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The Great Commission: Whose Responsibility is It?

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Jesus Giving the Great Commission for DiscipleshipThen Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  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.”
(Matt. 28:18-20)

Whose Responsibility is it to Fulfill This Great Commission?

The original disciples to whom Jesus spoke these words certainly were in a unique position to fulfill Jesus’ words as they were used by Him in a special way to begin the Church.

Missionaries who are committed to full-time ministry of spreading the Gospel through many venues in many places undoubtedly are ones who today can continue the advancement of this commission.

Church leaders whose responsibility it is to support and promote God’s mission undoubtedly have a strategic part in its fulfillment.

People with the spiritual gift of evangelism who have that special divine empowerment to share the Good News would especially be drawn toward the Great Commission.

What about all other Christians?  Is the Great Commission everybody’s responsibility?

Nowhere in the context of these verses do we read that Jesus intended to direct these words only to missionaries, church leaders, or people with the gift of evangelism.

Verse 16 does let us know that He was speaking to the eleven disciples.  However His concluding words in verse 20, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age,” suggest this commission was to continue on past the original disciples.

Are you a disciple of Jesus today?  You too have a responsibility to fulfill Jesus’ command to “go and make disciples.”

PLEASE NOTE: You’ll find this article in the Steering the Church Toward Discipleship Leadership Guide which helps leaders think through their part in fulfilling the Great Commission.

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5 Replies to “The Great Commission: Whose Responsibility is It?”

    • That certainly is the bottom line, Akello Anes. We work in cooperation with Him under His authority by His power. We must never forget that. It reminds me of 1 Corinthians 3:5-7 — “What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe – as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.”

  1. If all Christians today were traveling evangelists like Paul and Apollos, who would fund the television and online outreach to the world?

    • While “going” and making disciples is the responsibility of all believers, it certainly doesn’t imply everyone must travel like Paul and Apollos. Back in the early church days they didn’t have the technology like we do today. They didn’t even have a mode of transportation that took them to the far reaches of the world as missionaries can travel today. Yes, times have changed. I wonder what evangelists like Paul and Apollos would have done if they had had access to the technology today. I wonder if the early church in Paul’s time still would have helped to fund his missionary journey if he had used it. I wonder how far Paul would have taken his ascertain to “become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some” (1 Cor. 9:19-23). Those are just some things to think about.

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