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Biblical Examples for Evangelism and Discipleship in Diverse Contexts

Biblical texts offer numerous examples for both evangelism and discipleship, illustrating how believers are called to live and spread the Christian message in various situations. Central to these examples is the person of Jesus Christ, who serves as the ultimate model [3].

Jesus' life provides a comprehensive pattern for discipleship. He exemplified early rising, a practice noted as requisite for devotion and diligence [1]. He also demonstrated intercessory prayer, praying for his disciples and others [2]. Christ's sincerity, free from deceit, is presented as an example for all believers, especially ministers [4]. Furthermore, Jesus showed communion with God, a practice that involves empathy and care for others, including the afflicted, the poor, and even enemies [5]. His life also demonstrated self-denial, a crucial aspect of devotedness to him and necessary for following him and triumphing in the spiritual warfare [6].

Beyond Christ, the New Testament highlights various individuals and communities as examples. Pastors are called to be examples to their flocks [3]. The Thessalonian believers, for instance, became "ensamples to all that believe" in Macedonia, demonstrating faith, holiness, courage, meekness, and patience [14]. This suggests that the conduct of believers can serve as a powerful witness and model for others.

The concept of "example" also extends to warnings. The experiences of the Jews are presented as a warning [3], and the prophets are cited as examples of suffering affliction with patience [9]. The book of Hebrews, in particular, draws on numerous Old Testament figures to illustrate faith, noting that these examples serve as motives for perseverance in the Christian faith [10, 12].

In the context of evangelism, the spread of Christianity often occurred through diverse means and in varied contexts. The apostle Paul, for example, fully preached the Good News of Christ from Jerusalem as far as Illyricum, empowered by signs, wonders, and the Holy Spirit [8]. This suggests a dynamic and supernatural element in early evangelistic efforts. Even when some preached Christ out of less pure motives, such as envy or competition, others did so "out of a good heart" [7], indicating that the message could still spread despite mixed intentions.

The early church's experience in Acts demonstrates how persecution, though difficult, could lead to the propagation of Christianity. When a sharp storm of persecution arose after Stephen's death, many Christians were forced to leave Jerusalem, leading to the spread of the gospel to new areas like Samaria through the ministry of figures like Philip [11]. This illustrates how adverse circumstances can be used by God to advance the evangelistic mission.

Discipleship also involves a commitment to the Gospel of Christ, which is described as the "doctrine of grace, life, and salvation by Christ" [13]. The early believers' "professed subjection to the Gospel of Christ" was a cause for glorifying God, as it demonstrated their sincere commitment [13]. This highlights that discipleship is not merely about individual conduct but also about public allegiance to the teachings of Christ.

