Saturday, March 10, 2007

THE DIRECTION OF THE TULSA WORKSHOP

Being one of the two who plots the speaker/class topic format for the workshop, I am often hit with the question, "When will Tulsa get back to soul winning?" To be frank, such a question is insulting. It never left soul winning. It left narrowness. It left shallowness. It left politics. It left fear. It left hollow worship. It left brethren who tried to control with their threats and pressures. But, it never left soul winning.

Let's take a look at last year. The unity venue with the Christian Church and the Churches of Christ was considered by the critics as non-soul winning. It was Jesus who said we are to be perfected in unity that the world may believe. However, as I listen to some they evidently don't believe unity has a thing to do with soul winning. Yet, it is at the very core.

Soul winning doesn't just take place at a kitchen table and then in a baptistery. It takes place at an A Cappella concert. It takes place in placing an order for a noon meal and respectfully honoring the waitress. Soul winning occurs in a kind note to a workshop speaker. Soul winning occurs when one assists a stranded motorist with a flat tire. Soul winning occurs when we find ways to get along, abandoning the appetite for divisiveness. Soul winning occurs when one sets up a booth at the workshop. Soul winning occurs when we use polite voices to reorder a part which has been sent wrong three times in a row.

Soul winning is not an event. It is a lifestyle. Every year the workshop is about soul winning. When will we get back to it? It's tough to get back to something we never left. Those who left soul winning to criticize should read a page out of their own log and return to soul winning.

Take a look at this year's program.... www.tulsaworkshop.org .....another soul winning effort.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Am I the first to say it?
Woweee! Another great blog!
Can't wait to get there!

Carrie said...

Terry.....Hi! Thank you for leaving a hello on my blog:) it put a smile on my face:)
Since I cannot be there to hear your sermons anymore this is the next best thing:) I would like to say that it is evident by the number of people who come to Workshop that it is SOUL WINNING! That is all everyone talks about this time of year! ....I cannot wait to see what you all put together this year!!! You always do an outstanding job on Workshop and I appreciate all the hard work I know you put into it.....I know Danna and Becky are a great help as well! Can't wait to see you all!!

Stoogelover said...

Well said, my friend. You not only preach it, you live it!

Adam Gonnerman said...

I first attended the Tulsa Workshop in 1996. A friend took me. We were both from the instrumental churches background (4 years later I graduated from Harding's School of Biblical Studies one day and being ordained by the elders of a Christian church the next) and were VERY surprised by the warm welcome we received. The last workshop I attended was in 1999, I regret. Time and money have not permitted me to go again, and I sorely wish I could. The few times I did were wonderful.

Anonymous said...

Terry, as veteran preacher Jack Exum said for decades, "Soul winning is not what you do, it is what you are." Great post. When will we stop segmenting our lives into tiny managable slices?

Liz Moore said...

Amen! Only nine days to go!!

Anonymous said...

Hi Terry,
To me the Tulsa workshop has always been about soul winning. It has also been instrumental in promoting healing among brethren. I first attended the workshop in 1985 when I was a young preacher (associated with the one-cup churches) who thought he knew everything. I told myself I would never go back, but I have only missed one time since then. I am now a more mature preacher (still associated with the one-cup churches), but now I know I don't know everything.

This year's workshop to me was wonderful. I enoyed the preaching and the fellowship. I appreciate the openness and the love shown, even when we don't agree on everything.

So, Terry, keep up the good work, don't let the nay-sayers get you down. I plan to be back again next year to enjoy more fellowship and be inspired for soul winning. God bless!

Tim G. said...

Terry,

I was baptized at the Williamstown Soulwinning Workshop in 1977.

The first lesson I heard as a new Christian was from Eddie Powers: 'How To Lead A Soul To Christ.' I went home to Albion Illinois and lead a coworker and his wife to Christ 2 week later. The next year I attended my first Tulsa Souwinning Workshop. Soon after Tulsa, I led two of my best friends to Christ. 20 years later, I would see my mother baptized!

Over the years, the Tulsa Workshop informed me and inspired me through David Powers, Pat Casey, Albert Hill, Jim McGuiggan, Richard Rogers, Jeff, Lynn, Marvin, and of course you. I owe you and Marvin so much for providing a balance in these workshops.

I'm not sure of the motive behind the question: "When is Tulsa going to get back to souwinning?" But I have to tell you it struck a nerve.

You see, I believe a lot of churches accross America are looking for help in connecting with their community. They are looking for ideas, encouragement, and inspiration. And the depend on 'Tulsa' for this.

They are looking for churches like them that are succeeding in building a bridge to the divorced, the abused, the broken, the missing. Where are these churches? Where are these places?

There's nothing that fires me up like a story of someone lost finding Jesus Christ. I want to hear more of them. I want to hear more for the churches that have them.

As a veteran attender of the Tulsa Workshop I'm not insulted by the question at all. I think it's a healthy question to consider.

My God bless you as you plan the next worshop.