Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Commissioned
Commissioned
Commissioned
By
0120718-SAO
MIN 1103
PN 01.13.01
TEXTBOOK:
By Will Metzger
Global University
June, 2016
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COMMISSIONED
Book 1
Faith is the substance through which Christians relate with God. Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)
says: “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” This faith
is received through hearing and accepting of the message in the Scriptures. According to Romans
10:8-17, it is through the yielding to the message and power of the Gospel that a person
confesses with their mouth what they believe in their hearts that Jesus accomplished on their
behalf. This is known (in the modern churches) as the confession of faith.
Jaffe (2013) notes, “Faith is an act that possesses the entire human person. It
encompasses the will and emotions as well as the intellect” (39). Although Romans 10:10
addresses the professing of faith through a believer’s mouth, it is “possible for a person sincerely
to profess faith in Christ but not possess the real thing” (Metzger 2012, 64). This notion presents
How then does a person possess faith? It is an indication of the evangelistic writers that
the problem of superficial professions are a consequence of shallow evangelical preaching. For a
person to possess true faith, one would have to undergo a process of conviction. This process is
preceded by predestination and grace (Ephesians 1:4-7). The biblical meaning of repentance is
turning away from sin, and saving faith is, “the placing of trust and reliance on Christ as Saviour
Professing faith is therefore the verbal communication of the belief and total dependence
in the finished works of Jesus Christ. However, “our faithfulness demonstrates that our faith is
real” (Jaffe 2013, 41). Possessing faith stems from God’s regenerative works, together with
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conviction and a continual sanctification of a believer. Jaffe and Metzger agree that there is a
time where regeneration occurs, and that the time of profession may not coincide with the
redemption/salvation is evidenced by the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23) and identifying marks
(1 John)” (66). It is true that Jesus’ sacrifice was to save anyone, however, only the ones who
Science affirms that the mind is the mainframe for all sensory organs of the body. This
means that people actually hear; see; feel (touch); smell; and taste by their sensory organs but
through the processing of the mind. Therefore, when a person hears the Gospel, it can be
received either through hearing of the preaching or the reading (seeing) of Scripture/s. Both
The Gospel does challenge the perception of the mind, but just challenging a person’s
intellect is not enough. Metzger (2012) observes, “If the content of the gospel is Jesus Christ, the
intension of the gospel is to bind the mind of the unbeliever to the authority of the New
Testament and to the Lordship of Jesus Christ” (69). He notes that sometimes the doctrines of
Salvation will not appeal to a believer’s mind, and this is where submission and reliance to
receiving truth about the Gospel. God gave humans minds to use them as best as possible. One
may note that in an effort to challenge people’s perceptions of God’s will regarding the Gospel,
“being the center of attention can make you forget why you are there [in the first place]” (Hall
2006, 25). It is with this realization Will Metzger encourages that, “as fallen men and women, we
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must repent of the desire to be mentally autonomous” (Metzger 2012, 70). Instead of focusing on
challenging the mind, the Gospel must be presented truthfully with the intension to submit the
Emotions also play a prominent role in preaching the Gospel. After all, at the center of
the message of the cross (Kērygma) is the love that God shared through the passion of His Son,
Jesus Christ. It is His love that is pragmatic in attracting of humans to the cross, which makes
believers fall in love with Jesus (1John 4:10). However, like the mind (intellect), emotions are
susceptible to superficiality.
Hall (2006) states, “All preaching should include teaching since if there is no
communication of truth, there is no preaching in the biblical sense of the term” (44). Neglecting
biblical truths can cause confusion between being spiritual and emotional, which Metzger notes
that, “perhaps they are trying to cover over what is lacking in their faith” (72). Metzger further
stresses how important it is to be emotional about the fate of sinners in preaching the Gospel,
doing this without giving emotions a leading role. Jaffe (2013) adds, “Too often we allow our
emotions to drive the way we think. God’s truth, not our feelings, is to be the controlling force of
Another referential aspect of the Gospel is the will. In the modern church, appeals are
usually made at the end of the sermon for those who would like to profess faith in Jesus as their
Lord and Saviour. This appeals directly to a person’s will. The danger of superficial preaching is
linked to the belief that the greater the number of people responding to the alter call, the more
souls are born again. Metzger opposes this tenet by saying, “I now understand my initial interest
gaining success and happiness, instead of inviting them to will their lives into the right
relationship with God. Evidently, in Matthew 11:28-29 Jesus gives an open invitation to gain
rest. However, the rest He refers to is for the soul, not for selfish and/or canal gain. The
preaching or witnessing of the Gospel is an appeal which expects a willful response, but that
does not condone the compromise of the biblical doctrine of conversion. Jaffe (2013) adds,
“After a person takes the initial step of professing faith in Christ, free will remains” (58).
