Master Plan of Evangelism, Robert Coleman
Question: Is it an effective evangelism strategy to pray for unbelievers to be saved?
Robert Coleman explains that Jesus’ eighth and final method of evangelism through discipleship is an emphasis on reproduction—disciples making more disciples. In this chapter, Coleman uses Matthew 9:37 and Luke 10:2 to argue that praying for the world is an ineffective way of making new disciples. He asks “What good would it do? God already loves them and has given his Son to save them. No, there is no use to pray vaguely for the world. The world is lost and blind in sin. 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…"
I argue that Coleman is partially correct—it is most important for believers to engage relationally with the world and with new believers—however it is also important for Christians to pray specifically and strategically for people with whom they have a relationship. At a deeper level, Coleman’s emphasis reveals a lack of value for spiritual warfare as a means of advancing the kingdom of God.
There’s no question that the evangelistic activity of the church today relies too much on a few hard-working individuals and leaves the vast majority of Christians sitting in the audience. This is why believers need to pray for more laborers to work in the harvest and often to become the answer to their own prayers by giving more time and energy to the non-Christians and new Christians in their lives. However, engaging in successful and productive relationships with these people must also include prayer. Prayer is critical simply because the power of God can be facilitated through prayer, and the powers of darkness can be thwarted through prayer. The power of the Holy Spirit to prepare and to change a person’s heart is not something that we can overlook as we approach evangelism, nor is the power of Satan to blind, deafen and block someone’s ability to hear truth. As Christians, the way we exercise our authority over powers of darkness and our position in the kingdom of God is through prayer.
Obviously praying vaguely that God will ‘save’ people or heal them is not the most effective approach. However, a relational approach to making new disciples that ignores the importance of prayer is just as inefficient. Intercession for non-Christians and new Christians should include praying for freedom from bondage, for emotional and spiritual healing, for Holy Spirit filling and anointing, against generational sins and curses, against demonic oppression and harassment, and against hardness of heart. Those relationships should also include the normal aspects of a good friendship, including spending quality time, engaging in meaningful conversation, seeking to meet physical and emotional needs, and more.
Robert Coleman explains that Jesus’ eighth and final method of evangelism through discipleship is an emphasis on reproduction—disciples making more disciples. In this chapter, Coleman uses Matthew 9:37 and Luke 10:2 to argue that praying for the world is an ineffective way of making new disciples. He asks “What good would it do? God already loves them and has given his Son to save them. No, there is no use to pray vaguely for the world. The world is lost and blind in sin. 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…"
I argue that Coleman is partially correct—it is most important for believers to engage relationally with the world and with new believers—however it is also important for Christians to pray specifically and strategically for people with whom they have a relationship. At a deeper level, Coleman’s emphasis reveals a lack of value for spiritual warfare as a means of advancing the kingdom of God.
There’s no question that the evangelistic activity of the church today relies too much on a few hard-working individuals and leaves the vast majority of Christians sitting in the audience. This is why believers need to pray for more laborers to work in the harvest and often to become the answer to their own prayers by giving more time and energy to the non-Christians and new Christians in their lives. However, engaging in successful and productive relationships with these people must also include prayer. Prayer is critical simply because the power of God can be facilitated through prayer, and the powers of darkness can be thwarted through prayer. The power of the Holy Spirit to prepare and to change a person’s heart is not something that we can overlook as we approach evangelism, nor is the power of Satan to blind, deafen and block someone’s ability to hear truth. As Christians, the way we exercise our authority over powers of darkness and our position in the kingdom of God is through prayer.
Obviously praying vaguely that God will ‘save’ people or heal them is not the most effective approach. However, a relational approach to making new disciples that ignores the importance of prayer is just as inefficient. Intercession for non-Christians and new Christians should include praying for freedom from bondage, for emotional and spiritual healing, for Holy Spirit filling and anointing, against generational sins and curses, against demonic oppression and harassment, and against hardness of heart. Those relationships should also include the normal aspects of a good friendship, including spending quality time, engaging in meaningful conversation, seeking to meet physical and emotional needs, and more.
