Of the numerous nicknames aptly attributed to Charles Hadden Spurgeon, perhaps the most incisive and comprehensive description would be the title of his well-known work The Soul Winner.
“I would rather be the means of saving a soul from death than be the greatest orator on earth,” Spurgeon said.[1] “Soul-winning is the chief business of the Christian minister” . . . “the main pursuit of every true believer.”[2]
Not only did he consistently preach from this conviction, but Spurgeon also modeled soul-winning in his personal life and leadership of Metropolitan Tabernacle. One historian reports that during Spurgeon’s 38-year pastorate, 14,692 people were baptized and joined the Metropolitan Tabernacle.[3] For Spurgeon, that staggering number was not merely a statistic, but souls to disciple.[4]
“We do not consider soul-winning to be accomplished by hurriedly inscribing more names upon our church-roll, in order to show a good increase at the end of the year,” Spurgeon said. “It is a part of our work to teach them to observe all things whatsoever Christ has commanded them.”[5]
Soul-Winning Is Soul Care
Unlike most of his contemporaries, Spurgeon viewed soul-winning holistically, not merely as conversion, but about making converts into disciples in the local church. Spurgeon once said,
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