Therefore, the message of salvation whether preached or listened to, always seeks to engage in
Metzger presents a realization that throughout the years beginning from the evangelism
done at the time of the Apostles, the Gospel message has somehow lost its content in modern
society. This is a result of attempts to reach greater masses with the evangelical message which
resulted in the compromise of doctrinal fundamentals of the biblical message. To explain this, he
centered” Gospel.
Metzger (2012) states, “I use the term me-centered to refer both to the way Christians
present the gospel in their witnessing and to the way non-Christians interpret life” (88). One of
the hazards he presents stems from the repackaging of the Gospel with the notion that sinners
have the ability and potential to choose Christ. The practice of presenting a shortened message
which only emphasizes the “what’s in it for me” and its attractiveness in relation to God, dilutes
their blurred translation that “Love is God.” This tenet suggests that God only exists to love
people, disregarding His justice and will upon humans, and thus turning a blind eye on the
devastating reality of hell. Jaffe (2013) adds, “Sin is a person’s expressing to God throughout
life, Go away from me; I do not need you; hell is God’s final response of, you may have your
wish” (74). One could ask, however, how is it that a person can choose to go to hell but cannot
choose to go to heaven? Well, the antithesis in John 6:37 and 65 should be viewed as
correlational instead of contradictory. Jesus says all those who come to Him are sent by the
Father and He will therefore not reject them. It is the sinful condition of human beings that
separates men from God, and this is why clear and extensive God-centered evangelical teachings
are important.
Another problem noted by Metzger is the method-centered approach where the message
can be lowered to ideas such as “trying god for seven days”. The truth of the matter is that God is
a sovereign King, a Creator who doesn’t need anything or anyone to His existence. Trying Him
out simply lowers his deity and promotes the perception that God is optional, when humans need
Him desperately.
Metzger (2012) states, “In a God-centered gospel, grace is central” (96). The Apostle
Paul adds how salvation is by grace that no man should boast (Ephesians 2:8-9). In John 1:17 the
Bible says that grace came through Jesus Christ. More so, Jesus says, “I am the way the truth and
the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6 NIV). A God-centered
gospel helps people to see their need for this gracious and loving Saviour. Not only that but to
embrace His deity over humanity. It is of utmost importance to illuminate the impossibility of
attaining God’s unreachable standards for acceptance. Metzger (2012) asserts, “In the death of
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Christ (passive obedience), the broken law’s penalty is borne to us. Yet Christ has not just put us
back in the garden (a state of innocence or of moral probation) but has put a robe of
righteousness on us” (119). The true Gospel message should provoke a need for its hearers to be
Grace is the unmerited favor of God. Reformation Theology by John Calvin describes the
impossibility of reacting positively towards the message of salvation without grace. It is the
dogmatic doctrine that realizes humanity’s sin-contaminated and condemned state, disabling men
to respond to God’s love and salvation. This is why Calvinism is also known as “the Gospel of
Grace.”
The Apostle Paul is adamant that it is not by works of the Law (merit) that a person is
saved, but by the saving grace of God that no man should boast. Although it is possible for
people to show kindness because of the grace which God bestows upon all His creation,
generally people are morally lacking and unacceptable to a personal relationship with God.
people whom God has ordained for salvation before the creation of the world (Ephesians 1:4-9).
Metzger (2012) notes, “Grace is being treated better than you deserve” (156). Grace
brings regeneration which then enables a person to respond positively to God’s will. Without
grace, salvation is impossible because if it was, salvation would be granted by the response of an
individual. That would be a requirement (as of the Law), and it would make grace not to be
grace. The question of the criteria used for selection to receive grace is preposterous as only God
second. He says, “The finding of the lost is a catalyst for worship, in both the seeker and the one
being found” (Metzger 2012, 178). The notion that worship emboldens and energizes Christians
for witnessing, should be the motivating factor for witnessing according to God’s perspective.
because of the excellent articulation of the gospel message that a person is saved, it is by grace
that the Holy Spirit regenerates a sinner to be able to respond to the truth in the message content.
