This week leading up to Easter I have been deeply moved reading Dr. Robert E. Coleman’s book: The Master Plan of Evangelism.
Throughout my life I have heard much Bible teaching about the importance of evangelism … but always in the context of reaching the masses. Attention is always focused on numbers: the number of converts, number of baptisms, number of members in the church, etc.
I found Dr. Coleman’s observations to be remarkable:
“Jesus easily could have had an immediate following of thousands if he wanted them.
“Why then did He not capitalize on His opportunities to enlist a mighty army of believers to take the world by storm? Surely the Son of God could have adopted a more enticing program of mass recruitment. Is it not rather disappointing that one with all the powers of the universe at His command would live and die to save the world, yet in the end have only a few ragged disciples to show for His labors?
“Jesus was not trying to impress the crowd, but to usher in a Kingdom. This meant that He needed people who could lead the multitudes. What good would it have been for His ultimate objective, to arouse the masses to follow Him if these people had no subsequent supervision or instruction in the Way?
“Unless Jesus’s converts were given competent men of God to lead them on and protect them in the truth, they would soon fall into confusion and despair. Thus, before the world could ever be permanently helped, people would have to be raised up who could lead the multitudes in the things of God.”
Dr. Coleman further continues:
“Jesus did not have the time to personally give all the people, men or women, constant attention. He did all that He could, but He had to devote Himself primarily to the task of developing some leaders who in turn could give this kind of personal attention to others.
“It was the Church that was the means of following up with all those who followed Jesus. Every member of the community of faith had a part to fulfill in this ministry. But this they could only do as they themselves were trained and inspired.
“As long as Jesus was with them in the flesh, He was the Leader. But thereafter, it was necessary for those in the church to assume this leadership. Again, this meant that Jesus had to train them to do it, which involved His own constant personal association with a few chosen men.”
So how does this apply to us today?
Dr. Coleman states:
“Preaching to the masses, although necessary, will never suffice in the work of preparing leaders for evangelism. Nor can occasional prayer meetings and training classes for Christian workers do this job.
“Building men and women is not that easy. It requires constant personal attention, much like a father gives to his children. This is something that no organization or class can ever do. Children are not raised by proxy. The example of Jesus would teach us that it can be done only by persons staying close to those whom they seek to lead.
“Unless new Christians have parents or friends who will fill the gap in a real way, they are left entirely on their own to find the solutions to innumerable practical problems confronting their lives.
“Clearly the example of Jesus teaches us that every convert needs a Christian friend to follow until such time as he or she can lead another. The counselor should stay with the new believer as much as possible, studying the Bible and praying with him or her, all the while answering questions, clarifying the truth, and seeking together to help others.
“There is simply no substitute for getting with people, and it is ridiculous to imagine that anything less can develop strong Christian leadership.”
Wow! For me, this was profound!
Getting with people … spending time with people … sharing the truths I’ve learned in Christ with others … this is what Jesus did. I can do that.
And you can too! What you have learned in your faith-walk with Jesus … go share that with others. Spend time with people … invest in people. Pour into others and build them up in their faith.
This is the basis of evangelism.
