Evangelism 101

Can we all be evangelists? 85% of Christians have been saved before they were 18. But what if every adult did win just 2 other adults to Christ. Would that make much of a difference in the kingdom? Let's look at 2 models to see how the numbers work out. Neither model is normative, they are simply used to create discussion.

Model A
A charismatic pastor is able to inspire 100 people to join him in his church planting vision in the first year. This group of people is able to continue to reach others at the rate of 20% per year for 10 years. This growth rate is considered exceptionally good. The church hires staff, builds buildings and has a significant budget. The founding pastor is busy, busy, busy and is being asked by everyone to tell them his secret for such phenomenal success.

Model B
Another lover of God decides to pour his life into 2 people for a year. He disciples them in such a way that they do the same thing in the next year. He continues to work with them but they are the ones actually doing the discipling. He stays in their lives into the third year and is well respected and loved.

These disciples continue in this pattern of reaching out to 2 others. But the one that started this model is not known by most who continue to come to Christ through this model. He continues to work at his “secular” job, take care of his family and whatever else he enjoys doing. He never purposely disciples anyone again and has time for anyone that wants to talk to him.

(This last statement is only said to show the power of exponential growth through simply reaching 2 others. Of course he would reach more than just 2, as would those he discipled.)

In 10 years which model would have produced more people being discipled?

Model A
(20% growth per year)
100
120
144
173
208
250
300
360
432
520

Model B
(discipling just 2)
2 + 1 = 3
4 + 3 = 7
8 + 7 = 15
16 + 15 = 31
32 + 31 = 63
64 + 63 = 127
128 + 127 = 255
256 + 255 = 511
512 + 511 = 1023
1024 + 1023 = 2047

At the end of the 10 year period the pastor from Plan A is well known.
Nobody has heard of the guy that started Plan B.

After 20 years of unprecedented 20% growth, 2,600 people are in the Model A church.

Model B would have reached 2,097,151 in the same 20 years.

In 32 years, 8.5 billion people would have been reached through Model B.

How many people did each person have to reach in Model B?

2

Yep, it really is this simple. Why is this so hard to believe?