The Principle of Concentration

The Twelve was Jesus’ inner circle. He chose the Twelve to be with him. Jesus was definitely pro-small group. The more I read the Four Gospels, the more I accept the fact that making disciples a few at a time is the way to “do” church.

“Afterward Jesus went up on a mountain and called the ones he wanted to go with him. And they came to him. Then he selected twelve of them to be his regular companions, calling them apostles. He sent them out to preach, and he gave them authority to cast out demons” (Mk. 3:13-15). Firstly, Jesus called a few he wanted. Secondly, he appointed the twelve. Thirdly, he called them to be his regular companions. Fourthly, he sent them out to preach the good news. And fifthly, he gave them authority to do ministry.

In The Master Plan of Evangelism, Robert Coleman, Professor of Evangelism at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, described Jesus’ small group approach as eight stages of discipleship:

1. Selection
2. Association
3. Consecration
4. Impartation
5. Demonstration
6. Delegation
7. Supervision
8. Reproduction

Coleman said,

“Here is the wisdom of his method…the fundamental principle of concentration upon those he intended to use. One cannot transform a world except as individuals in the world are transformed, and individuals cannot be changed except as they are molded in the hands of the Master. The necessity is apparent not only to select a few…but to keep the group small enough to be able to work effectively with them.”[1]

Jesus’ discipling of the Twelve is described as the “principle of concentration.” Can we say that Jesus worked around the “principle of concentration” in his earthly ministry most of the time? Can we say that he reached to the world by reaching to the Twelve? (Actually, how much could he do in public ministry for only three years?)

“The good news about Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is that he came to bring God to all people and all people to one another. The good news is that God loves all human beings and has sent Jesus to proclaim, establish and enact the realm of God on earth. This enactment of the divine community was focused and launched in the group experience and ministry of the Twelve. There is no good news if humanity is not in community with God and if this community was not concretely modeled by Jesus among the Twelve. The good news is not Jesus alone as the rugged individual, but Jesus with people, especially Jesus with the Twelve.”[2]

This is how Jesus “did” it in ministry. Are there any better approaches in modern church? Maybe there are various ways to express the Jesus’ Way. However, the “principle of concentration” ought to be there. Jesus adopted this “principle of concentration” in ministry because he was human. First of all, Choosing and associating with the Twelve means that Jesus couldn’t do it all by himself. Focusing on a small group of disciples indicates that Jesus knew that he wouldn’t stay with them forever, and he needed the Twelve to internalize his vision and mission after he was gone. No selection; no association. No association; no internalization. No internalization; no delegation. Secondly, he needed companions. He associated with the Twelve to disciple them (giving) as well as to be kept in company (receiving). Jesus called them friends (Jn. 15:15) even though he was the Holy One of God (Jn. 6:69).

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[1] Quoted from Gareth Weldon Icenogle, Biblical Foundations for Small Group Ministry: An Integrational Approach (Downers Grove: IVP, 1994), p. 120.

[2] Ibid., p. 121.