So there in Acts 18, in Acts 18 at the beginning of verse 24,
we read about Apollos and it says in verse number 24 again,
it says notice, and a certain Jew named Apollos,
born in Alexandria.
Notice what it says about this man Apollos.
It says he was an eloquent man and mighty in the scriptures.
Now this man Apollos being from Alexandria,
it says he was eloquent.
This man was probably a very well-educated man.
And it says that he was mighty in the scriptures.
You know, this man, he knew the Bible.
He knew the word of God and he was a very smart man.
He was eloquent.
He was from Alexandria.
So we see that this man is a very prominent person,
but notice that Apollos still had areas
in his life to grow in.
Notice what it says in verse 25, it says,
this man was instructed in the way of the Lord
and being fervent in the spirit,
he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord.
But notice what it says,
it says knowing only the baptism of John.
See this man Apollos who, yes, he was very well-educated.
Yes, he was very smart.
Yes, he was mighty in the scriptures,
but this man Apollos who was a soul winner,
he had areas in his life where he needed to grow.
It says knowing only the baptism of John.
And this morning I'm quickly preaching
on how to grow as a soul winner,
how to grow as a soul winner,
because you and I, we may be eloquent,
we may be mighty in the scriptures,
we may be smart, but you know what?
We still have areas in our life
where you and I need to grow.
And we see this man Apollos,
he knew that he had areas to grow and he grew.
So how did this man grow?
Well, notice what it says in verse number 26, it says,
and he began to speak boldly in the synagogue,
whom, well notice, Aquila and Priscilla had heard,
they took him unto them and expanded it to him
the way of God more perfectly.
Here we see that while Apollos was preaching
the word of God while he was soul winning,
here we have Aquila and Priscilla.
Now Aquila and Priscilla were very humble people.
These people were of the same occupation of Paul.
They were tent makers.
So here we have Apollos who was a very smart man,
an eloquent man, mighty in the scriptures,
a man who was very well-educated.
And here we have a couple who are just tent makers.
Simple people.
But notice the humility of Apollos is that
he allowed them to take him unto them.
And these people, they expounded unto him
the way of God more perfectly.
So how did this man Apollos grow?
He grew by listening to other people.
This man allowed other people who might've been lower
than him in the status of the world,
but he allowed them to teach him
the word of God more perfectly.
And how will you grow as a soul winner?
You will grow by listening to your partner
when you're out souling, by you listening to them.
And you know what?
You may be more eloquent.
You may be smarter.
You may have more education, but you know what?
People who, they might know something that you don't know.
And he should allow people to let you grow
by you listening to what they have to say.
Here placed here in Acts 18, we go to Proverbs 18.
Proverbs chapter 18.
So how do you grow as a soul winner?
Well, number one, you grow by listening.
You will learn by listening.
When you're out there soul winning,
you may be a silent partner,
but you should take those times to listen
to what they have to say.
And here we see the humility of Apollos
that he was humble enough to allow these simple tentmakers
to teach him something.
Proverbs 18, and look at verse number 15.
Proverbs 18, 15, the Bible says,
the heart of the prudent getteth knowledge.
But it says, notice, and the ear of the wise
seeketh knowledge.
It says the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.
See, when you're out there soul winning
and you're a silent partner, you may know more.
You may be more mighty than scriptures.
You may be more eloquent, but you know what?
You can still learn something by listening to your partner
preach the gospel.
You can learn something from them
and they could teach you something.
And it takes humility, but you must go out there
to endeavor to listen.
Why? Because the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.
So how do you learn as a soul winner?
When you go out there, you listen to your partner.
And whether you think you know more,
they might teach you something you never know.
So how do you grow?
You grow by listening.
Go back to Acts 18.
Acts 18, look at verse number 24.
How else did this man Apollos grow?
Well, number one, you grow by listening.
But number two, you learn by doing.
You learn by actually doing.
Notice what it says in verse 25 again.
It says, this man was instructed in the way of the Lord
and being fervent in the Spirit.
Notice what it says.
It says he spake and taught diligently
the things of the Lord.
See, this man was fervent in the Spirit.
And he was out there with the knowledge that he had
and he was doing what?
He was speaking and teaching diligently.
But it says, notice, knowing only the baptism of John.
See, Apollos didn't wait to know the entire Bible
to begin preaching the word of God.
He didn't wait to know every single passage
on the end times, on everything you need to know.
No, he took what God had given him
and he went out there and he was diligent and he was bold.
And this is how you grow.
You learn, you grow as a soul winner when you go out there
and you do what God has commanded you to do
with whatever knowledge you have.
See, if you're saved, you have enough to go out there
and preach the word of God.
See, how do you learn by, as a soul winner,
you learn by actually doing.
This man Apollos, he didn't wait for him to learn everything
before he went out there.
He was fervent, he was diligent,
but it says, knowing only the baptism of John.
See, you will grow as a soul winner by doing.
And it says he was diligent.
What does diligent mean?
Diligent means persistent,
it means putting in constant effort.
See, you may be a new soul winner, you're afraid to speak,
but you know what, if you're saved,
you have enough to go out there and preach the word of God.
Either in Acts 18, go to Acts two, if you would,
Acts chapter number two.
So how do you grow as a soul winner?
Well, you learn by doing.
You learn by going out there
and actually preaching the word of God.
And look, if you learn something new from another partner,
you should apply it, you should give it a shot.
You should try to apply the illustrations that you learn,
try to apply a new scripture that you learn.
Just go out there and apply what you know.
Acts two, look at verse number 17, Acts 2, 17, it says,
and it shall come to pass in the last days.
Sayeth God, I will pour out of my spirit upon all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams.
Here it says that the sons and the daughters,
they're gonna have the spirit poured upon them.
And it says the young men and the old men shall dream dreams.
See, here we have people who are of all ages.
Here we have old men, here we have children.
And generally you think, you know what?
A child knows less than an adult.
A young person has less wisdom,
less knowledge than somebody who is older.
But here we see that God has poured upon all flesh,
his spirit, those who are saved.
They have this Holy Spirit.
Notice what it says in verse 18,
and on my servants and on my handmaidens,
I'll pour out in those days of my spirit, notice,
and they shall prophesy.
See, it doesn't say, hey, wait until you're wise,
until you're old, until you know everything.
No, the sons and the daughters need to prophesy.
Those who are young need to prophesy.
Those who may not know the way of God more perfectly,
you need to go out there and prophesy.
See, how do you learn, how do you grow as a soul winner?
You go out there by actually doing
what we're commanded to do.
So when you're out there soul winning,
you know, making a point to listen to your partner,
they might teach you something,
make it a point to apply what you've learned.
This is how you will learn by soul winning.
Go back to Acts 18, we'll close up Acts 18.
And what's the result?
What's the result of you going out there
and actually listening to what somebody else is saying
and actually applying what you've been taught?
Acts 18, look at verse number 28, it says,
for he mightily convinced the Jews
and that publicly showing by the scriptures
that Jesus was Christ.
See, Apollos was able to get more people saved.
He was able to convince more people more mightily.
He was more convincing because he knew more and he grew.
And how did he grow?
He grew because he was humble and he listened
and he went out there and he was fervent.
He was diligent.
He did what he was supposed to do and he prophesied.
And this is how you will learn as a soul winner.
Let's pray.
Heavenly Father, thank you for this time.
I just pray that you fill us all their spirit today,
help us all to be bold and clear as we preach your word.
And I just pray that you prepare the hearts of the people
that we speak to God.
Lord, we love you and we thank you.
In Jesus' name, pray, amen.