They think their actions are enough to get the onlookers saved. They forget the important aspect of speaking forth the Word. There's a place of accountability we have to give before God for having not told the people to turn away from sin, the devil and even themselves to God.  Atleast inform, warn, them about the consequences of their not choosing Jesus and God won't hold you accountable for their eternal death. Sin is not only doing what's not right, its also knowing what to do and not doing it. Sin is both in the things you commit or omit.  Let's do the great commission and avoid doing the great omission.  Further scriptures  James 4:17 Therefore t...

Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. What's the reason you were saved? The Bible tells us why in Ephesians 2:10. We were saved for good works. Some confuse good works with being morally upright. It's good to have both. Part of the good works includes preaching the gospel. We are not alive to take up space. We have work to do as we await the coming of our Lord.  The day you get bornagain, Jesus becomes your saviour and Lord. We cannot say Jesus is Lord unless we obey His word fully. It is said that the last words of a dying man are the most important. Jesus's last words were about the great commission. The great commission unfortunately is a great suggestion to some Christians. They try as much to bypass that charge by giving all sorts of excuses. They say they are not called to preach and yet the charge to preach was to all.  William Booth said, 'Not called!' ...

Acts 8:1 And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles. The early church experienced too much persecution because she was not obedient to the call of soul winning to other places apart from Jerusalem.  Persecution helps us to focus on the priorities. Is it that the persecution you are facing is a wakeup call for you to do what you are meant to do? If so, arise and do what you have to do.  In our theme scripture, although the persecution was not God ordained but a work of the devil to stop the apostles' witness, it worked out for good because other places were able to receive the gospel because the apostles were scattered abroad.  Some will take pride in being martyred yet it was their disobedience that led to that. You ought to be wiser than that. On the other hand sometimes the reason Chri...

Matthew 10:5-10 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into [any] city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, Nor scrip for [your] journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat. God has called us into this awesome work of soul winning and He will provide for His work to be carried out. God is the best paymaster. He cannot send you without providing for your needs because He knows you need them. Never hesitate to do the work of the ministry because of any tendency to worry how things will work out. God is always faithful to provide, we ought to be faithful to obey.   I see you well supplied in ...

John 4:31-34 In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat. But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him [ought] to eat? Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. You cannot imagine the joy and satisfaction of soul winning unless you are involved in it. God supernaturally refreshes you from the inside of your inner man whenever someone receives salvation, healing and deliverance.  Besides the temporal struggles people go through, God satisfies us regardless when we engage  in soul winning. That's why Christians shouldn't suffer from stress or depression. If we suffer from them, it means we have neglected our primary duty.  Jesus preached to the Samaritan woman and the disciples wondered why He wasn't hungry. He was already supernaturally fulfilled from His inner being.  My heart is warmed and refreshed whenever ...

Psalms 90:12 So teach [us] to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom. Soul winning should be done with utmost priority bearing in mind that our time of existence on earth is limited.  We don't have forever to live in these earthly bodies. Therefore we have to make use of our time effectively while we are still here. Just like a dying man who won't call for his land titles or cars on his sickbed but close family and friends, thinking like a dying man will help us align our priorities on what is really important. Even someone who is scared or survives a near death experience calls upon God even when they claim they are atheists.  If we live and think like a dying man, we shall not only increase in wisdom, but also we shall prioritise that which God prioritises which is winning souls to Him.

Matthew 9:37-38 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly [is] plenteous, but the labourers [are] few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest. One man said that the sinners market is so big. This is true and should keep us very busy. A lot of idleness, backbiting, competing for who should be the lead in the body of Christ is solved by getting busy in soul winning. Instead of lamenting how empty the church is, and trying to break someone else's church, we ought to be winning souls. We need to be proactive and not reactive. No one is damned to go to hell unless it's their own choice to reject the salvation which only God can give. So we need to reach out to them.  In one pastor's mentorship I was part of, our mentor asked us to get the maps where our churches are located. He asked us if we knew the population of the village and compare it with the membership in our church. When we did, the difference was big.  I...

Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, [even] unto the end of the world. Amen. Jesus calls us to be first soul winners before we become worshippers, pastors, etc. Bishop Dag stated before that any Christian is first a soul winner before they become anything else. If a man desires to have a big ministry, the short cut is in soul winning. Everyone should redirect whatever ministry they are up to to win souls otherwise it will lack substance. Any minister who focuses on soul winning as his primary call will be relevant to the kingdom and will not lack the resources to do it. It takes time for someone to develop into other aspects of ministry. But before you do, you need to be a soul winner. For exampl...

