Biblical Evangelism
The primary source of this critical review is Robert E. Coleman’s
The Master Plan of Evangelism.[1] Dr. Coleman is the Distinguished Professor of Evangelism and Discipleship at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, Massachusetts. Prior to this, he was the Director of the School of World Mission and Evangelism at Trinity International University, and also served as the Ministry Associate of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. He discussed in this book the principles and methods in which Jesus employed in His plan of world evangelism. Coleman argued that the basic means that the Son of God Himself used was through concentrated and purposeful discipleship. Jesus ministered to the multitudes and received whosoever was willing to follow Him, but He predominantly gave attention to the twelve apostles. He stayed with the chosen Twelve almost twenty-four hours a day, and taught them through His deeds and words incessantly (Mark 3:14). He spent increasingly more time with them in His second and final year of earthly ministry. During the period between His resurrection and ascension, He particularly appeared to the Twelve and instructed them things pertaining to the Kingdom of God (Acts 1:1-3). Clearly, His method of conquering the world with the Gospel message was through focused and carefully planned discipleship. As expected from the Master’s strategy, these relatively few individuals not only, through the power of the Holy Spirit and the grace of God, birthed the church and perpetuated the Evangel that their Master had begun to preach, but also caused the turning of the entire known world upside down in less than a century (Acts 17:6). In like manner, therefore, Coleman exhorted churches and believers today to mimic Jesus and the early church’s approach to evangelism, for this is Christ’s way of building His church as laid out in the Scriptures. In this brilliant written presentation, Coleman has revealed the underlying principles of biblical evangelism—the way it was done by the Master and His disciples in the early church.
The subject of evangelism will always be relevant and important in all ages. Coleman engaged in this writing because of the lack of teaching material on this crucial topic, as well as hoping to bring encouragement and light to those who experienced evangelistic frustrations thereof.[2] It is a fact that many churches and Christians have laboured vigorously without seeing much long-term spiritual fruit that last. Surely it is not supposed to be like that if they have followed the way of the Lord. Hence, in an attempt to outline the way Jesus evangelized, Coleman has observed eight guiding principles from the life of Jesus: 1. Selection 2. Association 3. Consecration 4. Impartation 5. Demonstration 6. Delegation 7. Supervision 8. Reproduction. The assumptions and logics of the author’s position seem to be firmly grounded on the inspired texts of the Gospels, as well as other New and Old Testament passages. Therefore, the “scriptural accounts of Jesus constitute our best, and only inerrant, Textbook on Evangelism.”[3] In the selection of disciples, the author argued that “people” were the Master’s method, as His concern was not with “programs to reach the multitudes, but with men whom the multitudes would follow.”[4] Men and women who are willing to learn, teachable, and have a sincere hunger for God are the instruments that He uses to transform the world (Luke 9:23). Moreover, Jesus chose a certain number of disciples whom He would spend most of His time with, namely the Twelve. He even spent an entire night sleepless praying and discerning God’s specific choice of the twelve apostles (Luke 6:12-16). From among the Twelve, there are three that related closer to Jesus: Peter, James, and John (Mark 5:37; 9:2; 14:33). Out of these three, John seemed to be the closest to His Master (John 13:23-24). The principle Jesus practiced here is that of concentrated discipleship. While not neglecting the masses, the priority of discipleship must be given to the relatively few. This is merely the sensible method of training and not partiality; it will not cause significant problems if carried out in the right spirit and manner. Since growing takes time, this process will be slow and tedious—sometimes the impact will only be evident from eternity’s perspective. However, the result will be glorious and it is the means in which our Master had proven effective.
In Association, the primary way Jesus brought up His close disciples was by staying and living with them (Mark 3:14). Coleman argued persuasively that Jesus “actually spent more time with His disciples than with everybody else in the world put together.”[5] The system of occasional school-like equipping classes will be far from sufficient. Rather, the principle is to be like spiritual parents or older siblings to personally nurture the spiritual young. The principle of spiritual family fostering being true (1 Tim 5:1; 1 John 2), it inevitably implies the spiritually mature spending good quality time with those being trained in a constant and tender way. Moreover, this nurturing must not be by compulsion but willingly, and by being examples to the flock (1 Pet 5:3). In Consecration, the disciples needed to be obedient to Jesus. To obey is to learn. In order to be fit vessels of the Kingdom, the disciples needed to take up their cross and follow Jesus daily and pay the price. Although love starts from the heart, the ultimate proof and perfection of love must be evidenced by one’s actions in line with what he/she says in time (John 14:15, 21, 23, 24; 15:10, 12). Coleman has put it well: “no one can ever be a leader until first he has learned to follow a leader.”[6] Furthermore, the leadership style in the Kingdom of God must be that of genuine servanthood (Matt 23:11).
Jesus imparted to them. He gave Himself to them entirely by His own will, including His life (John 10:17). In this Jesus showed them God’s kind of love and gave it unto them freely and readily. Coleman’s statement was taken right from the Bible: “Love—Calvary love—was the standard. Just as they had seen for three years, the disciples were to give themselves in selfless devotion to those whom the Father loved and for whom their Master died… love is the only way to win the free response of men”[7] (John 17:23; 1 John 4:19). In addition to imparting His life to them, Jesus demonstrated both how to live and how Kingdom businesses are accomplished. His deep prayer life triggered the disciples to ask Him how to pray. The Master’s thorough understanding and application of the Old Testament Scriptures were foundational to His life and ministry. As Jesus served both the crowds and individuals in proclaiming the Good News, healing the brokenhearted, recovery of the sick, deliverance of the demon-oppressed, and providing for the needy, He showed them how the work is done. As Coleman described aptly:
