Many years ago, I participated in a week of outreach led by Lex Loizidesat the end of the week he presented everyone with a copy of a paperback Christian book- C. H . Spurgeon's the soulwinner. Why that book you might well ask. Why would a book written during the Victorian era in London make my list of books every christian should read?

Quite simply there is no book more calculated to unsettle us from our willingness to accept a form of chrisitanity that was as alien to Spurgeon as it was to Paul, that when week after week no one gets saved in our churches. Spurgeon expected salvations every time he preached and got them.

Spurgeon outlines the kind of preaching we need to preach, but also the kind of people we need be to win souls. If you want your heart stirred to greater faith, and greater work for souls there is no better book to read. It is short and a great introduction to this man of God who was probably the greatest English speaking preacher to have ever lived. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Spurgeon is no hyper-calvinist urging a message that says "whosoever may come" but at the same time he is no Arminian either. His faith in the sovereignty of God in ordaining both salvation and the means of salvation inspires his confidence that God intends to save many by the means of us his servants.

Be warned, if you read this book and respond to its message you will find yourself dissatisfied with the state of the church today. If it drives you to your knees crying out to God to help us to see a restoration of soulwinning preaching it will have done its job well- as it has with many before you.

You can buy books by Spurgeon at Amazon. I have recently been reading The Soulwinner online, and you can find links to the various chapters and extensive quotes in a number of my blog posts listed below

• The simple gospel changes us
• Win their hearts if you believe this simple gospel
• Preach the simple gospel!
• Winning souls with the simple gospel
• Is the simple gospel really calvinism?
• Expect the simple gospel preached to save people
• How not to preach the simple gospel
• Preaching whilst open to the Spirits guidance- was Spurgeon a charismatic?
• Speaking the truth with tenderness
• Preach the simple gospel with passion and force
• Sermons Likely to Win Souls
• Obstacles to the gospel winning souls
• How to Raise the Dead: preach the simple gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit
• How to Win Souls for Christ: the simple gospel in action
• The Cost of and rewards of preaching to be a Soul-Winner

Other Books every Christian should read