Metzger also emphasizes that there is no perfect time for witnessing. If Christians would open
their mouths, God would speak to the conscience of the sinner, and those who reject the message
would be rejecting God Himself. He further notes how the complacency of Christians toward
evangelism is highly motivated by fear of rejection, which he calls pride. However, John 4:18
(NIV) declares, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear.” Although there are no
absolute methods for evangelism, the first step to effective evangelism is to pray earnestly for the
grace to deliver hope to the condemned world. As one begins the evangelism journey, the Holy
Spirit will be there to guide in every step of His redemptive work, and it will eventually become
Book 2
a. Assess the incarnational principles Patrick of Ireland used among the Celts?
Patrick is was a young man around 400 A.D. who got enslaved by the Celtic pirates when
they captured and sold the Briton people to the Miliuc (Irish) people. In exile, Patrick learned the
Irish Celtic language and culture and even learned to grow fond of his oppressors. After six years
of slavery when he escaped back to his home in England, he passed through Rome and Gaul
where he received his Theological training, and was ordained a (British) Bishop by Pope
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Celestine. According to Hunter, Patrick had a vision through a dream where an angel named
Victor gave him a letter from his former oppressors. Hunter (2010) states, “[Patrick] interpreted
the dream as his ‘Macedonian call’ to take Christianity’s gospel to the Celtic peoples of Ireland”
(3). At about 432 A.D., his Irish Celtic missionary journey began.
not only that, but the Roman’s dogma maintained that in their missions, other nations must adopt
their Catholic culture and language. This was not Saint Patrick’s approach towards the Celts.
Jaffe (2013) adds, “A common problem when it comes to proclaiming the good news is the
failure to access the level of nonbelievers’ understanding” (154). Since Patrick understood the
Irish Celts very well, he sorted to incarnate Christian beliefs into their emotional, poetic, and
their number three curiosity based culture. Hunter (2010) affirms, “[Patrick’s apostolic team]
would meet the people, engage them in [one-on-one] conversation and ministry, and look for
people who appeared receptive… pray for sick and possessed people, counsel and mediate
conflict” (9). The Celtic way of evangelism/Celtic Christianity engaged the people in a casual or
practical lifestyle of prayer instead of occasional prayers at specific times of the day.
It appears that Celtic Christianity was doing well and building churches, but conflict
arose from the British leadership. They had a problem with Patrick spending priority time with
the “sinners” instead of Christians. However, to accomplish his task in a society of pagan deities,
“Patrick was fully convinced as the Celts that the power of the druids was real, but he brought
news of a stronger power” (Cagney “under Patrick the Saint”). Evangelizing to the Irish for
Patrick and his team soon became a life threatening mission where he would engage in
supernatural warfare, and periodically pay for protection from being sacrificed to pagan gods of
the Land. His successful strategy was to target the kings, because he figured, if the king got
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converted then the people would easily follow. Indeed he succeeded and the tribal kings would
even offer their sons, in an Irish custom, to be educated and fostered by him.
