The Master Plan Of Evangelism by Paul Fritz
Matthew 28:16-28:20
The Master Plan of Evangelism - A Summary of Robert Coleman’s Classic Book [S.A.C.I.I.D. D.R.S.E. ] - (An acronym to help you remember these vital ten steps of Christ’s ministries)
Definition of a Witness
A witness is someone who by explanation and demonstration gives audible and visible evidence of what he has seen and heard without being deterred by the consequences of his action.
S. Briscoe, Getting Into God, p. 76
Consequences of Witnessing
Feeling a concern for witnessing can mean that you will have to stand up and be counted, and this can bring some degree of abuse. Years ago I was praying with one of my children at bedtime, and I asked him if he had any problems we should pray about. He couldn’t think of any, even though I could think of a number! Rather unwisely, I pressed the point and asked, “Don’t you have any problems at school?” “No,” he replied quite firmly. “Don’t the kids give you a hard time because you’re a Christian?” Again the answer was “No.” Thinking back to my own traumatic school days, I said, “But kids always give you a hard time if you let them know you’re a Christian.” His reply was frank beyond belief: “All the more reason you don’t let them know!” And quite happily he turned over to sleep.
With the refreshing candor of the very young, he had put into words the practical reasons why many Christians don’t witness. They don’t want to take the consequences.
S. Briscoe, Getting Into God, p. 88
Illustration: This year is the 30th Anniversary of Robert E. Coleman’s 62nd edition of The Master Plan of Evangelism.
It is a study of the principles underlying the ministry of the Master Teacher that exemplifies a clear strategy for propagation of the gospel.
"Few books have had as great an impact." --Billy Graham
Robert Coleman’s classic work on evangelism, is issued so that a new generation of Christians can discover the biblical framework for implementing the impulse they have for spreading the Good News.
Illustration: One reviewer wrote about this magnificent book:
Pros • A challenging and inspiring read.
• You will want to reach out to the unsaved after reading this book.
Cons • I wish that more people who read this book and follow the plan of evangelism that it shares.
The Bottom Line - Every Christian needs to read this book. Youth Pastors should use it in helping their students understand the call of Christ to share our faith with others, and how Christ demonstrates the way it should be done.
The following is a summary of the ten main principled points of Robert Coleman’s Master Plan of Evangelism:
1. SELECTION - He chose twelve men who were suited to become the founding apostles of the Christian church. Jesus selected men who were willing to do His will through obedience to His teachings, evangelism, disciple-making and church planting. By picking men who were willing to learn through a variety of methods, Jesus saw in these simple men potential for leading His kingdom to grow in quantity and quality. Select people who are going to be builders of God’s kingdom rather than their own.
Application: Ask God to give you a hand full of people that you can work together in winning, training, and reproducing other kingdom builders throughout the 92% of the world that is yet to know Christ as Savior and Lord.
2. ASSOCIATION - Jesus said, "Do not fear or be dismayed for lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. No matter what problem we face, Jesus is inside of us enabling us to overcome any adversity. Our God is an awesome God who reigns from heaven above. In wisdom, power and love our God reigns supreme over all powers, authorities, or circumstances. He expects us to take Him at His word when He said, "Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men." (Matthew 4:19)
Select various people who you can spend extended time with in nurturing, encouraging, and ministering together with. Only through these deeper associations are you able to develop people of character who will learn from your example. Paul said to Timothy, "You followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, patience, faith, love, and perseverance." (2 Timothy 3:10) People will learn more from your personal example than any other single dimension of life. Constantly practice the presence of Jesus in your walk and talk.
3. CONSECRATION - Jesus said, "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me. For my yoke is easy and my burdens are light and you will find rest for your souls." (Matthew 11:28,29) Jesus challenged his disciples to commit themselves to Him and to the will of God above all other priorities. You can learn a great deal from the dramatic encounters that Jesus had with His disciples when the Bible said, "They left everything and followed Him. (Luke 5:1-11)
We need to help our disciples grow in their commitment to Christ, to His church and to the service of His great commission of going into all nations of the world and making disciples by teaching them to observe everything that He commanded. Where peoples’ treasures are that is where their heart be also. Find out what people really treasure and you will know the extent of their heart-felt commitments! He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.
4. IMPARTATION - Jesus said, "When He Spirit of truth is come He will give you whatever you need to accomplish the will of God." Jesus gave to His disciples the example, the ideas, the motivation, and the skills that they needed to be all that God wanted them to be. Jesus was interested in transferring His authority to them in a way that they could feel they were His ambassadors. He gave them the keys to His kingdom which the powers of evil could never prevail against. He distributed His wonderful promises to the disciples assuring them that their success was not dependent upon their own strength, but their reliance on His Spirit working through them.