Matthew 10:1 And when he had called unto [him] his twelve disciples, he gave them power [against] unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. Jesus assured his disciples that supernatural power will be released on their behalf as they are spreading the gospel.  Miracles, signs and wonders bring a lot of attention to the hearers which causes them to believe the message you are putting forth. Jesus said if they didn't believe his words, they should believe the works that he does, John 10:38.   Are you hungry to see God's power at work in your life, go out and win souls. Power follows those who go not those who stay. Further scriptures Acts 2:22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:

Acts 11:19-23 Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only. And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord. Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch. Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. In the theme scripture, we see Barnabas being sent to Antioch to encourage the brethren there because of the report the apostles in Jerusalem heard about their ministry of soul winning where a number of people were added to the church. If nothing much was happening, I ...

  Mark 11:13-14 And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not [yet]. And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard [it]. The believer is healthy only when they have proof of souls won. A prayerful believer should have souls. A believer whose fasting, word life is in order should bear results of their ministry.  Quality and quantity go hand in hand. A qualitative spiritual life without fruit is like a tree with leaves without fruit.

John 10:14-15 I am the good shepherd, and know my [sheep], and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. We are sheep under the care of good shepherds who are our dear pastors. They not only care for us when we get problems, they open their lives to us completely. Who is a good Christian without a good pastor? There is none. A good pastor can make you into something you were not before. What do you give in return for the good care you receive? By bringing many into the kingdom. It's not the shepherd who gives birth to sheep. On the contrary, sheep give birth to fellow sheep. Since your well fed accept to be sent into the harvest field.

Matthew 22:14 For many are called, but few [are] chosen. We have an awesome privilege to be involved in bringing many to the kingdom of God through evangelism. If every believer engages in it, this world would be much better than it is now. But there are limiting beliefs and thinking patterns why people do not engage in evangelism. One of them is that some disqualify themselves from doing it due to a misunderstanding of the scriptures. For instance there's a common thinking that there are some who have a call to preach while others are not. True there are those called specifically to occupy the office of an evangelist. However God has placed a general call on us believers to go out to the ends of the world and share the gospel, Matthew 28:18-20. Timothy was urged by Paul to do the work of an evangelist even though he was a Bishop or pastor, 2 Timothy 4:5. There is also another side of the coin to it. Not only do some think they are not supposed to do it, others presuppose that the...

  Joshua 1:1-3 Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to pass, that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' minister, saying, Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, [even] to the children of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses. One of the greatest honour is to serve God in the ministry of preaching and teaching His word.  As much as it is a privilege, it's a huge responsibility. A responsibility of changing lives, turning men's destiny's is huge if you just pause to think about it.  Can you imagine by the use of words we can tear, build or break someone's life? By it men will respond that they are blessed and some won't.  Just like the great men of old took up the reigns to lead God's people, so it is our time to do the same. Awake to that consciousness and...

Galatians 5:6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love. Faith works so strongly to men who have a strong understanding of God's love towards them.  We believe in God so strongly because He first loved us by laying down His life for us. Even in our day to day relationships, love is a strong antidote to unbelief. When you walk in love towards your neighbour who is a non-believer, faith towards God builds up inside them. Have you ever seen some who want to ask for your help yet have not established a genuine relationship with you? That is theft. Never ask for a hand before you win a heart.  For those whose relationships have broken down or who want to establish a relationship with others, love melts even the toughest hearts and breaks barriers causing faith in God and trust to flow easily in our relationships. A man full of love will never be lacking in faith where as a man full of faith is always energised b...

  James 2:8 If you really fulfill [the] royal law according to the Scripture, [ "You shall love your neighbor as yourself,"] you do well; How do men know you and how do you want them to know you, your fellowship, church or ministry? What is that distinction that will cause us to stand out?  Jesus gave us the answer. Men should know us for love. There's no reason why we should have spiritual jargon with no love working in us. It's all meaningless. Should we be known for how loud we pray or the crosses we put on our necks yet we are loveless? Should we be known for the T-shirts showing the church we pray from or the banners, the social media attention yet we are void of love? All those things are good but let's keep it simple the way Jesus instructed. Love is the greatest distinct mark of a believer and as believers who are in fellowship with each other and will forever be. We should not be moving healing the sick, preaching the gospel and yet men have a bitter feel...