In his book "Concentric Circles of Concern" Oscar Thompson, Jr. gives the reader a fresh new idea in reaching people with the gospel in the 21st Century. The author speaks from a wealth of experience as he was a pastor for twenty years before joining the faculty of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in the area of evangelism. He served as president of the Oscar Thompson Evangelistic Association; as a pastoral consultant of Cancer Counseling and Research Foundation; and pastoral consultant and board member of the Trinity Valley Hospice Association, Inc. The book was written post humorously. In reading the book it is obvious to the reader that the author lived what he taught and has made a tremendous impact in the lives of those that followed these teachings on the "seven stages for making disciples.
The book is published as a book on evangelism. However, the book's title gives a hint that it is much more than just another method or outline on how to share ones faith. In the first four chapters, the author lays the ground work that prepares the reader for what lies ahead. First there is the importance that God places on relationships and that people are built to be in a relationship with God and one another. The author states that "the most important word in the English language, apart from proper nouns, is relationship." His premise is that the gospel moves through a person's relationship and that there is, in fact a hierarchy or order of importance that one must be aware of when sharing ones faith. In other words, one can't expect to share the gospel with a friend if he is not willing to share that same "good news" with his family member. The Scripture is clear that we must not only be reconciled with God but with those who are closest to us too. The author then summarizes his strategy for reaching the world through these different "relationships" that a person has. He ends his introduction of the book with familiar barriers of why a person might not share the gospel. The key aspect to the barriers is a word that is repeated often in the 200 pages of this book – relationship. In this case, the barriers stem from broken relationships.
The book is subtitled "seven stages for making discipleship" and that is what the author explains in detail throughout the rest of the thirteen chapters of the book and how that making disciples is done in and through the different relationships a person has. The big idea, the author states, in the Great Commission is to "make disciples." To do that completely and effectively is to follow the authors stages and how that then is followed by specifically who one is to reach and in what order. These seven stages and concentric circles are as follows: (1) Get Right, (2) Survey, (3) Pray, (4) Build Bridges, (5) Show Love, (6) Make Disciples, and (7) Begin Again.
Stage one is "getting right with God, self, and others. The author states, "once you have a right vertical relationship with your heavenly Father and a balanced view of self, God moves you to correct relationships with others. The Scripture is clear in many places that a person can't be right with God and have broken relationships with other people. This is especially true with those that are closest to a person, like a spouse or other close family member. This leads and fits into the authors "concentric circles of concern" and that you must make those relationships right before one goes and shares the gospel with someone further away from his "concentric circle."
Stage two is to survey ones different relationships. Most do not even know who is really within their sphere of influence for Jesus Christ. The author recommends writing down who a person's family members, relatives, friends, and so on. As one "surveys" all the different people that God brings into a person's life one finds that many of those people are lost and need to hear a clear presentation of the gospel. This too is evident and shown in several instances in Scripture. It wasn't by happenstance that Joseph was there in Egypt and all the different people Joseph touched with the gospel.
Stage three is one that is so often neglected in most church evangelism programs – prayer. The author exhorts the reader to "work with God." He goes on to state that these prayers are to be specific, and gives a great pattern of things that one could pray for. Another them that is repeated throughout the book is that love is demonstrated by meeting a need. Just as the need for salvation is met in the love that was demonstrated by Jesus Christ by dying on the cross (Romans 5:8). A key element in that pattern of prayer is asking God to reveal a need that can be met. Most do not want to pray specifically like this because God will reveal a need and then the real battle begins in whether a person will then follow through with the Lords leading. Personally, I have been praying for my neighbor and God revealed that I should fix her fence, and I have not as yet shown her the love of Christ by meeting that need.
Stage four is building bridges. The author explains that many times ones relationship with people in ones concentric circles are so shallow or distant that there is little way of reaching out to them in love. At other times, one will become aware of a person who needs the Lord and will intentionally begin building a relationship bridge to that person so that God's love can flow from the person witness to the person that needs Christ. He goes on to give several examples that are practical and doable in a any number of different situations.
Stage five is to show love. Not just a superficial love, but God's love by meeting a specific need in someone's life. This, along with prayer is another idea that is often absent from evangelism programs. Many would rather punch their time clock on a Thursday night visitation program to ease ones guilty conscience about being a good witness. However, the author states that this is one of the best ways to be used by God in reaching the world is by showing God's love. It is God that will engineer the circumstances in the lives of those for whom a person is to pray for and then God will also create opportunities for these people to experience his love through meeting a need in a life. As God loves people though you by meeting a need, this has a profound impact on how that person begins to be drawn to the Lord.
Stage six is to make disciples and help a person to grow and continue the stages from the beginning all over again. The author is clear that it is God the Holy Spirit that draws, convicts, and does the work of salvation. However, after people turn to Christ, they need to grow as disciples of Christ. This is the job of the one who witnessed to him or her to then help develop and establish a personal relationship with Jesus through prayer and the reading and study of the Word of God. This is not an easy process and will take time, energy and a continued love for that person as they become fully devoted and followers of Jesus Christ.
Stage seven is the last stage and is simply to begin the process all over again and to help other Christians to make disciples too. It is often thought that witnessing is over once a person accepts Christ. However, that is just the beginning. Just like when a new baby is born into the world, that baby then needs to be fed, protected, nurtured, and cared for. The process of discipleship continues until they themselves are taking someone else through the concentric circles of concern and making disciples.
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