Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. – Matthew 28:19-20
This passage of scripture, known as the “Great Commission” is how the church has long identified one of Jesus’ closing instructions to his disciples prior to His ascension into heaven.
However, the Barna Research Group recently conducted a study of the U.S. church’s ideas about missions, social justice, Bible translation and other aspects of spreading the gospel around the world and found that when asked if they had previously heard of the “Great Commission,” half of U.S. churchgoers (51 percent) said they did not know the term.
One in four (25 percent), said they had heard the term but weren’t sure what it meant. Sadly, just 17 percent said they knew that the “Great Commission” is Jesus assigning his followers to spread the Gospel. Six percent of churchgoers said they weren’t sure whether they had heard the term before.*
SAY WHAT?
The “Great Commission” spells out one of the central purposes for all believers (see also Mark 16:15-18; Luke 24:44-49; John 20:19-23; Acts 1:8).
After salvation, our lives belong to Jesus Christ who died to purchase our freedom from sin and death (1 Corinthians 6:20; Galatians 3:13; Revelation 5:9). He redeemed us so that we might be used to bring others into His Kingdom, as well. The “Great Commission” is the final instruction of the resurrected Jesus Christ to His disciples to spread His teachings to all the nations of the world.
So, how are we doing church? In some quarters, apparently not very well. Please let that not be said of you and me. Maranatha!
