The Principle of Selection

Selection Defined 

The Principle of Selection holds the idea that in ministering to others one may take on the task of ministering to a small number of individuals in particular over a mass amount of people. One does not ignore ministry to others but one may spend extra amounts of time with a few certain people in order to create an effective ministry to those individuals. It is important to have people who are much closer to you than the majority of those within your ministry. Being selective in this way is not wrong. It benefits those who are closest to you without taking away anything of necessity from the rest of the crowd. 

Selection Modeled in the Life of Jesus 

Examples of The Law of Selection may be referred to within the ministry of Jesus. In Jesus’ ministry, he focused on a select few to whom he ministered regularly. One may see many levels of selection within Jesus’ own ministry. Out of all the people who followed him he selected seventy-two people that he sent out the spread the good news of the kingdom of heaven in the various regions in Israel. He gave these seventy-two people authority to work miracles and cast out demons among other things. They were an important part of Jesus’ ministry.

However, Jesus carried his selection out even further and he chose his twelve disciples to be his close friend and comrades in ministry. Most of the recorded words of Jesus were spoken to the twelve disciples. Jesus focused on these twelve in particular. Instead of dumbing down everything he said so that it would be completely obvious to everyone, he chose to speak in parables to the crowds. Those who truly wanted to understand his message went to him later in order to learn from him what he had been trying to say. This act is seen quite frequently among the Twelve.

Jesus’ selection went even further than the Twelve, however. He selected three from among the twelve whom he considered to be his closest friends. These three were Peter, James, and James’ brother John. These three were the only three who witnessed Christ in his splendor when his appearance was transfigured before them on the mountain. It was with these three that Jesus was most intimate. Also, it would seem that Jesus was perhaps even more selective at this point, perhaps taking special interest in Peter, sort of singling him out as his replacement if you will, or at least the one who would take over his ministry after he was gone. John is also thought to be “the disciple whom Jesus loved,” so this might be another example of selection taking place within the gospel narrative.