Teóphilo, The Failure

I would like to say that my name is Teóphilo Noturno…
But if my intention is to be completely honest in this presentation, perhaps I should begin by acknowledging that, from a modern evangelical perspective, I am nothing more than a complete and resounding failure!
For those people who feel compelled to follow only the "great soul winners," I'll start by admitting that I have never, on any occasion, been able to win a single soul... not one!

That's astonishing, isn't it?
But perhaps it would be better to offer an explanation, and what better way to do so than by quoting the words of the Lord Jesus Christ himself?

Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: It is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send him to you.
AND, When he comes, he will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment..
Because of sin, because they do not believe in me;
Of righteousness, because I am going to my Father, and you will see me no more;
And concerning judgment, because the prince of this world has already been judged.

(John 16:7-11

Now, what does "winning souls" mean if not convincing them of sin, righteousness, and judgment?
Knowing that the "Comforter" is a direct reference to the Holy Spirit, how dare you confront the Lord's words and claim that any man was able to perform a task that is proper and exclusive to Him who was given to us only after His ascension?
Even the apostle Paul, the only biblical author to relate the term "win" to various types of people, makes a point of clarifying its role:

For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me;
Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!
Therefore, if I do it willingly, I will receive a reward;
But if I do so unwillingly, I am entrusted with only one task.

(1ˢᵗ Corinthians 9:16-17)

So, if many see in the continuation of this text some possibility of Paul "winning souls," perhaps they should try replacing that term with "gaining attention" or even "gaining trust" for each of the examples listed. This is because Paul does say he gained the opportunity to preach the gospel to servants, Jews, the weak... but at no point does he suggest that all those to whom he preached were converted: besides being an exclusive work of the Holy Spirit, it will only be effective in those whom the Lord has marked for it.

Don't be so harsh! — some might say — The way some have been trained to preach or write does make them soul winners, because they can make sinners see the message in a more pleasant, easier-to-understand way…
Again, dear reader, this is a misleading line of reasoning, and the only authentic formula for achieving true faith is recorded in the Bible:

So then faith comes by hearing,
and to hear through the word of God.

(Romans 10:17)

Just to close this initial circle of reasoning, we must remember again what Paul said: Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!
He was the last apostle—a role that has been extinguished in the current configuration of the legitimate Body of Christ—and he left us this unwavering, direct correlation between the gospel and the word of God!
Knowing that neither Arminius nor Calvin are cited in the Word, and that every time I venture to proclaim the gospel—I do so with such fear and seeking to provide such ample "filling" of pure and chronologically correct biblical references—I end up being considered "boring" because of my teaching methods, I have observed the following lessons:

1. When filled with enthusiasm and imbued with a basically Arminian intention (to convince those who have free will), I prepare a "killer" message and in the end I realize that not everyone present was convinced; I see that Calvinism and its argument that some are predestined to damnation are entirely plausible.
2. When I lack the energy and time, and am pressured by being the only one with any truly biblical knowledge to try and elucidate a matter I didn't even intend to get involved in, and in the end I realize that a genuine interest in the rudiments of the gospel has still been awakened, I am once again jolted back by having tried to avoid connecting a potential predestined person to salvation with the truth…
3. And finally, when I still had the courage to visit church businesses and often waste time listening to empty speeches devoid of the Word—but full of psychology, self-help, empty promises, cheerful, innocuous dances, vain repetitions, neurolinguistics, and emotional manipulation (among so many other unimaginable possible aberrations)—and capable of making the audience jump out of their seats in search of something that anyone would want to have, but which was never, in fact, promised by God… then I realized that… The wide door is wide open. And it is becoming increasingly successful and popular.

These observations, basically, led me to conclude that I never actually came close to winning a single soul for Jesus Christ… that has always been and always will be the exclusive work of the Holy Spirit.

For the mystery of iniquity is already at work;
There is only one who now holds it back until he is taken out of the way…

(2ⁿᵈ Thessalonians 2:7)

But my career wasn't built solely on failure: it was also a journey full of mistakes, and I intend to list some of them as soon as possible.
Don't miss out!