JESUS' MINISTRY
and the
COMMITMENT LEVEL MODEL

The commitment level model of ministry is drawn from the ministry of Jesus Christ.

1. Jesus Taught About Levels of Spiritual Receptivity
In the parable of the Sower and the Soil, Matthew 13:3-23, Jesus showed how that spiritual receptivity varies in people. Some people are open to the word of God, while others are closed. Specifically there are four types of responses to the message of salvation. Those who reject the word when they hear it (the hard packed soil - Hard Hearts), those who make a commitment that is hindered by pressure from friends (the soil on the path - Shallow Hearts) those who respond to the message but worries, riches and pleasures choke their new life (the soil among the weeds - Distracted Hearts), and those who accept the message and who grow (the good soil - Receptive Hearts).

2. Jesus Stressed the Importance of Commitment
Jesus called people into a relationship with himself, a relationship that demanded commitment and obedience. He often spoke about the need for total commitment (Luke 14:25-33; 9:62; John 8:31; 13:12-17; 15:1-8; Matthew 19:21).

3. Jesus Recognised Different Commitment Levels
We have already seen that Jesus recognised various levels of spiritual receptivity. He also recognised that people are at different levels of commitment. He once recognised that someone was, "not far" from the kingdom (Mark 12:34). When we read Jesus' invitations to people to COME to Him we discover that various amounts of commitment were called for from people:

A. Come and See (John 1:39) - this was his first call to John and Andrew. He simply asked them to come and check Him out. He was creating an interest within them at this level.

B. Come and Drink (John 7:37) - this call was to people to come to Jesus and accept him as saviour. Another example of this commitment level would be found in John 5:40 - where people come to Jesus and live.

C. Come and Follow (Matthew 4:19) - this was a call to specific individuals to become disciples, or followers of Jesus.

D. Come and Rest (Matthew 11:28) - this was an open call to the crowds for people to come and receive rest and healing from Jesus.

E. Come and Deny (Matthew 16:24) - here Jesus called people into a deeper level of commitment where they would identify themselves fully with Him and his cause.

F. Come and Rest (Mark 6:31) - this was an intimate call to his disciples to come and spend time with him in private away from the crowds.

G. Come and Act (Matthew 14:29) - Peter was called to exercise his faith in Christ by walking on the water. It was only to him that Jesus gave this call.

4. Jesus Targeted his Ministry to Specific Groups
Jesus said that he had come for the lost sheep of Israel (Matthew 15:22-28) and he sent his disciples out to the lost sheep of Israel (Matthew 10:5-6). Jesus used the principle of targeting ministry in order to be effective and not exclusive. He also was heard to say that he had come to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10), and He sends His followers to all people groups (Matthew 28:18-20).

Jesus also targeted his ministry to different commitment levels:
A. He ministered to the Community
B. He taught, healed and fed the Crowds
C. He gathered a Congregation - his group of disciples
D. He challenged the Committed
E. He discipled the Core

5. Jesus Ministered to People at Different Levels

A. Jesus Started Where People Were - with a woman at a well he talked about living water; with fishermen he talked about catching fish; and with farmers he talked about sowing seeds. He began with peoples' hurts, needs and interests (Matthew 10:8). When a leper came to him to be healed, he did not enter into a discourse on the cleansing laws in Leviticus, he simply healed him.

B. Jesus Attracted Crowds - he did this by (1) loving unbelievers - showing genuine love to people, creating an atmosphere of acceptance, and accept people without approving of their behaviour; (2) meeting people's needs - he got the attention of people, he ministered to the total person and he met their real needs; and (3) teaching in a practical, interesting way - beginning with needs, hurts and interests, relating truth to life and using an interesting style with stories and simple language.

C. Jesus Developed Leaders - He trained his disciples for leadership with the following strategy: (1) I do it - he lived a dynamic life, healed, prayed, did miracles and loved people. (2) I do it and they are with me - he took the twelve with him into various ministry situations. (3) They do it and I am with them - he sent the seventy out but he was close behind. (4) They do it and I am in the background to encourage - when he ascended into heaven, he provided the power for them to continue the ministry through the Holy Spirit.

6. Jesus' Ministered with a Commitment Philosophy
The purpose of ministry is to reach out to people, to bring them into a relationship with Christ, to establish them in the faith and equip them to go out and reproduce the process in the lives of others. Jesus' ministry on earth revealed a similar strategy. He made contact and developed new relationships with people. He was constantly in relationship with people - he was incarnate, God become flesh and living among us (John 1:14). He used a combination of one-on-one activities (person-to-person) such as conversing with people individually, and large group activities (person-to-group) such as addressing the masses or feeding the crowds. He also involved himself in a ministry of nurture by spending time with a small group of people into whose lives he poured his life. He modelled his faith to them and they learned about how to relate to God by watching him or listening to his teaching. He called them to a life of service (John 13:12-17).

7. Jesus Evangelised with a Commitment Philosophy
The following chart shows how Jesus evangelised people at the various levels of commitment.