On "The Master Plan of Evangelism" - a book that has changed my life.

Its too easy to say that something 'changes your life', but this book really has. Fairly old school and written by Robert Coleman I have been blown away this year as I have studied it. The Master Plan of Evangelism was first published in 1963 but rings more true today than anything else I have read. 

I started to study it with Ben Evans from Agape and looked to incorporate its teachings into my own life. At the crux of it is the fact that Jesus when on this Earth choose to impact 12 normal people and entrust them the world rather than spending his time with the crowds. The book encourages us to do the same and reproduce Him in one or two people. As I have met up with two guys every week this year and been part of their journeys I am blown away by the effect this methodology has.

My advice... read it and let it change the way you do discipleship and evangelism. Here is a few words from it to inspire you...

Here finally is where we must all evaluate the contribution that our life and witness is making to the supreme purpose of him who is the Saviour of the world. Are those who have followed us to Christ now leading others to him and teaching them to make disciples like ourselves? Note, it is not enough to rescue the perishing, though this is imperative; nor is it sufficient to build up newborn babes in the faith of Christ, although this, too, is necessary if the firstfruit is to endure; in fact, it is not sufficient just to get them out winning souls, as commendable as this work may be. What really counts in the ultimate perpetuation of our work is the faithfulness with which our converts go and make leaders out of their converts, not simply more followers. Surely we want to win our generation for Christ, and to do it now, but this is not enough. Our work is never finished until it has assured its continuation in the lives of those redeemed by the Evangel.

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This is the new evangelism we need. It is not better methods, but better men and women who know their Redeemer from personal experience - men and women who see his vision and feel his passion for the world - men and women who are willing to be nothing so that he might be everything - men and women who want only for Christ to produce his life in and through them according to his own good pleasure. This finally is the way the Master planned for his objective to be realised on the earth, and when it is carried through by his strategy, the gates of hell cannot prevail against the evangelisation of the world.