Podcast Summary: "Are You Caring For Lost Souls?" – Rick Renner Podcast Home Group (April 11, 2026)

Episode Overview

This episode of the Rick Renner Podcast, hosted by Rick Renner along with Denise Renner and Joel Renner, dives into the foundational element required for a strong church: a passion for reaching lost souls in line with the Great Commission. Exploring biblical teachings, personal experiences, and practical concerns, the conversation challenges listeners—and church leaders—to reconsider their priorities and practices when it comes to evangelism, accountability, and the eternal destiny of those around them.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Great Commission as Fundamental (00:00–05:50)

• Main Argument: The first and essential element for a strong church is an active, sustained passion for souls, rooted in Jesus’ command in Matthew 28:19–20—the Great Commission.
• Scripture Focus: Matthew 28:19–20; emphasis on “go ye therefore” as an ongoing, habitual action.
• Rick Renner’s Insight:

  "It describes a lifestyle of going, not just of us individually, but as a corporate church." [01:56]

• Promise Identified: If a church "goes" with passion for souls, Christ promises His presence and power:

  "'Lo'...is a Greek word which we better translated. And wow, wow. In fact, what Jesus was saying...wow, I will be with you always, even unto the ends of the world." [03:41]

2. Story of a Church that Lost Its Power (05:00–06:24)

• Personal Testimony: Rick and Denise recount attending a college church vibrant with evangelism and spiritual gifts, which diminished after leaders decided to focus only on internal maturity.
• Effect:

  "As we stopped reaching out to the lost, the gifts of the Spirit disappeared from the church. The joy disappeared. The power of God disappeared." [05:40]

3. Evangelism is a Choice (06:24–07:46)

• Joel & Denise’s Observations:
  • Evangelism can be "turned on" by intentional choice.
  • Denise illustrates with an anecdote about their grandson and the "obedient button."

  • "We make the choice whether or not we are going to care for other people and care about their eternity." – Denise Renner [07:37]

4. Do We Really Believe in Hell? (07:46–11:30)

• Rick’s Provocative Challenge: Most Christians profess belief in hell, but their actions betray practical disbelief—the evidence being a failure to evangelize.
• Jesus’ Teaching: Cited Matthew 7 and the frequency with which Jesus warned about hell, underscoring its importance in early church preaching.
• Point on Preaching: Modern messages focus on earthly blessings but miss the ultimate issue: eternal salvation and rescue from hell.

5. Remembering Our Salvation Fuels Evangelism (11:30–12:29)

• Denise Shares: Meditating on being saved from hell increases her desire to share salvation with others.

• "When we're...our thoughts are like that, then we want to communicate that to somebody else." – Denise Renner [11:46]

6. Excuses and Practical Evangelism (12:29–15:45)

• Common Barriers:
  • Fear of rejection, misunderstanding, feeling unequipped.
• Rick’s Encouragement:

  "You are not required to be a theologian to share the Gospel. All that's required of you is that you be a witness." [13:00]

• Practical Tips:
  • Use your own testimony; you don’t need deep theology—just share your story.
  • Rick uses casual conversation starters about his occupation to lead to deeper discussions about faith.

  • "A testimony is what we have. And you don't have to study to tell your testimony. You know your testimony. It's your story." [15:20]

7. Denise’s Personal Evangelism Example (15:45–17:08)

• Concrete Example: Denise often shares her miraculous healing story during facials to initiate spiritual conversations with cosmeticians, leading to opportunities to pray with them.

• "Everybody doesn't have that story, but you have another story. Taking my story, and I shared it with them. And you have a story you can share with somebody." – Denise Renner [16:54]

8. Pulpit Responsibility and Church Culture (17:08–18:35)

• Rick’s Concern: Much preaching today neglects eternal issues (hell, judgment, fear of God) and focuses only on personal betterment, resulting in a church with little concern for souls.

• "If a pastor doesn't impart to his church that they have a responsibility before God to reach souls, then they won't." [17:35]

9. Accountability for Souls (18:35–22:20)

• Biblical Warning: Ezekiel 3: If Christians don’t warn others of eternity, they become answerable for lost souls.

• "We're going to be held accountable for not opening our mouth. We're not going to be held accountable for how people respond." [19:38]

• Encouragement:

  "Jesus promises if we'll do this, we won't do it by ourselves...My power will show up in amazing ways." [21:12]

10. Pastoral Example and Congregational Fruit (22:22–23:53)

• Joel Reminds: The example and teaching of pastors directly influence whether congregations develop a heart for evangelism.

• "If we're not being taught, how do we know we are supposed to do it?" – Joel Renner [22:52]

11. The Importance of the Altar Call and Church Health (23:13–25:16)

• Observation: Few modern churches offer public invitations for repentance and salvation, which is both a cause and effect of weak evangelistic focus.
• Rick’s Call to Action:

  "That altar should be filled with people repenting and coming to Christ. Now, I think that many pastors no longer do it because they're afraid there won't be any response." [24:35]

• Final Thought: A strong church must have "a passion for souls." Pray for renewal of this desire in your church.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "For a church to be strong, it has to have a passion for souls." – Rick Renner [00:40]

• "If we are not involved in the Great Commission...there's no guarantee the power of God will be in our churches." – Rick Renner [01:10]

• "When we turned off evangelism...we were also turning off the power of God in the church." – Rick Renner [06:14]

• "It is a choice. It's always a choice." – Denise Renner [06:51]

• "If you die out of Christ, then...you're lost and you're in hell for the rest of eternity from which there is no escape." – Rick Renner [10:40]

• "You are not required to be a theologian...All that's required of you is that you be a witness." – Rick Renner [13:00]

• "If we say nothing...God says in Ezekiel chapter 3, he will hold us answerable for their blood." – Rick Renner [19:15]

• "If we want to have the power of God in our life, we have to be concerned about souls." – Rick Renner [20:47]

• "That altar should be filled with people repenting and coming to Christ." – Rick Renner [24:37]

Timestamps of Key Segments

• 00:00—05:50: The primacy of the Great Commission for church strength
• 05:51—06:24: Personal story on the consequence of ceasing evangelism
• 06:25—07:46: The conscious choice to evangelize
• 07:47—11:30: Challenging beliefs about hell and evangelism
• 11:31—12:29: Remembering personal salvation as evangelistic motivation
• 12:30—15:45: Overcoming intimidation—share your testimony
• 15:46—17:08: Denise’s example of sharing faith through personal story
• 17:09—18:35: The effect of pulpit priorities, lack of preaching on eternity
• 18:36—22:20: Accountability and biblical warnings about evangelistic neglect
• 22:21—23:53: Pastors as examples; the need for clear teaching
• 23:54—25:16: The disappearing altar call, diagnosing church health, final call to action

Summary

This Home Group episode serves as a heartfelt and candid appeal for listeners—and especially church leaders—to recapture the sense of urgency and accountability around evangelism. With scripture, personal anecdotes, and honest critique of contemporary church practices, Rick, Denise, and Joel urge believers to not only believe in eternal realities but act on them through sharing the Gospel, remembering the power of testimony, and creating church cultures that both equip and expect every Christian to care for the lost.