Journal: Journal of Ministry and Theology
Volume: JMAT 01:2 (Fall 1997)
Article: A Philosophy of Follow-up
Author: Howard L. Bixby

JMAT 1:2 (Fall 97) p. 32

A Philosophy of Follow-up

Howard L. Bixby

Senior Vice President, Baptist Bible College And
Seminary Dean, Baptist Bible Seminary

As our Savior spoke to His disciples during His time on earth, He reminded them (and us as well), “I have chosen you, and ordained you, that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain” (John 15:16). Apparently, the Lord placed the preservation and reproduction of “fruit” on the same level as its initial production. In a context of witness, righteous living, and fruit bearing, He stresses that the results should remain and be preserved. This would include spiritual victories in the lives of those won to Christ.

The ultimate satisfaction to be enjoyed by the believer who reaches, wins, trains, and disciples others is succinctly described in the Apostle John’s third epistle, verse 4, where he states, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” The context of this and similar passages speaks to the issue of spiritual decisions, truths, and victories being lived out in the lives of those discipled and mentored.

As the church approaches the end of this millennium and wrestles with the tidal wave of change that it brings, evangelism must be returned to its rightful place of importance. If, for the sake of analogy, the right foot were labeled “evangelism,” the left must be “follow-up.” Decisions without discipling are not enough. The “joy” is in seeing those converts “walk in truth.”

The process of conserving spiritual fruit has often been titled “Follow-Up.” This article is designed to briefly outline a philosophy of follow-up that can help believers systematically approach the exciting task of conserving the fruit of evangelism.

Ultimately, the purpose of follow-up is to take a newborn babe in Christ and help this spiritually weak one become strong and sure in his faith. Consequently, the one engaged in follow-up must move the new convert through stages of gaining assurance of salvation, attaining consistency and stability as he becomes more Christlike, and beginning to independently follow the Lord. As the process unfolds, the ultimate goal will

JMAT 1:2 (Fall 97) p. 33

be for the newly-saved individual to begin to share Christ, win others to Christ, and engage in follow-up himself.

Sometimes the decisions will prove to be false or unreal, but this only heightens the importance of having and utilizing a consistent biblical philosophy of follow-up. The following chart outlines a system...