Cagney (under “Patrick the Saint”) notes, “According to the Irish annals, Patrick died in
493, when he would have been in his seventies.” Hunter on the other hand observes how he
served, “until his death around A.D. 460” (2010, 10). This chronological contrast stems from the
calculation of the elapsed time when Patrick was 16 and exiled. Others believe it was around 400
A.D., and others maintain the 430 A.D. era. However, it has been widely accepted that Saint
Patrick died on the 17 March A.D. 461. According to Hunter, Columba was sent on his apostolic
mission to Scotland in 563 A.D., and Aidan to the Anglo-Saxons off the coast of northeast
England in 633 A.D. Hunter (2010) asserts, “Roman tradition regards Augustine as ‘The Apostle
of England.’ While Augustine’s work began in 597, and Aidan’s not until 633…Aidan reached
so many that a stronger case [indicates] Aidan being the ‘Apostle of England’” (27). Roman
history also notes how the German barbarians invaded the Romans around 410, which lead into
the Dark Ages where Roman literature; architecture; and libraries where the Roman civilization
Hunter (2010) asserts, “Through several generations of sustained mission, Celtic Christianity
thus re-evangelized Europe, helped bring Europe out of the Dark ages, fueled Charlemagne’s
Carolingian Renaissance, and ushered in the Holy Roman Empire” (29). However, because
anyone who didn’t operate in the Roman Catholic way was considered barbarian, the Celts were
once again rejected for their methodology. The Irish Celtic people were known to experience and
express their emotions radically and this is what the Romans would view as barbaric. Unlike the
emotional, musical). Saint Patrick didn’t try to transform them from their indigenous culture, but
Celtic Christianity was strategic in learning their lifestyle and being creative in modeling
Christianity using the very tools which the Celts already had. Celtic Christianity spoke to the
Irish people’s imagination, relied on poetry, trusted in prayer without ceasing, and learned their
language and music styles. It is clear that Patrick’s strategy was not only to impose what
Christianity offers to the people but to embrace what the people already understand and channel
it to Christianity, thus meeting them half-way. Perhaps this is what the Apostle Paul meant in 2
Corinthians 9:19-23.
b. Apply Hunter’s approach to evangelism and discipleship to the unique needs of the
twenty-first century?
Hunter observes several similarities of the Christian evangelical movement among the
Celtics in the modern context. Although their appearances may have evolved with time, the
problems with evangelizing are still pointing to the same roots. Hunter (2010) notes, “Most
churches today… expect pre-Christian people to be like church people culturally” (92). He
notices the Roman’s policy of classifying barbarians in the unacceptance of today’s unbelievers
who may not behave (dress, talk, and look) like born again Christians. This paradigm may also
be observed in Christ, who was always communing with sinners and consequently
According to Metzger, a person is not born again instantaneously as many may assume.
The process of conversion consists of being awakened (through the hearing of the Word), being
interested, and coming to a state of awareness of sin and a need for a Saviour. Romans 10:14
(NIV) says, “How then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they
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believe in the one whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone
preaching to them?” It appears that Hunter is in awe of how these barbarians of modern age, who
may be drug addicts; atheists; drunkards; criminals; and people of other religions may be reached
with the gospel if Christians don’t engage in interactive methods such as the ones Saint Patrick
utilized. In his ten points of the supposed Celtic advice to the modern Christian he notes
occasionally (formally and casually), imagining the reality of God’s presence all the time, having
Hunter (2010) asserts, “New Barbarians… are all around us. Many of them are secular-
that is, they have never been substantially influenced by the Christian religion; they have no
Christian memory; they have no church to return to” (102). It is evident that this is the cause of
Philosophical Pluralism accepted in the modern world. Hunter further notes that the Church
believes that these New Barbarians are unreachable, and therefore the church has become
complacent with immorality. Since Patrick’s Celtic Christianity accepted barbarians before they
were converted, Hunter believes that his strategy is the only hope for the New Barbarians. Some
Christians may object to this ideology, with the concern that the New Barbarians may influence
the “new believers” still trying to find their feet in the faith. However, 1John 4:4 (NIV) states,
“You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is
greater than the one who is in the world.” Perhaps Hunter views Matthew 5:14 as a petition to go
and show the world the works of Jesus Christ through engagement and association, not only so
but to also allow the New Barbarians to identify themselves with the Church, even though they
may not have professed their faith yet. Hunter (2010) asserts, “Revelation’s [Church] leaders
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know that most post-modern people experience ‘belonging before believing,’ so they welcome
In South Africa, New Barbarians may also be church goers who hereditarily and/or by
affiliation attend church, but have no faith in Jesus whatsoever. This may explain the cause of
complacency and unacceptance of unbelievers into the church. There is one other aspect of the
Celtic movement that is prominent: in all they did they preached and taught the Scriptures with
sound biblical doctrine. Matthew 28:20 affirms that part of the Great Commission is teaching
them to be obedient disciples of Jesus Christ. Jaffe (2013) affirms, “The great challenge for the
church is to allow its institutions, customs, and values to recede and allow the light of this one
solitary Life to shine” (87). No matter the controversy, someone has to passionately reach out to
the dying souls and declare the Gospel of Jesus Christ by Grace through faith, for that is the main
Book 3
a. Evaluate Coleman’s assessment of Jesus’ ministry and His eight guiding principles?
