Reflection
4 minute read
The Great Commission is not an option to be considered, but it is a command to be obeyed.
In 2022, a survey1 of more than 2000 UK Christians was carried out online. One of the questions asked how familiar the responders were with the Great Commission. The result was that of those who said they were ‘active’ Christians, more than 40% said they knew nothing about the Great Commission. To be honest, I was disappointed, but not surprised.
I recently listened to a sermon on the Great Commission from Matthew 28:19-20 – Jesus’ command to his followers to go and make disciples of all nations. It was a good sermon, but at the end, my first thought was, ‘where was the go’? It was great on the making disciples aspect – and, don’t get me wrong, that is essential – but where was the go?
It’s true, the phrase, ‘The Great Commission,’ does not appear in scripture. ‘The Great Commission is not an option to be considered, but it is a command to be obeyed,’ is a quote you may have heard. It is often attributed to Hudson Taylor, an incredible man who spent 54 years in China and took 800 workers to that country. Although I can’t find evidence that confirms that he spoke these words – it doesn’t stop the content of the quote being true. And even if he didn’t pen those words, he certainly dedicated his life to them.
I believe our primary calling is to follow Christ and make disciples of Jesus, who make disciples of Jesus, who make disciples of Jesus. And these disciples of Jesus are to be from all nations.
But how do we make disciples? By going!
In the Old Testament there was a lot of ‘come to Jerusalem, come to the Temple’. I hope we do invite people to come to church, but Jesus wants us to go – to go to the people, to other nations, to cross borders, to cross ethnic boundaries, to cross generational barriers, to cross social barriers, to cross class barriers, to cross the street. The word ‘go’ simply means to move from one place to another – to go into the world and make disciples. It’s an active word – there is nothing passive about the word go.
The mission trend used to be ‘the West to the rest’ – so Christianity was not surprisingly seen as a western religion. Now it’s far more everywhere to everywhere. We are part of the Pioneers international mission family, which has more than 3200 workers currently serving in 104 countries but sent from more than 80 countries. Our teams are often made up of people from different countries which I find so exciting. One team working among refugees here in the UK is made up of nine adults from seven different nations. It is a lovely illustration of disciples of all nations going to make disciples of all nations!
One of our workers, Darren*, was reflecting recently on having been in ministry for 25 years. When he went to North Africa for the first time there were virtually no known believers in the country; now there is a real harvest. But workers are needed to bring in the harvest.
There are just two families in Craig* and Fiona*’s team in another part of North Africa. They say, ‘We would love to see our team grow and develop because the fields are ready.’
Over in the Middle East, Adam* and Heather* echo their words. ‘Truly, we’re experiencing that the harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few – so please pray for more labourers.’
For Jake* and Samantha*, their city is home to more than 900,000 Muslims. ‘Every Friday morning,’ they say, ‘We pray for the northern neighbourhoods where most of the unengaged peoples live. We undertake prayer walks through various neighbourhoods, and start local projects such as English centres, a clinic, inviting people to Bible studies through social media, and more. There is so much to be done and many more neighbourhoods untouched. The labourers are few, but the harvest is plentiful.’
If we are going, we don’t go by ourselves or in isolation. We are sent by God and at the same time we are sent by our local church. This is the other side of the same coin. It is tied in with a question I am sometimes asked by supporters: ‘How can I pray for the Arab world?’
My reply usually picks up on more words of Jesus found in Matthew’s gospel, ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest field.’ (Matthew 9:37-38)
If you think about this link between praying and going; you and I are the ones who are called to pray, and, at the same time, you and I are the ones being sent.
I hope we do invite people to come to church, but Jesus wants us to go – to go to the people, to other nations, to cross borders, to cross ethnic boundaries, to cross generational barriers, to cross social barriers, to cross class barriers, to cross the street.
When given the opportunity to speak to individual Christians or groups of Christians, I try and point out that the Great Commission is a command not a suggestion. A commission is an instruction or a role given to a person or group. It’s an order to be obeyed. And we have been commissioned – it’s been entrusted to us – to go.
But even that is not where it ends – just look at that final promise in Matthew 28:20, ‘…and surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’ Our God not only sends us, He goes with us.
*Names changed and library images used to protect identities.
**AWM-Pioneers is not responsible for the content of external sites and provides links to news sources for background information and not as a sign of endorsement or editorial support.
Interested in inspiring your church?We love to inspire, connect and equip churches with a heart for mission. For more information visit our website, www.awm-pioneers.org/about/info-for-churches or contact Chris, on chrisb@awm-pioneers.org or 01509 239 525.
