Yesterday, I put the following status on our church Facebook page:
Why do we have Sunday School? The Great Commission. Why do we have Church in the Park? The Great Commission. Why do we have Greeters? The Great Commission. Why do we have Fellowship Time every Sunday at 10:00? The Great Commission. Why do we have Pioneer Club? The Great Commission. Why do we have Youth Ministry? The Great Commission. Why do we have Connection Cards? The Great Commission. Why do we have VBS? The Great Commission. Why do we have Apples of Gold? The Great Commission. Why do we have Deacons? The Great Commission. Why do we preach the Word? The Great Commission. Why does BCBC exist?—–THE GREAT COMMISSION!!!!
According to Matthew 28:18-20, every New Testament, local church should be motivated in every area of ministry by the Great Commission which is the genuine definition of discipleship. God will be glorified when Christ and His work is exalted by the empowering of the Holy Spirit.
18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
EVERY pastor, staff, Sunday School teacher, greeter, VBS leader & worker, deacon, welcome team member, usher, choir member, Pioneer Club/AWANA/children’s ministry leader & worker, believer in Christ should be living a soul-conscious life that breathes the Great Commission at church and outside the walls of church. When we enter the doors of our church buildings, our homes, our place of employment, the grocery store, the ballpark and/or family reunions, it should be natural to see others as blessed opportunities to share the gospel, fulfill the one another’s of Scripture, and to pray, exhort, encourage them as we point them to Christ. EVERY person around you needs to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ or be encouraged in Christ because life is Christ (John 14:6). Believers in Christ are followers of Christ who daily witness the words and works of Christ in order to proclaim the message of Christ to a hell-bound, hurting world that desperately needs Christ. Like a billboard I saw recently that said, “Every answer of life is found in Christ.” And, if we are really a follower of Christ, daily in His Word and in prayer, fulfilling the Great Commission will never be forced or phony. The Christ in you will be the Christ coming out of you.
Are you an obedient disciple of Christ? May the Great Commission not be an omission in our lives.
Disciples, it’s who we are; Discipleship, it’s what we do! It will change the world!
From A Pastor's Heart 