Robert E. Coleman’s book The Master Plan of Evangelism by first glance of its title may
practically assume an ambiguous explanation of either the best book for evangelism training, or
the supposed best book of entailing Jesus’ (as the Master) plan of evangelism. However, by
reading analytically through the contents of the book, it may very well be established that this
book in fact went to the means of elaborating on Christ’s strategic evangelism methodology. It
further presents the application of His methods which are shown to be pragmatic in the twenty-
first century. Therefore, the title may as well be referred to as The Master’s Plan of Evangelism,
SELECTION
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Because Coleman presented his analysis so gracefully, it is rather preferable to note his
eight guiding principles in the manner prevalent to how he addresses them. The first guiding
principle of Jesus’s method was Selection. Coleman (1993) asserts, “Actually, all of the steps
were implied in each one, and in some degree they all began with the first” (19). Jesus’ first and
most important strategy was to select people as His method. This can be noted in the call of some
of His disciples (John 1:35-51; Mark 1:19; Matt 9:9; Luke 5:27-28) even before they qualified as
the ones who would conquer the world with the Gospel. It is important to note that Jesus didn’t
choose them necessarily according to their religious affiliation nor their status quo, but as he
notes in John 6:37 that those who come to Him come because the Father enabled them.
According to Robert H. Stein there is an impression that the first four disciples had encountered
Jesus prior to their calling, thus when Jesus called them they easily left their occupation and
followed Him.
Jesus also further narrowed His intimate group of disciples from the many to the twelve,
and also to the three (Peter, John, and James) without neglecting the multitudes who believed in
Him. Selection can therefore be applied in the same manner today, considering that as disciples
of Jesus, Matthew 10:41 (NIV) states, “Anyone who receives a prophet because he is a prophet
will receive a prophet’s reward, and anyone who receives a righteous man because he is a
righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward.” Therefore, selection is accustomed to
ASSOCIATION
Studying the Synoptic Gospels and the Gospel of John, it is evident that Jesus did not
only call the disciples to profess faith in Him, but He willingly associated himself with them.
Stein (1996) affirms, “For the vast majority of his ministry these disciples followed Jesus in a
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most intimate relationship. They ate, worked and slept together” (118). It is easier to continue
with something seen to accomplish its purpose than to accept a theory of something which is yet
to prove its effect, and therefore Coleman notes how Jesus’ method was to teach them by being
with them. It is astounding to note how Jesus allowed these laymen to be His inherent earthly
companions which He had not yet instilled with the fundamentals of faith and His ultimate plan
for them, although He did partially mention their purpose when calling Simon Peter and his
Perhaps the problem of association is what prohibits the attention of the world to be
receptive to the Gospel message today, at least together with philosophical attributes. George G.
Hunter III notes how Saint Patrick of the Celtics successfully used what appears to be somewhat
the same strategy of association to reach the barbarians of Ireland in the fifth century. It can also
be noted that the church is experiencing attack in the form of adopting worldly standards and
false doctrines which are much appreciated lately. However, 1John 5:4 (NIV) states, “Everyone
born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our
faith.” Coleman challenges Christians to therefore devote time and effort in associating with
unbelievers until they stand firmly in the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ.
CONSECRATION
Now that the relationship between the followers and their master had been established,
presumably symbolizing a reception for authoritative instruction, Jesus began requiring Kingdom
principles. According to Coleman the first thing Jesus required of His disciples was obedience.
This is logical in the sense that for them to even come after Him in the first place, they had to
obey His call. However, consecration is not a once-off phenomenon, it is a continuous devotion
of yielding towards submission to the will of the Creator. Coleman (1993) affirms, “One simply
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could not follow Jesus through the course of his life without turning loose of the world, and those
who made a pretense of it brought only anguish and tragedy to their souls” (45). Human beings
have their shortcomings and therefore obedience is a learning process, but what Jesus required in
the process of consecration is the willingness to follow Him despite human flaws.
