MINISTRY STRATEGY: Focusing Our Ministry On Those Whose Hearts Are Prepared By God
In his little book, The Master Plan Of Discipleship, Robert Coleman shows something amazing. In the Book of Acts, evangelistic strategy seems to mainly focus on people who have been prepared in some way by God to be receptive. God is the great Evangelist. He is the one who prepares and persuades. He awakens sinners (Ephesians 2:5), opens their hearts (Acts 16:14), draws them (John 6:44), empowers the Gospel (2 Thessalonians 3:1), and calls the lost (1 Corinthians 1:24). It is not surprising then that our part in evangelism would be to join with God as fellow workers in what He is doing. The Book of Acts points in this direction. For example:
Of course, there were times when Paul simply "argued.....in the market place every day with those who chanced to be there" (Acts 17:17 RSV). Yet there does seem to be enough of a pattern to encourage us in our own evangelism, as Coleman says, "to look for those who want to move for Christ. Life is too short to expend excessive time and energy upon apathetic people."
This seems right to me, not that we ignore the spiritually callous, but that we focus mainly on the ones who seem to be groping for God. It's true that God's purpose in world missions demands that we go to all peoples, including the most resistant, since they are to be part of the glorious mosaic of all nations who will be represented in heaven (Revelation 5:9, 7:9). Nevertheless, as Coleman says, "Even in penetrating unreached peoples the principle applies. Ministry to the larger community will disclose those sensitive to the message of Christ. These persons then can receive more cultivation and teaching."
To put it another way, we are partners with the Holy Spirit, and we should be alert to those who are beginning to be awakened by His grace. Seek out those who are on the stretch for God and concentrate energy on their development Coleman is no doubt right when he says, "I am convinced that a few such persons are within the influence of every Christian."
--Taken from "A Godward Life" by John Piper (Devotion 45)
- The outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost unleashed the Gospel on a host of spiritually sensitive Jews who had come from at least fifteen different nations to worship the God of the Old Testament.
- The next big harvest came in Samaria (Acts 8:4-25), where Jesus earlier had laid a foundation by His witness (John 4:4-42).
- The Holy Spirit sent Philip to an Ethiopian eunuch who was reading the scroll of Isaiah and was puzzling over who chapter 53 was talking about (Acts 8:26-39).
- The evangelistic breakthrough with Gentiles outside Jerusalem came with Cornelius, who feared God and gave alms and prayed and had a vision of God's messenger (Acts 10).
- When Paul launched his missionary career, he followed the pattern of going first to the synagogue in search of some receptive Jews or God-fearing Gentiles (Acts 13:5,14,42f; 14:1; 17:1f,10,17, 18:4,7,19,26, 19:8).
- On his second missionary journey, Paul's planning was checked twice by the Lord. The Holy Spirit forbade him (for the moment) to speak the Word in Asia (Acts 16:6), and the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to go to Bithynia (Acts 16:7). Instead, Paul saw a vision with a man saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us" (Acts 16:9). The focus again was on the spiritually receptive.
- In Philippi there was no synagogue. So Paul found a place where women prayed outside the city and joined them, where one was converted (Acts 16:12-14).
Of course, there were times when Paul simply "argued.....in the market place every day with those who chanced to be there" (Acts 17:17 RSV). Yet there does seem to be enough of a pattern to encourage us in our own evangelism, as Coleman says, "to look for those who want to move for Christ. Life is too short to expend excessive time and energy upon apathetic people."
This seems right to me, not that we ignore the spiritually callous, but that we focus mainly on the ones who seem to be groping for God. It's true that God's purpose in world missions demands that we go to all peoples, including the most resistant, since they are to be part of the glorious mosaic of all nations who will be represented in heaven (Revelation 5:9, 7:9). Nevertheless, as Coleman says, "Even in penetrating unreached peoples the principle applies. Ministry to the larger community will disclose those sensitive to the message of Christ. These persons then can receive more cultivation and teaching."
To put it another way, we are partners with the Holy Spirit, and we should be alert to those who are beginning to be awakened by His grace. Seek out those who are on the stretch for God and concentrate energy on their development Coleman is no doubt right when he says, "I am convinced that a few such persons are within the influence of every Christian."
--Taken from "A Godward Life" by John Piper (Devotion 45)
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