LORD HELP US TO GET IT RIGHT.
I decided recently to pose a question on FB seeking a reaction. I have around 3000 friends on FB and was expecting a better response. I received 16 “likes” and 8 comments.
The question was ”
HAS THE GREAT COMMISSION BECOME THE GREAT OMISSION?
It would seem that most Believers don’t even really know what it means to fulfil the Great Commission, I think many feel it was particularly for the 12 Apostles in the first century and in our generation those who are called the ministry. Spurgeon said:
It is the whole business of the whole church to preach the whole Gospel to the whole world. I think that says it all !!!!
Some people think it simply means to witness, that is a SMALL component of what the Great Commission is all about.
Mark’s record of the great commission reads Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature Mark 16:15 NKJV We are not all called to be Preachers, so that is why some say the Great Commission doesn’t concern them,
Others think it is getting a person to “make” a decision, Paul Washer a Southern Baptist Evangelist puts it this way.
MOST PEOPLE TODAY IN OUR CHURCHES ARE LOST, AND THEY DEMONSTRATE THAT THEY ARE LOST BECAUSE THEIR ENTIRE RELIGION IS NOTHING MORE THAN “THEY MADE A DECISION”.
That statement may be a little extreme but there is a lot of truth in it.
Matthew’s expression of the great Commission to me spells it out so clearly. Go therefore and MAKE DISCIPLES of ALL THE NATIONS, baptizing them in the Name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Spirit, TEACHING THEM to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo I am with you even to the end of the age. Matthew 28:19-20 NKJV
Sadly, the deception continues, some say Discipleship is a 4-6 week course conducted by the local church, it is so much more that a class but yes it does very much include teaching, as a Disciple is a Learner, a Student. There are aspects of Discipleship that can be taught in a class, but MOST must be done in a one to one relationship with a Disciplemaker/Mentor/Buddy walking with the new Believer. My experience is if it is done well, it will take 6-9 months of constant Discipling to bring a new Believer to a measure of maturity.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE ESSENTIALS THAT NEED TO ‘CAUGHT”
Please note I didn’t say taught, as so much must come as real revelation, not just information, these truths cannot just be taught in a one off fashion in a class, but the Disciplemaker/Mentor/Buddy must walk with the new believer until the truth has truly entered his heart.
- Assurance of sins forgiven 1 John 5:13
- Our inheritance in Christ
- The importance of fellowship and being planted in a local church
- The power of testimony Rev. 4:11
- Being filled with the Spirit and learning to live the Spirit filled life Eph. 5:18
- Responding to Discipleship challenges such as character ,speech. lifestyle, motives and attitudes.
- Learning to protect the mind (Eph. 6.17
- Developing a relationship with God through prayer and the Word of God
- Experiencing emotional and mental wholeness
Let me repeat one more time the Greek word for FEED in John 21:15&17 is Bosko, and the etymology of the word is the picture of the shepherd going through the wool, of the sheep, looking for the cuts and bruises and sores and the rubbish that is caught up in the wool and the shepherd is close enough that the smell of the sheep is on the shepherd.
There is no way that a Pastor or an Elder can alone do these things, in other words the results of Biblical Discipleship in a new Believer is not only maturity but a TRAINED DISCIPLEMAKER.
IF WE PREPARE THE NURSERY WITH MANY MIDWIVES, GOD WILL GIVE US BABIES
The reality is we all know people who have NEVER been discipled, and either they are no longer in the church today, or are simply convinced that what they have is all that is available, perhaps they see some mediocrity around them from other Believers too !!!!
LET’S GET BACK TO BUILDING THE CHURCH GOD’S WAY
Your comments and response would be appreciated/