There is no doubt that the devil will not be complacent to anyone who is in submission to
God’s will, he will fight to destroy that faith with all he has. Jesus on the other hand, “[knew
that] no one can ever be a leader until first he has learned to follow a leader” (Coleman 1993,
50). Evidently there is little done in the church today to stressfully emphasize the importance of
obedience as the price for discipleship, and Coleman suggests that the church starts to solidify
this notion beginning with the leaders of the congregations down to the members. Greenwold
(2007, under “First-Century disciple”) affirms, “To a first century disciple believe is a verb in
which you willingly submitted to your rabbi’s interpretive authority regarding God’s Word in
IMPARTATION
In the prevailing prophetic movement of the twenty-first century, impartation means the
transferring of the anointing to another. Although it parallels Jesus’ impartation to His subjects to
some extent, His was much more proficient than that. Jesus offered himself, His life, and His
Holy Spirit to His believers. 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NIV) states, “God made him who had no sin to
be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” He left them to be who
He was on Earth: the righteousness of God. He gave all He had to His disciples- what a
righteousness”) asserts, “That’s why Jesus lived a perfect life in full obedience to the law of God
in thought, word, and deed. Jesus’ mission wasn’t simply to die on the cross for our sins but also
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to live a life of perfect righteousness.” Jesus paved the way for His followers, then imparted
them with the ability to follow in His footsteps, provided they remain humble in obedience.
Before Jesus ascended to heaven, He promised to send another one of His kind, the
Holy Spirit (John 14), and the Holy Spirit would enable them to be with Jesus always. Coleman
(1993) affirms, “Jesus was God in revelation; but the Spirit was God in operation.” Therefore,
the Spirit was to transmit Jesus to live in His disciples, which was better than having Jesus
walking with them. The main reason for that was so when God looks at the believers, He may
notice Jesus’ righteousness in them and through His righteousness believers continue to have
peace and fellowship with their Creator. Besides, if Jesus doesn’t reside in believers, how then
DEMONSTRATION
alarming rate towards the emerging superstition of the miraculous signs and wonders, the
Christian faith is vastly becoming more of an illustrative show of power more than a renewed
relationship with the Creator. Stein (1996) notes, “The miracles [Jesus performed] were not only
signs of the arrival of the kingdom of God; they were a manifestation of the kingdom” (143).
This was not to imply that the greatest most sacred entity of the Kingdom was miracle
demonstration, but it was meant to prove the deity of the Son of God. Some of the other
demonstrations Jesus practiced in teaching His subjects were prayer; Scripture usage; teaching;
This cannot be stated enough that Jesus lived what He taught. Coleman (1996) notes,
“How else will his way ever be learned? It is good to tell people what we mean, but it is
infinitely better to show them. People are looking for a demonstration, not an explanation”. He
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adds that, “nothing else will ever suffice to train others to do his work” (68). The dilemma arises
however, that people as imperfect beings cannot extensively demonstrate Christ attributes.
Coleman suggests that leaders develop an attitude of admitting their shortcomings and
imperfections towards their subjects. The truth is, everyone remains a student in the walk of
righteousness and that may be logically received by those who feel undeserving. That is, “if God
DELEGATION
There must be a purpose in leading believers. Jesus’ purpose for His disciples was that
they take over from where He left off. Although in the stage of selection, much of what would be
later required of the disciples was not emphasized in word, the life Jesus lived in their presence
was a training manual which would eventually constitute Him delegating tasks with
consideration to their ministerial affiliation. In Luke 10:1-2, the disciples were sent to preach and
to drive out demons and heal the sick. Jesus wasn’t afraid that they may influenced by the world
in the process because He knew that the power He had imparted in them was greater than
anything in the world (1John 5:4). Therefore, “This power enables Christ’s disciples to live
triumphantly in the world without becoming like it” (Jaffe 2013, 136). The tasks Jesus was
delegating to His students didn’t mean that they were ready to graduate, but that they were ready
to do their practically exercises of the life they would later live. Again, Jesus was there to correct
(1996) asserts, “There could be no compromise with sin, and for this reason, anyone holding out
on God was sure to be disturbed by their preaching” (75). Will Metzger notes that the preaching
of the Gospel is offensive to sinners, however, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the
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humble” (James 4:6 NIV). It may also be noted that Jesus delegated to His close twelve, but also
delegated to the seventy. Perhaps if church would believe in the power that works within their
members, they may also appreciate this method of delegating tasks to their trainees and be able
to monitor their progress to evangelize more effectively. After all, evangelism is not an option,
SUPERVISION
It is responsible for a teacher to keep checking on the progress of his students. Jesus
didn’t do any different. Seemingly, He would arrange to meet with His subjects to monitor their
progress. This was not difficult because He loved them and was very close with them, it reflected
care and concern rather than a militant rule. Steven M. Fettke notes how in the era of the Judges
people did as they saw fit, but this was not the case with Jesus’ supervision, He was adamant in
achieving the desired result from His subjects. After returning from their successful delegated
ministry, the seventy-two were ecstatic that they performed miraculous wonders, Jesus reassured
them that, “do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in
Coleman notes the incident where the disciples rebuked others who were utilizing Jesus’
name to cast out devils as one of the most important ones (Mark 9:39-50). Perhaps this was to
prepare them that there would be many more whom they would have to share the inheritance of
Christ with, and to rebuke their selfishness. It is therefore important to supervise those who are
being trained for ministry until a time they are ready to stand on their own.