Sources

  1. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Early Rising — Christ set an example of -- Mr 1:35; Lu 21:38; Joh 8:2. Requisite for Devotion. -- Ps 5:3; 59:16; 63:1; 88:13; Isa 26:9. Executing God's commands. -- Ge 22:3. Discharge of daily duties. -- Pr 31:15. Neglect of, leads to poverty -- Pr 6:9-11. Practised by the wicked, for Deceit. -- Pr 27:14. Executing plans of evil. -- Mic 2:1. Illustrates spiritual diligence -- Ro 13:11,12. Exemplified Abraham. -- Ge 19:27. Isaac, &c. -- Ge 26:31. Jacob. -- Ge 28:18. Joshua &c. -- Jos 3:1. Gideon. -- Jdj 6:38. Samuel. -- 1Sa 15:12. David. -- 1Sa 17:20. Mary, &c. -- Mr ”
  2. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Prayer, Intercessory — Christ set an example of -- Lu 22:32; 23:34; Joh 17:9-24. Commanded -- 1Ti 2:1; Jas 5:14,16. Should be offered up for Kings. -- 1Ti 2:2. All in authority. -- 1Ti 2:2. Ministers. -- 2Co 1:11; Php 1:19. The Church. -- Ps 122:6; Isa 62:6,7. All saints. -- Eph 6:18. All men. -- 1Ti 2:1. Masters. -- Ge 24:12-14. Servants. -- Lu 7:2,3. Children. -- Ge 17:18; Mt 15:22. Friends. -- Job 42:8. Fellow-countrymen. -- Ro 10:1. The sick. -- Jas 5:14. Persecutors. -- Mt 5:44. Enemies among whom we dwell. -- Jer 29:7. Those who envy us. -- Nu 12:13. Those who ”
  3. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Example — Of Christ (1 Pet. 2:21; John 13:15); of pastors to their flocks (Phil. 3:17; 2 Thess. 3:9; 1 Tim. 4:12; 1 Pet. 5:3); of the Jews as a warning (Heb. 4:11); of the prophets as suffering affliction (James 5:10).”
  4. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Sincerity — Christ was an example of -- 1Pe 2:22. Ministers should be examples of -- Tit 2:7. Opposed to fleshly wisdom -- 2Co 1:12. Should characterise Our love to God. -- 2Co 8:8,24. Our love to Christ. -- Eph 6:24. Our service to God. -- Jos 24:14; Joh 4:23,24. Our faith. -- 1Ti 1:5. Our love to one another. -- Ro 12:9; 1Pe 1:22; 1Jo 3:18. Our whole conduct. -- 2Co 1:12. The preaching of the gospel. -- 2Co 2:17; 1Th 2:3-5. A characteristic of the doctrines of the gospel -- 1Pe 2:2. The gospel sometimes preached without -- Php 1:16. The wicked devoid of -- Ps 5:9; ”
  5. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Communion With God — Christ set an example of -- Lu 19:41,42. Exhortation to -- Ro 12:15; 1Pe 3:8. Exercise towards The afflicted. -- Job 6:14; Heb 13:3. The chastened. -- Isa 22:4; Jer 9:1. Enemies. -- Ps 35:13. The poor. -- Pr 19:17. The weak. -- 2Co 11:29; Ga 6:2. Saints. -- 1Co 12:25,26. Inseparable from love to God -- 1Jo 3:17; Joh 4:20. Motives to The compassion of God. -- Mt 13:27,33. The sense of our infirmities. -- Heb 5:2. The wicked made to feel, for saints -- Ps 106:46. Promise to those who show -- Pr 19:17; Mt 10:42. Illustrated -- Lu 10:33; 15:20. Exemp”
  6. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Self-Denial — Christ set an example of -- Mt 4:8-10; 8:20; Joh 6:38; Ro 15:3; Php 2:6-8. A test of devotedness to Christ -- Mt 10:37,38; Lu 9:23,24. Necessary In following Christ. -- Lu 14:27-33. In the warfare of saints. -- 2Ti 2:4. To the triumph of saints. -- 1Co 9:25-27. Ministers especially called to exercise -- 2Co 6:4,5. Should be exercised in Denying ungodliness and worldly lusts. -- Ro 6:12; Tit 2:12. Controlling the appetite. -- Pr 23:2. Abstaining from fleshly lusts. -- 1Pe 2:11. No longer living to lusts of men. -- 1Pe 4:2. Mortifying sinful lusts. -- Mr ”
  7. Philippians “Philippians 1:15 (BBE) — Though some are preaching Christ out of envy and competition, others do it out of a good heart:”
  8. Romans “in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of God’s Spirit; so that from Jerusalem, and around as far as to Illyricum, I have fully preached the Good News of Christ; -- Romans 15:19”
  9. James “James 5:10 (YLT) — An example take ye of the suffering of evil, my brethren, and of the patience, the prophets who did speak in the name of the Lord;”
  10. Hebrews (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Hebrews 11:4: The apostle, having given us a more general account of the grace of faith, now proceeds to set before us some illustrious examples of it in the Old Testament times, and these may be divided into two classes: - 1. Those whose names are mentioned, and the particular exercise and actings of whose faith are specified. 2. Those whose names are barely mentioned, and an account given in general of the exploits of their faith, which it is left to the reader to accommodate, and apply to the particular persons from what he gathers up in the sacred story. We have here those”
  11. Acts (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Acts 8 (introduction): In this chapter we have an account of the persecutions of the Christians, and the propagating of Christianity thereby. It was strange, but very true, that the disciples of Christ the more they were afflicted the more they multiplied. I. Here is the church suffering; upon the occasion of putting Stephen to death a very sharp storm arose, which forced many from Jerusalem (Act 8:1-3). II. Here is the church spreading by the ministry of Philip and others that were dispersed upon that occasion. We have here, 1. The gospel brought to Samaria, preached there (A”
  12. Hebrews (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Hebrews 12 (introduction): The apostle, in this chapter, applies what he has collected in the chapter foregoing, and makes use of it as a great motive to patience and perseverance in the Christian faith and state, pressing home the argument, I. From a greater example than he had yet mentioned, and that is Christ himself (Heb 12:1-3). II. From the gentle and gracious nature of the afflictions they endured in their Christian course (Heb 12:4-17). III. From the communion and conformity between the state of the gospel-church on earth and the triumphant church in heaven (Heb 12:18 ”
  13. 2 Corinthians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 2 Corinthians 9:13: Whiles by the experiment of this ministration,.... That is, the poor saints at Jerusalem having a specimen, a proof, an experience of the liberality of the Gentile churches ministered to them by the apostles, first, they glorify God; by giving thanks unto him, acknowledging him to be the author of all the grace and goodness which they, and others, were partakers of; particularly for your professed subjection to the Gospel of Christ. The Gospel of Christ is the doctrine of grace, life, and salvation by Christ, of which he is the author, as God, the subject m”
  14. 1 Thessalonians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Thessalonians 1:7: So that ye were ensamples to all that believe,.... They were not only followers of Christ and his apostles, whom they took for examples of faith, holiness, courage, meekness, and patience; but they were patterns of good works; and of suffering afflictions to other believers, even to all that knew them, or heard of them, particularly in Macedonia; as at Philippi and other places: though the Gospel was first preached there, and they had received it, and a Gospel church state was formed there; yet these were more forward in the exercise of grace and discharge o”
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