The Master Plan of Evangelism by Robert E. Coleman

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


In The Master Plan of Evangelism, Robert E. Coleman argues that Jesus’ strategy of evangelism was to train a few men who themselves would train other men. Coleman believes this is the biblical way to not only spread the gospel, but also to secure the results of our witness. Therefore, his audience is not all Christians involved in evangelism, but a few leaders who may be models and mentors of men, following the steps of Jesus.
It is not easy to classify this book. Despite its title, the book itself is not so much about evangelism, but rather about the training of leaders who, by their turn, will become evangelists and train other evangelists. Coleman divides his book in eight chapters, each one of them dealing with one aspect of Jesus’ training of his disciples. His approach is biblical and evangelical, his style is simple and pastoral and he has some good insights on the nature of evangelism. Coleman questions the excessive focus on methods, in “this day of professional techniques and sure-fire gimmicks.” (p. 78) He calls the church to a more personal training, based not necessarily on “explanation,” but on “demonstration.” (p. 78) He stresses that Jesus trained his disciples not with creeds but with his personal example, by means of words and deeds. His conclusion is that we need not “better methods, but better men.” (p. 113)
Coleman’s book, however, has some flaws, which make it less useful than it could be. One of the problems is that Coleman does not present a clear definition of what the gospel is after all. He seems to presuppose his readers already know what he means by the word gospel and proceeds without defining clearly his subject. In a book about evangelism this is a serious weakness.
Coleman is also committed to an Arminian theology, although he does not addresses theological issues in his book. [More than 30 years after the publication of The Master Plan of Evangelism, Coleman wrote The Heart of the Gospel: The Theology Behind the Master Plan of Evangelism (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2011), which J. I. Packer presents as “the theology of the Gospel in classic Wesleyan dress”]. A sample of his theology comes from statements such as, “Jesus can use anyone who wants to be used,” (p. 24) or “everything depended upon their [the disciples’] faithfulness if the world would believe on Him ‘through their word’.” (p. 28) On p. 55 he argues that Jesus patiently endured the disciples’ failings because they were willing to follow him. He also believes in the classic Arminian of the general expiation. He nevertheless emphasizes the work of the Holy Spirit in the disciples’ process of growing in grace and knowledge “from beginning to end.” (p. 66). He even recognizes that evangelism was not “a human undertaking at all,” but “it was altogether the Spirit’s work.” (p. 67) Despite that his main emphasis is on obedience rather than grace as the true key for success in the evangelistic activity.
Coleman uses the Bible as the source of his reflections on evangelism, but he is not clear as to the place the Bible, especially in its doctrinal expression, has on his program of training evangelists. One of the problems of this “personalistic” approach to evangelism, which is to focus on Jesus’ example at expense of his teaching, is that it is limited, speculative, and even subjective. This same approach in hermeneutics has usually revealed more about the interpreter than about Jesus himself. Besides that, we have a whole corpus of Biblical teaching outside the gospels that, with the gospels, must be our guide in evangelism and any other task. Coleman acknowledges the high view Christ and his disciples had of the Scripture (p. 76-77), but he fails to place the Scripture in its right place as the ultimate source of authority for the church.
As to some of the practical implications of this book to my future ministry, I believe Coleman’s emphasis on the importance of rightly training a few men for evangelization made me reflect on my own context in Northern Brazil, where the scarcity of ministers is disheartening. As a result, the pastors have on their shoulders not only the burden of pastoring their churches, but also of evangelizing the lost. The necessity of training lay leaders was one the reason that led me to seminary, since I wanted to be trained in order to train people for leadership positions in the church. Coleman’s remarks on the importance of training well people, even if they are few, reminded me on a personal level of the importance of mentoring in the ministry.



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