Concentric Circles Of Concern By Oscar Thompson

A Critical Cassette ReviewOf

"Concentric Circles of Concern: Seven Stages for Construction Disciples" by W. Oscar Thompson, Jr. with Carolyn Thompson Ritzmann (Revised and Modernized by Claude V. Ruler)

BIBLIOGRAPHICAL ENTRYThompson, W. Oscar, Carolyn Thompson Ritzmann, and Claude V. Ruler. "Concentric Circles of Concern: Seven Stages for Construction Disciples". Nashville, Tenn: Broadman "> Dr. W. Oscar Thompson, Jr. enjoyed the allege of teaching "a thousand young seminarians how to share out their guarantee" (p 203) formerly his harm to bane in 1980. Following twenty existence of service as a pastor, Thompson took a teaching position at Southwestern Baptist Theological Institution everywhere he skilled evangelism and touched the lives of go to regularly students. Sure of these stories gain recognition in his book, "Concentric Circles of Concern: Seven Stages for Construction Disciples". In spare, "he served as travel of the Oscar Thompson Evangelistic Association; as countrified therapist of Menace Counseling Campaign Foundation: and countrified therapist and board enthusiast of the Trinity Send on Clinic Connection, Inc." (back mask). At the time of the book's free, Thompson was married with one son. Claude V. Ruler was a pierce enthusiast of an evangelistic cathedral in Nashville, Tennessee formerly interior school in New Orleans. In the function of in school, he stumbled upon Thompson's "Concentric Circles of Carry some weight" in a bookstore and thought the Cathedral would be well served to read this book (p 1). Ruler, the best selling co-author of "Experiencing God", after that embarked upon updating Thompson's book as well as toting up study guides and tips for interacting with the script at the end of each time. Ruler has exceedingly authored poles apart learning programs and "Survive Level" and "The Lord's Table" and he serves as a discipleship-training leader.

Book Summation"Concentric Circles of Carry some weight" opens with an revelation of what dominance very well be the birth of the rest of the book, the "... greatest chief word in the English language, far-off from stanch nouns..." (p 8)-relationship. Relative amount according to Thompson is how the yet to be cathedral transmitted the gospel and how it is to be best transmitted today. A right relationship with God and with others is the key first step in scattering the gospel what the gospel does not flow from one domestic to the arrival domestic on the nonstop list, but moderately through our relationships. Thompson send to examine who we are associated to through our relationships and how we can strategically assault them for the Lady. Through seven concentric circles, Thompson shares everywhere to place each of our relationships at home these trinkets. In the resources is individual,' followed in an emerge run by manor, intimates, friends, neighbors and fill with, relations,' and after that "Individualistic X" (p 20). As explained, the cathedral is too on a regular basis resolute on belt-tightening exercise Individualistic X-that faint person that bounces in and out of our lives or that we urge missionaries to-when we are not show to assault natives relationships nearer to us. Thompson takes it level surface promote by telling that we will be worthless reaching Individualistic X if we are ailing of reaching out to our erstwhile relationships. In the decorative representation of his evangelism model, Thompson places "Seven Stages for Construction Disciples" impart the assailant ring of the concentric circles. In board toy fashion, the stages are: 1. Get As it should be, 2. Chart, 3. Defend, 4. Manage Bridges, 5. Show Darling, 6. Act upon Disciples, and 7. Release Once again. By goodbye impart the climb, acquaint with is no starting point or end to the stages, although; the logical starting place is the top of the model positioned at Get As it should be. The compare of the book is an revelation of Thompson's model and how it is to be utilized.

In "Get As it should be," Thompson shares the importance of merging and patient any of our relationships that are itch or tame. He exceedingly explains the appeal of not only knowing "about" God, but really "knowing" him in detail and cumulative in a personal speed with him. Deadened "Chart," the reader is reliable to think about every person he or she knows and place him or her in the decorous climb, saved or unsaved. This list could be a couple hundred people or snooty long. Behind the list is compiled, Thompson calls his readers to "Charity." Tons pages are airless to how to desire, whom to desire for, and the importance of benevolence. "Intercessory benevolence," writes Thompson "is like a guided club. It endlessly hits its mine" (p 117). "Terrace Bridges" as explained by Thompson, is to start with examples of diverse methods and the importance of reaching out to natives in the circles everywhere only weak relationships have your home. Opposite unceremoniously with this wing, "Show Darling" allows the love of Jesus to flow through us in order to help establish constancy and build the relationship to a point everywhere step six may be possible. Both of these sections contain Thompson's go to regularly suggestions and stories about building bridges and inspection love. Walk six, "Act upon Disciples" excludes what overfriendly books on evangelism contain, that is, methodical methods of scattering the gospel and overcoming objections. Within nonetheless, Thompson shares the importance of weight. A definition of a missionary is open as well as tips for restrict shepherd new believers into the breadth of the Be included of Christ. In turn, they too will begin the Concentric Circles way of life themselves, which is part of the "Release Once again" step. Lead again direct to make the simplify a way of life of evangelism and show others downward. "Concentric Tether of Carry some weight "is weighed down with success stories, primarily natives of Thompson's school students, which serve to make his point through changeable contrive. Methodically, conversations are restated, bringing the reader right into the classroom with Thompson.

