THE GREAT COMMISSION (TGC)

THE GREAT COMMISSION (TGC)

1. Lord Yeshua’s last command, “As you go, make disciples of all panta ta ethne (16,750 People Groups; 6,909 spoken languages today), baptize and teach them to obey all that I have commanded you.” (Matt. 28: 18-19)

2. The Sender: Yeshua is our sender, who has all authority in heaven and on the earth. He has sent us with the same authority to make disciples all the nations. TGC is a covenant between believers, sealed with his own blood, the sign of the new covenant. (Heb. 13:20, 21) 

3. Go: TGC is a ‘Go Commission’. Yeshua said, ‘I must go today, tomorrow and the next day, cure diseases, cast out demons and preach the kingdom.’ His church is a “Go church” and the TGC is her marching order, ‘Woe is to me if I preach not the gospel, in season and out of season’ from next door to ends of the earth. (Acts 1:8; 1Cor. 9:16; Luke 4:43; 13: 31-33, 2Tim. 4:2; Isa. 6: 8)

4. Disciple: TGC is the core agenda of the church. The rest are details. TGC is about reproducing multiple generations of disciplers, baptizers, equippers and senders. The best way to glorify God is to make abundant disciples makers.  (Acts 28:28; 2Tim. 2:2; John 15:8)

5. Baptize: In baptism, we die as sinners and are resurrected as saints. Those who believe and are baptized will be saved. Only believers’ baptism is valid. These signs shall follow believers: they will expel demons...will pray for the sick and they will be healed. All believers are royal priests, made so by the blood of the Lamb, hence all can baptize and fulfill TGC. (Mark16:15-18; 1Pet. 2:9; Rev. 5: 9,10)

6. Obey all that I have commanded: TGC is not about going to church every Sunday (not one verse in the Bible) but loving each other, even our enemies and making disciples, wherever God has placed us, at home, office, worksite or the market place and baptizing them right there (or wherever it is convenient) and teaching them to obey, must be our 24x7x365 lifestyle. “If you love me you will obey my commandments”. (John 13:34,35; 14:15; Matt. 5:43-48; Acts 1:8; Jam. 4:17) 

7. Equip Workers & Send them: Yeshua equipped twelve ordinary men and blessed them, ‘As the Father has sent me so I send you.’ 70% of the world population belongs to oral culture who need to be equipped through story telling in their heart language and trained differently for Hindu, Muslim and Buddhist context and then sent. (John 20:21; Acts. 2:8,11; Mark 4:34; Rom. 10:11-17)

8. TGC is commanded in all the first five books of the NT:  People Group Commission (Mat. 28:18-20); Preaching Commission: (Math. 24:14; Mark 16:15); Repentance Commission (Luke 24:47); Sending Commission (John 20:21); Geographical commission (Acts 1:8). TGC is not an optional ‘Great Suggestion’ but an explicit assignment to put our faith into action. 

9. Innumerable Bible schools worldwide equip tens of thousands of ‘aquarium keepers” while many of 41,000 denominations and 4,700 missions have lost focus for catching fish in the wild. They are happy taking care of gold fish in the bowl rather than fishing where the church is NOT; and completing the task of reaching 16,750 nations to worship before His throne. (Rev. 7:9,10)