REPRODUCTION
One man said that the evidence of life is in growth, that what is alive must grow.
Reproduction is the objective of evangelism, and for Jesus, the aim of His strategy was to
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achieve reproduction of the church. Coleman makes this observation:
However, we must not fail to see the direct relation between bearing witness of
Christ and the ultimate victory over the world. One cannot come without the
other. Bringing these two dynamic facts together by the power of the Holy Spirit
Matthew 28:18-20 entails the instructions for what is known as the Great Commission.
This commission is the ultimate reproductive responsibility for all believers. As Jesus brought
disciples unto himself, disciples are commissioned to make more disciples all around the world,
and thus bringing them to a knowledge and an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. Will
Metzger stresses how the irrefragable acceptance of complacency is not evangelistic, whereas in
John 15:1-8, Jesus warns believers that reproduction is compulsory. Although Michael
Houdmann observes that it is not the disciple’s job to produce fruit but the Spirit’s, it is the
disciple’s job to abide in Christ that Holy Spirit may produce fruit in them. Jesus spent almost all
His earthly time with His disciples, and also prayed for future disciples (John 17:20-25) because,
“the effectiveness with which the work continues [is] in the next generation” (Coleman 1993,
95).
suggests that the common ‘mass evangelism’ strategy of the twenty-first century should be
reviewed. The work which Jesus began needs much more contingency and dedication to those
who have professed their faith in Christ, and also those who could be saved through association.
No matter the cost, if believers want to continue with Christ’s mission to overcome the world
through the Gospel, it is imperative that as He fully offered himself for the dying souls, so should
all those who want to follow in His example do the same. Amen!
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REFERENCE LIST
Cagney, Mary. 1998. Patrick the Saint | Christian History. Christianity Today.
http://www.christianitytoday.com/history/issues/issue-60/patrick-saint.html. (Accessed 30
May 2016).
Coleman, Robert E. 1993. The Master Plan of Evangelism. Grand Rapids, MI: Revell.
Greenwold, Doug. 28 February 2007. Being a First-Century Disciple. (Accessed 24 June 2016).
http://bible.org/article/being-first-century-disciple.
Hall, Ian R. 2006. Preparing and Preaching Bible Messages, 3rd ed. Springfield, MO: Global
University.
Michael Houdmann. Why does Christ’s righteousness need to be imputed to us? Got questions
Ministries.org. Bible questions. http://www.gotquestions.org/imputed-righteousness.html
(Accessed 23 June 2016).
Hunter, George G. III. 2010. The Celtic Way of Evangelism: How Christianity Can Reach the
West . . . Again. 10th Anniversary ed. Nashville: Abingdon Press.
Jaffe, Michael. 2013. Great Commission Strategies. First edition. Springfield, MO: Global
University.
Metzger, Will. 2012. Tell the Truth: the Whole Gospel Wholly by Grace Communicated
Truthfully & Lovingly. 4th ed. Downers Grove. IL: InterVasity Press.
Stein, Robert H. 1996. Jesus the Messiah: A Survey of the Life of Christ. 1st ed. Downers Grove.
IL: InterVasity Press.