ROBERT COLEMAN TOP QUOTES

It is time that the church realistically face the situation. Our days of trifling are running out. The evangelistic program of the church has bogged down on nearly every front…In an age when facilities for rapid communication of the gospel are available to the church as never before, there are actually more un-evangelized people on earth today than before the invention of the horseless carriage…This, of course, puts a priority on winning and training those already in responsible positions of leadership. But if we can’t begin at the top, then let us begin where we are and train a few lowly to become the great. 34 If this task seems to be too great, then we will have to start like Jesus did by getting with a few chosen ones and instilling into them the meaning of obedience (and the call to evangelism)

Evangelism is not an optional accessory to our life. It is the heart beat of all that we are called to be and do. It is the commission o the church that gives meaning to all else that is undertaken in the name of Christ. With this purpose clearly in focus, everything that is done and said has glorious fulfillment of God’s redemptive purpose-educational institutions, social programs, hospital, church meetings of any kind-everything done in the name of Christ has it justification in fulfilling this mission. 89

The best way to be sure that this is done is to give practical work assignments and expect them to be carried out. This gets people started, and where they already have seen their work demonstrated in the life of their teacher, there is no reason why the assignment cannot be completed. Then the church/preacher takes this lesson to heart, and gets down to business with evangelism, then those in the pews will start moving out for God. 90 When is the last time you heard your preacher share a personal evangelism story? Missionary in mega church 5 years; chuck smith; not once here. Are you doing it? If not, why not? Training is available. You will be motivated and excited about ministry like never before. (need to get ‘garbage out of your life’.)

Jesus made it a point to meet with his disciples to teach and hear the results of their [evangelism] assignments. His questions, illustrations, warnings, and admonitions were calculated to bring out those things that they needed to know in order to fulfill his work, which was the evangelization of the world. 91

After the disciples where sent out to work, they were expected to share their experiences later with the group. 92 When does your staff report and share their evangelistic efforts?

Merely because we are busy, or even skilled, at doing something does not necessarily mean that we are getting anything (important) accomplished. The questions must always be asked: Is it worth doing? And does it get the job done. This should be posed continually in relation to the evangelistic fulfilling the great commission of Jesus. Do we see an every expanding company of dedicated people reaching the world with the gospel as a result of our ministry? That we are busy in the church trying to work one program after another cannot be denied. But are we accomplishing our objective?

We must always remember, too that the goal is world conquest. We dare not let a lesson concern capture our strategy of the moment. All too many times one has been brought to the place of service only to be discharged with no further training or inspiration. The result is that the activity becomes localized in a feverish round of excitement. There is no growth. The potential ability resident in the worker is not developed, and before long a promising leader is spoiled. 98

When will we learn the lesson of Christ. There can be no substitute for total victory, and our field is the world. We have not been called to hold the fort, but to storm the heights. It is in this light that the final step in Jesus’ strategy of evangelism can be understood. 98 No compromise; no substitutes, no changes; focused.

A barren Christian is a contradiction. A tree is known by it’s fruit. This principle was emphasized time and time again throughout his ministry…103

Matthew 9:37,38 There is no use to pray for the world. What good would it do? No, there is no use to pray vaguely for the world. The world is lost and blind. The only hope for the world is for laborers to go to them with the gospel of salvation, and having won them to the savior, not to leave them, but to work with them faithfully, patiently, pain stakingly, until they become fruitful Christians savoring the world about them with the Redeemers love. 105

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 Savior of the world. Are those who have followed us to Christ, NOW leading others to him and teaching them to make disciples like ourselves?... 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. 105, 106

Yet we must realize that the kind of energy Christ needs does not happen by accident. It requires deliberate planning and concentrated effort. If we are to train people, we must work for them. We must seek them. We must win then. They must be reached and trained to become effective witnesses of our Lord. 113

We should not expect a great number to begin with, nor should we desire it. The best work is always done with a few. Better to give a year or so to a few who learn what it means to conquer for Christ than to spend a lifetime with a congregation just keeping the program going. Nor does it matter how small or inauspicious the beginning may be; what counts is that those to whom we do give priority in our life learn to give it away. 113,114

Evangelism thus becomes to them an intimately practical thing that has ramifications in everything else. It is seen as a way of life, not a theological dogma. 114