Since the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, there has been a theme surrounding the number “2”. Skip forward to the ministry of Jesus Christ, we see Jesus:
“Calling the Twelve to him, he began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over impure spirits.” (Mark 6:7)
Although many of us follow this “rule,” too few of us understand why. Although stipulation (because Scripture does not specifically tell us the reason), here are three reasons why we believe the Two-by-Two Rule is more than just a recommendation from God.
1. Accusation and Confirmation. In the Old Testament, Hebrew law stated that two people were needed for any story to truly be acknowledged. When one person was accused, at least one other was necessary to confirm said accusation. When we are telling someone about God and what He has done and continues to do in our lives, it is easy for someone to deny what one individual is saying, especially if it is someone who knows you and your past. When another can confirm the changes that have taken place in your life and can assist with explaining how it was Jesus Christ that made it happen, things change from a doubt to a possibility. The world has heard many stories about Jesus, but too few have heard it with the confirmation of another that can help express who He is. This is why it takes two of us to evangelize.
2. Witness and Prayer. In 2 Corinthians 13, Paul’s opening statement is one that almost seems cumbersome for him due to his need to repeat it. After stating, we should witness with at least two people every time, he explains why. When one person is explaining who God is, the other should be a prayer warrior doing what he can to fight in the spiritual world while the engagement is taking place. We know that we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but we don’t always act on that knowledge. Many churches today have people interceding during a service, because they understand the importance of prayer while witnessing needs to be in full practice. Having a friend alongside you is how we tackle both this world and the spiritual one when witnessing.
3. Protection and Connection. As many of us know, the first church was persecuted greatly. Many people were killed because they were out sharing the gospel, and although our society isn’t as dangerous, it can still be quite threatening at times. More and more people openly speak against the Christian faith and it is possible that some may become active with such negativity. If anything happens, it is good to have additional support and assistance. Along with that, on the opposite side of the spectrum, connection can happen in a much better fashion if there are two present. Your friend’s testimony may be a more suitable one for the person you are speaking with, giving you an opportunity to still build a bridge. Having options is important when connecting. The more bonds made, the stronger the bridge will be.
There are a number of other reasons why people believe Christ wanted us to evangelize in twos and there are even more moments in scripture that reflect this practice. As long as we are doing what we can to testify together, regardless as to why we think we ought to, we can be sure (as a team) that more lives are impacted for Christ.