No mother finds the birth of a child easy, some pain is inevitable and specialist skills are nearly always required. Yet, as every parent knows, the real and exacting work of raising children only begins at birth-Loving, Feeding, Clothing, Training, Encouraging, Discipline, Teaching, Correcting, Understanding. Counseling- the development from infancy to maturity demands all the wisdom, strength and patience we possess.
Spiritually, precisely the same principles apply. To attempt to evangelize without accepting the responsibilities of growing is irresponsible. At best, it is to turn churches into spiritual. Heb. 5:12- 14; Eph. 4:14; 1 Peter 2:1-2.
1. WHAT IS FOLLOW-UP?
(a) It is evangelism which follows through-and a follow-through which produces evangelism. It involves the conservation, maturing and multiplication of the fruit of evangelism. It is spiritual life producing spiritual life. Col 1:28; II Tim. 2:2; I Thess. 2:11-12.
(b) In Matthew 28:19-20 the mission of the church is clearly defined as two-fold table:
- Witnessing to the lost.
- Reaching and training the saved.
Follow-up is the carrying out of this total commission of Christ to the church, Therefore it must be concluded that it is as sinful not to reach and train new Converts as it is not to preach and baptize them.
2. EXAMPLE OF FOLLOW-UP IN THE BIBLE:
(a) God stared it-Gen 3:8; 1:31
(b) Jesus did it-John 21:1-17
(c) Apostles did it-Acts 2:42-46
(d) Paul did it-Acts 15:35-36.
From the forgoing we would see that follow-up is very important to the conservation, maturing of our babes in the Lord. If we don’t do it we are:
- Throwing away our children-Ps. 127:3
- Without follow-up we are the man who could not finish the house he started Luke 14:28-33
- We are like the foolish man. Matt 7:26, 27.
3. FOLLOW-UP MUST BE A PERSON-TO-PERSON MINISTRY
It is not so much a programme as it is a person, not simply materials, furnishing facts, but men sharing lives. It is mind to mind, heart to heart, man to man Ministry in building up the lives of new or immature believers- John 11:43-44.
(a) Follow-Up involves responsible concern- John 21:15-17 Paul’s concern for his converts-Acts 22:15; I Thess. 2:1, 11:12, I Thess. 3:8-10.
(b) Follow-up involves personal contact-Acts 15:36. Although Paul wrote many letters to young converts and prayed for them, he considered personal contact and time with them to be the most essential to effectively build- up their lives in Christ. Personal contact is VITAL Key to proper teaching and training of new Christmas- Rom 1:11: Acts 8:26-39.
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4. COMPONENTS OF FOLLOW-UP
Follow-up is the parental care given to new believers to bring them to spiritual maturity and fruitfulness personal contact, sending a substitute, and the written letter.
(a) Intercessory Prayer: This is most important, yet it is the most neglect. It is absolutely necessary that we pray for our converts in the lord to grow and mature. Jesus our shining example prayed for his converts. Luke 22:31-32, and future converts- John 17:9, 15, 17, 0. Paul’s example- acts 20:18; Phil 1:9-10; Eph. 3:14, 16-19; Col 1:9-10.
(b) Personal Contact: Although it is important pray continuously for our convert but it must be considered that PERSONAL CONTACT and TIME WITH THEM is the most essential key to effectively build up their lives in Christ- I Thess. 3:10; Acts 15:36.
In order to pull down what we are vigorously building up we need to consider the following:
- Be a good example-Matt. 10:25; Cor. 11:1
- Be soaked up in prayer before vision.
- Don’t make promises you cannot keep.
- By individual instruction- Acts 14:21-22; 1 Thess. 4:1, II Tim. 2:2.
These are basic things we must teach the new converts:
- How to live a victorious Christian life – Matt 28:20; John 8:11; Luke 9:23-26; Matt. 10:37-39; 18:15-35; 18:7-9.
- How to pray – Matt 28:20; Luke 18:1; Matt 26:41; 7:7-11; Mark 11:23-24.
- How to develop the habit of studying God’s and quiet time John 5:39: Pet. 2:2; Mark 1:35; Job 23:12; Ps 119, 103, 140; James 1:22.
- How to fellowship with other saints – Acts 2:41; Gal 2:9; I John 1:7; Heb 10:25.
- How too obey the great commission- witnessing – Luke 9:59-62; Acts 26:15-20; Matt 9:37-38.
(c) Personal Representative- Phil 2:19-22
(d) Personal Correspondence- Luke 1:3, 4; II Pet. 1:12:15.
5. THREE-FOLD OVERALL OBJECTIVE OF FOLLOW-UP
1. It is to teach the new Christian how to WALK a normal victorious life in Christ- Gal. 5:16. The Christian life is more than a STEP. It is described as a WALK. Many have taken the first step of faith, but they have not continued to walk daily in them. They are saved but stocked-I Thess. 4:1.
2. It is to guide the new Christian growing in knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ to become a faithful witness to share with others his experience in Christ. Ananias’ instruction to Paul in acts 22:12-15; I John 1:3; Mark 5:19.
3. It is to train the developing Christian to follow-up or work with new convert or immature Christian whom God may entrust to his care- II Tim 2:2. This completes the cycle or total NEW TESTAMENT Evangelism. Someone taught Paul. He taught Timothy. Timothy was to teach reliable and faithful men. The faithful men were to teach others.
God’s promise to the believer whose life is given up to strengthening others- Isaiah 58:10-12.