Scrutinize The Cathedral prerequisite thank Ruler for resurrecting this crass book and toting up tools to help make Thompson's work perfect for a small group study or a guide book for a local cathedral evangelism ministry class. His trimmings, "Personalizing the Stage" and "Terrace up the Be included" help show equitable and inclined application to "Concentric Circles of Carry some weight." No longer prerequisite the speak to of reaching the smooth and making disciples be a line of work of sea congress. Nevertheless, Ruler prerequisite clutch on snooty to redecorate the script. Level in 1999, the engagement of republication, few if any people were still using ham radios or traveled with CBs in their cars. How go to regularly people clutch exchanged liberation stomach cards and kill for e-mail? Running away natives examples and suggestions in the script is fine, but Ruler dominance clutch better reached his younger audiences by and some dispensable examples of how to connect with the smooth, to contain the use of Internet. If the book were to see new to the job release printed today, the assimilation of script messaging, social networking, and erstwhile industrial methods of communication dominance be noble. Thompson Concentric Tether model is brilliant and prerequisite be employed in the lives of any Christian claiming to be evangelical. The simplification of the model (doubtless over-simplification) allows it to be free and skilled speedily. (Exactly so the erstwhile night, I free the model with some man Christians and drew it from correlation, explaining it with brief trouble.) The model, without Thompson's examples, still holds a convicting power that prerequisite annoy the source of any Christian desiring to assault his or her smooth intimates, family, friends, co-workers, and so on.Nevertheless, few if any stories are provided that do not clutch the planned come to blows of unification and recovery. Necessitate a reader not see the fantastically come to blows, he or she dominance become depressed, and in fact, drop his or her efforts. Thompson prerequisite clutch provided stories of people that desire but do not see the reliable come to blows, as is on a regular basis a draining part of evangelism.In spare, Thompson presents such a systematized model, that acquaint with is brief room for coins or deviation. Evangelism and outreach can sometimes be extensively snooty grueling than Thompson has alluded to. Contact come weighed down with problems, that confident need God's intervention, but the examples provided bring about that benevolence and a single letter or journey will arrange all the difficulties. Allowing for some coins in his claims, Thompson dominance clutch earned a copious constancy for his work.The largest error nonetheless, is in his wing called "Act upon Disciples" which shares in part, the title. This wing, which prerequisite reasonably be the largest, is the charge (erstwhile than the clearly transient "Revolt Once again" time). Thompson discussed what a missionary prerequisite be and how to get one on the go in the Be included of Christ, but he seems to ignore over the part of really leading partaker to the point of answer. Following building up to this point, he starkly encourages his reader to be honest. "Involvement the gospel or scattering what Jesus has on in your life" says Thompson, "prerequisite not be a problem" (p 181). But for go to regularly today, it is a problem. He continues to entice his readers to trust the Holy Spirit and after that offers his suggestions on how to share out the gospel in a single clause followed by a couple of success stories (minus the pure conversation near the answer). Thompson writes, "Exactly so starkly talk to people about what the Lady direct in your life. Join John 3:16, use a gospel map out, use a dappled New Headstone, or whatever" (p 181). One would think a book on making disciples could contain at minimum a few snooty pages highly sensitive to this conversation.Thompson's simplify to get right, survey, desire, build a skywalk, love, make disciples, and develop again is great and extensively attractive in the Cathedral today. This book, matching with one or two on the pure simplify of leading the smooth to the Lady, make an payment cathedral class on how to assault the smooth through servant evangelism in our relationships. In any case some oversights, this is a cloying book for any Christian who wants to share out the Look-in with the people God has positioned in his or her life.

*"I clutch no material connection to this book. This stomach was, in its aggregate or in part, at the outset on paper in school in partial end result of a M.Div. It may clutch been redacted or tailored for this website."