a book report

The Master Plan of Evangelism

Though Jesus spoke to the multitudes, he also poured his life into a few select men. These men had many faults, yet above all, they were obedient and willing to learn. Christ did not convert large numbers personally, but rather trained up twelve disciples to fill that role. Since the general public tended to be quite fickle, to leave them without proper leadership would have been disastrous. Today’s church, likewise, should focus on a select few to guide others rather than focusing solely on large numbers.
These leaders are not supposed to be aloof however. “One living sermon is worth an hundred explanations.”(42) The twelve disciples lived and traveled with Jesus and he devoted more time to them than all other people combined. Such devotion left Jesus with little time to call his own and demanded a great sacrifice of his time. Likewise, Christians need to sacrifice their time in order to help others grow in their faith. “Knowledge was gained by association before it was understood by explanation.”(42) New membership classes and programs are not enough; rather every convert should be “given a Christian friend to follow until such time as he or she can lead another.”(50)
Through the time invested in the disciples, Jesus was able to impart his zeal for evangelism and love for others. He also used every aspect of his life as a teaching opportunity. He used every chance available to expound on scripture, reveal truths, and demonstrate proper behavior. Jesus was not content to merely help his followers grow under his tutelage; he sent them out to practice what he taught. They were warned of what lied ahead, “But beware of men, for they will hand you over to the courts and scourge you in their synagogues” (Matthew 10:17), and then empowered to speak on his behalf. Christ would then use these experiences to teach them even greater things. Likewise, today’s churches must empower others to speak on God’s behalf and continually learn from the experiences.
Every Christian must also take leadership and spiritual growth seriously. Sacrifices must be made to follow Christ and discipleship must come on his terms, not our own. Such demands will cause many to turn away yet “Jesus did not go running after them”(52) because his focus was on training proper leaders. Obedience is not only the greatest proof of love but also a key attribute of leadership.“no one can ever be a leader until first he learned to follow a leader.”(58)
Christ’s objective was not to gain an immediate following but rather to send his message throughout the entire earth. So also, the church’s aspiration should be the eternal perpetuation of faith and growth through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. “The ultimate extent of our witness is what matters, and for that reason values can be measured only by eternity” (103)

Over 2 million copies of “The Master Plan of Evangelism” have sold since 1963 and it has influenced many evangelicals including Billy Graham, Chuck Swindoll, and Luis Palau who have had an enourmous impact on the world for the Kingdom of God. The book’s popularity after over the past 40 years is a testament to its influence on the Christian culture and its timeless message.
The book did not provide much help with how to share one’s faith with an unbeliever nor did it give much advice regarding personal growth. Though it stressed the need to disciple others it did not give a clear distinction of when someone is able to shed their teacher and disciple someone else. This step is presented as being vital to the spread of the gospel yet there is no clear information on it. Christian growth is a continual process, yet “The Master Plan of Evangelism” treats it as a one-step process. Leaders are not encouraged to seek growth or knowledge outside of the growth of the one they are discipling and the book does not give the option of being discipled while also discipling some else

The book has inspired me to invest more time into the life of a friend that I recently led to Christ. I have been encouraging him to attend church and church activities but now I realize that I need to sacrifice more of my own time in order to encourage his growth. I have let school, work, and church activities serve as excuses for not investing more of myself into him. I have decided to find one night a week that we can get together and just build our relationshipand slowly address deeper spiritual matters. I do not see any way I can expect him to see that Christianity is a lifestyle when I only invite him to special events.
What makes “the Master Plan of Evangelism” a great book is also what makes it an unpracticed book; its call for extreme self sacrifice. In our hedonistic and ever changing culture the prospect of devoting much of one’s time to a single person seems less attractive every year. Questions like, “when will I have time for a life?” arise and that is when we know we have already lost focus. If we ever start believing that there is anything better to do with one’s life other than investing in the spiritual growth and maturity of another person then we have seriously lost focus of what true living is.