Concentric circles of Concern

CONCENTRIC CIRCLES ... Every Member Spreading the Gospel!

Person X may be in the high crime streets of a big city or in a third world, or in a poverty-stricken country, or in a rescue mission, or a jail— SO, WE go to them! We evangelize. We come home. We tell others about our efforts. We go back to our business, job, home, church, and/or daily routines; and every so often we repeat the cycle.

HOWEVER, WHY is it that all too often
We do not GO TO
THE FOLKS, close to us, IN CIRCLES 2 - 6?

[1] IT COULD BE because they know us! They know our salty language, lustful looks, greedy grasping, anger, business deceit, gossip, etc. They see how we are at work or at school or in our home. THUS: We might need to, first of all, ask for their forgiveness or give forgiveness— which if that is what we need to do— just do it! That is powerful witnessing!

[2] ANOTHER REALITY: With Person X, we don't have to deal with our 'hang-ups' … OR THEIRS … and we can 'love them and leave them!'

EVEN with 'Third World' type missions/evangelism right in our own town, or with outreach efforts toward neighbors just down the street— it's different and often far more difficult!

[3] AND ALSO, with ministry in Circles 2-6 — it's week after week, month after month, year after year. Ministering to those in Circles 2-6 is much like the ministry of the career missionary. We are there for the long haul— planting, watering, praying, and waiting for the LORD to give the increase! We can't leave them! We can't just do Sunday School… or Youth or Children's ministry… or ministry to a neighbor… or to a co-worker once or twice a year. Rather, we MUST minister to them week after week and year after year— or at least maintain availability to minister, being alert for the next opportunity… as we continue to pray and agonize for their souls! REALITY: To folks in our Circles 2-6, we are THEIR career missionaries! We are their full-time Ministers. SADLY: this is why many folk are looking for a church to merely attend; and not one where they will be equipped and called upon to labor for the Master!

IN OUR 'CIRCLES 2-6, we MAY have to stop and give sacrificially of ourselves and our time… you know… just like the Good Samaritan! HAVE WE SERIOUSLY CONSIDERED THIS— if we find an 'open door' with a family, with an individual— do we not have to be prepared to follow-up week after week and even beyond?

If at Sunday School or at Church services, we discover a need someone has ... Be it a member or a visitor ... — doesn't the Sunday School class, (or you as a member), have opportunity/responsibility for follow-up ministry?

Over the years a good number of dear ones have told me that they feel that it is much easier to minister the Gospel in this particular foreign land or that one. It could be. But here is some larger reality: If we were the actual ones living in and ministering in that 'third world' country; or ministering in a big city Rescue Mission every day, 365 days a year and year after year— we would not think it easy; and we would see and experience the intense spiritual blindness and warfare in those mission fields!

Years back I had spent 2 weeks, 1 month, and then 45 days in India. All of those dear folks were my Person X! But all who were Person X to me— those same folk were the people of Circles 2-6 to the Indian pastors and gospel workers— 365 days a year. They did not get to LEAVE after 45 days and, thus, get out from under the daily load of evangelizing / discipling folks in Circles 2-6!

On three different occasions I, along with others, walked the streets of major cities in India, passing out tracts and doing street preaching. In years past, a number of our folk have done good ministry in Mexico, or at the Jail, or Rescue Mission. These are all ministries to our Person X group. Praise the LORD! But our 'Person X' group is the Rescue Mission's workers' or India's pastors' and churches' and/or the Mexico pastor's and their Christian worker's Person 2-6 Group! MOST OF THE REAL WORK IS DONE IN THE 2-6 GROUPS, BY THE CHRISTIAN WORKERS WHO LIVE IN THEIR MIDST, YEAR AROUND!

Yes, we can have a valid ministry to Person X, especially IF or when we leave them connected to local churches and ministries. But as any farmer knows— he must do more than scatter a bunch of seed and then leave town! FRANKLY, whatever we do among Person X is a 'piece of cake!' … when compared to the labor required from the native pastors or from the Rescue Mission Staff!...

[BY THE WAY: THIS REALITY SHOULD ENVISION OUR PRAYING FOR MISSIONARIES and NATIVE PASTORS, ETC.

BUT, again, the PRIMARY QUESTION for us is— WHO IS GOING TO TAKE THE GOSPEL TO THOSE IN OUR '2-6' WORLD? And the answer is that I MUST! AND SO MUST YOU!

BUT: "The people in my "2 to 6" world are not responsive to the gospel!" … And, "it's so hard…" and "what if it requires me to spend time with them every week…?" WE MUST REMEMBER:

First, Many a great harvest has come after a number of apparent crop failures! Let us keep planting, watering. God will give the increase! Second, we are called to be faithful. For 100 years or more, Noah worked on building an ARK and PREACHING RIGHTEOUSNESS and living a GRACE-FILLED life BEFORE a people who would ultimately be destroyed! BUT NOAH KEPT ON PREACHING! We are, likewise, called to be faithful! Third, look in the Bible— very often God has His servants in 'gospel-hardened' places! Just ask Noah! And then remember, that Jesus says that the last days will be like the days of Noah! Fourth, beware of modeling after the apparent success methods of the entertainment oriented religious harlot! Our lost world does not need PLAY ACTING visuals! They need REAL VISUALS— Christians who genuinely love and forgive, who are manifesting joy and hope in trials and tribulations, who manifest the COMPASSION of Jesus and who are walking in holiness. Fifth, A MASTER KEY with the folks in our "2-6" world, IS THE REALITY THAT life tumbles in for all of them. They have both good and 'bad' things that happen to them. And the same things happen to saints in Christ! HOWEVER, THE LOST do not have resources to help them deal with the trials and troubles. BUT, BEING IN CHRIST, WE DO! As they WITNESS you winning the battle over bitterness, revenge, hate, fear, and resentments— the Gospel is being seen in Circles 2-6! The MUSIC of the gospel is flowing from you. You are making them 'THIRSTY' and HUNGRY for good news, for GRACE to handle life! You are REVEALING JESUS, the LIGHT of the world! Thus, when life does tumble in, we often have FRESH OPPORTUNITIES… or "points of contact" to sow seeds of kindness and love! Love is, after all, meeting real needs.

Thus, real '2-6' evangelism/missions/witnessing OFTEN starts with how I treat my wife, my family, MY CHURCH FAMILY, those closest to me, those who are neighbors, those I work around; and/or those I may casually meet in the town/county where I live.

Real '2-6' evangelism/missions/witnessing starts with being a congregation that loves, that forgives, and that seeks to live holy and pure! Real 2-6- evangelism CONTINUES as we TELL what great things God has done and is doing for us— (1) Andrew went to Peter; (2) Philip, to Nathaniel; (3) The woman at the well, back to her city; (4) Cornelius went to his household; (5) The Philippian jailer, to his household; (6) The demonic of the Gadarenes now sitting at the feet of Jesus, fully clothed and in his right mind was told by Jesus to go back to his home people and to tell them what great things the LORD had done for him! (7) AND THIS WEEK… I WILL BE GOING TO___________________?

(Some of the concepts for this article are edited from and the diagram is from Concentric Circles of Concern, by W. Oscar Thompson, Jr.)