5. IDENTIFICATION - Jesus humbled Himself by taking the form of a servant in His identification with the people who He knew would relate to others hungering for spiritual solutions to their problems. He became like us in His speech, conduct, love, faith, and suffering with all the hardships of life. Do not let others think you are better than them, but relate to them as a peer.
6. DEMONSTRATION - Jesus gave His disciples an example by washing their feet not as a sign of weakness, but to teach them the importance of serving people without losing one’s sense of God given authority. Whatever Jesus wanted His disciples to learn, He practiced it with them for three years. No aspect of character, social, mental, physical, cultural, spiritual, or emotional development was left out of His demonstrations. Christ’s class operated 24 hours a day because He constantly displayed the priorities, purposes, power, processes, and Pastoral vision that He wanted His disciples to inculcate.
7. DELEGATION - Jesus sent His disciples out two by two with the mission to become a fisher of men. We all know of thousands of good teachers and preachers, but very few real fishers of men. Jesus expects us to assume the responsibilities of bringing others to faith in Him alone for their salvation. He wants all men to come to the knowledge of the truth so He gives each of us a unique set of gifts, callings, and resources to accomplish our part of fulfilling the great commission of Matthew 28:19,20. Delegate to people responsibilities and give them the tools to do their jobs. Then as they are faithful in little things give them opportunities to assume more responisibilities.
8. REPRODUCTION - Jesus said, "I have ordained you that you should go and bring forth fruit. God wants us to be involved in the ministry of harvesting instead of just maintaining what ministries we are given. He wants us to be His witnesses in our Jerusalems, Judeas, Samarias and then to the utter most parts of the earth. As you abide in Him, He will give you the capacity to enable you to reproduce your Christ like life into the lives of many who are hungering for answers to their problems.
9. SUPERVISION - Jesus frequently got with His disciples to check - up on how and what they were doing. Jesus was as interested in the progress of the disciples’ spiritual growth as He was their ministries. Jesus wanted to provide the disciples with whatever they were lacking in terms of faith, hope, love, perseverance, or wisdom. Our Lord would make sure that His supervision continued after His resurrection by sending us the Holy Spirit to supervise our growth.
10. EMPOWERMENT - Jesus empowered His disciples when He promised to send the Holy Spirit in Acts 1:8. Many believers fail to wait on the Lord to renew their strength. Let us spend quality time in the word, in prayer and close communion with the Holy Spirit as He fills, controls and empowers us to do everything He asks us to do. Let the Holy Spirit infuse you with greater measures of His love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control. Receive the full measure of the Spirit’s envisioning for His plans for your life. Realize that the Spirit of God is at work in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure. Failure to allow the Spirit to fill you up will result in powerless living that will eventually fatigue and be overcome with the worries, riches, and pleasures of this life. The Spirit of God endues you with HIs power, possibilities and purposes in supernatural ways that are higher than any human mind can conceive or implement.
Song: "Spirit of God descend upon my heart. Wean it from earth through all its pulses move. Stoop to my weakness. Mighty as You Are. And make me love you and I ought to love.
Teach me to love You as Your angels love. One holy passion filling all my frame. The kindling of the heaven descended Dove. My heart an altar and Your love the flame." (George Croly)
Application: Never leave your disciples or ministries while assuming that they will be able to handle their own problems. Everyone needs supervision to become all that God wants us to become.
Application: All of us need continual review, refining, and improvements in our applications to Christ’s teaching. He is the potter and we are the clay!
Conclusion:I attended a convention that drew 10,000 evangelists from many countries. Our unified concern was to bring God’s plan of salvation to our lost and needy world. As I went to seminars and listened to brilliant speakers, I began to wonder if the urgent task of evangelism was beyond me. Then a singer was invited to the platform. My spirit soared with reassurance and confidence as her rich voice proclaimed, "People need the Lord!" She reminded us in song that people all around us need to hear about Jesus and put their faith in Him.
Sharing the gospel means sharing Christ, His death, and His resurrection with people lost in sin. Paul said he didn’t minister with eloquence or worldly wisdom. He chose to know nothing "except Jesus Christ and Him crucified" (1 Corinthians 2:2).
Yes, there is much knowledge to be learned, but the key to that knowledge is to know the Lord. That’s why people need Him. Remember, our message is Christ. —JEY
He is the way, the truth, the life—
That One whose name is Jesus;
There is no other name on earth
That has the power to save us. —Sper
The more you think about Jesus, the more you’ll talk about Him. (Our Daily Bread)
